The process of improving the visibility of a website in search engines via the natural or un-paid organic search feature or an algorithmic search results optimizing in order to increase the number of visitors it receives through search engines.
When a visitor searches for a website on Google, they type keywords that best describe the website they are looking for. The websites that Google lists have been fully optimized to show up for those specific keywords. In general, the earlier (or higher ranked on the search results page), and more frequently a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine’s users. Effective SEO requires changes to the HTML source code of a site and site content, SEO tactics may be incorporated into website development and design. The term “search engine friendly” may be used to describe website designs, menus, content management systems, images, videos, shopping carts, and other elements that have been optimized for the purpose of search engine exposure. As an Internet marketing strategy, SEO considers how search engines work, what people search for, the actual search terms typed into search engines and which search engines are preferred by their targeted audience. Optimizing a website may involve editing its content and HTML and associated coding to both increase its relevance to specific keywords and to remove barriers to the indexing activities of search engines.Promoting a site to increase the number of back links, or inbound links, is another SEO tactic.
Content
Creating keyword-rich content and producing fresh content regularly is a key factor in Search Engine Optimization ( SEO ). Optimizing images for best quality while reducing file size also plays a role. Behind the scenes, your website will contain meta tags, meta keywords, meta descriptions, ALT tags, title tags, optimized naming conventions and site-maps. Google utilises all of this information to best target traffic to your website by people looking for what you offer.
Performance
Ensuring your website loads quickly and works efficiently is another key factor in Search Engine Optimization ( SEO ).
User Experience
User experience describes how visitors interact with your website and what impression they are left with. Ease of navigation, legible text, rich content and a brand identity they can trust all contribute towards a positive user experience. As previously mentioned, more than a quarter of all Google searches are now taking place from mobile devices. Google not only recommends responsive layouts but also favours websites with responsive layouts. This is especially true when a user searches for local services using a mobile device.
Google Places
A Google Places listing will allow your website to appear alongside its competitors on the Google Maps view when a visitor searches for your services. In order to set-up a Google Places listing Google must post a PIN number to your company’s address. This verification adds a level of trust to your website for the visitors and for the Google search engines.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a service that generates detailed statistics about a website’s traffic, visitor’s keywords, number of visitors, how the visitors have found your website and where they have accessed it from. Using this information it is possible to improve the flow of visitors to your website by fine-tuning the SEO.
Google AdWords
Google AdWords is a service that advertises your website at the top of the Google listings when a user searches for your specific keywords. Google displays the advertisement for free but has a ‘pay per click’ system which means that you will be charged every time a user clicks on your ad. You’ll start by choosing a daily budget that you are comfortable with, and then change it at any time. There’s no minimum spend and you’re not locked into a contract.