SEO Basics
What you will learn
- Understand search intent
- Find low-competition beginner keywords
- Structure a page that can rank
The lesson
Intent first
Every search has an intent: to learn, to compare, or to buy. Affiliate content lives mostly in compare and buy intent — "best X for Y", "X vs Z", "is X worth it". Informational content brings people earlier and builds the site's authority.
Finding realistic keywords
Use the search box suggestions, the "people also ask" box, and the related searches at the bottom of the results page. Longer, more specific phrases have less competition and higher intent. Look at who currently ranks: if the entire first page is major brands, pick a narrower phrase.
Page structure
One clear H1 with the topic. Descriptive H2s that match the questions people ask. The answer near the top, details below. Internal links to your related pages. A title tag under about 60 characters and a meta description under about 155.
Speed and mobile readability are part of SEO — most of your readers are on a phone.
Real example
Weak target: "best knife". Realistic target: "best budget chef knife for a beginner home cook".
Page: direct answer in the first paragraph, comparison table, how you tested, who each option suits, disclosure, links.
Important points
- +Update old pages — refreshed content often ranks faster than new content.
- +One page per intent. Do not merge "how to" and "best of" into one confused page.
- +Search results take months. Plan for it.
Common mistakes
- –Keyword stuffing.
- –Thin pages that only exist to hold links.
- –Ignoring internal linking between related articles.
Action task
Find three keywords
Write three specific search phrases a buyer in your niche would type.
Key takeaways
- Match the page to the intent.
- Specific phrases are winnable.
- Structure, speed and internal links matter.