SEO Basics
Learn the fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), understand why it’s important, and apply basic techniques to improve their website’s visibility on search engines.
Watch both videos and prepare to win a Kahoot.
Scripture
Matthew 5:14,16 (HCSB) – “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden… In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
→ Tie-in: Just like we don’t hide our light, SEO helps ensure that the good work we’ve put into our website can be found and seen by the right audience.
What is SEO?
- Definition: Search Engine Optimization — improving a website so it ranks higher in search results.
- Why it matters:
- Increases visibility.
- Brings in the right audience.
- Improves credibility.
- How search engines work:
- Crawling → Indexing → Ranking.
Key SEO Elements
- Keywords – Words/phrases people type into search engines.
- Example: “Beginner guitar lessons in Dallas.”
- Page Titles & Meta Descriptions – Appear in search results.
- Headings (H1, H2, etc.) – Organize content and signal importance.
- Alt Text for Images – Describes images for accessibility & SEO.
- Internal Links – Linking to other pages on your site.
- Mobile Friendliness – Responsive design for all devices.
- Page Speed – Faster load times improve ranking.
SEO in WordPress with Divi
- Live demo:
- Install & activate All in One SEO plugin.
- Edit a page’s title, meta description, and focus keyword.
- Add alt text to images.
- Check readability and SEO score in the plugin.
Homework
Optimize three pages on your site using what we learned.
Add keywords, meta descriptions, and alt text to each.
Test your site on mobile and note any layout issues to fix later.