By focusing on the search terms your customers actually use, search engine optimisation (SEO) helps ensure your website attracts customers, not just browsers.And increasing business while keeping costs low is the aim of every marketing strategy.
The search engine optimisation process can be broken down into four simple steps.
1 - Make sure you prepare before beginning optimisation
The first step in search engine optimisation is keyword research. This involves:
o Using keyphrase research tools to find the search terms which are most relevant to your site.
o Checking keyword saturation.
o Researching the effectiveness of keyphrases that are currently used in your marketing strategy.
o Analysis of current web analytics reports, if these are available.
The next preparatory step is the search engine diagnostic report. This is a detailed review of the technical and structural issues within your site. As the design of your site can impair optimisation, it is important you listen to expert recommendations on site architecture.
2 - Develop a search engine optimisation plan
After the keywords have been agreed and site changes identified, it's time to produce an optimisation plan. This identifies the tasks that are required for the optimisation to be effective. These include:
o Matching keyphrases to existing pages.
o Identifying new topic-focused pages and matching keyphrases to these pages.
o Developing recommendations for optimisation of Meta data and URLs.
o Deciding on the use of any information panels in addition to the main text.
o The optimisation and use of a site map.
3 - Use best practice and avoid harmful spam methods
Search engine optimisation companies such as MediaCo will use their experience and knowledge of search engines' ranking methods to produce competitive, consistent results.
While spam methods can result in short-term gains in page rank, it is potentially damaging and can lead to your site being banned from the search engine results pages. Spam methods to avoid include:
o Presenting pages with hidden text.
o Page cloaking.
o Participating in link farms.
o Using multiple URLs with redirects to a single page.
The features of effective search engine optimisation include:
o Visible text, that is relevant and well written.
o Keyword frequency, weight and prominence.
o Quality internal and external links.
o Title tags and Meta descriptions that are succinct.
Of course, the most important part of the optimisation is the main text. You shouldn't sacrifice the readability of your website to try and improve your Page Rank. If your site is well-presented, visitors will become customers.
4 - Submitting your optimised site
After the optimised content is completed and approved, it is time for it to be submitted to search engines. To make sure the changes to your site are recognised by search engines as soon as possible it should be individually submitted to the directories.
These are the nuts and bolts of search engine optimisation. However, you will have to decide whether to attempt the optimisation in-house or contract it out to a dedicated SEO company.
You are more likely to achieve successful search engine optimisation by using experienced SEO specialists, like MediaCo.
While your online marketing strategy may also include PPC adverts or email marketing, search engine optimisation will improve the visibility of your website and increase business from customers actively seeking your products or services.
Ensuring your site is easy to find and easy to use is one of the most important marketing decisions you will make.
About the Author:Gordon Parkes is an Online Marketing Producer, working for MediaCo. With expertise in search engine optimisation, pay-per-click, email marketing and viral marketing, MediaCo create online marketing strategies for a wide range of clients in a variety of sectors.For more information, visit Search Engine Optimisation MediaCo.
Related Articles
How to Use your Sem Campaign as a Long Term Sales Tool
By: Barbara Fischer | 16/07/2007 | Marketing
So, you’ve run your one month trial search engine marketing campaign and received your first sales enquiries. Now you can simply sit back and watch the business roll in… right? Wrong! The trial gets you started in the world of SEM, but the first month is just a taste of what is to come.
Great Websites Doing Nothing
By: Gillian Meier | 29/09/2007 | Internet
Search Engine Optimisation is an essential requirement of website development. It should be considered from the start of the web design project. Without careful SEO configuration and structure, a website may not rank on Search Engine results at all.
Search Engine Marketing
By: ajay | 10/10/2007 | SEO
This article is a complete guide to search engine marketing. All the strategies practiced in search engine marketing.
The Four Secrets of Successful PPC Campaigns
By: Barbara Fischer | 16/07/2007 | Marketing
Over the past decade, online marketing has become an integral part of most businesses’ marketing strategies. In particular, Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) have become one of the most common channels for any business to sell its products and services. In this article, I will share some insights into successful SEM and SEO campaigns.
Why Search Engine Optimisation is the Last Thing you Need to Worry About When it Comes to Internet Marketing
By: Cameron Thompson | 22/02/2008 | PPC Advertising
This article outlines key reasons why SEO is the last step you need to take in your online marketing campaign
Choose the Right Internet Marketing Services for Your Business
By: Lalita Negi | 07/04/2008 | SEO
The World Wide Web offers a plethora of options as far as Internet marketing services are concerned. Newbies, however, often find it difficult to make the right choice for their business.
Affiliate Network: Choose the Best One
By: aisha.danna | 18/03/2008 | Affiliate Programs
Affiliate marketing can provide you profit if you have proper knowledge and good insight into this business. You can monetize your affiliate marketing business provided you are using an efficient affiliate network.
X Files of Online Marketing
By: Erkan Meydanlioglu,Mr | 10/10/2007 | Online Business
A traditional profile of online marketers as:
1)Young people with old appearance and body because of working hard or tracking their competitives.
2)Always busy minded to think new and creative campaign ideas to increase sales and revenues.
3)Always wears black sun glasses, this is not because of spying just to hide the black lines under eyes.
4)They drive luxury cars slowly because their mind is still busy about if his campaign needs some optimization or modification.
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Firefox 3 be compatible with Windows 98?
By: Roee Rotman | 18-05-2008
Apparently, Firefox 3 is about to be released in a few weeks. However, since I have an extremely technologically-challenged boss, all the computers at my office, including mine, still run Windows 98.Will I be able to install the new Firefox on my office computer? If so, Should I expect any particular problems?
Hi can u give me best work from home ?
By: workfromhomedata.com | 16-05-2008
hi can u give me best work from home ?
How many impressions are generated on blogs
By: pascal1234 | 13-05-2008
How many impressions are generated on blogs per month?Would be helpful if answer includes a link to the source.Thanks!
Any other personalized Internet Radios?
By: Allan.pozner | 12-05-2008
Any other personalized Internet Radios?I know of Pandora and MeeMix, any other free radio services that play JUST the music I ask it to play?
Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy 2008?
By: Allan.pozner | 12-05-2008
Will the Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy become web-based now that print is dead? (The guide, not the book by Adams)...will stellar hitchhikers carry wireless laptops?
I have bought a new website at number one wallpapers...
By: john247 | 11-05-2008
I have bought a new website at number one wallpapers and a really good script for itI know about Google ranking and such but I was wondering the best way to get visitors to my new site rather than worry about GR.I know I can buy links etc back to my site and the higher PR relevant one way links etc help but I also know that Google can ban you if they find out you are buying links So can anyone suggest good 'legal' ways to get good quailty visitors to my site?By the way the site is online but I haven't uploaded any wallapers yetThanks
Q&A Powered by:
Latest Newsletters Articles
Ezine Articles, Important Tool to Promote Your Business
By: Erny Setyawati | 16/05/2008
People are easy taking articles from Internet now days. The articles can be taken from Electronic Magazine or Newsletter. Countless Electronic Magazines and Newsletters are created by new home business on the net every minute.
Top 10 Email Marketing Mistakes
By: Chuck Lasker | 12/05/2008
Most online businesses set up email lists of some sort, then proceed to just send out emails. This document will show you, from the perspective of the person RECEIVING the emails, what mistakes many people make. Avoid these mistakes to ramp up your email list to profitability.
How to Develop an E-mail Newsletter That Will Increase Your Sales by 300%
By: Serge Dandelin | 08/05/2008
When people visit your website, most won't make a purchase immediately, perhaps only 0.5% to 5%. What about the rest?
Google Analytics: Using Metrics to Track and Improve Email Marketing Results
By: Dan Forootan | 07/04/2008
Google Analytics: Using Metrics to Track and Improve Email Marketing Results
Marketing professionals know that careful, accurate and constant campaign tracking and analysis are just as important as delivery itself. Your email marketing campaigns, integrated with Google Analytics, make this possible and easier than ever before possible.
Using Autoresponders
By: Constantin Chersin | 01/04/2008
There are many ways of using autoresponders to your benefit. These programs are a great marketing tool for businesses to use on the Internet. This type of program can increase traffic to your website and can increase sales. They will also save you many hours of work. Once they are set up they can be used many times over and close a lot of sales. These automated programs are pieces of software that use email lists to automatically send promotional emails. There are several ways of using them.
6 Easy Steps for E-newsletter Marketing
By: Sarah Shaukat | 28/03/2008
E-newsletter marketing is a new emerging trend that facilitates people in promoting their products/services regularly by sending newsletter through email. The aim behind the e-newsletter is to acquire new customers or persuade the existing customers to visit your site or buy your product. E-newsletter marketing is very cheap and has proven to be very successful for those who do it right.
Ezine Articles are Important Tool to Promote your Business
By: Erny Setyawati | 11/02/2008
People believe that create our articles can build image and boost our business promotion. Is it true ? Can take articles from others Ezine and Newsletter help us to solve our problem?
What Do Newsletter Readers Like and Don't Like?
By: Nelson Tan | 02/02/2008
The Dos and Don'ts to creating the perfect newsletter.
Internet 
