| If search engines can't find you, neither
can customers. Build your site right.
Your web startup needs to cut through the clutter and reel in customers, and
search engine optimization (SEO) can be just the ticket. SEO helps improve your
search rankings so your website shows up higher on Google, Yahoo and other
popular search engines. "SEO is really [fundamental]. It should be a line item
when you're developing your website," says Greg Bozigian, founder and chief
media officer of new media marketing company Visionary View.
SEO is about attracting quality leads and
buyers ready to make a purchase. Here are six tips for getting the most out of
an SEO initiative, according to SEO expert Steve Wiideman:
- Start early. It can take up to six months
for competitive search terms to see results through Google.
- Content really is king. Make a list of the
top 20 search keywords relevant to your business and create content that's
thematically linked with those terms.
- Don't use the same keywords over and over.
Search engines have gotten smart enough to weed that out.
- Focus on Google. The magic formula is
relevance and popularity. Having a well-written and well-structured website
is a big part of the battle. Mentions and links from bloggers and other
websites can be a big boost as well.
- How do you measure SEO? Create a
benchmark. A good SEO expert can actually measure the amount of traffic that
results in a lead or in somebody making a purchase.
- If you choose to work with an SEO
consultant, find one that specializes in the needs of startups and growing
businesses. If he or she tries to guarantee you an instant No. 1 ranking in
Google, run the other way.
Creating useful content like articles, blogs,
forums, metatags, page titles, item descriptions and YouTube videos will help
keep your SEO initiative going for the long run. Plan to roll out your SEO
strategy over time, tweak it as needed and look beyond keywords to see the big
picture.
Know Your Tools
You'll hear a lot of jargon around SEO. This glossary will keep you in the know.
Black hat SEO: Using unethical SEO techniques to boost rankings. Can
result in the banning or penalizing of a site by search engines
Keyword stuffing: Using keywords over and over again in an attempt to
artificially inflate your search rankings
Organic search optimization: Nonpaid methods of SEO that naturally boost
your search engine rankings
Pay-per-click advertising: A paid search
approach to SEO that lets you buy ads on search engines. Usually used in
conjunction with organic SEO
Search engine marketing (SEM): A blanket
term for paid and organic search optimization methods
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