As Search Engine Optimization (SEO) experts in Bristol, we have found many small and medium sized companies struggling to get to grips with how to make the most of the internet for their businesses. Do you wish to benefit from increased web purchasing power that has developed in the last decade? This article is written to give a basic outline of the fundamentals of search engine optimization, a key to web business success. Our Internet consultants have been working with Bristol-based search marketing clients clients since 2007 and in sales and marketing to major businesses in London and the South of England for over 15 years..
So what exactly is SEO?
Search engine optimisation is the analysis and alteration of webpages so that search engines like Yahoo can more easily bring more potential customers to your site. It includes making each page accessible to search engine spiders and adding incoming links from high ranking websites.
Good quality SEO helps websites in moving up the pages of search engines like Yahoo achieving high page one rankings, where most of your potential customers find what they are looking for and produces more sales or leads.
85% of web traffic is generated by search engines like Google and Yahoo, so ranking highly on their search results pages is important to website business.
What is the importance of SEO?
Over time, improving the ranking of a website in the search engines is the most cost effective way of attracting visitors to your website. It does this through:
Bringing more people to your website
Increasing on-line sales and sign ups
Increasing recognition of your brand
Gone are the days when you could launch a website on the net and expect it to be listed on page 1 within a couple of months, unless you operate in a very niche market. Almost every business and organization acknowledges the power of the internet, where an increasing proportion of the world’s population search for interest, research or buying purposes. Search engine optimization is critical if companies are to emerge the other side of the recession in good health.
How Do You Do SEO?
The rise of websites to page one of MSN or other search results requires a structured approach. Using search engine optimization techniques increases your chances of ranking well against the larger and older sites. These include the following:
Copywriting and website page creation – organise your website like a well laid out store and write persuasively.
Research your on-line market – test which phrases bring you most traffic that buy or sign up on your website. To achieve 1st page positions in search engine results, it is important to understand the how keyphrases and links affect each other. Keywords on the page tell search engines what your web page is about. Inbound links inform them that your content is relevant. When a search engine thinks your site is relevant, it is ranked highly on their search result pages.
Analyse Site Structure – Check that there is a clear structure to your website. Add mini goals so that if a potential purchaser is not ready to buy or sign up just yet, they can take a step towards doing so. Use multmedia conversion tools to make your website more appealing and social media marketing. Write the content for people, not search engines.
Link your website with others – Get your website found via important websites.
Submit your website to On-line Directories – Directories list your company like the Yellow Pages and bring online visitors to your website.
Get a sitemap – All websites need a structured sitemap – it enables the search engines read your site and increases the chances of raising it to page one when properly designed.
Analytics – It may seem obvious but you should track the results of the changes you make with web analytics such as ClickTracks so that you can evaluate your return on investment and see what works and what doesn’t!
SEO Consultants – Check out this SEO Bristol agency.
What Time Period Is Usual To Gain a Page 1 Listing?
Reaching page one of the search results also depends on some factors outside your control, so giving a timeframe for success is tricky!
Elements include:
Market competition
The geographic area within which you operate
Search engines change their minds on what is important as the internet develops! -
Working relationships with your SEO provider
Expect at least 6 months to optimize a small website and if you are serious about your on-line business, consider SEO an integral part of your marketing plan.
When do I need SEO?
Does your organization maximize the growth opportunities the internet provides?
If you already have a good web presence, are you actually receiving maximum return on investment?
Are there new areas of internet marketing that could benefit your business or organization and can SEO help you with it?
Are your competitors capturing more of the on-line market?
When was the last time you looked at your business and website together. Has your business changed and does your website reflect this?
Search engine optimization has the power to promote your organisation in readiness for renewed confidence and economic growth through using up-to-date techniques to make your website stand out from the crowd and improve its productivity.