SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is the latest buzz word
amongst webmasters and marketers. Everyone's competing for
that top spot on the search engine results page, but with
so many racing to overtake the one in front of them,
website owners are becoming desperate and are 'clutching at
straws' to try to beat their competitors.
We have barely digested the term SEO and already we're
hearing new jargon such as SMO (Social Media Optimisation)
creeping in. Don't be fooled into thinking that this is
simply a preview of things to come on the web. It's already
here and pioneering companies have already grasped the
concept and are ensuring that their internet marketing
strategy extends beyond traditional e-Marketing and into
the area of Search Engine Optimisation, Search Engine
Advertising and Social Media Optimisation.
Pioneering companies will win: Sadly, few South African
companies realise the significance of optimising their
websites for top search engine rankings and social
popularity. There are many extraordinary looking websites
being launched onto the Internet daily, yet their splashy
entry pages and dazzling creative's seldom does the company
any good. These websites occupy space on the web; however
they are by no means optimised to attract the correct
target audiences. Few web designers are taught the skill of
optimising the websites that they design for search engine
rankings. From the start of the web development project,
companies should commission experienced search engine
marketers or analysts to be involved in preparing the
website brief for the developer by defining the essential
elements that should be incorporated, if the website is to
be positioned anywhere of significance on search engine
results pages.
There are more than a hundred varying criteria that search
engines include as part of their ranking algorithm. Website
owners, web designers and marketers should take cognisance
of the fact that it is simply not good enough to publish a
fancy looking website onto the Internet and expect it to
start attracting and converting customers in the hope of
producing income from its online presence. It takes skill
and careful planning to create a website that will be
recognised by search engines as relevant enough to rank in
the top ten results, and then to take this one step further
by ensuring that the user experience is one that will
convert a researcher into a customer. And remember the
modern customer is one that is in control.
Today's consumer is in control: The new consumer is
actively participating in social networks, they are
bookmarking websites on social search engines and they are
blogging about you. Ensure that your website is optimised
to generate publicity through social media, online
communities and social networks. There are websites that
consist of user generated ranking systems. Make sure that
your website can be bookmarked, linked to and tagged easily
enough by the user. Create a company blog or user
community within your own website. If you create something
that allows your user to engage with you, and it is
compelling enough for them to spread the word and to
bookmark you then you are half way there.
You can't fake it until you make it: Getting ranked highly
on search engine results is not a quick fix. It is a
process that requires a great deal of planning, editing and
monitoring in order to first climb into the top ranking
positions and then to try to remain there. With the
algorithms changing at will, there is no one technique
'cast in stone' that will guarantee top rankings. If you
want to reap the rewards, you need to invest time and
effort into properly researching your competitor's
position, and then carefully plan a strategy that will
hopefully outrank them, while at the same time attracting
the long tail. Beware of companies promising to have
websites ranked in the top ten results pages within weeks.
Although some websites do rank much faster than others,
those companies practicing spamming techniques may get
websites ranking in a matter of weeks but, in return they
can expect to be dropped from the rankings – or even worse,
be blacklisted by the search engines within as little as
six weeks.
Companies should be careful to approach search engine
optimisation from an ethical – spam free – perspective if
they want to thrive in this very competitive environment.
Until such time that a website ranks highly, there
certainly is a place for paid advertising (pay-per-click).
----------------------------------------------------
Blue Magnet has launched a one day Search Engine Marketing
training course that teaches the skill of SEO and SMO.
Blue Magnet Web Intellect is an Internet Marketing Training
and Consulting company, specialising in Search Engine
Optimisation, Online Copywriting, PPC Campaign management,
Web Design and Project management and Internet Marketing
Strategies. Visit http://www.bluemagnet.co.za
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