What is SEO all about?
So you want to get to the top of Google? It won’t surprise you to hear that you aren’t alone; the truth is that everybody wants to be at the top of Google, but most people haven’t got a clue how to get there.
Search engine optimisation, or SEO, is process of improving your website’s visibility in the organic search results. It brings together a diverse set of skills and techniques designed to convince the search engines that your pages should be at the top of the results.
The first step is to make your site ‘search engine friendly’. Search engines can only serve up your pages if they know that they exist, so it’s essential that all of your content is easily accessible and clearly labelled. Get this right and you’ll be rewarded with better rankings; it’s really that simple.
The next step is to establish your website as a place of authority. Search engines stay in business by providing good results. And if they believe that you have the best content; it’s in their interests to display your pages.
In the world of SEO the established rules of marketing and advertising have been given a good shake-up. Rather than spending your budget identifying and targeting a particular demographic; SEO enables you to get the search engines to do the job for you. The search engines have already got the customers (in the shape of searchers) and it’s your job to convince Google & Co. to serve-up your content.
Getting the bigger picture on SEO
Let’s start with the good news; SEO isn’t rocket science. However, it is a fast-changing environment and the only way to keep on-top of your game is to get a clear view of the bigger picture. By taking a holistic approach we aim to give you the skills to analyse Google’s algorithmic hiccups and the confidence to react appropriately. Not only do we want to help you get to the top of the SERPs (search engines results pages), but the know-how to keep you there.
Sustainability is the key to any SEO campaign and you need to think in the long term. Remember what’s right for Google today (whether it’s weight on a particular tag or the anchor text of inbound links) won’t be right tomorrow. Following good practice and addressing all aspects of SEO is the only way to make your site algorithm-proof.
Even if you woke up one morning to find that Google had accidentally emailed you the blueprint of their algorithm; you still wouldn’t be guaranteed success. Admittedly you would get great rankings to begin with, but because Google’s algorithm is constantly changing you would be forced to continually change your site. Take it from one who’s been there and done that chasing your tail is neither lucrative nor fun… and there’s a very real danger that you’ll wind-up an algoholic.
Why bother with SEO?
We all know that the number of people shopping online is going through the roof. And it’s a trend that’s set to continue. In the UK alone we spent £68.2 billion online in 2012 and by 2020 this figure is predicted to rise to a staggering £162 billion; representing 40% of all retail sales.
As more homes get internet access and broadband services becomes faster and cheaper; the web becomes a marketplace that’s impossible to ignore.
But it’s with search engine optimisation that things get really interesting. Currently search marketing provides the highest ROI (return on investment) of any advertising medium. And it’s easy to see why. Because searchers are actively looking for a product or service they are much more likely to convert into sales. Now think about a traditional advertising medium such as a TV and their approach seems positively prehistoric. Would you rather spend a small fortune broadcasting your message to a large audience (most of who don’t give a fig about your product) or spend a modest sum giving a highly-targeted audience exactly what they want?
As well as driving sales SEO is great for generating brand noise. Ranking consistently well in the SERPs works wonders for your brand image. Googlers trust Google and studies show that they implicitly trust the companies that appear in the organic search results (the waters are much murkier when it comes to PPC placement). So not only can SEO help you to find new customers; it also makes them more likely to buy from you.
Are there any downsides to SEO?
In a word ‘no’ provided you choose a reputable provider. Just look at things the other way: if your website isn’t visible you will lose business. If you can’t be found you aren’t just losing business, but handing it over to your competitors on a plate.
Losing business to your competitors is one thing, but losing it because your site is not up to scratch is another. SEO can help you direct customers to the pages you want them to see. You’d be surprised by the number of websites that rank for disclaimer pages or articles that should have been archived a long time ago. Finding the ‘wrong’ page will frustrate customers and your bounce rate (the number of visitors who arrive at and then immediately leave your site) will be sky high. A good SEO campaign will ensure that your customers get to the right landing page every time.
