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Search engine optimization is probably the single most important aspect of driving traffic to your website. Did you know that search engines account for roughly 70% of all traffic that arrives at your site?
With pay-per-click prices on the rise, it's not uncommon to pay anywhere from $1 to $5 per click to be on the first page of a highly desired keyword. By ranking well in the natural results, you receive free traffic. In addition, the majority of clicks come from these natural listings because visitors are less likely to click on the paid ads.
How much difference does it make?
Dropping from the first page of a search engine to the second page alone typically results in a 90% decrease in traffic. Even if you are on the first page, you may want to increase your rankings so you are "above the fold", that is, the users don't have to scroll down in order to see a link to your page.
How do I know which firms are the best?
In speaking with search engine optimization firms, there are many factors to consider. Start by asking how long they've been doing this for. Well established firms have networks of thousands of sites and access to content that newer firms don't.
In addition, they have already dealt with the technical challenges that exist with every site. For example, forums, content management systems, and shopping carts all have special needs in order for the search engines to be able to "see" them.
How much does it cost?
Search engine optimization can range from $500 for simple on-page optimization to several thousands of dollars, depending on the project size. Cost is also highly correlated with the competitiveness of the keyword or industry you would like to rank for.
The importance of SEO
Websites today live and die by their rankings. It is important to diversify your traffic, but the truth is that search engines will always be a primary source for individuals to find companies.
Four Elements of SEO
The total scope of search engine marketing includes four different factors:
Search engine optimization
Link building
Directory submission
Paid advertising (pay-per-click, etc.)
Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the part of search engine marketing that
includes researching, writing and incorporating keywords into a site’s
pages in order to achieve higher search engine results. Researching keywords
means finding out which words and phrases Internet users are employing to find
web sites. For instance, if you administer a travel web site, you will need
to know which travel-related keywords and phrases people are entering in search
engines.
Once keywords are found, they must be incorporated into each page on a site.
This can be accomplished by writing HTML code called META tags that search engines
use to determine what the site’s content is about. These tags include
the title, description and a list of keywords.
Another way to incorporate keywords is to include them in the content of a
site. Content can include articles, tools, testimonials, etc. Any text on a
web site is “seen” and catalogued by search engines. The search
engines use this data to determine where a site will rank.
Link Building
This aspect of search engine market involves getting other web sites to link
to your site. Many search engines use linking as a way to determine where a
site will rank in their listings. This means the search engine can determine
how many sites provide a link to your site. In general, the more sites that
link to you the better it will be for your search engine rankings. However,
many search engines also use the quality o
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