Basics of SEO

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is used to describe how your business will be found by consumers using search engines. SEO is not important but essential for all business and individuals looking to succeed in the online world. Search engines are the number one resource for people of today. Wether someone is searching to purchase an item, find a specific product or service in their area they turn to the internet. So if your business is optimized to be picked up by search engines, the success is of the business is questionable. 

The first interesting thing about search engine marketing is there is two parts. SEO is how your web site is viewed in the "natural searches" based upon keywords your web site has, where as search engine advertising allows companies to pay for advertising placement depending on the keywords they choose. The most popular search engine advertising is Google's AdWords. Marketers bid to have their advertising appear when their selected keywords are searched. Their order in which they appear depends on their bid and the "click-through rate." In the rise of social media marketing AdWords is still remaining competitive as the advertising is truly targeted to those searching for your specific criteria. Whereas social media advertising assumes the people who have "liked" your product and are within your demographic area are interested in purchasing your products or services.

Secondly, search engine marketing does not rely on "interrupt advertising," something that all advertising relied on before. Advertisers had to be creative in ways to distract or interrupt what the consumers were doing to sell them a product. Search engines are changing all of this.

David M Scott mentioned when setting up a SEO plan it is ineffective to try to reach your audiences by using broad and general search terms. This is key as it is both a waste of money and time to use general key terms, such as "pizza" if you area  local pizzeria. Why? Because it is very uncommon that someone looking for a local pizzeria will actually type into the search engine, "pizza." So during the process of search engine marketing you must think like the consumer, and how they will specifically search for your products and services. 

Being unique will set you apart. If your business or products have a generic name it will take twice the work to have an effective SEO plan. David Meerman Scott uses his middle name for professional reasons because of how generic David Scott could be when one is searching that name online. For example I recently was trying to find a local company called "Creative Imaging" but when I entered the title into Google the top results I received were not what I was looking for because the name, "Creative Imaging" is not so creative! (See Below) They also are lacking in SEO! If they had crafted a more unique name for their company and used better key words in their web site they would have been easier for me to find.

 Lastly, a company may have the best SEO plan and is at the top of all search engine sites, but without the right landing pages their conversions can slack behind. A landing page is where the viewer is taken once they have clicked on your advertisement. If the landing page is not customized to the keyword search the viewer will have added work to find what they were looking for again. Resulting in a lack of conversion. But if the consumer who searched "Deep Dish Pizza" was taken directly to your menu landing page where it highlights your deep dish pizza's your conversion will increase!

SEO is not easy, but has its benefits! Luckily it is something that can be consistently updated and improved. So my suggestions for those looking to increase their visibility in search engines is to consistently try different angles until the right ones are achieved.