At one time SEO was relatively easy. You simply entered META content that spoke directly to search engines and suggested what they should do with your site, how it should be classified and served to those querying. People quickly learned that this simplistic approach could be easily manipulated. By giving false META information Search Engine Return Pages (SERPs) were rarely on topic.

The web has come along way since then. Search Engines are incredibly sophisticated; each search engine applies its own algorithm to pages submitted for indexing. A search bot crawling your website pages executes these algorithms. These search bots are looking for The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, responding accordingly.

While there are now hundreds of SEO companies from which to choose, SEO is crucial to your website's success or failure. It behooves you to understand the basics and what you can do to increase your search engine visibility.

SEO - You Get What You Pay For

• Submission to 1000s of search engines: Big deal, if the content isn’t in the site your page return placement doesn’t change.
• Creation of doorway pages: Search Engines now realize what these are and apply filters and penalties actually hurting your performance.
• Empty promises of top placement: They’re lying and implementing “black hat” operations that can often end up hurting your business so bad that your domain has to be “crashed & burned.”

Good SEO is not instantaneous. There are many factors in play.

What You Can Do To Better Your SEO Performance

• Research SEO companies: Because SEO takes time make sure the company you choose is in for the long haul.
• Hire an SEO Expert: Sure there are a couple of changes you can implement yourself but unless you want to cite down and work through each search engines algorithms and how to appeal to each engine on one page you really need a specialist.
• Be ready to make changes, sometimes drastic. What you have is not working right now. You are not getting the results you want. In order to get those numbers significant changes need to occur with your site.
• Work closely with an SEO Expert. Communication with your SEO Expert is vital. Make sure they understand your goals. And, listen, really listen, to their advice. Good SEO is not a cafeteria. For optimum performance, you can not pick & choose what you want to implement.

SEO Is an Investment In Money & Time

Your website is the online representation of your company. In some cases, it is your company. Treat your website with respect and seriousness. Unlike creating a website, you don’t hire a design and development team and once the website is live go your separate ways. SEO is an investment in time and money. SEO is continuous. Even if you achieve your desired placement, it’s not over. You have to work to stay there.

Your SEO Expert has two roles. Your SEO Expert guides you through the changes that need to occur for good search engine placement. They will also work on the site itself to optimize your content increasing your chances of being found for your relevant keyword phrases.

Website Design & SEO

At one time, website design did not effect search engine placement. This is no longer true. Poorly designed, sloppy coding, complex databases, and large graphics create issues for search bots. So be prepared for your SEO Expert to pick through your site. While we understand you have already invested time and money in your website's creation and it is extremely difficult to hear “It’s not good enough.” be prepared for just that.

Just as how you display web elements have improved so has search engine optimization. A professional web design team, like ForeScene, understands SEO and creates pages with optimized design and coding. Understand that sometimes when you design team says “No” to a design option, what they are really saying is “Yes” to better SEO.

Understanding Your Business Website Keywords

Search Engines thrive on keywords. Generic words and phrases simply are not enough. It’s extremely important that you work with your SEO expert to choose keywords that represent your company and have a good R/S (return of searches to ration) and KEI (keyword effectiveness index).

Your SEO Expert will work with you to determine which keywords appeal to your customers as well as to search engines. They will help you create a plan to implement highly targeted, precisely phrased keywords.

With SEO Website Content Counts

Websites are written for two audiences. Therefore, your content must appeal to both your customers and search engines. Minimal content attracts and helps neither audience. Poorly written content can actually repel your audiences.

You absolutely must use your predefined keywords in your web copy. Having them in Meta tags is not enough. Your content is what search engines look to in order to classify your page. Further, how those keywords are coded and styled affects your audience’s perceptions.

Your SEO Expert understands and will apply a keyword density formula to your website content. Too little density and you don’t place well. Too much and search engines see your website as spam and will filter and penalize. There is no magic keyword density number. Your SEO Expert has to analyze your particular industry and provide a base algorithm from that they will derive a formula and a target density number. Then they will create highly readable and appropriately coded content. Sounds complicated. It is. Providing writing assistance or content is something for an SEO Expert to guide or handle. 

SEO – From Word of Mouth to Word of Link

Just as with a bricks and mortar store, word of mouth is your highest generator of return on investment (ROI). Simply put if no one sees your website as relevant, trust worthy and important than why should your possible consumers or search engines. Your website needs to be listed on relevant web sites. Moreover, who links to you is essential.

Websites links act as words of mouth once did. A highly respected person giving a testimony is more important than Joe Average is. Conversely, an untrustworthy person giving a testimony is a penalty. The same is true of website links. The better-ranked site linking to you gives you more points than the average. Links from link mills or untrustworthy websites penalize you. This is the basics of understanding page rank.

Building page rank takes time. High ranked websites have many suitors. What’s more, high ranked sites in your industry may be competitors and are less likely to link to you. Your SEO Expert can create a link campaign to court these sites and get you listed.

SEO Achieves Your Goal and Improves Your Bottom Line

SEO is vital to your business website. Ranking and search engine placement are no longer easy. Business websites are novelties no longer. The adage “if you build it, they will come” no longer applies. A website is a business tool. It is a revenue tool. Your website deserves your time and attention. Hiring a professional SEO Expert can help you achieve your goals and ultimately improves your bottom line.