Search engine optimization (
SEO) is the process of optimizing your Web site for search engines so that your site comes up high in the search engine result pages (SERPs).
SEO has sometimes had a bad reputation because it can be associated with spamming. As long as there have been commercial Web site and search engines, there have been people trying to manipulate search engine results.
However,
SEO is also a legitimate form of marketing and an important aspect of Web publishing. At its most benign, it simply means making sure your Web site can be indexed by the search engines. For this, you, the search engine designers, and the search engine users all want the same thing.
The best way to address a
SEO marketing campaign is to follow generally accepted standards. This keeps your business on solid ground and avoid being branded as a user of "black hat" or unsavory practices. The following list details the top 4 strategies.
1. Build a solid foundation. Use a proven keyword search tool like provided by Google or Yahoo. Go for quality rather than quantity once your keyword choices produce results. For example, if your business is related to credit cards, search a variety of combinations e.g. credit card services, qualify credit cards, credit card sources, etc. This starts the ball rolling with hundreds of choices. Select both high popularity and low popularity ranked keywords and merge them into your marketing materials. This is a proven formula for driving waves of traffic to your door.
2. Once the traffic starts to build test several versions of your marketing materials. Do not be stingy with your investment of time, money and sweat that must be poured into testing. Focus on your graphics, colors, fonts, wording, spelling, etc.
A side note regarding a recent test. One client experienced a 20% increase in her conversion rate by purposely misspelling four words in various parts of her material. She didn't place all of the words on the same page and only tested one misspelling on the main page. The point is to TEST TEST TEST and don't be afraid to take risks. Your focus here is to find the right mix of search engine optimization and results generated through the variety of approaches you try.
3. If your service or product appeals to the 20 something market do not overlook the social media marketing sites. This requires you join and explore you membership to the fullest extent. Join the forums and submit comments, and participate. Remember you're there to participate and observe, not to promote and sell. Your time investment will pay off larger than any sales you might be lucky enough to make.
This is especially important if you are older than the prevailing members. This is a huge marketplace and the insights you obtain will serve several purposes. The most important take-away is learning about the needs and interest of the energetic, pragmatic, artistic, and just plain folks that make up the largest population segment in the world.
4.
SEO articles are a big part of any search engine marketing focus. However, you don't want to miss most important part of marketing. Namely, your product or service. No mater how flashy your product may be, it will not move if your customers don't understand the value. In this instance value means benefit.
What is search engine optimization?
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