Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Have you ever tried using a search engine (like Google) to find your own company website?  Where does it show up in search results?  Establishing a company web page is a promotional step for any business, but what about generating online traffic?

A website does little for a company if no one sees it.  Businesses seeking to increase the numbers of consumers visiting their websites should be familiar with 'Search Engine Optimization' (SEO) and how it works to improve sales opportunities.

What and why is it important for my business?

'Search Engine Optimization' (SEO) is the process of improving the ability of a website to rank well in Internet search engines like Google, Yahoo etc.  There are a variety of search engines available online, but Google, Inc. dominates with nearly 60% user related searches.  The goal is for the first page (home) to appear at or near the top of search results.  Having a website isn't enough.  You can have a beautiful website, but if it doesn't show up in a search engine, you're missing a big part of your potential market.

Search Engine Optimization is important to businesses in several ways:

•  Higher company ranking in Internet search results

•  Increased consumer traffic to website

•  Increased company popularity and notice

•  Greater potential for new customers

•  Improved overall website design and structure

•  Easier web page navigation with less clicks

Should I pay someone to do this?

We don't think you really need to.  Besides, the person who does this will still need you to come up with your keywords and description of your business and once you do that you're almost done anyway.  Part of our web hosting service is to enter your meta tags, page text, and submit your site to Google at no additional charge.  You may have received advertisements from companies that guarantee your site a top listing (for a price).  No one can guarantee a top listing with Google or other search engines nor can you buy your way to the top. 

'Keywords'

So how does a company build or revamp its website to optimize search results?  Starting with the right keywords listed in the site is a good start.

You will need to develop keywords that you think people will use to search for your business.  Keywords embedded into a website help that site show up in search results.  Research keywords related to what you're doing.  How often are they searched, how relevant are they to your website? 

For example, a business seeking to improve search results for its company website may want to research the keyword "photography".  Websites such as www.keyworddiscovery.com and www.wordtracker.com are useful in keyword usability research.  Google AdWords also offers a free keyword search tool at https://adwords.google.com which allows users to research the relevance, search volume, and competition associated with any keyword.  The tool also provides suggestions for related keywords.  'Photography' is a highly searched term with many related sites competing for high ranks in search results, making it even more important to distinguish a photography-related company through SEO.

Trying to go overboard with your keywords may no be received well by popular search engines.  The practice of 'keyword stuffing (or keyword spamming)' results in a negative user experience and will also harm search ranking.  This practice violates webmaster guidelines for Google and will result in a poor ranking, if not ranked at all.  More about "Keywords" - (Meta Tag Tips)

Design

Optimized website design and links also help increase ranking in search results.  The biggest problem with many photography websites is the overuse of Flash, poor internal navigation, dependence on images, and strong image links.  If Google can't access the proper text in your site, you're in trouble.  Flash and image links to not show when Google crawls your website for text.  Thinking of your site as text-only will help gauge how search engines see it.

Link Popularity

Link popularity is the hardest thing to obtain.  The more sites that link to you, the better- one way links are the best. Reciprocal links (linking to a page that links back to you) are ok, but Google finds out and the links essentially become null.  Quality is better than quantity when it comes to links.  For example, one link to your website from NBC is better than 3,000 links from your friend's blogs.  There has to be a legitimate reason for a link elsewhere to go your website.....  remember 'relevancy' is the key to all of this.

Five Steps that you can do:

1. Keywords - Write a list of 'Keywords' that you think will be used by customers to find you in a search engine. Keywords will be placed in the background meta tag code for your website.  (For example if you were a photographer:  professional, photography, town, state, studio, company name, children, high school, seniors, portraits)
    

2. Page Description -Write a relevant, short sentence using each of the main keywords.  This sentence will be placed in your 'Description' meta tag and will show up next to the search engine results page.
   (Ex: "Studio Name is the leading professional photography studio in town, state specializing in portraits of children, family, and high school senior portraits.")
    

3. Text to place on your home page - This can be a more descriptive paragraph about what you do using your Keywords.  This is very important as it is what your potential customers will see and read the first time they visit your website.
    

4. Send the above information to the Webmaster.  We will program this information into your website and meta tag locations.
    

5. Review and OK - Once the meta tags and text are placed into your website, you will want to take one last look to be sure it's ok and relevant to your business.  Then notify the webmaster that you'd like your site to be crawled by Google and we'll submit it.   We'll do your directory submission right the first time -- you usually don't get a second chance. You need a factually accurate site description that contains as many keywords as possible. If your description contains little or no keywords, the editors aren't likely to change it -- in other words, they usually won't go back and change a description just so a site owner can add more keywords.
   
   Keep in mind that Google (or any other search engine) will not guarantee when your site will be crawled and how high it will be listed.  However, if the SEO is done correctly, over time you'll definitely see your site listing appear higher than before.