Search Engine Optimisation Beginners Guide

There is no magic formulae for achieving top search engine rankings. For small-business owners who are prepared to give up some of their time, the opportunity exists to obtain lots of a sales leads from search engines. However, there is no quick-fix. If you are thinking about creating your own business website for the first time, do not expect instant results. Achieving high rankings for a range of search queries can take anywhere between six months to a year. For highly competitive search terms, it can take even longer than that.

The heart of online marketing is SEO. Remember, that the aim of search engines, is to compare the relevancy of any given search term entered into it, with the billions of web pages stored within its database. There are literally hundreds of factors which search engines use to mathematically calculate 'relevancy'. So your website must be as contextually relevant as possible to your users demands.

Before you start, make sure you first understand how a search engine works. Search engines use automated mathematical algorithms to rank and compare web pages of a similar content. The algorithms are extremely complex and rely on search bots continually trawling the Internet, to take a copy or 'cache' every webpage it visits. The data is stored in mammoth data centres. The exact mathematical formulae of the search algorithm are jealously guarded. Therefore, only analysis of historical trial and error can be used to make some general assumptions about how search engines work. Each engine publishes webmaster guidelines regarding how to ethically create a quality site. The uniqueness and textual relevancy of the words, paragraphs, web pages are central to achieving high search engine results. Yet how should you show your content in a search engine friendly way?...

Google's ethical webmaster guidelines is a great place to start. Webmasters who follow these guidelines, are more likely enjoy their website being 'cached' correctly, and their web content 'understood'. By implementing best practices, your website is more likely to rank for your targeted search terms. In summary, the key areas you must pay particular attention to are:-

1. Identifying the right keywords and key phrases used by your potential audience.
2. Organising the webpage structure of your website around those key phrases.
3. Making sure the website is compliant with technical standards used by search bots and web browsers.
4. Persuading and convincing other people (who possess remarkably similar websites) to link from their website back to yours.
5. Creating unique, compelling and targeted articles (which naturally include the key phrases you have initially identified).

A vital first step is to determine the keywords related to your product or service. Key phrase selection should literally dictate the choice of domain naming for new sites, website design, navigational structure and linking policy.  Only then can you begin to effectively strategise, design and optimise a website around your buyers needs. Your website will not generate quote requests, if you make incorrect assumptions by targeting the wrong key phrases. Conversely, if you target the right combination of keywords and phrases (before you even buy the domain name), you will maximise your opportunity to sell.

The bigger a real world market is, the more competitive the marketplace for search terms related to your products and services. So most small firms should focus on 'long tail terms' i.e. niche search terms. This avoids stiff competition from larger players. Remember that 20% of all search queries are geographical (such as a postcode or local town). So blend these derivatives alongside your targeted keyphrases.

There are many keyword suggestion tools that are invaluable in identifying search terms. These terms can the be used to help optimise your website. You will need to continually update your list, and check your site logs and statistics. From this feedback you can review which search phrases and entry pages are commonly used. So you can see how successful your optimisation efforts are going.

Your new domain name has to reflect what you are selling or your company vision. There has to be no doubt in the minds of the user. In particular, if you want repeat business, the site name has to easy to spell (so the shorter the better). The challenge with finding a good domain name is that almost all single words, commercial key phrases and expressions have already been bought up by domain name squatters. You may have to bid on a domain from the second user market. As search engines also have various country orientated search websites, you must ensure your domain name extension reflects your country (particularly if your target market lives in one geography only).

You should focus ruthlessly on producing a high-quality website for the needs of your target audience. Work on the assumption that you do not have the technical knowledge or time to second guess how search engines work (which are closely guarded secrets anyway). So your priority should always be to create unique and compelling content for your website visitors.

A simple way to evaluate the quality of your own work, is to compare your thoughts and feelings when visiting competitor websites. When you visit competitor websites you may be impressed by something (perhaps it is a well written article or quality video, or well-designed tool). Consequently, you tend to tell your friends about it, or you may bookmark it and come back to that website in the future. So to judge how persuasive your own articles are, think about the basis upon which you judge other websites. Then objectively apply your own standards of quality to your own work. Are your own articles genuinely compelling enough, that your website visitors would not be embarrassed by recommending it to their friends? Are they smart enough that visitors are likely to return in the future? Do your visitors trust the content enough to complete a quote request form, or find your contact telephone number?

Do not 'over analyse' a web page too much using SEO software tools to 'optimise the page'. Instead, put yourself in the mind of your visitors and spend more time in creating interesting, and informative, exciting and original content. Try and be obvious; you must tell the user what you think he wants to hear (based on your market research). Users attention span lasts only seconds. So quickly grab their attention with a headline, or they will click back in their browser and move on to the next one in the list. Users tend to skim read websites to find what they are after. Writing original content is the most difficult area of search engine optimisation and web design. Word count per page is also relevant. Too many words and users get bored. Too little and 'shallow content' will never rank.

At all times, your content must be implemented through the latest compliant web design principles and usability standards. This means having a basic knowledge of HTML. Focus on building a credible homepage and straightforward page design, with a clear and uncluttered navigational structure. Your structure must be consistent across all pages, so users have a clear understanding of how to find their way between sections and back again.

Another relevant ranking factor is how much of a 'buzz' there is about your website. Buzz refers to comments, links and references amongst social networks, such as Twitter and Facebook. It reflects the excitement and interest levels of web users. There are literary hundreds of social networks as well as thousands of blogs and forums. Many will be orientated around your market niche. You could set up social bookmark links so your users can easily discuss, interact and spread the word virally.

You should include a forum on your website, for prospects to ask and answer questions. Likewise, by setting up a topical blog you are giving your website visitors an opportunity to express an opinion. Blogs and forums help promote free, fresh and relevant posts, (which in turn provides additional entry points into the site). These posts will also be written in a relaxed and informal writing style. This will mean more content with a broader range of similar search terms (indirectly increasing the likelihood that the webpage will rank for those search terms in the future). Sadly, most brochure websites consist of just six to ten web pages and are hardly ever updated. This type of website typically attracts few visitors, when compared to larger interactive sites (with active forums and blogs).

You must also have a link building strategy to succeed. This means using a variety of techniques to encourage and persuade other site owners to link back to your site. Every link represents a vote of popularity, (in a democratic system designed mathematically). Websites with the most relevant number of 'quality links', will generally achieve better rankings. A relevant link, is one from a similar website with similar content. You are seeking genuine votes from people who are genuinely impressed with your website. Acquisition of natural links can be achieved in a number of ways. People will naturally link to your site, if you have created a compelling online tool, a unique survey or news story, a free article or e-book, etc. One of the quickest and simplest ways to get some inbound links, is to ask your customers and suppliers to link from their website to yours.

We hope this short guide has provided a gentle introduction to the issues involved with optimising a website!