Search Engine Optimization And Why Small Business Cannot Ignore It

Search Engine Optimization And Why You Cannot Ignore It


E-commerce is a fast-moving, highly competitive business. Do nothing: expect nothing. A site that is not optimised will not attract traffic. Any online entrepreneur must arm themselves with adequate know-how and tools to make their sites searchable and competitive. If not to perform the changes themselves - then at least to be able to hire someone with the correct knowledge to do so for them.

Each day, more and more sites are clambering to optimize their rankings in websites. If you lose your guard, you will get trampled on and be left in the pile of "not a single hit" web sites. As a real-life example for the South West of France where I live and operate: I have recently been performing an SEO review of a Vineyard http://www.domainechater.com. This is a great website and it is obtaining great search results now - but I was staggered how far the French have let their own industry become captured by the American and Australian wine industries on the web. Search for "French Wines" and you find citations about Californian vineyards! (Not to mention VIN Diesel has wrecked one very important search word for the French wine industry!

Search Engine Optimization or SEO is a term widely used today by many e-commerce sites. For the past five years and for at least the next ten years or so, search engines will be the most widely used internet tool to find sites for people. There are simply too many sites out there and 'primitive' though the "Ten blue lines" of Google may be, by golly they work.

Most people that use search engines - some 65% of searchers - STOP searching at page 1. That measn they only look at the top ten search results. Only another 15% of searchers make it to page 2. Making it to the first page, more so to the top three, is a barometer of a sites success in search engine optimization. You will get a higher ratio of probability in being clicked on when you rank high in search results and this will also increase your site reputation with the search engines (they will be more inclined to rank you well). The more traffic for your site, the more business you do. It's as simple as that.

But, it is essential to grab a hold of that Page 1 spot and continue to hold on to it - this is not a static market - especially as sites wishing to improve their ranking, also have to make their code readable - and therefore expose their hard work to the competition. As I mentioned, each day is a new day for all e-commerce sites to make them selves rank higher using search engine optimization. THe site has to thrive, the competition does not stand still, and even the Search Engine companies will have changed their algorithms at least once before you finish reading this article. It is imperative to make your site searchable and constantly improve it. Nor is this cuckoo-land. I have three companies under my wing that currently appear on Google Page 1.

So just what is search engine optimization and do you have to use it? The answer is easy. You need search engine optimization to be found. If you do not, then the only people that will find you are those who know you or have been referred to you by someone you know or by paper or online advertising. Your site, in other words, is not an online internet marketing tool in its own right.

With good search engine optimization you build a virtuous circle of hits. The more engines know about you, the more come to find you and rank you. For hypothesis sake, let’s just say (realistically) that every 4 clicks out of 100 Page 1 search results brings you a sale. Only 50 Page 1 search returns brings you "odds-on" that you may get a sale. Less than 50 page 1 appearances is "odds-against" you ever making a sale. That is quite sobering.

So Search engine optimization is utilizing tools and methods to make your site appear as high up in search engine results. Getting yourself in to Page 1 and better yet in the top half of Page 1 will ensure that your website is generating public awareness of its existence and subsequently generate more traffic, traffic that could lead to potential income and business. (The virtuous circle).

Search engine optimization requires a lot of work to be fully realized. There are many aspects you have to consider when designing your site and your company marketing to best leverage search engine optimization. (See Briquesetclics Masterclasses on Creating an Online Business to find out more about Marketing). These strategies will include targetting specific key words or phrases that will most likely attract searchers for your site's particular niche or theme. This process has often been variously dubbed a black art, or "smoke and mirrors" by its detractors. It is an art.

You will need to align your website's contents with these keywords so that you can reflect your search terms in your site without making it too awkward or machine-speak. This again is an art. There are certain rules and guidelines to be followed with making your site’s content applicable and conducive to search engine optimization. Your SEO should be able to tell you what these rules are. I have personally seen Web Site Designers proclaiming adherence to SEO standards, but whose sites demonstrate a distinct lack of the skill. And it is mis-leading to their poor customers who end up with an un-searchable (i.e. pointless) web site. So be careful and take advice. Briquesetclics offers a free website review service if you want to know how your website currently stands. SO why not take advantage?

You will also need to collaborate with many other sites so that you can get inbound links to your site. The more inbound traffic generated by sites relative to others is one of the Ranking criteria search engines uses to establish site reputation (Or PageRank).

Make use of the internet itself to get useful help on the latest in SEO. (Even last year's books are useful - but out of date!) Tips, guidelines and methods for search engine optimization exist a-plenty. Read any articles from magazines such as .Net that can help you optimize your site. The more knowledge and information you gather the better. This will all help you in get high rankings. It will of course require a little time and effort and as your site begins to increase ranking and pay for itself - inevitably you may incur cost as well as you establish more commercial links with sites. But the benefits will be astounding. I can vouch for this from my own - and my clients' experiences of Page 1 listings.

If you have a marketing budget, there are many sites on the web that can help you with search engine optimization. Such sites can help establish keyword phrases (e.g. www.wordtracker.com). There are also some content writers that have lots of experience in making good keyword laden content for your sites.

Act now and see the benefits of search engine optimization. Fail to act and remain without being found. It is literally that stark a choice. All of the above tips will result in better traffic and more business for your website and company. Briquesetclics can help you take the first step.


About the Author: Richard Martin of Briquesetclics is a Certified Management Consultant and Accredited Internet Marketing Consultant of 20 years experience in IT. Briquesetclics offers exquisite eBusiness solutions, website design and Internet Marketing with English to French Translation to expat and French Comunities in Southwest France. He serves the Limousin, Poitou-Charentes and Aquitaine regions and the cities of Limoges, Poitiers, Bergerac, Perigueux, Angouleme, Cognac, Bordeaux, Niort.

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