Search Engine Optimization pt. 2
October 6, 2008 by Zach Katkin
Filed under Internet Marketing, Marketing
This is part 2 of a 6 part series.
Visit Part: 1
In the last article we learned about search engines, what they are and a little bit about how they work. As you now know, it is beneficial for your company or website to appear in high spots when users throughout the world do search for things that you offer. For example, your company sells paper products, if a user on the web searches for “paper ream” it would make sense for your business and website to appear. This turns conventional marketing on its head. Instead of clamoring for the attention of eyeballs in magazines, newspapers, or on TV - you allow your target audience to find you, and you appear, exactly when they are looking, when they are needing your solution! And the potential is limitless. I just heard a story about a very small internet-based business in rural Kansas that sells premium pool (the game) equipment. By strategically targeting their niche online via search engines they are able to provide services to a worldwide audience, making millions each year. This business would otherwise be impossible to sustain in their local economy and is only possible because of the vast reach of the Internet and search engine’s ability to funnel targeted traffic into your website.
No more sales! I promise. You know the Internet is powerful, you know you get traffic through search engines, so how do we position ourselves at the top? Three simple and key axioms.
3 Rules of Search Engine Optimization
- Code
- Content
- Links
In a nutshell the three important parts of search engine optimization are code, content, and links. This article is just a quick highlight of all three and in future articles I will present more information on each.
Code
How was your site built? Is it set up for success for search engine marketing/optimization by the use of modern, standards-based coding? Does your site have specific code implemented traits that ensure it will give you an edge over your competition, provide the best experience for your users and ultimately raise your chances of search engines success?
Content
Content is king! Nothing drives more on the web then content. And don’t forget it. If search engine optimization is the lifeblood of any website, content is the red blood cells. Content, especially from a search engine perspective MUST be there. If you have the first axiom (code) down properly, it’s time to move on to content. How much content do you have? How relevant is it to the general topic/theme of your site? How often is it updated. If you don’t have a plan for implementing more content, you should get moving, start planning, and start writing. If you are not willing to do this, you might as well give up now, and not waste time and money on a website.
Links
Finally, the third axiom in search engine optimization are links. Links truly drive search engine optimization, but are also the hardest and final part of the equation. How many sites throughout the web link to your website? Why do you care? Because search engines use links as a way to measure a website’s content and legitamacy. It’s like a vote of confidence. If site A links to site B search engines read it as “site A thinks site B is legitimate and valuable and so should we.” Additionally, the content of the site that links to you is also important. If you sell jewelry, a link from a manufacturer or jewelry resource website will be more meaningful than a link from a friend who has a website that deals with bread recipes.
To conclude, search engine optimization will involve Code, Content, and Links. Keeping these three axioms in mind will help prepare you for what’s to come and set you up for top rankings on search engines.
Search Engine Optimization pt.1
September 16, 2008 by Zach Katkin
Filed under Internet Marketing, Marketing
This is part 1 of a 6 part series.
Perhaps more than any other topic I am asked about Search Engine Optimization.
What is Search Engine Optimization?
To understand what search engine optimization is, you must first understand what a search is. You do know what a search is don’t you? As a user of the Internet you are probably familiar with a search engine. Maybe you’re doing research for your local business competition, maybe you’re looking for the best price on a pair of crocs. Whatever the case may be you have probably used a search engine to find what you are looking for. The major search engines are (in this order):
You visit these sites and are greeted with a long rectangular box, prompting you to type something in, hit “search” and suddenly, magically, results appear. Sometimes they are exactly what you need, sometimes you have to refine the words or order of words you typed in. This list of results, particularly along the left hand side are websites and pages that the search engines think you are looking for. You search for “Dry Cleaners Estero” and bam, a list of results pops up, sites or pages that the search engines think match your desire of “Dry Cleaners Estero.” Without going into any technical detail of how this happens, or how Google, Yahoo, MSN Live, and the other guys find, store, and sort all of this data…
Search Engine Optimization is the manipulation of these results.
For example, you provide custom stair construction to clients throughout southwest florida. So, knowing that a lot of people no longer use the yellow pages, and are now turning to search engines to find the local businesses and services they need, you try to do everything you can to appear at the top of the list for relevant terms: “fort myers custom stair cases,” “naples stair installation,” etc.
And that’s it for now. Search engine optimization is simply involves planning, crafting, and developing your site over time in order for your site to appear when your target market is searching for exactly what you have to offer. It is an incredibly effective form of marketing (cost effective, leading to phenomenal results), but it comes at a VERY high cost - albeit not always a monetary cost.
In subsequent posts I will reveal more technical details on Search Engine Optimization as well as how any small business owner can use this to bring in mountains of traffic to their website, get contacts, get leads, close sales, or sell products.
In the meantime if you just can’t wait I highly recommend checking out the information available on this search engine optimization blog and book. As always, if you have any questions or comments, just scroll down and post to the comments section. We’ll respond immediatley!
