What is Search Engine Optimization?
"Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the volume and
quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via "natural" ("organic" or
"algorithmic") search results. Typically, the higher a site's "page rank" (i.e,
the earlier it comes in the search results list), the more visitors it will
receive from the search engine. SEO can also target different kinds of search,
including image search, local search, and industry-specific vertical search
engines.
As an Internet marketing strategy, SEO considers how search engines work and
what people search for. Optimizing a website primarily involves editing its
content and HTML coding to both increase its relevance to specific keywords and
to remove barriers to the indexing activities of search engines.
The acronym "SEO" can also refer to "search engine optimizers," a term adopted
by an industry of consultants who carry out optimization projects on behalf of
clients, and by employees who perform SEO services in-house. Search engine
optimizers may offer SEO as a stand-alone service or as a part of a broader
marketing campaign. Because effective SEO may require changes to the HTML source
code of a site, SEO tactics may be incorporated into web site development and
design. The term "search engine friendly" may be used to describe web site
designs, menus, content management systems and shopping carts that are easy to
optimize.
Another class of techniques, known as black hat SEO or Spamdexing, use methods
such as link farms and keyword stuffing that degrade both the relevance of
search results and the user-experience of search engines. Search engines look
for sites that employ these techniques in order to remove them from their
indices."
(from Wikipedia, January 2009)
Keeping up with Search Engines
Search Engine Optimization (or SEO) is a series of techniques used to improve
the ranking of a website listing in search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN.
Did you know that recent surveys show that more than 85% of Internet users use
one or more search engines to find what they're looking for? It only makes
sense then, to reach out to potential customers when they're looking for
information about products or services you offer.
What's the Difference Between Pay-Per-Click and Naturalized SEO?
PPC and naturalized SEO are two ways to get listed in search engine
results. Both are beneficial in driving traffic to your website. PPC
can be an expensive way to get to the top, while naturalized SEO is a less
expensive and longer-lasting way of getting top results. A good web
marketing plan usually incorporates both, along with other methods.
1. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) - This is when you pay a search engine each time
someone clicks on your "ad" and goes to your website. The per-click cost is just
like an auction. Whichever of you and your competitors is willing to pay the
highest bid, gets the best (usually referred to as the highest) search positions.
These results show on the very top and the right side of the search results.
2. Naturalized SEO - Natural SEO occurs when your website naturally
floats to the top of search results because of it's content. Simply put, search
engines want to offer good sites in their natural search results category.
Natural SEO results are found in the center of the search results page.
Over time, statistics have shown that natural results get clicked more often
than PPC results because of their revelancy to the search words - also known as
a "search query."
In short, naturalized sites have to work much harder to get to the top while PPC
results have paid to get to the top (and sometimes at very high costs!)
Also, and unfortunately, PPC results may not be as relevant to the search as are
natural SEO results.
Contact us today!
We can help you stay in step in the search engine marketing game!