Search Engine Optimization - basic steps.

The following is the quick and easy approach to SEO (Search Engine Optimization). It is intended as a quick guideline and is by no means an exhaustive assessment of the steps necessary to improve your search engine rankings. When we undertake a full SEO project, we use an extensive SEO Audit document which takes us through almost 200 different steps of optimizing the client website.

The basic stages to preparing your site for search engine submissions are as follows:

Keywords Selection - choosing the correct search terms and phrases for your business.

Keyword selection is an important first stage of search engine optimization, it is pointless targeting keywords or search phrases that no one is using. It is pointless being ranked #1 if it does not increase the flow of traffic to your web site. Researching the appropriate search phrases to use when optimizing your site is essential. Use Google or Yahoo tools for finding terms people are actually using when search for products/services like yours. Try not to directly target generic, high-traffic terms when you're first starting out. Locate more specific terms that are made up from 3 or four words - they'll be easier to optimize for than the generic one or two word searches.

Body Text Optimization - search engines consider body text above everything else when ranking your pages.

Body text or simply put "content", counts more than anything else in calculating how your pages are ranked. It is important to have good descriptive body text that both describes your products/services to the reader and establishes the theme of your site to the search engines. We provide some useful information on the 'Theme' based ranking in our blog section, which most of the major engines are using. Preparing your site in such a way as to emphasize your theme, and exclude content from being spidered that does not add weight to the theme, is now an important part of every optimization strategy. Also, keep building and updating the content in your website, it must be treated as an ongoing process. The more content the better, provided it is relevant and on-topic. Use an articles section or even a blog attached to your website. This will allow you to easily add content on a regular basis.

Meta Tag Creation - still an important subject.

Meta Tag Creation is still important, though emphasis has shifted from the all-conquering 'keywords' tag to the Title and Description tags. Your title and part of your meta description tag is used by Google in their search results, so word these tags to draw people to your pages. Treat them as a mini sales pitch, using your most important keywords. Don't pay too much attention to the actual meta keywords tag since it isn't considered with any real weight. Use the tag, include only those words that appear on the page and keep word repetition low.

Link Popularity - how many sites link to your is important.

Having many sites that link to yours will help with your rankings. Also, having quality sites who have many sites linking to them will help (high PR websites). - Link Popularity uses the premise that if many sites link to yours, your site must be important, so you gain a boost from it. Be wary about buying links as this can be frowned upon if over utilized. A good, free one-way link from a high PR website in the same category as yours will count more than a hundred paid links from directory websites. Again, view link building as an ongoing process.

Search Engine Submissions - how to do it the right way.

Once your website is ready, and we mean ready, you will need to submit pages to the search engines and directories. Don't submit too often and don't use automated tools unless they come from a reputable source, since this is the best way to annoy the search engine 'Gods' and get your new website penalized for spamming. Generally, Google will find you on its own, so we recommend that you wait a couple weeks and check their database before hand-submitting. If you can build a few incoming links quickly, that will give Google a path to find your website. Submit to important directories manually, Dmoz.org, Yahoo are a couple, then try to locate industry specific directories for your specific niche.

Traffic Monitoring - when all of the above finally works!

Traffic Monitoring - once visitors start to arrive at your site you will require an effective means to monitor them and find out where they came from and how they found you. Google Analytics is the tool of choice for the majority of site owners and webmasters.

Position Monitoring - good or bad you must know where you are.

Position Stats - you need to keep a close watch on the positioning of your web site, having software will help you do this without taking up too much of your valuable time. There are a few programs around that can help with this, but do some of your own research and find reputable software/resources.

Optimization Services - when all else fails and you need help.

Optimization Services - for those who do not have the time or inclination to self-implement the various strategies, we offer a variety of services where we can undertake the work for you. We always try to have our customers at least understand the basics, so that they do not enter into any contracts with unrealistic expectations.