Getting started with Search Engine Optimisation

A search carried out on a major search engine, such as Google, can produce thousands of results.  For example, a search for content management system on Google brings back over 4 million results!

It is crucial that your web site is listed prominently within search results for keywords and phrases relevant to your products, services or information.  But as this example shows, to be listed in the search results might not be enough. 

If your potential customers are to find your site, you have to be ranked on the first few pages of the search results.  Most users of search engines will not bother looking beyond the second page of results – that is if they actually get beyond the first page.  Studies show that results on the first page of listings enjoy a click-through rate of around 75%.

Can you afford to be ranked anywhere except within the top 10 results for key phrases related to your organisation’s information, products and services?

You need to consider the following:

1. Target Key Phrases
   What are your target key phrases?
   
   
2. Key Phrase Positioning
   Do these phrases appear in the correct locations on your page?
   
   
3. Good HTML
   Is the HTML on your page search engine friendly?
   
   
4. Relevant Content
   Is the main content relevant to the key phrases you want to promote?
   
   
5. Search Engine Friendly URLs
   If your site is dynamic, are the URLs search engine friendly?
   
   
6. Linking Strategy
   Do you have the required quantity and quality of links back to your site from other web sites?
   
   
7. Online Directories
   Have you correctly submitted your site to the major online directories?
   
   
8. Avoiding Spam
   Have you avoided using ‘unethical’ search engine optimisation techniques that the search engines will consider as spam?  These can result in your site being blacklisted and thrown out of the search engines’ listings.
   
   
9. Your Customers 
   Does your site provide valuable information to your human visitors? It’s no use optimising for search engines if the visitors to your site are not going to be impressed by what they see.
   
   
10. Box UK
    Have you spoken to Box UK's Search Engine Marketing Consultants?