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Using Search Engine Optimization for Top 10 Placement
by
Mackenzie Fogelson, M.A.
Printable Version
By 2010, Search Engine Marketing is expected to become more popular than traditional television advertising. Currently, more than 80% of companies are utilizing some form of Search Engine Marketing as an advertising tool, and are choosing organic Search Engine Optimization to assist them in earning top 10 placement in the major search engines.
What is Search Engine Marketing?
Search
Engine Marketing (SEM) is the process of marketing a Website by way of the search
engines (Google, MSN, Yahoo). Both organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and
search engine paid advertising (Pay-Per-Click, banners, Cost-Per-Click) are components
of Search Engine Marketing.
When someone conducts a search in the engines, organic and paid listings are the two different types of results that are returned. The organic listings are the ones that are returned in the main frame of the screen—on a white background. The paid listings are the ones that you will see at the very top or far right side of the screen—sometimes on a colored background or underneath a heading labeled “Sponsored Links”.
Research shows that the majority of people conducting a search examine and select the organic listings over the paid listings. Both types of listings can be a beneficial part of a company’s Search Engine Marketing campaign, although organic listings are generally more affordable, and can provide more consistent, successful results over time.
Going Organic: What is Search Engine Optimization?
Search
Engine Optimization (SEO) is an organic practice of Search Engine Marketing.
It is the process of incorporating specific strategies into a Website so that
the Website will rank more successfully in the search engines for specific keywords
and phrases.
The goal of SEO is to gain and maintain a top 10 placement in the major search engines for targeted keywords and phrases. Although there are no guarantees in Search Engine Optimization, it is certainly possible to rank top 10 in Google, MSN, or Yahoo when using an effective SEO campaign.
What Factors Contribute to an Effective SEO Campaign?
Search
Engine Optimization requires an investment of both time and money. An effective
SEO campaign involves much more than just choosing the targeted keywords and
phrases for which you would like to rank top 10.
In order to be successful, an SEO campaign will generally feature a combination of the following areas:
Research
An SEO professional will spend a great deal of time researching
the most current and effective practices of SEO. Because the
search engines are changing their algorithms (or ranking criteria)
sometimes daily, SEO professionals must be willing to invest
the time it takes to stay current on the best practices. This
will benefit your Website’s rankings and will keep your
Website off of the search engine black-list for unethical SEO
practices.
Targeted Keywords & Traffic
Gaining a top 10 ranking in Google, MSN, or Yahoo means nothing
to your company if it is for keywords and phrases that don’t
attract your target audience. Your Website can be overloaded with
traffic, but if none of that traffic is interested in the services
that your company provides, that traffic is useless.
With your help, an SEO professional can assist you in determining
the best keywords and phrases to target so that you are attracting
the appropriate traffic to your Website. The most effective keywords
to use will be those that are popular, yet not too competitive.
That doesn’t mean that you shouldn't target the
most competitive phrases, it just means that you will need to use
a combination of the both in order to be most successful.
Monthly Evaluation
A successful SEO campaign tracks and evaluates your results, determining
what needs attention, and what adjustments need to be made. Statistical
reports can assist you in determining where you stand in relation
to your keywords and phrases as well as your competitors.
Changes don’t necessarily need to be made every month (it is best to allow several months before making significant changes to a new campaign). However, it is important to track, evaluate, and assess your standings monthly in order to make informed and effective decisions.
Complimentary Marketing Efforts
Search Engine Optimization should be just one piece of your marketing
puzzle, not the entire island of your marketing campaign. Examine
your target audience, evaluate their preferences, and target your
marketing efforts accordingly. Utilize a combination of Web, Print,
Direct Mail, TV, Radio, or whatever marketing avenue(s) is most
appropriate for your company. Then, use Search Engine Optimization
as a compliment to these efforts.
Patience
Because Search Engine Optimization is a marketing investment that
works best if performed on an ongoing, annual basis, it is important
to exercise patience. Once established (which can take several
months) your Website rankings will fluctuate based on your keywords & phrases
and other optimization efforts. Changes made monthly to optimization
efforts can sometimes take several months to recognize or materialize
in order to evaluate. Therefore, patience is imperative.
Additional Ways to Enhance Your Rankings
There are many factors that contribute to the success of your Website’s
rankings. You can also better your search engine rankings by investing
in your Website and/or starting an Email Marketing campaign.
Invest in your Website
Your Website speaks a great deal about the credibility and professionalism
of your company. Most people give a Website about 1/20th of
a second before making an assessment about a company’s
image.
By investing in monthly maintenance, a redesign, or continually growing your Website, your company is staying ahead of competitors and making a good impression on existing and potential clients. These efforts can also assist you in maintaining or improving your search engine rankings.
Start an Email Marketing Campaign
Email marketing campaigns can assist companies in communicating & connecting
with existing clients, heighten company awareness, establish
expertise & credibility, and strengthen brand identity. Email
marketing is an effective tool for growing lasting, valuable
client relationships.
Start a monthly or quarterly newsletter that features articles or press releases about your company and the services that you provide. These articles establish your knowledge, expertise, and inform your target audience.
By posting the content from your newsletters to your Website you are doubling the effect of your efforts: you are staying in contact with your intended audience while boosting your rankings by providing additional content for the search engines to crawl.