Search Engine Optimisation - A guide to organic and paid SEO
If you have a website then you've heard of SEO, search engine optimisation. SEO is the process of improving the position of a website or website page in the search engine rankings.
A well designed and built website should incorporate SEO features relating to both structure and content. it's worth establishing a quality site at the outset because it just doesn't make good business sense to have a website that may visually look good, but just isn't the ticket behind the scenes. Organic SEO is based on establishing 'qualtiy criteria', which takes time to work. Paid SEO, on the other hand, can provide an effective quick start for a new web presence. It might be helpful to consider both as in the tale of the Tortoise and the Hare.
Organic SEO
While a well coded and structured site no doubt contributes to successful search engine ranking, during 2011 ranking algorithm criteria has broadened.
These days fresh content on a blog or website can be a major influence in successful organic search engine ranking. The leading search engines now encourage creation of new content through favouring it in search results delivered to users.
Using social media to heighten awareness of your brand, together with a blog where you can publish regular new content is now considered a necessity for businesses.
So, if you who want to maximise organic SEO potential to be found in searches relating to particular key phrases, get a blog.
Choose social media channels which are relevant to your business and use them to provide two-way communication with your customers.
Once your online armoury of tools is in place, then perhaps it's time to consider paid SEO. However, to enter the world of paid SEO you do need to be prepared to "speculate to accumulate".
Paid SEO
This is the quick route to success in search engine ranking. However, depending on the competition from other businesses selling the same product or service, you need to appraise the cost-v-benefit carefully before you start.
If the rewards make it worth the investment in paid SEO then there's no issue. However, paid SEO will not compensate for a web presence that lacks quality structure and presentation. You still have to convert visitors once they arrive on site.
Bear in mind that although Google is the major search engine, Yahoo, Bing and others are also used by searchers. If you choose the paid SEO route to market your business then you'll have more than one paid SEO budget to allocate.
It's obvious that paid for visibility in search engines will only last as long as you keep funding it.
However, this route for SEO works very effectively for some businesses, if you know what you're doing. The battleground is getting more and more complicated and buying into expert services in this field is imperative.
We can put you in touch with experts who operate tried and tested methods, developed through years of experience.
Finally, whichever route you decide will suit your particular business mode it's worthwhile, before you start, to run some checks. Ensure your website isn't lacking 'quality' elements search engines use as part of their ranking algorithm. If these quality elements are lacking, it often doesn't cost much to put them in place. Send your website address for a free report relating to quality indicators.
You might also consider sending us your website details if you'd like Website Wings to check out how well your website is performing in organic searches and for guidance on how your site ranking could be improved further.