Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Good SEO requires an understanding of conversion rate optimization, analytics, Web design & development, social media marketing, good communication, copywriting, the economy in each industry, usability, user experience and even human psychology. Always beware of companies and firms offering “guarantees” when it comes to ranking and SEO and understand that some firms “game the system” which provide initial gains that can have negative long term consequences.
Start Where You Are or Build it in New
Understanding the landscape when it comes to the type of site you have and the type of SEO you will benefit the most from is not intuitive. Good SEO involves hiring someone with the skills and experience necessary. There is a financial investment and a need for continual attention to actually see results from any SEO efforts.
Below are some of the elements of good SEO services;
– Having a site with a great user experience or making improvements to your website to achieve this
– Technical improvements to code and structure of your website
– Social Media promotion
– Relationship building with other businesses and websites
– Offline marketing opportunities when they arise
– Links (in quality not quantity).
– Content creation/writing
– Keeping current with SEO and industry trends
Web Site Audit
If you already have a web site, and are interested in getting serious about SEO, a web site audit is a great first step. While there are no guarantees (or shouldn’t be) in SEO, there are always areas that can be guaranteed to improve your ranking. These can include identifying your core online competitors, analyzing and identifying core keywords, optimization techniques, link building, link bait/viral content, social media optimization, SEO analysis and training. There are free online tools you can employ as well. While not detailed reports – they can help. Keep in mind most free tools are also likely lead-gen tools – to sell you more products or services.
