SEO, which stands for Search Engine Optimization, seems to be a lot of magic and hocus-pocus to some, and a science to others. Really? It lays in the middle somewhere, but leans more toward the science. If well planned SEO tactics are employed your site will rank higher in relevant searches and be more visible to internet search users.
The Truth about Search Rank
We all want a site that is ranked #1, but what does that actually mean, #1. It could mean being ranked first of all other websites on the internet for the search term “Frog” or it could mean being ranked first for the search term “Tennis” which is what you sell, tennis rackets. Even better you sell rackets in the town of Parkville and you rank first for the terms “Parkville Tennis Rackets”. Which rank is better? Obviously the one that is more specific to your audience and product/service.
How is the rank determined? The algorithm is a really complicated mathematical equation that is created by search engines. The most prominent engine being Google.
Aspects that affect rank include:
- Authority & Originality of Site Content
- Number of Pages with in a site
- Links within a site
- Inbound links (These you get from other sites)
- Link Anchor Text
- Meta Tag information
- Header Tag Information
- Number of Visitors
- And more….
Where to begin?
Start by doing an SEO audit of your site. Answer the following questions:
- Domain Name: Does my domain name say something about my business, its services and/or products?
- Content Value: Does the content on my site use keywords my customers use or industry leader use when searching?
- Links Analysis: Are all the pages within my site linked to each other? Do I have links from other sites pointing to me?
- Search Engine Submission: Is my site indexed by search engines?
- Site map: Does my site have a comprehensive site map that is easy to use?
Based on your answers you can begin to improve your SEO value through content, structure, linking building and other tactics to increase your search rank and visibility.
Don’t forget that Apt 2 Labs can help you with your SEO needs!
