subject: How To Get Your Website Up The Search Rankings [print this page] While theres no magic wand to wave which will bump your website up the search rankings, there are several tried and tested methods you can use which, when done correctly and professionally, should do exactly that. Heres a quick outline of those methods and remember that common sense, thorough research and seeking professional advice should prevail before you embark on any of the following.
SEO or Search Engine Optimisation is not an exact science but instead a set of constantly evolving principles and theories which are used to optimise websites and improve their position on the search engine results pages. These strategies start out with a combination of research, competitor analysis, analysis of the current site and its existing and target customers and from this, an accurate picture can be painted of what is working and what is not. From this, relevant keywords can be targeted, sitemaps can be created, navigational tools can be improved, all so that the user experience and online journey becomes better and so on. There is no single SEO strategy that can be implemented across the board, for every different type of client, that will work every time and this is why its so important to seek advice from an SEO agency which employs people to constantly keep abreast of changing technology and digital marketing channels.
PPC or Pay Per Click is the paid equivalent of SEO, in other words its an online advertising strategy which is also based on keyword research and targeting. Keywords are picked and bid on with the search engines and when users search for these keywords, the advertisements, banners and sponsored links will show up in the search engine results pages. If a user then clicks on one of these they will arrive at the advertisers website and only then will the advertiser pay the host or search engine an agreed price (this is known as Cost Per Click (CPC)) for a referral.
Affiliate marketing is a process by which third party websites feature advertisements and banners on their site and are rewarded for doing so. This is a great tool for raising brand awareness and trust and for driving more traffic to your website, which in turn should increase sales and the existing customer base. Quality control is absolutely essential with this form of marketing or it can serve to frustrate customers (for example if irrelevant ads and banners constantly appear on their screen) and banners on untrustworthy or spam sites can damage a brand simply by association. Affiliate marketing can be a great way to increase the customer base, trust in the brand and can therefore help to boost PageRank and increase visibility, both of which can help to move your website up the search engine results.
Social Media is fast becoming an essential part of any digital marketing strategy and like SEO, it is a constantly changing channel and one that needs to be managed on a daily basis if it is to be of any benefit at all. It is all about engaging consumers and communicating with them, giving your brand a face and a personality and in doing so increasing trust and your potential customer base; this is turn can increase brand authority which can help you to rank more highly for competitive keywords, thus improving rankings.
So if you want to embark on making your website and brand all it can be, its probably time to invest some time in an SEO agency. The great thing about SEO agencies and affiliate marketing companies is that you can hire the one that has the best reputation, whether this is one thats based in London, Manchester or anywhere else, and theyll advise on the best ways for you to improve your websites rankings.
