5 Things You Need to Know about Search Engine Optimization
If it seems like we talk about search engine optimization (SEO) a lot, it’s because it has quickly become a key factor in creating a successful marketing campaign. Odds are that by now you’ve heard of SEO and have an idea of what it is, but there are still some questions on your mind. We want to provide you with a little bit more information about how you can put the search engines to work for your business, with a little help from Old City Web Services.
1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is NOT the same as Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Consider the difference between SEO and SEM as the same difference between having the newspaper write an article about your business versus paying for an advertisement in the same newspaper. Both methods will reach the same audience, but people will perceive them differently.
2. Search engines are changing constantly.
The algorithms that each of the three major search engines (Google, Bing and Yahoo!) use to determine search results are constantly being updated. Why? Because some websites “spam” the search engines by flooding them with massive amounts of content and keywords to give themselves top ranking even though they don’t provide any relevant information
3. Inbound links act as votes in your favor.
Websites that offer a link to your website from theirs act as “votes” for your business in the eyes of a search engine. But beware, not all “voters” were created equal. So-called “link farms” that offer to add you to their list of links are seen as “spam” in the eyes of the search engines. Stay clear of those and look instead for legitimate businesses that already have excellent rankings and offer traffic that would be relevant to your website.
4. Extra domain names can help if you have extra content.
Your domain name carries a lot of weight with the search engines. However, having multiple domains that “point” to your website do not offer an added advantage. The search engines will only catalog the content of your website with its permanent domain. If you want to put extra domains to good use, create a single page (called a “splash” page) with unique content (slightly different from what is on your website) and provide a link to your main domain. This will put the extra pages into the search engine databases while also acting as a traffic funnel to your website.
5. Specific titles can make your pictures and videos count.
Search engine databases can only process text information. So in order to make sure that the pictures and videos on your website are picked up by the search engine crawlers, make sure that you title the picture or video files with a unique description (like “st augustine sunset”) instead of generic letters and numbers (like “DSC2939383”). Where possible, add captions as well to provide additional content.
Start increasing your search engine traffic right now.
Old City Web Services can offer search engine advice and assistance tailored to meet your business’ needs. Our staff includes a dedicated SEO Specialist who keeps up with all the latest search trends so that your business can stay on top of the competition. Call or e-mail us today to schedule a free consultation.
– Old City Web Services