SEO techniques are a useful tool in the successful growth of an online business. The following takes a look at some do it yourself SEO tips that can be used.
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
SEO has rapidly taken over the market of online advertising, generating traffic flow and brand awareness. As companies grow and develop on the World Wide Web, so too do SEO techniques and practices. Many of the original "winning formulas" established several years ago are now outdated and as a result, not as effective as they once were. SEO methods constantly change so as to continually improve business successes. The online market is competitive. Customers have continuously different needs and wants. With industries growing in numbers and taking their businesses online in droves, SEO techniques need to be constantly updated if a company is to get ahead of their competitors.
Hiring an SEO Company or DIY
SEO companies who specialise in better optimising website businesses are on the increase worldwide. Many online businesses choose to use professionals specialising in SEO. Others prefer the "do it yourself" (DIY) approach.
The choice between the two options largely rests on the kind of budget that is available and the quality of SEO knowledge that is had. An SEO company is able to keep track of ever changing search engine algorithms. SEO specialising companies are also familiar with ethical practices ("white hat SEO") that offer a far more effective and long lasting search engine ranking result. Although there is much information readily available via the web for those interested in DIY SEO, not all of it is reliable or up to date.
DIY SEO Tips
Whether getting a professional to provide a reliable SEO service or not, there are ways in which DIY methods can be used. Armed with some basics and consistently updating that knowledge will serve any website owner relatively well.
The following are some of the essentials to keep in mind when considering DIY SEO:
1. Keyword Research
Effective keyword research is essential in optimising a website. Many other SEO methods and techniques depend on effective keyword choices. Keywords and phrases (within the content of a website, page titles and meta tags etc.) should be chosen to match what the targeted audience is searching for. If this kind of research is not done, the keywords used will not likely have any relevance and, therefore, will not generate enough website traffic. Keywords should be repeated consistently throughout a website's content taking care not to overdo it. Grammar and spelling errors (deliberately done or not) will appear more as spam and will not likely be regarded as credible by an internet user.
SEO keyword research tools that are useful include:
- Google Adwords
- Wordtracker
- Keyword Discovery
- Word Stream
- Rank Tracker
2. Quality Links
Providing a website with quality links is highly advisable. Incoming links should be secure and relevant to a website's objectives, industry and services, as well as to websites with keyword rich anchor texts. Website owners should also try to get themselves listed on legitimate and reputable web directories.
Keyword text should be used in links rather than drawing attention by using phrases such as "click here". Online users are searching for keywords that offer information not "instructions". Building effective and reliable links can be done through:
3. Domain Name
Care should be taken when selecting a domain name for a website. Ideally, the domain name needs to reflect the business and its services. Keywords and phrases are highly useful as good choices for a domain name. This will also help a target audience remember a website more easily when it can be instantly associated with what they want (i.e.: looking for). For instance, if your business is hand painted china, an effective domain name could be: www.hand-painted-china.com.
4. Using Keywords in File Names & Folders
Files that are to be posted onto a website can be named using clever keyword choices that have been well researched. Once again, keyword choices need to be relevant and in line with what online users (i.e.: the targeted audience) are using on major search engines. Naming files should make use of the underscore character (e.g.: _ ) or a hyphen rather than a blank space in between keywords.
5. Sitemaps
A sitemap is a separate HTML (HyperText Markup Language) page that functions as a directory listing for all other pages that can be accessed on a website. A sitemap enables keywords to be used and content linked. Lists can be created, either as bulleted points or numbered, for easy reference. This is not only favoured by an online user, but also for the spiders that crawl (i.e.: scan content) when information is being searched for via a search engine. It is much easier for these spiders to follow a website's page links if a sitemap is created in this way.
Other DIY SEO Tips To Keep in Mind
- Add new web pages and content to a website on a regular basis. The format that these new pages are added in must be one that can easily be read by the major search engines.
- Flash should not be overused. Search engines have difficulty reading most programming languages easily. HTML and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) are much better options.
- Avoid using unethical SEO methods and "tricks" such as hidden text or similar font and page background colours.
In Conclusion
Using SEO to increase a website's rankings as a means for generating successful and effective business achievement takes time. No honest kind of success will experience effective results in the short term. It takes work by following smart techniques. A good SEO strategy will surely increase a websiteâ's traffic flow, improve search engine rankings, as well as almost guarantee long term business growth.
Further Articles
- SEO Tools
- Benefits of SEO
- Why is SEO Important?
- How to Design a Website with SEO in Mind
- Top 10 SEO Mistakes
Or if you would like some more information on our different SEO services simply contact us or call +27 11 463 2040.
