Why Use Search Engine Optimization?

If you want to your new web-based business to be successful, future clients simply have to know that you exist. While there are some traditional methods that work, like advertising, search engine optimization (or SEO) will be one of the most important factors in getting your message out there. More than eighty percent of Internet users use search engines to find websites, so you definitely can’t leave them out of your plans for success.

What is search engine optimization? SEO is basically convincing search engines that your site is what users want to see when looking for your product. Let’s say you’re trying to sell used vacuums. When someone goes to a search engine to find used vacuums to buy, you want to be the first site they look at. It may help to find a professional to do it for you, but there are some simple things you can do to get your website higher on these searches.

First, make sure that you have a great web page! Being on top in any search engine is going to mean nothing UNLESS you have a great site for people to visit. This will also make the other steps a little easier.

The second thing you should do is find out what people will be typing into search engines when they are looking for your service. Just look at what your website is about and try to guess what this might be. If you are selling used vacuums, you might assume people looking for that product will type, “used vacuums” into their search engine. Words and phrases like “used vacuums” that you try to feature on your website are usually called “keywords.”

You can’t just figure it out on your own-no matter how smart you think you are. You will be much better off to do some research and find some statistics as to what keywords people are looking for every day. There are some free tools (and some not-for-free tools) that you can use online. Make a list of the keywords that will be the best focus for your SEO.

The third thing to do is fix the titles and tags on your website. If your most important keyword isn’t in your website’s title, this is a problem! Search engines go through your website looking for keywords, and if your title doesn’t have it in there, they won’t think it is very important to your site. You will also want to look at special HTML tags like meta tags. You can use these to directly specify which keywords you want engines to use; some search sites use these tags, some do not. If you don’t know how to change titles or tags, try to look for guides on HTML online. It can be done without too much effort.

Fourth consideration: Make sure your website’s text mentions the keyword repeatedly! If you never talk about a keyword, no search engine is going to think that it’s very important to your site. You can overdo it, but a frequently used keyword is seen as important to search engines. How important can “refurbished pianos” be to your site if you hardly ever mention them? Hopefully you made a great website with a lot of great content so getting your keywords in there will be a no-brainer.

If you’re going to try and optimize your own site, these steps will be a good launching board. A few small changes might make your site more prominent compared to competing businesses.

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