Search Engine Optimization: The Fundamentals

A website needs to be aesthetically appealing. Visiting a page that looks unprofessionally done or is difficult to navigate can lead to many people getting a poor impression of the organization. For this reason, a good website design is something many businesses in 2011 will invest in. The problem with that however, is often the site will then not be properly optimized and subsequently, not seen by many people.

There are five Fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization. When properly carried-out, a website can earn a better search ranking leading to more traffic and more sales (or members, donors, etc). The position where a website is found on a search engine in influenced by two variables: the intensity and quality of the search engine optimization and the number of competing websites. Nonetheless, here are some techniques used to achieve the five Fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization.

1. Age of the URL

Often, this is a factor that a website owner has little influence on. The most important thing a website owner can do is get the site up as soon as possible. Once the URL is purchased, putting up an "Under Construction" page can help. Since the site is not indexed at this point, it is practically impossible for someone to fall upon your site unless directed to it by exact URL. The "Under Construction" page does however, count towards the age of the URL and therefore will help getting the site seen once the development of it is complete.

2. Onsite Optimization

When most people think about onsite optimization they think of keyword rich text. Selecting the best keywords and properly including them in the text is only one important step for this fundamental. Another important step is ensuring that the website's source coding is correctly written. Site's should be properly compressed to improve load times and meta tags, alt tags, headings, the description, keywords and the title should all be complete and keyword rich. Finally, the point that needs to be taken care of first - the site's structure. Also known as a website's theme or silo, a site's structure determines a user's experience and a search engine spider's ability to crawl it. A site's theme should go from most general to most specific in terms of topic.

3. Linking

It is important to remember that the Internet is often called the World Wide Web because of its structure. The more links that a site has going to it, the more paths there are for the spiders (and the visitors) to get to the site. By getting other sites to link to one company's website, it is increasing its visibility and its ranking. Google looks at the links like votes for the site. Inbound links pointing to pages other than the home page help get those pages ranked on Google as well. For many industries, it could require hundreds of links per page to get onto the first page of top search engines. To help with the task, posting on blogs and using social networking sites also sends links to the site.

With the recent changes in the use of social media on a website's ranking, it is believed that Facebook's 'Likes' and Twitter's 'Follow' count as votes to the site, much in the same way links count. This is why many businesses are pushing their Social Network presences in order to improve their search engine optimization.

4. Occurrence of Content Changes

CBS.com has over 20,000 visits per day from Googlebot, Google's web crawler. It is because major news sites like CBS and CNN change content every few minutes. This factor helps rank CBS and CNN as 10/10 by Google's page rank. Most businesses don't have the time to keep up with the news sites but changing the text and photos a few times per year positively impact a site's positioning. Google will judge as if the site is being maintained and updated and will position it ahead of a competing site that is not maintained.

Using social media on sites like Twitter and Facebook, or a blog, allow for constant updates or 'tweets' under the organization's name. Today, this also counts as content updating and can get good positioning on search engines.

5. User Provided Content

More and more sites are asking for reviews and comments, there are two reasons for this. For one, it increases interactivity and therefore improves user experience. Users spend more time on a site and with each minute that passes the chances of converting them into customers increases.

The second reason is founded in search engine optimization, and is the fifth and final principal. Content provided by users tells Google and the other top search engines that people actually use your site. It increases the chances that other users may find it interesting and therefore improves the website's positioning on results pages. Using a blog is perhaps, the easiest way to get user content through comments. If an interesting posting is made, followers of the blog are likely to comment and Google recognizes this.

With these five Fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization, a website's positioning on the search engines will improve. Depending on the quality of the work done, its intensity and the site's competition, it could greatly impact the positioning on search engines. If properly formulated, the better positioning translates into more traffic and higher conversion rates.

Steve Karagioules is part-owner and founder of Referenceme.ca Inc ( http://referencemoi.ca/en.html ). He is a nationally recognized trainer and has trained sales organizations on how search engine optimization works and how to sell it as one of their services. Referenceme.ca is a Montreal, Quebec search engine optimization company. To learn more about SEO from Referenceme.ca, visit their search engine optimization page at (http://referencemoi.ca/en/search-engine-optimization )

Search Engine Optimization - 7 Basics That Will Help You Take Over The Competition

Search Engine Optimization - the form of internet marketing that puts you in front of people eyes RIGHT when they need you. Ask any NY SEO company, search engine optimization is a true replacement of overpriced phone book advertising. Search engine optimization consists of optimizing on website and off website elements to make your website become most relevant in the search engine's eyes, for the keywords that you want to appear in searches for. For example, a Rochester, NY plumber, would want to appear in the search results of "rochester plumber" "rochester ny lumber" etc.

However, the keywords that you think you should rank for in you Search Engine Optimization Efforts, may not be the best. We'll cover that below.

On to the 5 SEO Basics That Will Help You Take Over The Competition 

1. Search for Google's Keyword tool - the SEO step one. This is a major tool that you can use to find out what people are searching for, and how often. This will help you decide which keywords to target in your SEO campaign. On the local level, this does not work that great for towns. However, it does provide some insight and can give you ideas. If a term does not show results, such as "Newburgh plumber" then widen your area and search again for "hudson valley plumber". Then try variations variation using that area - "leaking pipes hudson valley", "boiler installation hudson valley" "hudson valley furnace installation". Be careful when widening your area, though. You do not want to optimize for a term that may not be as effective for you. For example, if you're in the lower part of the region and don't service the full area, then you'll be getting leads on the site that are of no use to you.Determining keywords is an art and science, and probably one of the best tasks to leave to an expert.
2. Title Tag - No, not 'Mr' or 'Mrs'. While search engines don't care about the marital status of your website pages, they do care what the pages are about. Title tags are your first optimization pieces in your SEO efforts. Try to put your keyword first in the title, then something descriptive and eye catching. Also, choose only one keyword for each page. Remember, this is as much for people, as it is for search engine optimization. The content in the title tag it what shows up as the title in the search engine results. Make it 60 characters or less, and have it be relevant to the people you want to find the results.
3. Meta Tag(s). The only truly important meta tag is the description tag. You might hear people talk about meta keywords and the like, if you do, nod politely as they speak and you now have permission to start tuning them out. Meta keywords have not mattered for a long time.
What does matter is that you include a meta description tag on each page of your website, telling what the page is about in 155 characters or less. Once again, this is what shows up in the search results, so this is as much for people, as it is for search engines, and try to make sure your keyword for the page is in the beginning sentence.
4. Headings help you twice over for SEO. Heading tags - h1, h2, h3, h4 - not only help you format your text, but they also make your page easier to read, and are apart of what search engines look at when deciding what your page is about. Using them correctly is important to your SEO efforts, though. There should be (1) instance of the h1 heading. In this you set the topic of the page. Followed by h2 tags used to tell what sections on the page are about, and h3 tags within those sections, and so and so forth. Use the keyword for the page or variations of it in your title tags. Make sure the page is still clear and easy to read, though.
5. Content is King of Search Engine Optimization efforts. The content of your site is the other main factor in determining what your page will rank for. Use your keywords naturally throughout the content, particularly in the first paragraphs of the page.
6. Now to the offsite SEO, submission time. Once you have made your website design search engine optimized, you can move to the off website factors. The first and foremost being search engine website submission. Search on Google, Bing, and Yahoo!, on how to have your site added to be crawled and indexed.
7. Backlinks are the SEO consultants best friend. Natural backlinks are the bff of Search Engine Optimization efforts. Backlinks are simply - links back to your website from another site. Relevant backlinks show google that you matter. The easiest way to start is by getting your site in online directories like MerchantCircle, YellowPages, ExpressUpdate.com, Yelp, and any others that you can find. Fill out full profiles on these sites when applicable, and be sure to include your main keyword(s).

Search Engine Optimization is very important for every site. You've spent time, money, and resources creating a site, and now it's time to put it to work for you!

NY SEO and NY Internet Marketing Company Dual Media Solutions has helped small to medium businesses find success with search engine optimization and internet marketing.

Creating synergetic internet marketing plans that involve effective Website Design, Search Engine Optimization Services, Social Media Marketing, Web Video Marketing, Email Marketing, Website Management, and more!

Have a Question About Search Engine Optimization or Online Marketing?
We're friendly people and can answer just about any question you might have - if we can't off the top of our heads, then we'll find an answer for you. Feel free to call our local Hudson Valley number at 845-863-3485.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) For Marketing on the Internet

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) For Marketing on the Internet can be a great experience and quite rewarding for those that take the time to learn the foundational aspects to its over-all strategies. There aren't any secrets to how you rank high with the major search sites except that successful SEO tactics and strategies are as infinite as they are varied. You want to know what it takes to have successful SEO? I will show you where to begin using certain processes to succeed in leveling the playing field between you and the many marketers that have recently come into the Internet marketing world.

First of all, before we talk about search engine optimization, you have to recognize foremost how search engines work. As well, you will have to understand other pieces of the search engine puzzle. These are:

1. What is an SEO?

2. Search Engine Optimization Process

3. Keywords

4. Linking Scheme

What is an SEO?

Search engines primarily want to give the user the most fitting and latest data to match the search phrase that was used by the individual user. Search engines are complex pieces of technology that allow users to quickly find relevant web sites by hunting for something they want by simply typing a word or a phrase into the search engine. Of course, the information will be useless if it doesn't relate to the term being searched. If the data found is old it won't help the user either. The data relevancy is extremely important and is why the user will always expect the latest information in order for it to be useful to them. As an Internet marketer, you will be very successful at getting your marketed campaigns up in the search rankings if you update your web site each day and add some extra pertinent information.
Search Engine Optimization Process

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the procedure by which online marketers use strategic articles to increase their web site's overall relevancy in search results. SEO is something you are going to have to master if you want to have a successful Internet marketing business. The Internet has grown tremendously and the challenge for the best spot in rankings has created a massive market. With that in mind, understanding the fundamental elements of SEO is primary for online business success so lets look at technique familiarization next.

Using effective search optimization techniques will enhance the page ranking of your web site. In order to get there you will have to use certain methods to increase your site's page rank. I believe that the most important way to do this is to supply high quality content to the site regularly. You would think that everyone out there is using this simple concept but there are so many web sites that fail to provide content that folks find interesting. This is where you can shoot your site straight to the top of the rankings because a site that offers content that is well-written, interesting, and updated regularly will stimulate visitors who are likely to return again and again to the site in the future. Do you see the power in this tiny bit of knowledge? If you can set your web site apart from those lifeless, uninteresting web sites then do it because you will definitely have a greater chance of attaining high page rank through search optimization.

Keywords

Keywords are a significant component for effective search engine optimization. If you place highly convertible keywords (words that folks place into search engines) and phrases in your content, you'll find that your site will begin to get a larger influx of visitors. You need to make sure that the keywords and phrases you have on your site are the keywords and phrases that your site is essentially optimized for so that you are targeting your market properly. If you use lots of keywords in your content (i.e. article), you will likely have more online visitors finding your site at the top of search engines when they search using those specific keywords. If you are persistent with these methods, then your overall search engine optimization will increase which will lead to higher page rankings. So remember that relevant keywords will benefit your site so always make sure to use words that make sense to the material you have on the particular site!

Linking Scheme

Lastly, you should develop a linking scheme to enhance your search engine optimization. This not only provides free publicizing for your site, but it also gives the impression that your website is more significant because of its associated links. You will have many more visitors because of more sites directing back to your site. Of course, the more incoming links you have directed to your website, the higher it will be placed in the search engines. Although this process is a bit more involved, the rewards can be extensive and residual because with more "back-links" the longer your site remains towards the top!

Conclusion

Always bear in mind that search engine optimization methods are central in increasing your site's rankings. You want to make sure that you write keyword rich, high-quality articles (content) and that you link your site to other sites and then connect them back to yours again. All this along with a good coaching or mentoring program will enable your business prosper for life!

Through proven training and solid effort, Juan M. Ramos has transitioned from a distinguished 23 year military career to a successful Online Business Entrepreneur. To learn how to find true marketing success online and the potential of creating a lasting and passive income from home please visit Juan at http://www.Prosper4Life.com.