Since the arrival of some of the net's biggest search engines
, such as Google and Yahoo!, search engine optimisation has become increasingly commonplace. Now SEO is seen as one of the most lucrative marketing methods in the world of business; boasting excellent return on investment and increased brand awareness. So what are the basics of SEO for those looking to get their head around it for the first time?
The first basic within SEO is to make sure a website is working correctly in the eyes of search engines. Websites that contain broken links, hidden text or instructions to Google that specifically ask not to be ranked make it difficult to improve on search result visibility. Furthermore, SEO can encourage a slicker website in terms of design and loading time as a faster, easier to navigate website makes for better rankings.
The second most important basic in SEO is keywords. Ensuring your site is keyword optimised enhances the probability that your website will appear in the results for said keyphrase. A keyphrase rich site also aids visitors when navigating around your site, as well as ensuring that the traffic coming to your website is more relevant, thus improving the rate of conversions into sales or warm leads.
The final basic of SEO is conversion rate optimisation. A relatively new feature of search engine optimisation but a staple nonetheless, CRO improves the way in which visitors interact with your website and the ease with which purchases or enquiries can be made. Both a science and an art, CRO also encompasses multivariate testing; a process whereby different versions of website are created and tested to ascertain which provides better conversion from visits into sales.
Now is the time to get your head around search engine optimisation and put your website into pole position.