What is Search Engine Optimisation?

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the process of improving your site’s rankings in search engines such as Google, Yahoo! and MSN.  The goal is to be listed near the top of the results when someone does a search for your product or service.

The secret of SEO is working within search engine’s criteria and anticipating what visitors might search for and matching that to your site content.  Search engines crawl the internet looking for results that match any given search.  So if you have similar content/key words in strategic positions within your website search engines will pick that up and rank you accordingly when people do a search.  SEO should be a consideration for anyone with a website and for best results conducted regularly.

Tips to improve your Search Engine Ranking

Choose the right keywords
Key words are the words that a visitor might type into the search box when looking for your product or service. Think of words that describe the purpose or content of your site and include them throughout your site pages. The ideal result is that your site will show up on the first results page. For example if you where an online gift basket company you may choose key words such as ‘gift baskets’ ‘corporate gifts’ or ‘gifts.’  Choosing the right keywords are vital to your search engine results.

Optimise your pages
This involves placing your keywords in strategic locations within your page. Naming your web page similar to your key words is a good start.  Remember to re-use your key words again in the body of your text for the best results and the closer to the top the better. You may choose to name your site ‘unique gift baskets’ so then you would repeat this again in your ‘About Us’ page – “We create unique gift baskets.”

Get quality inbound links
Getting your site listed on other quality sites will give your site a higher ranking. It’s similar to having a vote placed for your site.  Make a list of all the possible sites such as directories (Yahoo! Directory), industry organisations and like-minded businesses that you could be listed with. 

Step by Step
• Develop a quality site plan before you begin your site.
• Make your site as user friendly as possible and easy to navigate.
• Make your site the expert on its subject.
• Know your competition. Look at what keywords they are using.
• Include key search words in your copy, titles and any file names.
• Give each page a focus to do with your key words and maintain this focus throughout the page.
• Get your site on as many directories as possible.
• Get links on quality sites.

To become effective at SEO you will need to repeat this process regularly. 

Useful links
http://www.submit-it.com/subopt.htm
http://www.livingroom.org.au/searchengineoptimization/
http://www.rankquest.com/seotips/index.html
http://www.pandia.com/
http://www.marketingfind.com/