Getting to the top of the search engines
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A successful Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) campaign needs ongoing maintenance and commitment.
Sadly, there is no magic formula that will get you to the top of the search engines and keep you there.
However, you've a good chance of success if you're well informed about what does and doesn't work. Here are some of the common myths.
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SEO TOP TIPS: |
| 1. | Choose fewer keywords - and the most highly relevant |
| 2. | Give it time – SEO reaps rewards over the long term |
| 4. | Don't let your site stagnate – keep the content fresh and updated |
| 5. | Make sure your site converts visitors – see our March Eyelevel for how to do this |
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Myth number 1: It only takes a few weeks to see the results
Many people expect that after only a few weeks of optimisation their website will be ranked highly. But there are billions of webpages out there. With so much competition, why should your site leapfrog to the top?
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Myth number 2: You must target as many keywords as possible
A common assumption is that the more keywords you can stuff onto your webpages the greater the site's chances of being ranked. In fact, it's far better to spend time researching and selecting a small number of relevant keywords, say 2 or 3 per page, and then make sure they appear regularly in the page copy.
Myth number 3: Once your site is indexed you can just relax
If your site stands still it's going backwards. Search engines will rank it more highly if it's updated regularly with fresh content: news, case studies, special offers - the list could go on. Up-to-date content also helps keep visitors coming back, especially if your site is part of a marketing mix that includes (for example) email, an RSS feed or a blog.
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Myth number 4: High rankings mean more sales & conversions
This is a very common myth. Unfortunately, even if your site is top of Google that doesn't necessarily mean sales. Turning visitors into customers is the job of your website. A low conversion rate may indicate poor navigation, dull content or usability issues.
And finally, if you need instant traffic, invest in some pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, such as Google Adwords. PPC doesn't replace SEO, but it can give your site a short-term boost until the long term benefits of optimisation kick in. More on PPC next month.
Best wishes
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ASK THE EYE:
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How do we find the most relevant keywords?
Will reciprocal links help our site ranking?
Our site is in Flash - how can we optimise it?
If you've got a question about SEO why not Ask the eye? It's free!
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IN NEXT MONTH'S
EYE LEVEL:
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Pay Per Click
What are the pros and cons of 'pay per click' advertising and does it really work? Don't miss our essential guide in next month's Eye Level ...
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| Featured Customer: |
Property In - independent estate agent for South East London
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