You’ve heard all the hype about SEO and how important this is to guarantee a successful website. This handy guide will lead you through the first steps towards understanding what this is all about and how you can apply these new ideas to your web design.
I’ve broken down this blog into a sort of FAQ, so the material is a little bit easier to digest.
What does SEO mean?
SEO is an acronym that stands for “Search Engine Optimization”.
What does SEO do?
SEO is a strategy used to get higher rankings for websites during searches in search engines such as Google or Yahoo.
Do I need SEO for my website?
This strategy is used by many people who have websites and want to increase traffic and who want obtain better search results (meaning that people will find your website on first or first few pages of a search). This is really up to you and what your business needs. If you have a website that has information and you rely and obtaining clients and contacts through the web, then yes, it’s definitely a good idea to optimize your website for search engines.
Where do I start?
Start of with a coupe of simple things you can do on your own, which means you don’t have to pay anybody else to do it. Let’s use Google as our example since it’s the biggest and most used search engine out there.
1. Submit your URL (website address) to Google through their Add URL page.
2. Submit a Sitemap to Google. Like the name implies, this page that tells which are all the pages that are on your site, making it easier for Google to find and index your content. If you’re unsure how to do this, there are complete explanations and guidelines you can easily follow on Google’s Sitemap page.
Nobody can guarantee you the #1 spot in search engine rankings, so whoever tells you they promise you a top rank like that, watch out!
3. Choose a relevant domain name. Selecting a domain name that has the “keywords” you want people to find you with will help you boost your website ranking. For example if your business sells chocolate covered strawberries, it would be wiser to have at least the words “chocolate” and “strawberry” in your domain name. If your company has a name that is not related to these keywords, consider purchasing that name as well and re-directing it to the domain name that has the keywords. This is important if you have a new business that’s just starting to gain internet presence. If you own a business with a recognized brand name, then stick to the brand name for the domain.
Should I hire someone to do my site’s SEO?
There are many companies out there that offer SEO services. Some are good, some aren’t. I am not going to get into specifics about which one you should choose, but I will give you some tips on things to look for when it’s time to make your decision.
Hiring a company that claims to guarantee you the #1 spot search engine ranking results might cause your website more harm further down the road. Remember that nobody, not even Google can guarantee that. Irresponsible SEO is a problem fueled by abundant attractive online offers.
The best moment to hire an SEO firm is when you’re starting you website design fresh from scratch, or when you’re doing a total website redesign.
Ask for references, such as examples of current online sites and clients.
Become familiar with Google’s Webmaster Guidelines, so you have an idea about questions the SEO firm might ask you. (If they’re not familiar with this subject watch out).
Demand clear and straightforward answers about their processes, expectations of results, and SEO techniques.
Ask for continuous feedback.
Ask people who have had their websites serviced by that particular SEO company.
Constantly review your website progress.
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