Search Engine Optimisation takes into account the factors used by Google, Bing etc. when they position websites in their natural listings. The natural listings form the main body of a Search Engine's pages. Paid listings are separate to natural listings. In a typical Google or Bing search, you can see the paid listings in the right column and in the yellow box at the top. The 'natural' listings are straight from the main index. Algorithms are used to determine the position of a web site in a Search Engine directory.

We want to be right up there where we can be seen. Nobody will know we're there if we're way down on page eight! It isn't possible to say for certain exactly which measures SE's use to grade sites. They keep it a closely guarded secret!

Because of this, much technical expertise has developed around the subject. We have Search Engines constantly developing new technology on the one hand. Leading to great mystique over their ratings methodology. On the other hand, there's Search Engine Optimisation. SEO empirically measures and tests data to establish the more significant factors that the SE's are using.

Search Engine Optimisation deals with both on-page and off-page issues. In addition there are geographic and demographic factors, but SEO cannot control these. (Off-Page optimisation is examined in an additional feature.)

Search Engine Optimisation 'On-Page'

It's possible to change the pages of your website to make them 'friendly' to the Search Engines. It's not too complex - it just requires setting your website up the right way. Doing things such as: Keyword seeding (in the right places and the right amounts), using H1 and H2 header tags (and to some extent meta-tags) and internal linking.

Which may well sound like a foreign language to you! For the most part, although this work isn't complicated, its effects are minimal. In truth, many argue its relevance has disappeared altogether! Previously we could make an impact with On Page configurations. That hasn't been possible for a long time though.

If, however, off-page has been optimised, (and there are many inbound back-links), then on-page continues to be important. At that stage, Internal Linking and some On Page manipulation can be beneficial.

Things To Consider... Stay away from Keywords that yield six figure results in the beginning. For example, on Google's Search Engine you'll see 70 million listings in the UK for the term Car Insurance. It's not rocket science to realise that competing in this area wouldn't be productive.

On the other hand... The phrase 'Southampton Car Insurance' only brings in three hundred thousand. (Assuming I was a car insurance provider in Southampton.) This still seems quite a large amount, but it's actually not in search terms.

I've a much better chance in the rankings having added the word 'Southampton'. In actual fact, it takes very deep pockets to get a premier listing for a term like 'car insurance'. I would actually be competing with the insurance conglomerates! Not the best way to do things at all!

A precise description is much more valuable to us. We call them Long-tail phrases, as they're made up of a few particularly chosen keywords. Depending on how competitive your market is, the phrases could be from 2 to 7 words long. Typically they will be 3 or 4 words long.

It's sensible to start SEO work on terms that yield under half a million returns. (If the sites on the front page haven't used SEO techniques, then we might go with bigger yields). Over time we'll gain ground on the larger search terms. This will happen automatically through building back links. We can go for some of those after several months if we've SEO'd well. A line of attack like this makes business sense. Basically we zone in on people who are specifically searching to purchase.

You should also build back links to various different pages - and not just your website's homepage. The SE's respond well to this. Product Group pages are a good place for back links. It's worth driving specific search terms to these pages - they often have links to lots of other product pages. Don't just create back-links to your home-page. Bing, Yahoo and Google are all paying more attention to the way a website's pages are managed and listed.

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