SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION FAQs:

Search Engine Optimization:
What is Search Engine Optimization? Search Engine Optimization is the process of setting up your website to increase the number of visitors. This is an ongoing, time consuming process, which is why a majority of companies hire Search Engine Marketing consultants to perform this task. A Search Engine Marketing firm frees you up to focus on your core competencies.

Downside of Search Engine Optimization:
Search Engine Optimization is an extremely important part of your website, but remember that it is not the only thing to care about. Your website must still be able to communicate a strong message, and should not confuse viewers with additional "optimized" content for the sake of gaining a few ranking spots. Visitors these days are smart; they see that type of a website more as spam than a legitimate source of information.

Notice that there are some websites around the internet that have high ranking, but the second you visit the website you have a strong desire to click away. Some of these sites are known as "over-optimized". Beware of going down this path. You may obtain nice search engine rankings, but no one will bother reading your site or contacting you, as you have successfully made an incredibly confusing, yet high-ranking site. If you receive a lot of traffic, but few leads, this is potentially what is happening to you. It can't be said enough; content is key on the internet.

Optimization includes:
Creating professional, easy to read, keyword-rich content Proper coding of the Title tags of each page Proper coding of the Meta content of each page Proper use of alt tags for images Proper use of link building Proper use of page names, titles, & content specific pages Submission to the internet search engines Inclusions into business related directories for strong in-bound links Properly providing these services is rarely done by most amateur optimization consultants, yet it is extremely important to do each one correctly.

The process of SEO is not easy to tackle, largely because so many pieces of a site factor into the final results. Promoting a site that writers on the web are unlikely to link to is as deadly as creating a fantastic website no one will see. SEO is also a long-term process, both in application and results - those who expect quick rankings after completing a few suggestions in this guide will be deeply disappointed.

Search engines can often be frustratingly slow to respond to improvements that will eventually garner significant boosts in traffic. Patience is not the only virtue that should be used for successful SEO. The strategy itself must have a strong foundation in order to succeed. The best sites adhere strictly to these guidelines:

Quantity vs. Quality:
In order to optimize a site to rank well in the search engines, pay diligent attention to the quality of your website and the effectiveness of your promotional tactics. While creating thousands of pages targeting every conceivable keyword may seem like a viable tactic, in fact, a single, phenomenal article or content source on a single term is far more likely to be profitable and less likely to be flagged for spam by the search engines.

This same rule applies to the sphere of promotion. Well-placed links from relevant sources that will drive both traffic and rankings.

One of the most valuable sources for data, analysis, and refinement in an SEO campaign is in the statistics available via website tracking and measuring programs. A good analytics program can provide an incredible amount of data that can be used to track your visitors and make decisions about who to target in the future and how to do it.