What is SEO and what does the process entail?
SEO specifically stands for Search Engine Optimization. Now what that exactly means is open to interpretation, but we will help answer that below. According to Wikipedia:
“SEO is marketing by understanding how search algorithms work and what human visitors might search for, to help match those visitors with sites offering what they are interested in finding. Some SEO efforts may involve optimizing a site’s coding, presentation, and structure, without making very noticeable changes to human visitors, such as incorporating a clear hierarchical structure to a site, and avoiding or fixing problems that might keep search engine indexing programs from fully spidering a site. Other, more noticeable efforts, involve including unique content on pages that can be easily indexed and extracted from those pages by search engines while also appealing to human visitors.”
We believe SEO is an evolving process which includes integration of many Web 2.0 methods (explained below). SEO allows the client to capture an audience through resources that increase search engine rankings. Similar to the design of a home, every page needs to flow rhythmically. Without that flow the site may lose value in terms of SEO viability.
One term that few outside the industry are aware of which is the most integral part of SEO, is the term “keyword.” Keywords are the very things you use on a daily basis in Google and Yahoo to search for products and services. The importance of site design along with unique content dedicated to your SEO campaign is the structure which allows you to find and convert your leads.
In order to thoroughly optimize a site many aspects must be considered including the architectural layout, coding, unique content, purpose, revenue model and of course the audience to better achieve the search engine ranking. SEO is an artwork in and of itself. Creating a successful campaign requires an in depth understanding of all these processes involved in marketing both the users as well as search engines.
What is Web 2.0?
Web 2.0 is associated with web applications that integrate information sharing on the web through various portals, user-centered design and collaboration, along with interoperability on the World Wide Web. Some examples of Web 2.0 include web-based communities, various web applications and hosted services, social-networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace, video-sharing sites such as Youtube and Metacafe, wikis, blogs and number of other aspects that integrate the power of networking through users. Generally speaking Web 2.0 sites allow others to interact or to change specific website content. What separates Web 2.0 is the fact that most sites created prior were non-interactive sites intended for merely viewing information that was provided via the site.
The Ethics involved in SEO
As the internet evolves, so do the various avenues to create and find loopholes in the search engines to increase rankings through SEO. The question behind this lies, what is ethical and what is not? Simply stated, any method to increase rankings through SEO methods must answer one question “does my site belong there?” If the answer is no, there is a good chance Google along with the other search engines will catch on to these black hat strategies.
We like to look at a search engine as a person. The search engines want to see credible content that pertains to a particular subject. Google has the right to put restrictions by suspending or even black listing a site altogether if black hat strategies are utilized in an SEO campaign. We implicate strategies that create a long term relationship with search engines so that rankings are continually built and maintained.
Keyword and Search Term Analysis
The KEYWORD aspect is what holds the key to success with search engines. Now understanding how that works is another question. Keywords or search terms are used to advertise a specific page or product you are marketing. Assessing what keywords are beneficial to your site is also something that must be taken into consideration. It’s never a smart idea to focus on keywords or terms that have little to no relevance in regards to your industry, nor is it beneficial to target terms that are generalized and over searched. This will make it difficult to find and convert leads.
As an example of this, let’s say you are selling land in a specific state, but have decided to market the keyword phrase ‘real estate’. This general term has a high search volume and very non specific to the land industry. What tends to happen is people will click on to the site and leave shortly thereafter when realizing that land in a specific area is not what they are looking for. The primary focus on keyword optimization is assessing what keywords present value in terms of search ability. Knowing the estimated traffic volume for a specific term, the relevancy to the site, along with understanding your competition are the important steps when identifying which keywords should be utilized in a campaign. An effective SEO campaign is done with a thorough assessment of keywords, which will maximize the effectiveness of a campaign.
Search Engine Optimization
The process of choosing the appropriate keywords is just the beginning. As process moves forward we will begin optimizing pages specific to the terms selected through various strategies that include content placement, meta tag evaluation and implementation along assessing the site map infrastructure to name a few. Our goal is the achieve a higher authority within the search engines, which increases the viability of keywords within specific pages in the site.
To achieve high rankings without utilizing manipulation methods is the key to longevity within the search engines. If your goal is to get rich quick by marketing specific terms that have no relevance to your site, you increase your risk of being Google’s victim of circumstance. By following tools and methods set in place by our company we are certain that you will achieve success through SEO.
Link Building
One way of achieving success with the search engines is through links. Search engines have their own unique ranking system. These systems are designed to show credibility amongst sites and are generally weighted on a scale of 1 through 10. When a high ranking site, such as CNN (currently a Google Page Rank eight) links back to an article written on your site, that site is looked at as being a viable page for information which helps increase the web rankings. We implement strategies that shy away from link farming or link spamming as we believe these strategies hinder the long term effectiveness of a marketing campaign.
Marketing Campaign Reporting
We run one of the more sophisticated reports in the business. Along with a search engine ranking report we also send our clients press release, directory submission and linking information on a periodic basis. These reports generally go out 2-3 times per month depending on the type of campaigns we are running. Our goal is to sit with our clients and help them understand the different reports in respect to their unique marketing direction. We believe that having a reporting system is one of the most critical and effective ways of showing our clients where everything is at in regards to the SEO campaign process.
Site Effectiveness while Integrating SEO
One misconception in the business of SEO is the user experience and the affects created during an SEO campaign. When optimizing a site our goal is to create a site where the user’s experience is not jeopardized in any way due to SEO techniques. Our skilled technicians implement SEO strategies allowing the site to retain it’s effectiveness. When creating these campaigns we take an approach that involves both the user and search engine, which allows us to maximize our goal within the SEO campaign. Social Achievement employs some of the best SEO specialists in the industry to ensure an ethical SEO campaign that produces higher search engine rankings and while maximizing our client’s ROI.
Social Achievement also offers discounted San Diego SEO campaign packages. Contact us to find out more!