Do you want more traffic to your website? Learn how to increase awareness for your business with key copy and design strategies outlined below.
Know the indexing strategy
In order for search words to produce results, search engines must index millions of websites on the Internet-an impossibly large task that can technically never be finished-but they try. Making matters more interesting, each search engine has a different way of accomplishing this task. Hence, rankings for the same sites tend to differ from search engine to search engine based upon unique algorithms. Web-crawling "robots" then compare search words against the information they find on all the various websites (copy, page titles, and metatags). They assign relevance to each page of each site (more on how to make your site more relevant in a moment) and deliver a ranking.
Pay for Placement
There's also something called paid inclusion. For a premium, a search engine will guarantee visits to your site, and therein, guarantee top placement. This can become a very expensive endeavor depending on how fiercely your competition is willing to fight for that top spot. Paid inclusion will shoot you up the ladder, but when the money's gone, you're back to the bottom.
Content is King
If your company decides to boost page rank with paid inclusion, it's recommended that you integrate it with a long-term, content-based approach. You'll rise through the ranks (slowly at first) and eventually reach a top position based on how your site is constructed, rather than how much you pay. Without this integration, the odds you'll get a robust return on your investment are slim.
The following are the most widely agreed upon best practices for Search Engine Marketing.
Copy First, distinguish the best keywords to include in your site. Many services (even some software suites) specialize in detailed keyword assessments. Once these keywords are established, you can begin integrating them into your online content. When crafting copy, keep in mind you're still writing for a person, not a robot. Don't confound visitors to your site with clumsy, unreadable text. Keywords should be integrated seamlessly and in their natural context. It's recommended that you refrain from including any metatags that don't correspond with related text on your site. You can be penalized for this discrepancy. Invisible text (text that's the same color as the background) and keyword stuffing (repeated words either in your metatags, page titles, or copy for the purpose of artificially boosting rank) are also two of the most famous ways to get blacklisted. Design Use HTML for the highest visibility. It's the only language search engines speak. While elements like JavaScript, DHTML, and Flash can add a certain drama to your site, they will also render it practically invisible, especially if all your text is embedded in the Flash. You cannot get by on metatags alone. Using a content management system or building frames into your site may also seriously diminish results.
Metrics
Now that you've created a beautiful, search engine-friendly site, you can sit back and relax, right? Sorry, not by a long shot. It's imperative that you track your site's progress over time. Consider partnering with a metrics company to garner this type of intelligence. Interpreting this data is a labor not easily undertaken internally.
Ultimately, by measuring the number of visits to your site, what search terms visitors are commonly using to find you, and other important factors, you can focus your efforts and evolve your goals for increased success.
