Understanding SEO or Search Engine Optimization

Anyone who has a website knows the importance of Search Engine Optimization. Marketers are ready to let their SEO and Internet marketing budget run into millions of dollars, knowing that new media is paving the way for the future of advertising. Yet, before you take the plunge and sign on an SEO company, it is important that you understand what Search Engine Optimization really is.

SEO is the art and science of making a website search-engine friendly, and helping it to show up in top search results. Wikipedia provides the following definition: “Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the volume or quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via "natural" or un-paid ("organic" or "algorithmic") search results as opposed to search engine marketing (SEM) which deals with paid inclusion.”

SEO involves various tools, some of which are listed below:

A. On-page optimization

1. Keyword research – A good SEO company first compiles a list of popular keywords that are relevant to you and your business.

2. Website content and design– Search Engine Optimization involves writing and editing the content of your website using relevant keywords. The website is also designed such that search engines find them easy to read and pick them up when showing search results. A website’s link structure and navigability play an important role in being search-engine friendly.

3. HTML, Title tags and Meta Tags – A competent SEO company will incorporate popular keywords for you into the HTML code of your website. Known as Meta tags, these words appear on the top of your browser when you are viewing a website. For instance, the website seoconsult.com.au has “SEO, Search Engine Optimization, and Search Engine Optimization” as its Meta tags. Having relevant Meta tags helps search engines index your website much faster.

Also, search engines are more likely to pick up websites with light and clean code. Therefore, SEO companies must make sure that their clients’ websites are coded such that they can be easily crawled through and indexed.

B. Off-page Optimization

Off-page SEO is any work that is not done on the website itself. Its tools include:

1. Online Press releases and articles - When press releases and articles are disseminated across the Internet, they link back to your website. This significantly increases your search engine page rankings. It is essential that press releases and articles are submitted to effectively, to quality sources. Some of these are paid for, but are often worth it.

2. Social Media Optimization (blogs, online communities, social Bookmarking) – Social Media Optimisation is a key SEO tool. Very often, if you write keyword-rich blogs that are interesting and well-written, these are bookmarked by other users with various websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Digg, spreading your content across the Internet. This increases the ranking of your website with search Engines.

3. Directory Submissions – Ethical SEO practitioners will manually submit your links to directories that are of real SEO value. Some of these submissions are paid for, but their SEO value is great. It is important to submit to quality directories. These directories are industry targeted and if they have a high page-rank, they will increase yours too.

SEO or Search Engine Optimization is a vast field which requires ethical and skilful use of SEO tools. It is a gradual process that builds your page rank within weeks to a few months, depending on your current position on search engines. The tools listed above are just a few used in Search Engine Optimization. However, these should help you make a more informed decision when choosing an SEO company and devising your Internet marketing plan. For more information on SEO, please visit seoconsult.com.au