Quick definition of SEO

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) can be used to ensure that search engines rank your website as high as possible when particular keywords are entered. Once implemented, SEO will guarantee that your site is at the top of SERPs (bet you’re wondering what that means; go on, look it up, we dare you). Generally, the higher your website is ranked in search engine results, the more visitors your website will receive. We are a lazy bunch after all – 70% of website users never scroll past the first page of Google results!

For instance, if you own a plumbing business in Melbourne, and you have top notch SEO on your website, a search for ‘plumber in Melbourne’ should see your website right at the top of the list. As a business owner, that’s what we all want, right; a little free and easy publicity for our website. Best, and most importantly in the world of small business, SEO can be relatively inexpensive.

Different Elements of SEO

In-site SEO: this is a process which ensures that the website or blog content is optimised. It will ensure that you have the most relevant, easily findable content on your site which Google can index easily. The main question to ask yourself: does my site contain the keywords which will ensure my site appears in the search results I want it to? Specific keywords should be included in content, text links, page titles and meta tags. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t participate in Black Hat SEO – obvious keyword stuffing should be avoided at all costs. Major search engines will recognise what you are up to and your site will be penalised over time.

Finished all that? Then it’s onto off-site SEO we go. This is where it gets a bit tricker and more time consuming. Most of the time you will spend on SEO will be devoted to off-site SEO. Off-site optimisation involves generating as many backlinks as is humanly possible from other websites. These websites should preferably be ones in your niche market and be highly regarded by mainstream search engines. The most common elements of off-site SEO include: submitting your website details to online directories; publishing posts on forums and blogs; social bookmarking; and link exchanges.

If that’s all sounding a bit like techno-savvy babble to you, all you need to remember is: SEO is all about content and backlinks. (In reality, it’s not quite that simple. But if you remember those two words, you will be heading in the right direction.)

Different Types of SEO

White Hat SEO: this type of SEO is also referred to as Organic SEO and involves optimising a website using fair methods; it upholds the integrity of your website. This method of optimisation can take a long time to get results in more mainstream search engines such as Google, Safari, Firefox and Yahoo. White Hat SEO is a long-term process which includes: internal linking (making it easy for users and search engine spiders to navigate your website); reciprocal linking (where you exchange webpage links with other specifically selected websites); creating engaging, unique content; and site optimisation (creating sound title and meta tags and tweaking content).

Black Hat SEO: this type of SEO uses unethical techniques to improve the search engine ranking of a website. It is often referred to as search engine spam. Unethical SEO techniques create a poor experience for the website user, present content in an unusual manner to attract SEO spiders and generally break SEO industry conventions. Specific Black Hat SEO techniques include keyword stuffing (packing long lists of keywords onto website pages with no other content) and invisible text (placing white text on a white background so that it is invisible to the naked eye but still attracts search engine spiders). Black Hat SEO is not a long-term solution. Your website might rocket to the top of search engine lists initially, but it will be penalised by search engine spiders once they realise what you are up to.

Grey Hat SEO: this type of SEO falls somewhere in between White and Black SEO (as one might expect!). Specific Grey Hat techniques include: cloaking (displaying different content to search engine spiders than what is displayed to website users; paid links (where links are purchased purely to increase link-popularity); and duplicate content (different websites with exactly the same content). If your competitors are using any of the techniques described above, you are well within your rights to report their website to search engines.

We’ve mentioned search engine spiders a couple of times now. If you are new to SEO, you are probably wondering what on earth we are talking about. Don’t worry, your laptop won’t have tarantulas crawling out of the screen next time you switch it on.

A search engine is, in reality, a database of online information built by robots. Search engine spiders span hundreds of thousands of pages a day. Some even follow links and can find new pages all by themselves. Google’s spider can detect new pages and add them to its index automatically. Spiders can’t view graphics, read JavaScript or hear sounds. The easier and quicker you can make searching your website for a spider, the higher your website will rank.

Why use SEO?

High ranking for your website in the major search engines is essential. Without it, how will existing and potential clients find you online? If potential clients can’t find you, you can bet they’ll find someone else through Google – someone who has already implemented SEO.

An effective website is one of the most cost-effective marketing tools for any business, so why not make even better use of it? SEO helps leverage the investment you have already made in your website and, as with any other marketing activity, contributes directly to the bottom-line of your business. And best of all, if you do it yourself, SEO is free. Yep, you heard that right. SEO can be a free marketing tool.

Here’s a quick snapshot of the benefits of SEO for you:

• 10.9 million Australians have an internet subscription (Source: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/8153.0)
• most people using search engines like Google, don’t ever get past the first page of results
• a listing in the first page of search engine results can generate thousands of unique visitors to your website every month
• a listing on the first page of a search engine gives you market penetration, builds your brand and increases your credibility
• SEO is more likely to bring in new leads who are seeking your product or service
• Given it’s relatively low cost (particularly if you do it yourself), SEO has a higher return on investment than other marketing tools
• an optimised website offers continual, consistent marketing; potential clients can access your website all day, every day