{"id":5114,"date":"2023-03-06T15:09:39","date_gmt":"2023-03-06T15:09:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abnormal.nl\/blog\/what-is-seo-and-how-to-rank-higher-in-google-a-complete-guide-in-10-minutes\/"},"modified":"2026-08-31T09:28:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T09:28:50","slug":"what-is-seo-and-how-to-rank-higher-in-google-a-complete-guide-in-10-minutes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abnormal.nl\/en\/blog\/what-is-seo-and-how-to-rank-higher-in-google-a-complete-guide-in-10-minutes\/","title":{"rendered":"What is SEO and how to rank higher in Google? A complete guide in 10 minutes"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row el_class=&#8221;pb-30&#8243;][vc_column][vc_single_image image=&#8221;4495&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; el_class=&#8221;image&#8211;reveal&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row equal_height=&#8221;yes&#8221; el_class=&#8221;blog-pagina-content&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243; el_class=&#8221;content-column&#8221;][vc_row_inner el_class=&#8221;blog-summary&#8221;][vc_column_inner el_class=&#8221;summary-item&#8221; width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/eyeonline.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/case-nostradamus-small.jpg\">WISSE BLOM<br \/>SEO SPECIALIST[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner el_class=&#8221;summary-item&#8221; width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]<i class=\"fas fa-calendar-alt fa-2x\"><\/i>Written on: 2023-03-06<br \/>Modified on: 2023-03-06[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner el_class=&#8221;summary-item&#8221; width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243; el_id=&#8221;summary-item-leestijd&#8221;][vc_column_text]<i class=\"fas fa-clock fa-2x\"><\/i>10 min. reading time[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243; el_class=&#8221;table-content-column sticky-wrap&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1677568560328{margin-bottom: 35px !important;}&#8221;][vc_tta_accordion section_title_tag=&#8221;h5&#8243; style=&#8221;outline&#8221; color=&#8221;black&#8221; c_icon=&#8221;&#8221; active_section=&#8221;0&#8243; collapsible_all=&#8221;true&#8221; el_class=&#8221;acc-dropdown sticky&#8221;][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=&#8221;fas fa-caret-up&#8221; add_icon=&#8221;true&#8221; title=&#8221;Discover article topics&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1677163041648-b4154d91-9bf5&#8243; el_class=&#8221;table-content-dropdown&#8221;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;intro list&#8221;]<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#watisseo\">What is SEO?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#watdoet\">What does an SEO expert do?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#hoekom\">How to rank higher in Google?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#wordeen\">Become an online authority<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#in5\">Getting started with SEO in 5 steps<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#hoesnel\">How quickly will you see results?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_accordion][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=&#8221;blog-pagina-content&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243; el_class=&#8221;content-column&#8221;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;intro list&#8221;]What is SEO? We have both a short and a long answer for you. Well, not that long, of course. In a maximum of 10 minutes reading time, we explain exactly what search engine optimization is and how you can get started with it. You will learn how to rank higher in Google because, after reading this article, you will truly understand what SEO is all about.    <\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;4497&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; el_class=&#8221;move-down image&#8211;reveal&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;4499&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; el_class=&#8221;image&#8211;reveal&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;<b>What<\/b> is SEO?&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1678112727160{padding-top: 5% !important;}&#8221; el_id=&#8221;watisseo&#8221;][vc_column_text]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SEO is nothing more than supply and demand, where you perfectly align your offering with customer demand. When customers search online for your services or products, your offering must match that as closely as possible. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Search engines determine which offering best matches the demand. To do this, Google uses a complex algorithm with hundreds of \u2018 <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ranking factors<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2019. These are factors of websites and web shops that Google considers to determine who aligns their offering best with user demand. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, Google looks at the content, readability, and quality of texts. The better those texts align with user demand, the better the offering. Consequently, the higher your position in the search results. Those who optimize their pages best appear at the very top of the search results.    <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;What does an <b>SEO expert<\/b> do?&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1678112734067{padding-top: 5% !important;}&#8221; el_id=&#8221;watdoet&#8221;][vc_column_text]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SEO experts optimize your offering for the demand of potential new customers, the users of the search engine. By understanding exactly what someone is looking for (the search intent) and aligning the offering accordingly, the ideal combination is created. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More specifically, an SEO expert looks at the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ranking factors<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">  of the algorithm, for Google and other search engines. If you understand these important factors for websites, you can optimize the website accordingly. For instance, if Google places great value on a URL containing the search term for the page, an SEO expert will include the search term for that page in the URL.   <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SEO is, of course, much more complex than that. However, that is what it boils down to. SEO experts focus on two things:  <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Search intent of your new customer<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By understanding the user well, the search intent becomes clear. The challenge is to optimize the website or web shop for the actual demand of new customers. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>The search engine algorithm<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Those who understand the algorithm well know what search engines look for on websites. By optimizing these components, the search engine sees the website as the best offering for the query, and the website is rewarded with a high position in the search results. <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;<b>How<\/b> to rank higher in Google?&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1678112741552{padding-top: 5% !important;}&#8221; el_id=&#8221;hoekom&#8221;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;list&#8221; el_id=&#8221;margin-tfix&#8221;]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best page ranks highest in Google. The best page provides the best offering for the users&#8217; query. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SEO consists of three components:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Technical optimization<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A technically well-optimized website loads quickly, uses clean (HTML) code, and has no dead links, for example. Technically, the website performs optimally and everything is correctly set up for SEO. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Optimized content<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Optimized content provides exactly the information visitors are looking for. Meanwhile, it contains the right search terms in the right quantity. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Backlinks to the website<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Links from other websites to yours are referrals. They point to your website, as it were, to indicate that there is something of value there.  <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These three components are important in this order. Optimize the website technically, then write (or have someone write) the content. After that, start working on backlinks to the website.  <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Become an <b>online authority<\/b>&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1678112750100{padding-top: 5% !important;}&#8221; el_id=&#8221;wordeen&#8221;][vc_column_text]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use optimized content and backlinks to the websites to become an online authority. This provides two benefits: <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>The target audience recognizes you as the online authority<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As an online authority, you win the hearts of your potential new customers. You provide valuable information, explain trends in a way the target audience understands, or organize the best promotions. Ensure you become the most well-known and popular name within the industry.  <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Search engines reward you with increasingly higher positions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Search engines notice that your pages provide the information the target audience is looking for. And that other websites link to your website, for example, to articles about trends and promotions. For this, the search engine rewards you with higher positions in the search results.  <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Getting started with SEO <b>in 5 steps<\/b>&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1678112756432{padding-top: 5% !important;}&#8221; el_id=&#8221;in5&#8243;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;list&#8221; el_id=&#8221;margin-tfix&#8221;]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does SEO remain vague to you despite all the explanation? You can get started with it in 5 steps. <\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">  Keyword research<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start with keyword research. Brainstorm about the products and services you offer, and the questions the target audience has about them. Or the terms they use to search for them.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research general terms (such as &#8216;seo&#8217; and &#8216;what is seo&#8217;) and specific terms (such as &#8216;what is the best cms for seo&#8217; and &#8216;how to write good web content&#8217;). Think of general and specific terms for your industry. Additionally, consider both product- or service-related terms as well as the problems, challenges, or needs and desires the customer thinks about in a broad sense.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Collect a list of relevant search terms. Select the 50 or 100 most relevant terms from a list of hundreds of terms that users search for. Ensure a selection that perfectly fits what you offer.  <\/span><\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">  Competitor analysis<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look at the competition. Search for the relevant search terms you selected yourself. Discover which websites are at the top and what information they offer. Use that as inspiration and determine, for the selection of search terms, which terms you can say the most about. Choose an original angle or gather input and inspiration.    <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Please note:  <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">always write unique content. Look at the competition, recognize what scores well, and then get to work yourself. If you copy content or parts of it, Google will never reward you with a higher position in the search results.   <\/span><\/p>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">  Creating a content plan<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create a content plan for the selection of relevant search terms:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose 25% of the selected search terms as main keywords. These main keywords get their own page. Choose search terms with high search volume or, for example, with remarkably little competition. Choose search terms that are not too similar, so you can write different content for them.   <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use the other 75% as secondary keywords for the main keywords. Supplement a main keyword with a number of secondary keywords that fit substantively. In this way, create a cluster of 1 main keyword and 3 to 5 secondary keywords per page. The terms are similar, so they belong together on one page.   <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure you categorize all relevant search terms as main keywords or secondary keywords. Also, make sure you use the terms in only one place. This prevents pages from competing with each other later on.   <\/span><\/p>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">  Writing content<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Write SEO content based on the content plan, or outsource it to an SEO copywriter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, write a few landing pages or blog articles every month. Or have everything written at once. Only when you publish 100 pages or more at the same time does it affect the effectiveness of new content. Up to that number, you can just publish everything at once, but you don&#8217;t have to. Whether you do it all at once or every month makes little to no difference.    <\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tip: perform a baseline measurement on the search terms before you start writing content. Determine if you are already findable for the terms, and if so, at what position. Then write the content and publish it. Subsequently, perform a new measurement every month to track whether findability improves.   <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">  Building online authority<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Actively look for backlinks from other websites. Approach clients, customers, and other relations with a website or web shop. Ask them to place a link to your website, possibly in exchange for a link back.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, use the SEO content you wrote. Perhaps other websites would like to link to it? Otherwise, offer to write a unique article for other websites. Use your own SEO content and write a unique copy of it. Use the same content, but write it in unique text. If another website publishes that text with a link to your website, your online authority increases.      <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use link building to further build online authority. The more valuable links you collect, the greater the effect of the SEO content you wrote. In this way, the components of SEO reinforce each other.  <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;How quickly will you see <b>results?<\/b>&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1678112766353{padding-top: 5% !important;}&#8221; el_id=&#8221;hoesnel&#8221;][vc_column_text]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How quickly you see results depends heavily on the competition and the search terms you choose. With little competition and search terms with a low difficulty score, you will see results within a few weeks. With a lot of competition and search terms with a high difficulty score, it can take up to a year or longer. Furthermore, you will have to write a lot of content for those search terms and collect many valuable backlinks. On average, it takes a few months for good SEO content to show the desired results.     <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_section el_class=&#8221;sticky-stopper&#8221;][\/vc_section]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Technical SEO is essential as the foundation of your website. It is often difficult to determine where to start improving, so we have listed this for you. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4495,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[70],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-seo"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/abnormal.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/abnormal.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/abnormal.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abnormal.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abnormal.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5114"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/abnormal.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5114\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5117,"href":"https:\/\/abnormal.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5114\/revisions\/5117"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abnormal.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/abnormal.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abnormal.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abnormal.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}