What Is Involved With SEO

SEO stands for 'search engine optimisation' and is based on getting a website more visible on the search engines.

The main search engine is google, so most SEO work is done around googles rules and guidelines.

There are two types of SEO:

Black Hat SEO

This is based on breaking googles rules and using 'cheat' techniques in order to get to the top. Usually black hat SEO works - but once you are found out your site will be banned - and then you have bit problems.

White Hat SEO

This is basically the opposite, following the rules and best internet practices in order to have a well positioned website on the web.

Being selective on the SEO company
you choose is wise - as there are many that will use questionable techniques to get you the results that you are looking for - take your money and then run.

What is involved with SEO?

SEO is about a number of things, not just 1 thing there are a few 'elements' that come into the SEO campaign, based around two things:

Onsite SEO - this is work that is done on your own website.

Onsite SEO is about getting your website 'search engine friendly' having the right spread of keywords and lots of information. Search engines and people read websites differently - getting the balance right is important so that search engines like you and people like the look of your website.

Offsite SEO - this is work that is done off of your website.

Offsite SEO is probably more important as it is bringing links and information pointing at you. This could be from information forums, social media sites, news sites (like the BBC) etc.

There is roughly a 60/40 split on the amount of work that is done - but there does need to be a balance.

Some of the things that are needed with SEO work are:

Keyword research

Keywords are the words/phrases that you want to be found for. You need to have a good idea as to what words you want to target (anything from 5-10 keywords are good) to get your website found for.

Looking at competitors

This is a key tactic when it comes to SEO - by seeing what your competition are doing gives you a plan on what you need to do. What sort of websites they have, what sort of information and articles they have, what sort of links are pointing at them.

Link Building

SEO is mainly about a popularity contest. The more websites that are pointing at you, the more popular you appear (in the search engines eyes) and the higher you will appear.

Articles

Using informative articles both on your own website and on 'article websites' with links to your own site will give substance and information about your company, services etc. Search engines see this and like it.

Content

A good website is a website that has lots of content. The more content the better. Sites like Wikipedia are popular as they are full of content. Search engines like content so the more information you have on your website the more visible you will be (of course with the right amount of keywords).

Blog

Keeping and maintaining a blog is a very good tactic for SEO - this gives you the chance to talk about industry issues, services that are relevent to your website/business - linking back to your site will show search engines that regular 'chatter' about you is going on.

Social Media

Social media sites are now read by search engines, so having an active social media arm will add in the general mix of SEO for you.

SEO is on-going - search engines do not like 'bursts' of activity, but like to see slow and steady consistent growth.