Table of contents
Seo basics
Let's start by laying the foundation of your SEO knowledge by reviewing the most basic concepts, techniques and strategies. Even small improvements to these SEO basics can have a big impact.
If you want a deeper insight into SEO than this guide can give you, you can get a copy of our new SEO book. In over 100 pages, the book gives you a solid insight into what it takes to succeed with SEO.
Introduction to search engines
To become a good SEO specialist, it's important to first understand how search engines like Google work and how they deliver results to users.
When a search term is entered, the search engine crawls its index and matches the search term against relevant web pages. Out of the matched pages, the algorithm ranks them based on many different factors and displays the top ranked ones at the top.
The largest search engine on the Danish market is Google with a market share of 95 % according to StatCounter. Search engine optimization is therefore in practice Google optimizationand the process of optimizing a website is based on Google's rating criteria.
The same trend is true in most of Europe, Africa, Asia and South America - with a few exceptions. In China, Baidu has a market share of 73 % and in Russia Yandex has a market share of 49 %. In North America, Google has a market share of 90 %, while Bing has around 9 % (Microsoft, the company behind Bing, claims a market share of 33 %).
If you compare the search results on Google and Bing, you'll notice that they are different. In other words, the search engines' ranking criteria are not identical. However, the correlation between the criteria is high and it is hardly worth optimizing a website separately against Bing, considering the search engine's small market share.
Other types of search engines
In addition to the traditional search engines, there are a number of niche search engines based on different types of niche content. Google offers Google Images, Google Videos, Google Maps, Google News, Google Books and Google Scholar.
Search engine optimization can also target niche search engines such as Google Images and Google Maps, where - despite a smaller overall potential than on traditional search engines - valuable visibility can still be achieved.
In addition, there are a number of commercial search engines, such as YouTube (videos), Amazon (products), PriceRunner (product comparisons), Trivago (hotels) and Bilbasen (cars). While there are specific strategies for optimizing on these platforms, a deeper review is beyond the scope of this book.
At the same time, AI-powered searches on platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Claude are gaining ground and are expected to take over some of the search behavior from traditional search engines. To ensure visibility in these AI-powered search results, you can apply principles from classic search engine optimization and adapt them to the new context - both now and in the future.
Search results
A distinction is made between organic search results and paid search results. Organic search results (also called SEO results) are the actual search results. These are typically text-based, but may be supplemented by a small image, a rating (in the form of yellow stars) and other information in keyword form.
Paid search results are ads - the economic livelihood of search engines - that can be purchased via Google Ads and Bing Ads. Paid results can take the form of text ads and image ads (so-called shopping ads) as shown in the image below.
Google shows paid search results above and below the organic search results on commercial searches. Google also shows ads in Google Images and Google Maps. Pretty much the same applies to the search engine Bing, which has a slightly different layout.
When you work with SEO, you only work with organic results. Many supplement this with the purchase of paid search results to maximize visibility and often improve cost-effectiveness (more on this at the end of the next chapter).
Positions and click-through rates
Din position (ranking) in search results has a big impact on Click ratesThis is the percentage of searchers who click through to your website. We have analyzed 11.39 million Danish Google searches across 5,828 different keywords to determine the average click-through rate for each position on Google. Positions 1-10 are search results on page 1.
According to the analysis, which mirrors foreign analyses of the same kind, the majority of users on Google click on positions 1 to 5 (the top five search results). In other words, the value is at the top of Google - an improvement from position 2 to 1 results in over five times more website visitors on average than an improvement from position 20 to 5!
This doesn't mean that you should always go all out to achieve a position 1 on a given search. In many cases, the competition is so high that it will require an inappropriate amount of SEO resources, and so the profitability is probably greater if you focus on the lower positions - or focus on achieving a good position on a less competitive search.
As a side note, it is possible to achieve multiple positions on the same search, but this usually only occurs for so-called branded keywords (i.e. keywords that include your company name or one of your product names) and for keywords with very low competition.
What is SEO and why is it important?
SEO stands for "Search Engine Optimization" and refers to the process of increasing the visibility and ranking of a website in non-paid, organic search results.
Why is SEO important?
- Over 50% of all website traffic comes from organic search results.
- The higher the ranking, the more traffic. For example, the #1 result appears in twice as many searches as #2.
- SEO traffic has a higher conversion rate than paid traffic.
- SEO increases credibility and brand awareness.
- SEO is a long-term strategy that builds domain authority over time.
In short, SEO is incredibly effective in driving relevant traffic and leads to a website. It's a necessity for all serious businesses online.
Search engine ranking factors
Search engine algorithms use hundreds of different factors to determine the order of search results. Here are some primary ranking factors:
On-page factors:
- Keyword optimization - using keywords in title, URL, headings, content. Read more in our on-page SEO guide.
- Content quality and readability. See this .
- Mobile friendliness and speed. Get tips here.
- Internal links and navigation. Read about internal links in SEO.
- Metadata. See our introduction to metadata.
Off-page factors:
- Quality links and domain authority. Learn about link building.
- Social media, shares and links. See our guide to social media and SEO.
- Positive reviews and mentions. Get tips for .
- Brand awareness and trust.
User experience:
- Click-through rate and dwell time on page. See the How to increase your CTR.
- Bounce rate. Learn about bounce rate optimization.
- Conversion rate. See our guide to conversion optimization.
By optimizing both on-page and off-page factors, you can achieve better rankings in search results.
SEO mistakes to avoid: 5 common misconceptions
There are many pitfalls you can fall into when working with SEO. Some of the most common misconceptions and mistakes you can make are:
- Thinking that SEO is not important: Many people mistakenly believe that SEO is not that important anymore because many search engines today also take other factors into consideration when ranking websites in search results. But while this is true in some cases, SEO is still an important factor that can have a big impact on how well your website performs in search results.
- Focusing too much on keywords: Choosing relevant keywords and phrases to optimize your website for is important, but it's also important to remember that the content on your website should be of high quality and relevant to the searches. If you focus too much on keywords and forget to think about content and usability, you risk scaring your visitors away and having a negative effect on your ranking in search results. Therefore, you should always remember to balance keyword optimization with content quality.
- Overdoing keyword optimization: It's important to incorporate keywords and phrases naturally into your website content, but if you overdo it and stuff your content with too many keywords, it can appear unreliable and contrived. This can have a negative effect on your ranking in search results.
- Ignoring technical SEO: It's not just the content of your website that affects your ranking in search results. Technical things like website structure, navigation, speed and so on also matter. If you ignore these things, your website's ranking can suffer.
- Not following up on results: It's important to measure and track progress with SEO to see what's working and what might need to be adjusted. If you don't follow up on the results, you won't be able to see if your SEO efforts are having the desired effect, nor will you be able to make the necessary adjustments.
Avoiding these common misconceptions and mistakes will put you on the road to optimizing your website and improving your search rankings. Remember that SEO is an ongoing process, so always be mindful to measure and track progress and don't be afraid to adjust your strategy if needed. SEO can be a challenging discipline, but with the right knowledge and effort, you can see positive results and attract more visitors to your website.
On-page optimization
On-page SEO is the optimization of factors directly on the website itself to improve search engines' ability to understand and rank content.
Some key areas for on-page SEO:
- Titles - Include important keywords early in the title tag and keep them unique and descriptive. Read our title tag SEO guide.
- URL structure - URLs should be SEO-friendly with keywords and readable for users. See this guide to SEO-friendly URLs.
- Headings - Use headings and header tags (H1, H2 etc.) to structure content. Read more about header tags in SEO.
- Caption - Add descriptive alt and title text to images. See our SEO guide for image optimization.
- Content - Produce unique, valuable content with a focus on keywords. Read about .
- Internal linking - Link logically between related pages and content on the site. See more about internal links in SEO.
- Call-to-action - Encourage visitors to convert with CTAs. See our guide to call-to-action buttons.
On-page SEO is the foundation of any website and should be a high priority. Even small improvements here can have a big impact on visibility and results.
Off-page optimization
Off-page SEO involves factors and activities outside of the web page itself that can affect search ranking. This includes:
- Link building - get links from other websites to increase domain authority. See our complete link building guide.
- Social media - share content on social platforms to build links and brand awareness. Read more about Social media and SEO.
- Reviews - positive reviews and testimonials from customers. Get tips for .
- PR and brand building - publicity, features and writing about your brand and products. Read our PR guide for businesses.
- Local SEO - optimization to rank in Maps and local searches. See our local SEO guide.
Off-page factors help increase a brand's credibility, exposure and domain authority. It's an important part of any complete SEO strategy.
Keyword analysis
Keyword research is central to all SEO. Without understanding what users are searching for, it's impossible to optimize content specifically to rank.
Key steps in keyword analysis are:
- Keyword identification - create a list of relevant keywords and phrases based on your business. See our guide to keyword analysis.
- Keyword volume - find data on the monthly search volume for each keyword. Learn how to .
- Difficulty - rate how difficult it is to rank for the keyword. See our .
- Competitor analysis - see which sites perform well for your focus keywords. Read about Competitor analysis in SEO.
- Purchase intent - identify commercial keywords with high conversion potential.
With the right keyword data, you can prioritize the most effective words and phrases to optimize for. Keyword analysis is a continuous process as search trends and volume are constantly changing.
Measurement and tracking
To assess the effectiveness of your SEO efforts, measurement and tracking is a necessity. Here are some tools for SEO reporting:
- Google Analytics - integrate on site to track traffic, behavior and conversions. See our Introduction to Google Analytics.
- Google Search Console - get data on indexing, clicks and rankings for keywords. Learn more about Google Search Console.
- Rank tracking tools - checks ranking in search results, e.g. SE Ranking or RankRanger.
- SEO reports - automated SEO reports and monitoring. See for example Botify or SE Ranking.
Key SEO KPIs to track:
- Organic traffic. Read our .
- Keyword placements. See .
- Click-through rate (CTR). Get tips for to increase CTR.
- Conversion rate. Read our Conversion rate guide.
- Dwell time and bounce rate. See how to reduce bounce rate.
Review reports and data regularly and adjust your SEO strategy for optimal impact. Measurement and iteration are key to SEO success.
Now you have a solid foundation in basic SEO concepts and techniques. Let's build on top with more advanced strategies and tools.
The 8 steps to SEO success
In its simplicity, a successful SEO effort can be summarized in eight steps that are closely related to the four action areas shown in the diagram below. Below, I've created a powerful 8-step SEO action plan that you can use as a starting point for your company's SEO efforts.
The action plan should be adapted to your business based on initial analysis so that you use your resources where they are most needed. For example, you may have a strong technical foundation but lack relevant content that needs to be prioritized above all else.
1. Do a technical analysis (month 1)
Google automatically indexes your website, which means that Google automatically collects information from your website in order to display it in search results. However, there may be technical issues that prevent Google from indexing your website optimally.
Make one technical analysis and correct any errors. An easy shortcut - if your ambition level is not high - is to search for site:ditwebsite.dk on Google. Google then returns all indexed pages on your website. If the number matches the actual number of pages, you know that Google can index your pages.
Then search for selected text snippets from your website written in quotation marks. If Google can find the text snippets, you know that Google can index your content. If Google can index your pages and content, the basic technical foundations are in order - but that doesn't rule out optimization opportunities.
2. Do a keyword analysis (month 1)
The foundation for successful SEO is knowing your target audience's search habits on Google. Both because it provides insight into what content can attract and engage your target audience and because it provides insight into what content has the greatest economic potential.
Make one keyword analysis. The analysis results in a list of business-relevant keywords. For each keyword, the analysis shows what is most searched for (i.e. what content can attract the most potential customers to your website) and what your current visibility is (i.e. where you have a strong foundation).
There is no easy shortcut to keyword research. Writing content blindly without a solid understanding of the target audience is like throwing money out the window.
3. Choose your focus areas (month 2)
The task of making your website visible on the keywords in the keyword analysis starts with grouping the keywords into a number of landing pages. A landing page is a page on your website that is optimized for one or more related keywords. In some cases, you probably already have a relevant page that you can work on, and in other cases the keywords require the creation of a new page.
One landing page can be optimized for multiple keywords if the keywords are related (for example, 'paleo', 'paleo food' and 'stone age food'). If the keywords are not related (e.g. 'company cars', 'family cars' and 'airbags'), you'll get more out of optimizing an individual landing page for each keyword.
Choose a limited number of landing pages to work with so you have the resources to work with content, links and user signals. Choose pages based on three criteria:
- It is realistic for you to achieve keyword visibility.
- The keywords have a high search volume, meaning they can generate traffic to the site.
- It's valuable for your business that the target audience sees the page.
4. Write titles and descriptions for the pages (month 2)
Write a title tag and a meta description for each landing page. A title tag is a short headline that appears as a blue link on Google. A meta description is a short description that appears below the title. Read more about title tags and meta descriptions.
The title and description should summarize and create interest in the page content. They have a big impact on the page's ranking on Google and on the click-through rate, i.e. how many of the users on Google click on your website.
5. Write texts for the pages (ongoing)
Write one text for each landing page. As a general rule, the text should be longer than the text your competitors have on their corresponding landing pages. Do a Google search for the main keyword you are optimizing the landing page for to find out how long the text on your competitors' landing pages is.
The text on the landing page should be written based on the keyword(s) you have associated with that landing page. A 500-word text should contain the main keyword 8-12 times and related keywords 1-6 times. A 1,000-word text should contain the keywords slightly more times.
The main keyword must be included in the text main headline. Include keywords in a natural way and use inflections and synonyms as needed. On product pages, it's a good idea to include information about the physical characteristics of the product (size, shape, materials, colors, design, etc.) in the body text.
6. Get someone to link to the pages (ongoing)
The most important factor for how high landing pages are ranked in search results is the quantity and quality of leftthat point to the pages. An inbound link can be seen as a recommendation of your website, and links therefore give Google a strong indication of how good and relevant the pages are.
Build links to our pages guide on link building. In the past, the goal was to get as many inbound links as possible, but this approach to link building has little to no value now. Instead, it's necessary to focus on getting links from relevant pages that are thematically similar to the pages you want to build links to.
Links can be built through guest blogging, outreach to networks and industry associations, outreach to partners (manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, etc.), sponsorships, press releases and content marketing.
7. Optimize user signals (ongoing)
User signals is a term for the behavior patterns on your website that are included in Google's ranking criteria, i.e. that Google uses to determine your website's position in search results. This can include both user behavior on the website itself and user interaction with your website on Google.
For example, if a user clicks on your website on Google, but returns shortly after and clicks on another website, it is a clear indication to Google that your website is not relevant to the user on that specific search - and if many users have the same behavior, your website will be positioned lower.
Optimize user behavior on your website based on our guide on user signals. The optimization will typically include a mix of conversion optimization and content optimization, including optimizing title tags and meta descriptions - in order to improve Click rates, session duration and the rejection rate.
8. Evaluate the work (ongoing)
Follow up on efforts and evaluate whether your actions are having the desired effect. Without ongoing evaluation, you have no way of knowing if you're spending your time and money wisely. Remember that SEO is a long-term process and you can only make a fair assessment of your work after at least six months.
The evaluation should be based on the metrics and objectives included in the strategy you established in the initial phase. The evaluation can include financial, tactical and operational goals, and goals should be adjusted along the way if necessary to ensure they are always achievable and realistic.
If you work with an SEO agency, you should require monthly evaluation of both deliverables and results achieved. Good tools for evaluation are Google Search Console and SEMrush. Read more about Evaluation of SEO.
Advanced SEO
In this section, we dive into more advanced and tactical SEO. By mastering these techniques, you can really maximize your online visibility and traffic.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO is the optimization of the underlying code and structure of a website for better performance and search engine friendliness.
Some technical SEO best practices:
- Mobile friendly - ensure a fast, responsive site across devices. See more in our mobile SEO guide.
- Fast loading time - reduce images, requests and plugins that slow you down. Get tips for .
- Clean code - validate HTML, remove dead links and duplicate content. Read more about Dead links in SEO.
- SSL security - install an SSL certificate and enable HTTPS. See our SSL certificate guide.
- Link structure - create a logical internal link structure between relevant pages. Read more about internal links in SEO.
- Server configuration - enable caching, compression and CDNs for fast asset delivery. Learn more about .
- XML sitemaps - send search engines a sitemap of all pages. Learn how to make a XML sitemap.
Technical SEO requires regular maintenance and monitoring, but offers great improvements in ranking and user experience.
Content marketing
Quality content is absolutely crucial for successful SEO today. Some tips for creating effective SEO content:
- Keyword-based - optimize content for the topics and keywords your users search for. See more in our .
- Add value - focus on informing, inspiring and helping the reader. Deliver expert knowledge in your field. Read about .
- Engaging - write clearly and concisely and use visual elements for better readability. Get tips for .
- Internal links - link naturally to related content on the site to keep the reader reading longer. Read more about internal links in SEO.
- Update regularly - old, outdated content is penalized by Google. Keep it fresh. Check out our .
- Unique content - avoid copying or reusing old content. Everything should be written 100% unique. Learn more about .
- Length - longer content often performs better, but make sure you have good structure and easy scanning. See our .
Remember, Google focuses on quality over quantity. Make sure each piece delivers solid value to the reader.
Link building
Link building is about getting links from other websites to your own to build authority and rankings.
Effective link building techniques:
- Guest blogs - write content to publish on relevant blogs in your field. Read our .
- Expert opinions - get quoted in articles as an expert on your topic.
- PR outreach - pitch stories to journalists and get coverage. See our PR guide for businesses.
- Interviews - offer to give interviews for podcasts, blogs, etc.
- Lists and rundups - be included in relevant lists and product overviews.
- Influencer marketing - get micro-influencers to share your content. Read our influencer marketing guide.
- Contests and giveaways - offer prizes in exchange for social sharing.
Focus on gradually building a varied link profile from authoritative domains over time. Link building is a long-term initiative.
Local SEO
For physical stores and services, local SEO is essential. Optimization techniques include:
- Create and optimize your Google My Business profile - add images, description, opening hours, address, etc. See our Google My Business guide.
- Optimize titles and meta descriptions with location keywords (city, zip code). Get more info in our local SEO guide.
- Get positive reviews from customers. Read about .
- Register your business in local business databases and industry portals.
- Get backlinks from local websites.
By focusing on local SEO, you can rank at the top of Maps and local search results and attract customers from your local area.
Mobile-first indexing
Google has switched to a mobile-first index, so the mobile version of pages is used to determine indexing and ranking. This makes mobile SEO extra important.
Keys to mobile optimization:
- Ensure a fast mobile user experience with minimal delays. See more in our guide to mobile-friendly websites.
- Keep navigation logical and user-friendly on mobile.
- Avoid interstitials and popups that block content on mobile devices. Get tips for .
- Use AMP for fast loading landing pages. Check out our introduction to AMP.
- Test the user experience across devices and networks.
By prioritizing mobile users in your SEO, you can achieve better indexing, ranking and user experience.
User experience and conversion optimization
Search engines are increasingly focusing on user behavior to evaluate quality and relevance. Here are some tips for optimization:
- Increase dwell time with engaging content. Check out our .
- Get more page views per visit with internal links. Read more about internal links in SEO.
- Reduce bounce rate by minimizing annoyances. Get tips for .
- Make it easy to navigate to relevant pages deep within the site.
- Place relevant CTAs visibly. See our guide to call-to-action buttons.
- Test ads, popups etc. to see the effect on conversions. Read about .
Better user experience and conversion rates result in higher rankings over time.
E.A.T - Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness
E.A.T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is an important concept in Google's algorithm used to evaluate the quality of a website. It is particularly relevant for content in health, finance and other areas where accuracy and trustworthiness are crucial.
Listen to our popular podcast about E.A.T here
Expert SEO strategies
Here we cover the more advanced and complex aspects of modern SEO. Integrate these expert techniques to take your SEO to the next level.
Holistic SEO
The best approach is a holistic strategy that combines:
- Technical SEO
- Content production
- Link building
- Local SEO
- Brand building
All of these elements need to work together to create long-term, sustainable SEO growth. An isolated effort yields limited returns.
SEO trends
New trends are emerging all the time in SEO. Here are some to keep an eye out for:
- BERT algorithm updates from Google. Stay up to date on .
- Personalized and local search results. See our local SEO guide.
- Automatically generated content from AI. Read about .
- Visual search with images and video. See our video marketing guide.
- Developments in IoT and voice search. Stay updated on .
By staying ahead of trends, you can adapt your SEO strategy in time.
Best SEO tools
If you want to take care of SEO yourself, you can benefit from a range of useful tools. They range from all-in-one solutions to more specialized programs for technical analysis, keyword research, link building, reporting and more. This way you can streamline your efforts and optimize your results.
Here are some examples of categories of SEO tools:
- All-round SEO tools - SEMRush, Ahrefs, Siteimprove, SEO PowerSuite
- Technical SEO - Google Search Console, Pingdom Website Speed Test, Screaming Frog
- Keyword analysis - Google Keyword Planner, Storybase, Answer The Public
- Content optimization - Website Auditor, Copyscape, Yoast SEO
- Link building - Ahrefs, LinkResearchTools, Majestic SEO
- Data collection - Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Adobe Analytics
- Other SEO tools - SEOquake, SeoTools for Excel, AccuRanker
Each tool has its strengths and features and you can choose according to your needs, experience level and budget. For a full overview of the best tools, go to:
See all the best SEO tools here
The future of SEO and GEO
As artificial intelligence changes the way we search for information, a new discipline is emerging: Generative Search Optimization (GEO). Where traditional SEO focuses on ranking high in search engines like Google, GEO is about being mentioned and highlighted in AI assistants' responses - for example via ChatGPT or other AI tools.
Read more in our article: How to future-proof your business visibility in the AI-driven world of tomorrow.
From SEO to GEO
AI-powered search engines and assistants respond with concrete recommendations instead of just displaying a list of links. That's why it's critical to understand:
- Whether your business is even mentioned in AI responses
- AI prioritizes credible, fact-based sources
- How strong traditional SEO supports your GEO strategy
Your existing SEO efforts serve as an important foundation, but to ensure visibility in an AI-driven world, you need to update and expand your strategy.
5 keys to mastering GEO
- Build your digital authority: Publish in-depth professional content, be active in the industry and get positive mentions.
- Create AI-friendly content: Structure your texts clearly, use solid data and conclusions that AI can cite.
- Document your expertise: Show concrete cases, analysis and collaborations with other authorities.
- Optimize your technical setup: Implement schema markup, maximize site speed and use a logical information architecture.
- Data-driven optimization: Continuously analyze how AI talks about your business and adjust your strategy based on real performance.
Why is GEO essential?
When consumers get answers directly from an AI, it's all about being the solution the assistant highlights. This trend is growing significantly - AI-based searches are increasing rapidly and companies that don't prepare risk losing visibility.
By combining traditional SEO with targeted GEO efforts, you ensure your business is found and recommended - both in the search engines' organic results and in AI assistants' answers. It's the future of digital visibility.
Final thoughts on the future of SEO
SEO is no longer just about ranking high in Google search results - it's about being visible and relevant everywhere users look for knowledge, whether it's through traditional search engines or AI assistants. This article has shown how strong SEO fundamentals, local optimization and advanced techniques can help you ensure continued visibility and credibility even as the search landscape continues to change at a rapid pace.
As a digital agency, we at InboundCPH are passionate about guiding businesses into this future. We combine proven SEO expertise and deep business understanding with an eye for how AI and new technologies open the doors to new markets and opportunities. The result is a scalable strategy that continuously adapts to your goals and current developments in user behavior and algorithms.
Do you want to stay ahead of SEO trends, navigate wisely in an AI-driven world and create lasting success online? Then now is the time to act. To find out more about how we can help your business, contact us for a no-obligation chat. The future of SEO and digital visibility is bright for those who dare to invest in the right efforts, tools and strategies - and that's where we as a digital agency can make a crucial difference.
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