Search engines explained
Do you GOOGLE? or are you a YAHOO fan? Maybe BING is your thing?
These are the most popular search engines on the internet – however, they list millions and millions of websites, so how can you hope that people will find you and want your products/services? Here’s my advice
Key Phrases
Work out who your customers are and how they will look for you in the search engines. Then write down your top search terms – these are your “key phrases”
Relevant Content
Your content should include your key phrases as much as possible but without overdoing it. Here are two sentences which could appear on a swim school website;
"Based in Bournemouth, Individuality Swimming provides one-to-one swimming lessons for children and adults."
"We provide one-to-one tuition for all ages."
The first sentence includes a geographical location, repeats the company name and uses a key phrase consistent with the way users search “swimming lessons for children”
The second sentence omits the geographical location, talks about “tuition” rather than swimming lessons and generalises with the term “all ages” rather than specifying “children and adults.”
So which one do you now think would be more effective?
Title
Ensure the title of the page is relevant, concise and useful to your users
Meta Tags
Hidden code in your page but used by the search engines. The description should be a clear paragraph which includes many of your key phrases whilst describing your business appropriately. The keywords used to be the main source of information for search engines but this has since been replaced by relevant content. It still pays to make sure your keywords match the terms users will type into the search engines.
Reciprocal Links
Link to other complimentary businesses and ask them to link back to you.
Site Maps
A useful tool helping the search engines to understand the structure of your website and ensuring all pages are included in their listing, not just the home page.
Directories and Free Listings
There are many many business directories on the internet, but getting yourself listed helps improve your ranking. It needn’t cost anything - just shop around.
Be Honest
Don’t think you can outsmart the search engines…the rules are constantly changing….be honest about your products and services and put yourself in your customers shoes to review your website.
Search engine optimisation and submission is part of the service I can provide in establishing your business presence on the internet.
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