What is Search Engine Optimization?

In the traditional sense, SEO is the process of improving your website’s ranking in search engines such as Google, Yahoo! and bing for certain keywords.  More important even than ranking is generating more qualified traffic to your site which convert into new clients or customers for your business. Having a successful SEO campaign means understanding your online business goals, identifying the right keywords, creating great content, understanding usability and visitor experience, deciphering visitor trends and analytical data and being able to extract actionable information that has an impact on your bottom line.  It should definitely be part of any new website design project.

Anatomy of a Search

Below is an example of typical Google search query for the phrase ‘Dentist Richmond Va’. If highlighted the organic, non-paid search which is what is affected by SEO in green. The yellow highlighted area represents PPC advertising, in this case Google AdWords.

You will notice that there are between 4 or 5 organic listings which show up ‘above the fold’.  This means they are displayed on your computer screen without scrolling.  These are very coveted positions by many business owners because of the amount of traffic they produce.  While ranking alone is not the best way to measure SEO success, ranking highly (on page one) for competitive, high traffic keywords is an important component of SEO.

How SEO Works

SEO professionals use a blend of on-page and off-page optimization techniques to ensure success. Great SEO starts with first understanding the business which services are being provided for.  Only then can SEO strategies truly be effective.  This includes competitor research and keyword research and should also include at least one interview with the business owner.  During this research stage, important information is gathered which will later be implemented during the SEO process.

Depending on your unique business needs and goals, your SEO provider will deliver a customized optimization plan for your website(s).  This plan should include:

• full disclosure of on-page and off-page optimization protocols
• what will be reported on and how often
• a time line for expected results
• how you will receive communication
• any other information you may request

You will also want to ensure that Google Analytics (or paid equivalent) is being utilized as part of your SEO service.  Be wary of providers who do not offer this as part of every package.

We know there may be some unfamiliar terms when considering SEO, so we’ve created this SEO Glossary to help you out navigate the internet marketing lingo.

How to Hire an Ethical SEO Provider

 

It’s fairly well known that not all SEO providers are created equal.  Unfortunately there are some less desirable folks out there that have given SEO a bad reputation.  There are also a lot of very smart SEO providers delivering great search optimization strategies and results.  It’s important to differentiate between the two.  Understanding what defines a successful and sustainable SEO program is a key first step.

Utilizing webmaster best practices created by Google and some other tips I think may be useful for you, we’ve created Identifying Ethical SEO which you can download  if you are interested.  If you are considering hiring an SEO provider, you may benefit from reading this first.  The guide covers:

-  Creating a sustainable SEO campaign
-  Measure SEO for optimal results
-  Things to avoid when considering who to partner with for SEO

If you’ve got questions, concerns or ideas you’d like to discuss with us, please feel free to call at 804-482-1576 or email us your request here.   We look forward to hearing from you!