How to Begin a Search Engine Optimization Campaign
by Herman Drost
Search engine optimization or SEO as it’s often called by savvy marketers is the science
of optimizing your website so it appeals to both the search engines and visitors. Websites
that are indexed and ranked by search engine spiders attract visitors. A well-optimized site
will convert visitors into buyers and⁄or subscribers. Some folks think that SEO is all
about trying to outsmart Google to gain first page rankings however that is far from the truth.
The main purpose of SEO is to appeal to your visitors so they will keep returning.
There are many moving parts to SEO and one has to always keep up with the latest updates
to stay current, however their are some basic components that form the foundation of every
successful SEO campaign. Most savvy marketers may already be familiar with these components
however it’s worth repeating them here for those that wish to begin SEO.
Here are the seven major components of a successful SEO campaign:
1. Keyword research
Keywords embedded in your web pages are what search engines use to find your content.
I usually use Google’s
free keyword research tool to discover keywords people are searching on each month. It
generates a list of 100 related keywords to use for your site. There are other paid tools available
however Google’s keyword research tool provides sufficient relevant information.
2. Site architecture
How your website is structured affects SEO. For example your main navigation links should
correspond to your main topics whereas your sub-topics should be part of your sub navigation.
All pages should be linked to one another so the search engines can easily crawl your site.
Make sure you include a regular site map plus a Google site map so Google can find and index
all your pages.
Google rewards sites that are tightly themed. Avoid placing unrelated content on your
site. Other factors affecting site architecture include page loading times, duplicate content,
html⁄css errors, and including too many images on your web pages.
Use your site analytics to identify what factors are hindering your site’s performance
then go about fixing them.
3. Web Copy
The reason most websites don’t convert well is due to ineffective web copy. Visitors
will decide to do business with a company by the way the words are written on your pages. For
instance if a visitor can’t quickly understand the main purpose and benefits of your website
when visiting the home page they’ll leave for your competitors.
Your main keywords should be woven throughout your web copy so search engines can find
your website. They should also be included in the meta tags, navigation links and anchor text
(hyperlinked text).
When writing web copy place yourself in your visitors shoes so you can write from their
perspective instead of your own. This will increase your conversion rates.
4. Link Building
This is often referred to as off site optimization because your getting other websites
to link to yours. The number and quality of links pointing to your site will affect your rankings.
There are many ways to build links however here is a short list to get you started:
• Research competitors links and use them to link to your site
• Submit your site to directories related to your niche
• Write relevant articles and submit them to article directories and ezine publishers
• Write and submit guest blog posts
• Create videos and submit them to video sharing sites
• Engage in conversation on blogs and forums related to your web content
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