Created on June 13, 2024

Organic SEO: Everything You Wanted to Know & More

Who doesn’t want to publish content that gets tons of organic traffic?

Sounds fantastic. But unfortunately, it is far from being easy:

  • Competition is tough
  • SEO is expensive
  • Many use spammy techniques, and it works for them
  • When you’re a newbie, getting to the top right away seems an impossible mission, even if your content is heavenly.

So, is organic SEO a mere fantasy?

No, it’s not. But it is definitely different from what it was decades before. Let’s put it this way – you can’t expect to lead the search results with great content alone while everyone else invests heavily in SEO.

So, how should you approach your organic search in SEO to get the most out of it? That’s exactly the question we’ll tackle today.

Content:

Organic SEO: What It Is and What Types Exist

Organic search engine optimization refers to any strategy you use to make your website rank higher in search results. It involves a lot of things like keyword research, quality content writing, link-building campaigns, tracking metrics, etc. That's a lot of work. But don’t worry. After reading this guide, you will be able to find an company that can help you (more on that later).

For now, let’s cover the basics. There are three types of organic SEO:

#1 The White Hat

This is organic search engine optimization at its finest. This is an approach when you don't do any tricks with keyword stuffing, don’t work on your link-building, and don’t really care about rankings. How does it work then? It doesn't in 99% of cases, but in a vacuum, it should function like this. First, you have to come up with a topic. For this, you:

  • Either share your expertise.
  • Or go and check which problems people face on forums, Quora, or Reddit.
  • Alternatively, you could research competitors.
  • Or maybe (just maybe) use Ahrefs, Semrush, or another tool to peek at keywords and get an idea for your new article. But no extra optimization. Mind that!

Next, you write mega cool and super expert content. And then, people should notice it. It might work just fine if your site gets traffic from other channels (SM, direct, etc.). But what if it doesn’t? Spoiler: that’s what most of us face.

Anyway, in theory, users should read your article, like it, write related content on their blogs or websites, and link to you. And there should be dozens of such people, in theory.

Organic SEO gets more complicated if you have an online store or a service-based business. In this case, you have to work on your blog and social media presence to get your traffic from there.

#2 The Black Hat

Then, there is another extreme – the black-hat SEO, or as we like to call it, the worst-decision tactic. It involves the use of spammy links or link farms. Basically, you are focusing on quantity over quality and do whatever it takes to get your website to the top.

Your spammy backlinks, over-optimization, and most of the other unethical SEO practices can actually work. But… it will be temporary. Because sooner or later, Google won’t like it. At all.

How do you spot spammy or toxic links?

  • The website looks suspicious, with tons of ads and pop-ups
  • Their content seems to be AI-generated or plagiarized
  • They link to sensitive niches (gambling, adult content, etc.)
  • The number of outbound links is higher than the amount of inbound links (meaning that the website links to other pages more than what others link to them)

If you see those, you better run.

#3 The Gray Hat

But there's a more nuanced concept – gray-hat SEO. To be honest, it can get very confusing. Often, it refers even to keyword research and optimization. Yet, this tactic isn’t about being spammy or going against any policies.

Of course, if you don’t go overboard and your copy looks like this: “We offer the best flower bouquets in Chicago. Get a flower bouquet now, or order the best flower bouquet for a gift because a flower bouquet is what everyone wants in Chicago.”

Stuffing goes well with a turkey for Thanksgiving, but not with your keywords:)

Organic SEO perception has also changed greatly over the years. For example, sponsored posts used to be considered gray-hat, while black-hat involved something really shady, like spammy PBNs, doorways, etc. Whereas now, many see sponsored posts as somewhat inappropriate, sometimes even as black-hat.

What Is a Realistic Way to Get Organic SEO Boost?

Here's the thing: we all want to boost our organic search engine optimization, but it looks like there are so many rules, and the fastest methods seem to be the unethical ones. So, what are the realistic options?

The answer lies somewhere between white-hat and what many perceive now as gray-hat. Why is it like that? Well, because even the outreach for guest posting is considered gray-hat, as it isn’t an organic way to grow your traffic. Yet, if you decide to pay for your posts, you move to the black-hat stage. Yeah, I know it all got too complicated. And the line between everything is too thin. But whatever you do, please don’t go for any link farms or spammy options that sell hundreds of ‘high-quality’ links for $5.

What should you do instead?

  • Step 1. You do research to find what’s really buzzing in the niche or an issue that lots of people are talking about (hello keywords).
  • Step 2. You dig up the facts or consult with experts on that subject and write an outstanding pitch with a refreshing glance at the issue. You also have to find the right media, stats, infographics, and data to back up your claims.
  • Step 3. Now, you have to find people in your niche or related industries willing to publish your work (aka outreach). This will take a while if you are searching on Google or on social media. You can use keywords + “write for us” to narrow down your search.
  • Step 4. You will have to find their contact details and send them your pitches. Don’t feel bad if you get turned down repeatedly. Just keep focusing on how your content can add value to their audience. Only pitch to relevant sites with high domain ratings or skip this stage if you have an organic SEO company do this task. Be sure to follow every guideline on their sites.
  • Step 5. When you get a positive response (yay, congratulations at last!), then write and send your content and your bio (include a link to your site) and wait for it to be published. Try to ensure that you follow the rules about guest posts content. Be sure to include the links to the facts you dug up earlier.

Step 6. Promote your post on your social media accounts. Then send them a thank you email (we don’t want to burn that bridge now, do we?) and wait for the results.

Why Do You Need Organic SEO?

70% of digital marketers vouch for SEO as being more effective for generating sales compared to PPC. How is that even possible? Well, the same source shows that more than half of all shopping journeys now begin online.

Here’s a breakdown of how organic search SEO works to bring your blog or business to a new level:

  • Increased visibility and better rankings. When you apply the best practices for SEO, your organic search rankings will improve, which means that you show up higher in search results where people click the most. Even moving up by just one spot can boost your click-through rates.
  • More opportunities for leads and conversions. This naturally happens as more people click on your links and visit your web pages. While it may look like a game of numbers, remember that many people who click will also be already marketing for products or services like yours.
  • Rising popularity of your brand. Customers see a well-known and well-established brand as more credible. People will more likely trust your brand and choose you over your competitors if you work on your credibility. SEO offers the best means to do that.

Higher customer satisfaction and retention rates. Organic search marketing SEO helps you deliver the very best customer experience. The perks are higher customer retention rates for you and increased brand loyalty.

What Factors Does Google Use to Determine Search Ranking?

If you do organic SEO marketing, you know that nothing happens by accident, at least not with search engine algorithms. Here's how Google decides on the rank of your web page:

  • Keywords and search intent of the web visitor. Everyone who Googles has something in mind. Typically, they type out a question or a phrase, and the search engine picks out these keywords to find the best results to deliver.
  • Content relevance to the search query. Now, if your content has the requested keywords and aligns with the search intent, it will likely appear in the search results. But to rank higher than others with similar benchmarks, you must demonstrate authority, experience, expertise, and trust.
  • User experience metrics. Your organic ratings and results are also affected by the quality of experience your visitor gets. Websites that take longer to load tend to appear lower in the SERPs.

Challenges of Organic SEO Search Strategies

Look, SEO can leave people with tons of questions. When improving organic search search results, you can also have many difficulties:

  1. Costs are high. Maybe creating content doesn't cost you much since you can do that yourself. But then you venture on to link building, and suddenly, unexpected costs start piling up.
  2. There’s so much competition and so little opportunities. From getting to the few prime spots on the first page of search results to competing with the number of brands, it's a lot. Throw in link building, and it's no wonder many websites do not get any traffic.
  3. It's too easy to mess it all up. Say you need help (that will happen a lot), and you would do what most people do: outsource link building to the cheapest organic SEO services provider you got on the internet. Chances are you might regret that move. That's how people end up with toxic links.
  4. Skills and resources are not as plentiful as you might think. Sure, you can find someone offering their service for just $20. However, the experienced service providers are harder to find and cost more.
  5. The goalposts keep changing. Well, not literally, but we all know that Google can be pretty fickle. Every other year, there are tons of new updates to the policies, making you adjust your strategies and plans.

5 Top SEO Tips to Boost Organic Traffic in 2024

There are many good ideas about getting your blog or site to become the next hot thing, at least for your niche audience. And here are some powerful organic SEO tips and tactics that you can use right away.

#1 Get the Keyword Research Right, and Everything Else Will Follow

Seriously, you can’t stress the importance of keywords for improving SEO organic traffic enough. It is the path to get to the top ten rankings on Google. You've got to know the keywords and the search intent before you even start planning your content.

You don't have to guess as long as you have access to SEO tools and keyword planners. Your primary and secondary keywords can give your content more relevance, whether you are writing for a local or an international audience.

#2 Quality Content That Is Well Optimized Is Non-negotiable

Your keywords give you the right idea for topics and issues that your audience wants to see. So, you should create something that is a world apart from whatever they might read out there. This means you have to dig deep during your research to uncover new facts and data that others missed.

Next, you have to optimize your content so the search engine can get the gist of it. Add keywords in your content title, headings, body, meta descriptions, and URL. Pair the description with a CTA to get people to click.

#3 Add Images and Videos to Get More Clicks

Source: @BlueDressMarket on X

We all know from experience that content with visuals tends to have more appeal and clicks. The quality of images can impact your search rankings, so be sure to choose only the best. Add Alt text that matches the image and add a keyword to it. Still, be sure to optimize your media for fast loading.

#4 Don't Forget the Technical Stuff

It’s easy to focus on creating the perfect content that we forget to pay attention to the technical stuff. But we all know that it impacts user experience and determines if they will scroll to the other pages or simply exit the site. This trend affects the bounce rate and can be crucial for your rankings.

Things like mobile responsiveness, site structure, navigation, or load speed all contribute to user experience. The pages that appear on the first page of search results all load up to 3 seconds.

Everyone knows backlinks can save you lots of resources and give good results. Getting quality links from relevant sites in your niche can signal to the search engine algorithms that you are a trustworthy and authoritative source. This has a good effect on how Google views your site and ranks your page. In fact, link building is one of the best methods to enhance visibility and organic search in SEO. Besides, more people will trust you.

Organic SEO Company: How to Choose The Right One?

An organic SEO services company or consultants, as some people call them, have one primary goal. They help blogs or businesses like yours craft strategies. They do the same you would do; the only difference is that you are outsourcing the work to someone (in this case, an SEO expert) who is more knowledgeable than you.

A reliable agency will have the following attributes:

  • A qualified and experienced service provider across different niches and SEO needs. These should be verifiable.
  • Proof of thousands of links from relevant high-authority sites.
  • High client success rates, anything with less than 75% is a gamble.
  • Reviews and ratings.
  • Affordable SEO packages.
  • A secure payment system (most use an escrow system).
  • A cashback guarantee.

Conclusion

Getting the hang of organic SEO can be a whole lot of hassle, but it’s not impossible. It is still the best idea to boost your traffic and achieve your growth goals without using too many resources. Besides, you can always opt for help from experts if you get stuck at any point in your journey. With SEO, consistency is always your best bet. So stick to the organic SEO strategy, and you will see the results pouring in soon.

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