If you have ever used a search engine before (which you have – i.e. Google, Bing, Yahoo!), you know that once you search a word or phrase there are many options returned. Okay not surprising right? Well the reason that we see what we do when we type in key phrases to Google is actually far more complex. Whether you are just starting out in Internet marketing or are thinking of hiring a firm to take over your SEO for you, there are some very basics that you should familiarize yourself with.
Essentially, search engines filter through thousands of available webpages to determine which ones are the best fit for your search. In order to do that, the search engine must find and highlight keywords that associate with your search topic. For example, if your webpage was on baby food and someone were to search for the word “baby,” they will find information on baby clothes, food, diapers and parenting. You want your page on baby food to be one of those readily available options. Sounds easy enough right? Actually, it’s not that simple. Search engine optimization should not only cover the general topic, but should focus in on specific niches as well. So, if they were to search “baby food” or “organic baby food” your page has a better chance of being seen as well. So how in the world do you do this? Through a variety of techniques including link building, title and meta tags, keywords and a whole lot more.
Why is SEO important?
As a webpage owner, it is important to understand how searching works to better equip your business with search engine optimized keywords. If your page has definitive keywords, the search engine should eventually rank your webpage higher, making your page much more accessible. In the old days (5 or 10 years ago that is) in order to get search engines to rank a particular site for a particular keyword, sites commonly used keyword stuffing in their copy. You have likely come across this without realizing this before. Have you ever been to a site that sounds more like it was written by a computer than a person with one or two keywords repeated several times in one sentence? Thankfully, search engines evolved with the times and now penalize sites that write for search engines rather than actual readers. This be being said however, today keywords are still important but their use should be moderated so as not to come across as keyword stuffing. Also, the more relevant your page is to people, the longer they will stay on the page. The longer people view your page, the more likely you will make advertising money or a sale off the viewer.
How can you optimize your site for Search Engines?
It is important to look up keywords and see who you are competing with. The most common tool used for this is Google AdWords. Check out your niche and make sure you not only use the common words, but create subtopics, keeping yourself first. For example, if “baby,” “baby food,” and “organic baby food” were used too frequently and there was too much competition on the keyword, make a new phrase or word. Consider “fresh baby food,” “non-processed baby food,” etc. It is important to keep the basics such as “baby” but remember that there is much more competition on these words. Focusing in on a targeted demographic can also increase ranking. Remember your audience and try to work around words they use.
This is a VERY basic outline of what SEO is and why it is important to you and your business. Most people find that either bringing a team in-house or outsourcing a firm is the easiest way to get results. The key thing to remember is that it takes time to see results. As long as you hire a firm or Internet marketer who adheres to Google’s Webmaster Guidelines you will begin to see your effort paying off.
This article is written by Olivia Jones who is also contributing writer for AmazingDomains, a site which offers a large variety of domains ranging from amazingdomains.co.uk to shopping domains and nearly everything in between allowing startup businesses to create the perfect web presence.