Search Engine Optimization - I’ve read those words before, but what do they really mean?
Search Engine Optimization (or SEO) encompasses a variety of programming and Internet marketing techniques that can align a website's content, programming, and even URL with strategic keyword and key phrase targeting. Doing so makes it easier for a search engine’s algorithm to understand a website's focus and relevancy. When search engines like Google, MSN, AltaVista or Yahoo have a better understanding of a site and its importance, they give it a higher ranking. These sites appear in "natural" or "organic" listings, which are free compared to sponsored listings. Search Engine Optimization can be simple for some websites, while others may require complex website code, navigation, content and internal link changes. Aurora IT’s SEO services have proven to significantly increase organic search engine rankings.
What is a "Search Engine"?
Broadly speaking, there are two basic kinds of search engines: spider-based search engines and directory-based search engines:
The spider or algorithm-based search engines include services like Google, Yahoo, MSN, and AltaVista. Google, for example, also uses complex automated programs, known as spiders or web-crawlers. Spider systems scan the Net, searching for websites and evaluating their relevancy based on their indexing criteria. How well a site matches up to that criteria then determines ranking in search results.
Directory-based search engines like the Open Directory Project (DMOZ) are, by way of contrast, controlled and compiled by human editors. When a website is submitted for inclusion in a directory-based search engine, it’s reviewed by a real person, who makes sure that submissions match the directory’s criteria and quality requirements.
Each and every day literally millions of websites are evaluated by algorithm-based search engines or submitted to directory-based engines for inclusion. But only well-designed and properly optimized sites achieve desirable search engine rankings.
What Does it Mean to Have a Well-Optimized Website?
There are two basic kinds of search engine optimization strategies that you’ll need to become familiar with: on-page search engine optimization and off-page search engine optimization.
On-page optimization strategies involve all of the variables on your website’s actual pages. These include; text, pictures, keyword and key phrase density, meta-tags, URL’s, internal link structure and the like. To fully optimize your website, its code and content will need to be tailored to make it as "search engine friendly" as humanly possible. Being search engine friendly essentially means that spider-based search engines will have an easy time crawling your site, recognizing its purpose and, thereby, ranking it accordingly.
Off-page search optimization strategies involve optimizing elements other than your website. Off-page optimization techniques include linking, viral marketing, press releases, and so on. Properly optimized sites need to be linked to many other relevant websites. The result is improved rankings and targeted traffic from search engines.
Don’t hesitate to contact us today—whether you’re interested in basic update of your current website or a complete site re-design.
