Optimizing your website in order to improve its visibility and search engine rankings is a critical part of your business plan. The following highlights what we at Optimum7 feel you need to know about optimizing any commercial website.
- On Site Optimization – This was the only way SEO was possible in the 1990s. However, it’s still valid today. The Title of the page is the most important element on the site. “Meta Description” can still make a difference although some SEOs would disagree. In our experience, an “H1 Tag” and “Image Alt Tags” are essential as well. Of course, the competition should always be analyzed before making these edits or changes. Overall, the page must be relevant to the term which is targeted.
- Site Maps – You must create a sitemap (ideally a dynamic sitemap – which updates automatically) and submit it to Google, Yahoo and Bing. This will ensure that the pages on your site are properly and rapidly indexed. Here are the list of sites where you can submit sitemaps for Google, Yahoo and Live (MSN).Google – http://www.google.com/webmasters/start
Yahoo – https://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com
Live – http://webmaster.live.com/ - RSS – If your site is frequently updated, and it must be to compete effectively, having an RSS Feed will help syndicate your content. Of course, you want to publish your RSS on different sites. If you want to have built-in RSS, WordPress or Joomla are great solutions. Once you get the RSS setup, you want to submit it and have it automatically ping other directories so your fresh content is always syndicated online. A good site for this is http://www.pingoat.com
- Google Local – This cannot be overlooked anymore since Google started putting a lot of weight on Local Results in SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages). If your business has multiple locations, it would be a good idea to submit these all separately to Google Local. You can submit your business to Google here www.google.com/local/add.
- Directories – A huge part of SEO is Backlinks. This basically determines how popular your site is and how Google views you on a scale compared to your competition. One of the easiest and quickest ways to boost backlinks is by submitting it to different online directories. These could be general business directories or niche industry specific directories. Either way, it would be a great way to start building backlinks to your site. If you have the budget, Yahoo Directory ($299/year) and Business.Com Directory ($199/year) should be the first directories you submit your site to. There are thousands of free directories you can submit to as well. You can find a list here;
http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/showthread.php?t=720
http://www.submitedge.com/directory_list.html - Extensive Keyword Research – this is absolutely essential. If you don’t know which keywords have the best potential and have the greatest relevance, you will begin your internet marketing with a shaky foundation at best. Many think they know their keywords and they are almost always wrong. Few recognize how many variations of words and phrases are actually used by real people who are searching for their products and services. It is only through extensive research, using sophisticated tools and methods, can all keywords of value truly be identified and included in the online marketing plan, while those keywords with poor potential can be eliminated or deemphasized from the thrust of the plan.
- Content – onsite and offsite. Content is probably the least emphasized, yet the single most important component necessary to successfully compete for high search engine rankings. I suspect this is the case because it requires the most commitment, the hardest to do consistently and over a long period of time. It requires Internet Marketing Companies to “level” with the potential client about the plain truth about SEO and Website Optimization; no matter no matter how much time and money you invest in the previously listed elements of optimizing your website, it will be mostly wasted if you don’t have a strong commitment to regular additions of unique (non-duplicate), highly relevant content.
With these concepts in mind, you may well come to the conclusion that you do not possess the human resources to efficiently and effectively achieve the high rankings, visibility and traffic you are seeking through Website Optimization. If this sounds like you, seek only SEO Companies that emphasize all of the above elements, particularly content. Also make certain you are provided with many examples of 1st page Google rankings for highly competitive keywords for existing and renewing clients. Interview clients to learn more about the process, the results and the client experience with the SEO Company.
Contact us and put us to the test as well. We offer a no obligation initial consultation.
December 1, 2009
