Search Engine Optimisation for SME’s
As small businesses’ credit begins to crunch, and the sophistication of internet tools continues to increase, search is poised to become not only one of the most important elements of digital strategy, but also the most cost effective. Search marketing is still a relatively new medium – the first search adverts were served in 1998. However, the most recent figures from the Internet Advertising Bureau Europe –announcing that paid search listings account for 57.6% of the online industries total market share – suggest that, not only is search a vital part of any advertising strategy, but that it is a marketing imperative for small businesses. Obviously, the IAB’s figures only account for paid search listings, and even with the increasing sophistication of analytics technology, it would be virtually impossible to record the amount of time and money businesses currently invest in the other side of the search story – Search Engine Optimisation. It is this discipline; half science, half informed art, that continues to challenge and taunt the ROI of any business’s online campaign. The ambiguity and complexity that surrounds a Search Engine’s algorithm, makes gaining a definitive industry guide virtually impossible. There are, however, some points of best practice that should make your website perform better in organic search. SEO TipsWhen devising an SEO strategy, activity can be broken down into two elements; onsite user experience and offsite presence. Content is, undoubtebly, one of the most vital factors in SEO, however, where your site appears elsewhere and how others are talking about it, is of equal importance. 1. Onsite User Experience The well worn phrase ‘content is king’, has no doubt been uttered in many a webinar and boardroom, throughout the industry. However, its constant reiteration is not without reason. Sites which adopt an idle approach to developing web content are likely to be penalised, especially by Google which has a ‘Duplicate Content Filter’. Content should be targeted, relevant and - most important of all - original. Domain names functioned and based upon key search terms, are deemed relevant to the site’s content. This also helps you get a better click through rate as search engines match relevant keywords in your URL – highlighting them in bold. - Keyword Density and Distribution
Search engines look to sites that have the most relevant content to the search terms. Subsequently, the frequency which keywords appear throughout a sites content, the more relevant it is deemed to be. The design and positioning of your keywords is also important; search terms that appear in bold, italics, page titles or anchor text are considered to deem a sites content more ‘relevant’ by the search engines. Using a different term for your most important keyword also has the same effect. 2. Offsite Presence Laborious as it may sound, Search Engines still rate a sites relevancy - and therefore, the value it adds to a users experience - from the space it occupies within the online universe. Therefore, incoming links are vital when attempting the meteoric rise up the organic listings. However, gone are the days when you could have hundreds of links of varying degrees of relevancy; now more then ever, it is a matter of quality over quantity. - Intelligent Use of Web 2.0
The democratisation of the internet, through user generated blogs, forums, social utilities and Wikis, poses a particular challenge and opportunity to sites attempting SEO. A comprehensive distribution of inbound links, from blogs linking and positively commenting on your site is invaluable. As online continues to evolve, it is my opinion, that ambitions will move on from merely site stickiness, to site syndication. SEO will be generated, from empowering the user to customise their own online space with your content; not merely the relevance of your keywords. However, in a climate where few businesses have truly begun to exploit the opportunities that a careful and considered search strategy can offer, I believe that they will need to further understand the basic principles of contemporary search marketing, before they can truly get to grips with Search 3.0.
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