Is Your Business' Web Site Invisible?

Web Site Optimization and Marketing for Search Engine Rankings

What exactly is this? Do you need to do it?

If you're overwhelmed by the language of search engine marketing or simply scratching your head about the whole thing, this page is for you.

And, if you think that since you've now got your site on the internet, it's "only a matter of time" before customers will come flocking, you must read this.

A "search engine" is a portal to millions of web pages, and searches these pages for relevancy to the topic an Internet user is searching for. The more words you use in a search, usually the more relevant listings (but not always). All search engines don't do things the same way. There are some very good search engines, and admittedly, some very bad ones. Unfortunately, the majority of web users don't know the difference, so you need to be highly ranked on all of the major search engines.

If you're Chevrolet and selling Camaros, you probably don't have to worry about optimizing your site. Customers will just plug in www.Chevrolet.com into their web browser. However, if you sell customized parts for Camaro, you can't afford not to.

Our Goal for your Site

As a marketing company working for you, our goal is optimum rankings within 6 months by working with your Webmaster and using tried and true manual methods that keep your site highly ranked. After 6 months, we expect to be able to have you trained enough to “hand you the keys,” but remain available for consulting and minor tweaking of the site if needed (for example, if a search engine changes the algorithms they use to rank sites, as Google is inclined to do from time to time).

We’ll also keep tabs on your current rankings on a monthly basis, even if you’re no longer an active optimization client. We do this, because our core business is marketing project management and consulting, and we hope you will keep us in mind for any projects in the future.

Just as in successfully selling your home, where you have to paint it, keep it clean, and turn on all the lights during an open house, you need to position your web site for success.

Web site ranking or positioning involves working with specific key phrases and the web site itself... both with what a viewer sees visually, and the HTML code that is "under-the-hood." This includes both online and offline processes that help to draw traffic to your site. This is an ongoing process that takes into consideration:

• a changing target market
• changes to the algorithms the search engines use to "spider" and index your site
• new competitors in your field or current competitiors optimizing their own sites
• the actual design of your web site
• and many more influencing factors.

Important Advisory: some web site optimization companies use commercial software that cheats or is barred from use on some search engines, insist on moving a client’s site to their servers, or have a monthly fee that keeps a client paying forever. Some software includes dubious methods that may get a site ranked highly for just a short time. Google, for example, sometimes deletes sites that have been optimized with this type of software. However, the best way of getting quality and consistent rankings is "organically" designing the optimization for the long term and educating clients, as we do, about how to maintain good rankings.

Search Engine "Seeding," "Registering" or "Submitting"

Once your site is "ready for prime time," you need to submit your web site to the search engines. It's like an invitation for them to drop by and look around the place. You'll find references on-line to "submitting," "seeding" or "registering." These terms all mean the same thing. Unfortunately, many people (including some web site designers) think this is the one and only step to get top rankings for a site. Many web designers build a site, include one submission for the home page in the price (whether it's ready for that or not), and take your check (or cheque, depending on which side of the 49th Parallel you're reading this from).

A real estate agent wouldn't try to sell your home before writing an advertisement and description of the property, and taking some pictures. Similarly, you've got to get your web site programmed correctly (or "optimized') before you ask the search engines to come calling.

Items for you to consider:

• What keywords would potential customers use to find us? Although falling out of favor somewhat, some search engines still use key words to index sites.
• How would we describe our site and business concisely?
• How many keywords can I use?
• How long should the description be?
• Should I worry about "Meta Tags?" Heck, what are Meta Tags?
• How much text should be on my page?
• What about pictures?
  
  

Caveat Emptor: There are many web site submittal services out there willing to take your money and promising to submit your site (usually just one page, or sometimes up to three pages) to several hundred search engines for $50 or $100. (We submit all relevent pages). First of all, there aren't even 100 search engines worth bothering with. There are about 5 major search engines in North America, and a handful of directories that the majority of web surfers use.

Also, these submission services do not usually monitor your web site rankings.

Other Design Factors

Rather than using key words, some search engines rank your site by popularity on the 'net:

• depending on which sites are linked to yours
• how often these links are scanned by the search engine (known as "crawled" or "spidered")
• how deep the link is in the site and what technologies are used.

If your site is not optimized correctly, you may be simply throwing money away; or worse, the search engines may consider your actions to be "spamming" and ban or ignore your site.

Also, if a website vendor tries to sell you on a site made completely with Flash, your site will be mostly invisible. Use Flash only for effect, and in minor doses embedded in a standard HTML page.

Directory-based search engines such as Yahoo! will never list your site unless it has actually been submitted and approved. However, these commercial directories charge several hundred dollars to even review your site, and you have no guarantee of a top listing.

Online Marketing

Online marketing is a more comprehensive concept. Online marketing may include:

• pay-per-click advertising - you pay the search engine company to place your site at or near the top for specific search terms. This can get very expensive over time, and depending on how competitive your market is. Also, you must pay for "clicks" whether they're actual paying customers or not. We may recommend this method for the short term while your internet rankings are being established, or to "plug holes" standard optimization may not fill.
• permission-based email marketing (such as newsletters)
• online advertisements

Online marketing planning determines where your time and money is best invested to achieve maximum exposure and ROI.

Direct MarCom LLC Toronto ON Canada • M4T 1K2 • 416-840-6643 Atlanta GA USA • 678-561-3636

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