We have been getting more inquiries about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and some of the options available for web site owners lately, so this post will offer a very basic overview and links for more information. We found much of the information to be common across the many sources visited. Allow me to stress; this is a very basic overview of what can be a fairly complex topic.
There are essentially only two ways of getting a site listed on the most popular search engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN Live). One way is to allow the search engines to go about their business and index your site, taking into account variables such as page design, meta tags, sitemaps, title tags and overall content. The second way is paid alternatives.
Overall, each method must take into consideration; key word popularity, popularity of overall product or service topic, the number and site history of competing web sites. Naturally, the more popular a topic or key word (real estate, legal, etc) the more effort might be required to obtain better results. Be on the look out for companies guaranteeing search result placement or timing. According to Google “No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google.”
The first method [the free method] is often referred to as ‘organic’. Organic search results derive from the variables listed in the previous paragraph as well as quality ‘link backs’. ‘Link backs’ are links to your site from quality, relative external sources (sites). It should be noted that link-exchanges and other older methods of linking schemes are well known to search engines and can do more harm than good. It is possible to gain fairly good results with the ‘organic’ method.
With paid advertising methods, an advertiser is paying to appear in the ‘sponsored’ areas or possibly banner ad areas of search results or pages. In most cases, an advertiser pays for each click which sends a visitor to your site. Paid alternatives allow setting up budgets and bidding on key words. Depending on the popularity of the key words, bidding can get expensive. It is worth noting, in the typed words of Google themselves; ‘It costs nothing to appear in our organic search results, and advertising with Google won’t improve your ranking.’
After an initial review of Google Adwords, I would have to strongly recommend due consideration to your objectives and your sites preparedness prior to any paid campaign. If your goals aren’t clear and your site is not prepared or designed to aid in your objectives, you might as well throw your money out the window. Remember.. you don’t pay for converted sales; you pay for each click that brings a visitor to your site, whether they stay 5 seconds or 5 minutes, whether they call or not; whether they buy anything or they don’t. You will want to maximize the possibility of converting visitors to sales before engaging in a pay-per-click campaign.
For more on paid advertising alternatives:
Google Adwords
Yahoo Search Marketing
Microsoft Ad Center