"I will get you a top 10 ranking - GUARANTEED!" - heard that one before? Pretty sure you have. In fact I have even had several of my own clients come to me and say "hey, I know a company in the UK or in Spain that guarantees a top listing in Google, we are going to use them".
I have spent years watching and analysing the methods used by many so called search engine optimisers and have come down to 10 main facts.
These facts are so solid, I have called them "Commandments" and before you start splashing money on seo companies promising you the earth, you need to "take heed".
So here goes....
Commandment 1: There are No Ranking Guarantees. Search Engines alone control their indexing and ranking algorithm. Do not try to trick Search Engines. The only way to improve your search engine rank is by playing by the rules. And the rule is very simple: make it logical. Web content is primarily for the site visitor and not crawlers.
Commandment 2: Ranking is Not the Destination, It's the Journey. Ask yourself what will a top search engine rank get you? Most businesses are interested in increasing sales on a website or at the least driving qualified traffic. Ranking for the right keywords (keywords used by your target audience) is important. There are SEOs who will try to show case results for keywords that occur only on your website. Beware such gimmicks.
Commandment 3: Know Your Competition well. "Rank" is relative position and more so in the Search Engines' natural results. How well you do in the search engine results is a function of how much hard work you have done in relation to your competition. Analyze your competition's keywords, links, keyword density and spread, but be sure not to copy your competition.
Commandment 4: Use Search Engine Friendly Design. A search and visitor friendly design is a must for any successful website. Your website should be compelling enough for repeat visits by search engines and potential customers. Make sure you have search engine friendly URLs and avoid those long URLs with query strings.
Commandment 5: Only Select Keywords that are Worthy. You must research your keywords before targeting. There are tools that give you a good idea of a keyword's search potential for example. It is important to know the number of searches for a keyword in the last month, last 6 months and last year. You should also find out the number of web pages that are targeting the keyword. It is advisable to start a campaign with keywords with moderate competition and a high number of searches.
Commandment 6: Write Great Content. Even if your website site is technically perfect for search engine robots, it won't do you any good unless you also fill it with great content. Great means it has contextual and editorial value. Great content brings repeat visits and increases the chance of conversion. Great content is factual and appeals to your target audience. Your web page should have your desired action embedded in the content and you must ensure that the content is fresh. Keep adding and editing content regularly.
Commandment 7: Use a Good Linking Strategy. Hyperlinks make your content accessible and contextual. You must hyperlink in the right context within the website and to other websites. Good links are appreciated by the Search Engines and by visitors. No one likes to be taken to a mall selling "Macintosh" when shopping for "apples".
Commandment 8: Write Relevant and Original Meta Tag Content. Meta content is like a business card. Just as your business card tells who you are and what you do, Meta content tells the search engines the relevance and context of a web page. Resist the temptation to include everything in the Meta content, but make it detailed. Confused? The idea is to include only what is relevant to the page in the Meta Content but to include everything that is relevant.
Commandment 9: Acquire Relevant Links. The links you acquire are the roads to your web page for search engine bots and visitors. Good links improve your webpage's equity on the World Wide Web and bad links make a dent in your equity and credibility. Be selective in reciprocal linking. Both reciprocal and one way links work, if you are prudent in selecting the links. Submit your website to the relevant sections in relevant directories.
Commandment 10: Consult Experts, If You Need To. If you have the competence, there are two ways to learn - learning from your mistakes and learning from others' experience. You can choose either. If you have the time and can wait for the online dollars, do it yourself. If you want to get started now, it may be useful to consult the experts.
Registered Address:
16192 Coastal Highway
Lewes Delaware 19958 - 9776
United States
Co. Registration number: 42343-19
To discuss your requirements, please call Justin, in Sales on: +34 678 701 272
For Technical Support within Spain, dial from Spain: 806 514 064 or click here for other support options
"Professional Web Design, Web Hosting and Web Development in Marbella, Spain"
