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Simplifying Search Engine Optimization

Guest post by: Jesse Hopps

Article Overview: While direct marketing still reigns supreme in the world of demand generation, many mid-sized organizations have significantly improved their ability to generate quality leads with search engine optimization techniques. If you haven’t already, investigate this opportunity to support sales with a steady flow of qualified leads.

Simplifying Search Engine Optimization

Simplifying Search Engine Optimization

While direct marketing still reigns supreme in the world of demand generation, many mid-sized organizations have significantly improved their ability to generate quality leads with search engine optimization techniques. If you haven't already, investigate this opportunity to support sales with a steady flow of qualified leads.

What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?

Considered by many to be a subset of search engine marketing, SEO is a term used to describe a process of improving the volume or quality of traffic to a web site from search engines, usually in "natural" ("organic" or "algorithmic") search results. Many site owners and consultants engaging in SEO attempt to pursue qualified visitors to a site, and the quality of visitor traffic can be measured by how often a visitor using a specific keyword phrase leads to a desired conversion action, such as making a purchase, viewing or downloading a certain page, requesting further information, signing up for a newsletter, or taking some other specific action.

Key Benefits of Search Engine Optimization:

• Increased Lead Generation- by driving traffic to your website, SEO campaigns can provide an inflow of qualified sales leads. Contact forms, whitepaper/case study registration forms, and online shopping carts can be leveraged to gain contact information (leads) of your website's visitors.
• Improved Brand Awareness- even if users do not end up clicking through to your website, ranking high in search pages provides an excellent opportunity to increase visibility and awareness for your brand.

Types of Search Engine Optimization:

• Natural/Organic Search Optimization- this refers to optimization techniques that increase a website's page ranking and traffic, based on commonly searched keywords relevant to the organization or products. Many web design firms or SEO consultants offer inexpensive solutions for improving your online visibility, and can partner with you to keep your rankings high.
• Paid Search Optimization- many search engines, such as Google and Yahoo, auction off 'pay-per-click' advertising campaigns which allow organizations to generate web traffic based on sponsored keyword terms. Most organizations find this method of lead generation to be easy to implement, monitor, and track results from search-word campaigns.

Use Demand Metric's SEO Maturity Assessment to help you measure your organization's search engine optimization maturity across 4 key success drivers.

Action Plan:

1. Understand Google's Parameters- download Google's Webmaster Guidelines document to provide your webmaster with the information they need to ensure your website will be properly indexed by the search engine. Additionally, get a grip on their proprietary PageRank methodology which is the formula they use to determine how 'important' your site is. Ensure that:

1. Keywords are in each title tag

2. Keywords appear in visible text

3. Links are popular (previous traffic)

4. Keywords are in all headings tags

• Create Meta-Tags for Each Page- when search engines like Google index your website, they will analyze the Page Titles, Page Descriptions, and keyword Meta-Tags. Ensure that each page copy includes your keywords a minimum of 3 times, and pay special attention to page titles & descriptions.
• Analyze your Content Structure- don't use frames or Flash as search engines generally do not pick up these designs very well. Be sure to avoid using graphics for text headers, as these won't be indexed. Have keywords appear in the text at the top of the page.
• Evaluate your Link Strategy- try to increase the amount of links that point to your website, as this is one of the key criteria for search engines to rank the 'importance' of your website. Also, use the same URL for all external links. Provide cross-links within your website, so that web crawlers can index all of your pages, not just the main ones. Provide a site map of text links.
• Maintaining your Website- ensure there are no broken links or pages under construction. Regularly update content, such as press releases, or other collateral. Use links on your homepage to highlight fresh content. Create a schedule for updating your website on a minimum monthly basis.
• Submit to Search Engines- have your Webmaster submit your website to Google, Yahoo, MSN, Ask.com, or any other relevant search engines for your industry. To determine if this has been completed, enter your company name in the search box. If done properly, your website should be the top result.

Bottom-Line:

Getting your website to be recognized by search engines does not have to cost an arm and a leg. Make sure customers can find you if they need your product/service.

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Article Tags: demand generation, direct marketing, engine optimization techniques, search engine optimization, steady flow



Related Forum Posts
What Do You Want To Be Taught? - Hi, My name is Jeff Foster, I will be moderating this new section. I want to get your opinion on topics you would like to discuss & be taught on. I see a great need for small business owners to learn how to perform basic Search Engine Marketing (SEM) which would include the basics about Search Engine Optimization (SEO). What do you want to be taught on? Jeff
Re: Search Engine Optimization - If you are interested to get more information about Search Engine Optimization you can visit Search Engine Watch site gives you a great way to keep up with what’s going on in the search engine world. This site provides a ton of information about a very wide range of subjects related not only to search engine optimization, but also the flip side of the coin; subjects related to searching online.
Re: Can someone explain Search engine optimization to me? - Search Engine Optimization (SEO) could be compared to a big popularity contest: A High School Computer Geek and a High School Football Captain who are trying to promote a party. The computer geek tells everyone in school & even hands out 100's of flyers about his party Friday night...what happens? his friends end up showing up and a few new people...even the new people leave right away because it is not what they are looking for. The High School Football Captain ends up just telling a few good buddies, and within hours the entire school not only knows about it, but everyone wants to come, and everyone does come & stay. One defenition of "optimize is "To make as perfect or effective as possibe." How effective are your article marketing campaigns? Could you be distributing content (that is what search engines index) more effectively? In a perfect world, who would you want promoting your website, web pages, and web content? Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is determining this perfect & effective way to do this. Jeff
Re: How do I engage seo works to be done for my site? - I read "Search Engine Optimization" for dummies. Gave me a real good foundation on which to build my sites. Really helped a lot.
Re: How to Promote Your Business Online - Apart from using Search Engine Optimization or SEO for promoting websites, I also find Pay per Clicks (PPC) to be a very good way to do. Why? For me it doesn't open only one oppurtunity for you, in fact it opens 2! You can generate your awaited traffic even w/o saying stop, ready and go and gain a maximized profit too.


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