Many businesses are unclear about what search engine optimization (or SEO) is. Performing “SEO” on a website won’t magically bring it to the top of the search engine results, or attract a flood of traffic intent on buying your product or service.
Search Engine Optimization is instead the process of optimizing your site to eliminate any barriers to the search engines. Building a solid foundation through proven optimization strategies prepares your website for an online marketing strategy.
So what does this foundation entail? This is a question to which you’ll find no end of answers. Much of the information you’ll come across online is outdated. If you ask your favorite website designer, their information may be just as current. The problem is that the search engines, especially Google, are regularly tweaking the algorithms that they use to evaluate and rank web pages, and only search marketing experts are focused on keeping up-to-date with the latest in this industry.
In fact, Google is currently preparing to roll out an update, code named “Caffeine”. While the primary purpose of this update seems to be to improve their infrastructure to be better equipped to handle the evolving nature of the Internet, and search itself, there are also some changes to the algorithm Google currently uses.
Because of this ever-changing landscape, the best plan for SEO is to cover the basics. Page titles that are unique, descriptive and persuasive. Page descriptions that draw the searcher to click on your listing and visit your website. High quality content that informs and educates. Clean website code, visitor and search engine format sitemaps, updated RSS feeds. Clear navigation structure that both website visitors and the search engines can follow.
Before you invest in marketing your website in an effort to increase your rankings in the search engine results pages, consider having an SEO Audit done. An audit can identify any areas of the site that should be improved, so that you have a solid foundation from which to build your Internet presence.