Search engine optimization (SEO) is a process that can be used to increase the number of visitors to your site, by making it attractive for search engines like Google. The process consists in optimizing your website so that it will appear higher up on the list of search results than other sites. This article explains how SEO works and gives some tips on how you can use them to improve your chances of getting more traffic to your site.
What is SEO?
The first step in search engine optimization is to understand what search engines are looking for when they index a web page. There are many different kinds of search engines available today - for example, there is Google, Bing, Ask.com, AOL, Yahoo!, etc. Each one of these search engines has its own way of searching through millions of pages and presenting the best result for each query.
How do search engines work?
Each search engine crawls through millions of Web pages and stores data about those pages in an enormous database called the index. When someone enters a keyword into their browser or a search box, this is the information that the search engine searches for. It then ranks the results based on relevance to the entered keywords as well as other factors such as popularity, freshness, and links. For example, if a user types 'laptop' into a search box, the most relevant sites are ranked at the top of the list. If a particular site has been linked to from another site with the same or similar content, it is given a high degree of importance. Other factors include the amount of time since the page was created, the number of pages returned, and popularity of the site. All of this information is gathered by the search engine's spider.
Why does it matter whether a particular page ranks higher than others?
If a visitor performs a search using a specific keyword, the most popular sites will show up on the first page of results. However, it is not always possible to have all of the highest-ranking sites in a category listed on the first page of results. Some of the most important sites may not even be indexed by the search engine yet. Therefore, it is crucial that a good percentage of the highly-ranked sites are accessible via links within the site itself.
How do I get my site ranked higher than my competitors?
There are several ways to optimize your site in order to make it rank better than your competitors. These methods, which are also referred to as "on-site" optimization, include creating unique content, ensuring that the navigation bar appears above the fold, keeping the length of your pages short, and adding keywords throughout the text. Many websites provide free tools that can help you analyze your site and determine where improvements can be made.
Off-page optimization
In addition to on-site optimization, off-page optimization refers to any changes that you can make to your business outside of the actual site. Off-page optimization includes things such as submitting articles to online directories, social networking sites, forums, press releases, blog comments, and bookmarking sites.
Forums
Forums are websites that allow users to post questions and answers. They often contain a large number of topics related to a particular subject and thus offer great opportunity for SEO. You should submit your site to as many relevant forums as possible in order to increase the number of people who visit your site.
Press release
A press release is a one-way communication between you and a media outlet. A press release contains a short description of your company's latest news, along with a link where readers can find more information about your site. Press releases are often picked up by reporters and published in newspapers, magazines, newsletters, and other publications. Your press release should describe a recent event or development on your site as well as the benefits it brings to customers.
Bookmarking
Bookmarking is a technique used to keep track of interesting sites. When you bookmark a page, you add a URL to your favorites list. Then, whenever you wish to come back to the site, you can easily locate it in your bookmarks. In order to get a bookmark added to your favorites list, you need to sign up for a service that allows you to create a bookmarklet.
Blogging
Blogs can serve as a powerful tool to promote your site and attract new visitors. Blogs usually feature regular updates, allowing readers to follow you regularly. Blog posts typically contain useful information that could benefit your customers. If you have something to say that would interest your audience, try writing a blog entry and promoting it through email campaigns and social networking sites.
Social networking sites
Social networking sites are websites that allow members to interact with each other. Social networks include Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Digg, Reddit, and many more. These sites can provide a valuable marketing platform because they are constantly updated and filled with information for anyone who visits them. Because they are constantly changing, you should periodically check out the social network pages of your competitors to see what kind of information consumers are sharing about your product.
Submitting articles to directories
Directory submission is an effective way to gain a larger audience for your website. Many directories require you to fill out a form and submit your site to them before it will be displayed in their listings. Submitting your site to directories is especially helpful if you are trying to reach a wide audience.
Link building
Link building involves obtaining hyperlinks to your site from various sources. This includes submitting articles to blogs, forum discussions, press releases, and directories. When other websites link to yours, it increases the likelihood that potential customers will click on your site. Link building is particularly effective when you want to target a specific niche market. For example, if you sell pet supplies, you might submit your articles to pet-related websites.
Keyword research
You must know exactly what words your target audience uses to find information on the Internet. After you learn what keywords your customers use, you can write your articles around those terms. To find relevant keywords, take a look at the search queries performed by visitors to your competitors' site. Use these keywords in titles, headers, subheadings, and body copy.