If one is starting out and wishes to make their web site appear in the top search engine rankings, it's best to depend upon an expert to enhance web site visibility via search engine optimization (SEO). If search engines have never indexed the site it's like a book sitting in a darkened library warehouse ignored by readers. If one lacks a budget to pay a professional to perform the SEO, it’s still possible for a beginner to gain at least, some visibility with potential visitors to the site.
Professional SEO Services
Running a business is difficult enough without having to learn all about internet marketing techniques. It's generally more practical to let professionals handle this task. Typically, professional search engine optimization services vary in price from a low of perhaps $40-$50 monthly to over $1,000 per month.
Certain questions do arise. How would someone who is a neophyte in the world of SEO determine which firm is capable and which is not? In other words, how can a web owner determine whom they should trust or not. Obviously, the easy answer is to check references and possibly speak with a few. Second, is the firm active in terms of articles they write to determine if they are out in the public domain and are respected by their. Third, are they relying solely on SEO or do they also embrace other media: social networks, blogging ,inbound links, etc.? If the firm provides a wide range of services, it may be worth working with a single stop shop.
The budgetary calculus has to be made: what is the value of that which is sold and the likelihood of business acquired on a per sale basis vs. the monthly marketing expenditure. In some case, it may not be worth the expense. Of course, there are many cases where the online merchant just lacks the necessary funds to effectively market products utilizing an outside SEO service.
Going it Alone in the World of SEO
If the decision has been made to optimize a web site without paying for professional services, then there are several things that need to be addressed. The web site name should have been chosen with keywords built into the web site title. Assuming that the name was chosen judiciously with this in mind, what areas should then be addressed? The following are typical areas to consider:
- Page Titles
- Keyword Meta tags
- Meta tag name description
- Image Alternate Text
- Search Engine Robot tags
Placement of Key Words and Meta Tags
There are software SEO and SEO Programs that probably would insert the appropriate meta tag and key words in the right places on the web page. Most web authoring software programs will also allow a user to manually insert the tags. Much of it is common sense, in that on a page one can merely insert the title. description etc and it will look similar to the following: The title on every page should have appropriate key words that the search engines will find and index accordingly. In the area called the description, one will see the following
Next Steps Beyond SEO
If a web site owner is interested in checking a site for the individual use of key words in page ranking there are a few sites which typically do an excellent job of helping a web designer or site owner check a site for a variety of metrics.
A web site owner/designer in today's world then has to look at blogging, inbound links, article writing etc.There are many areas that can help, such as Off Page SEO, or the use of social networking sites such as Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook which are newer concepts and approaches. Nevertheless, the first approach should always be to optimize one's site as much as possible. One of the key advantages is that there typically is no out of pocket costs associated with these activities.
The marketing of a web site begins at how Google and Bing and any other search engines index the site with respect to the internal key words and structure of the site. This will be the first step and the other approaches such as utilizing Linkedin, Facebook, or " buying keywords " through Google Adwords or other search engines and inbound link should follow affording the site to gain as much exposure as possible. In basic terms, it's like any business: the more places that potential customers can find a site of interest; the more likely they will be to visit that site.
Nick Schklair - Nick Schklair, author, writer and business consultant has published a work on business startups in today's economy.
