10 Sep 09 Search Engine Optimisation Explained
Search Engine Optimisation Explained
Often known as the ‘dark-art’ of internet marketing ‘search engine optimisation’ (SEO) has baffled website owners since search engines first took off in the 1990’s, and its no wonder with so many theories banded around the WEB and various SEO companies charging anything from £200’s to £60,000.
What Is Search Engine Optimisation?
Simply put search engine optimisation or SEO (abbreviated version) is the term given to a set of techniques applied to website that will enable the website to rise through the organic SERP’s (non-paid-for search engine result pages) for a specific search phrase (what the user types into the search engine). By applying these SEO techniques a website can achieve a dominant position (top ranking) on ‘page one’ of the SERP’s which will result in lots of traffic, especially if the search phrase is a competitive one.
Two Main Types Of Optimisation – White Hat and Black Hat
There are currently two main types of SEO which are White Hat and Black Hat.
Black Hat SEO
Black Hat deals with dubious techniques that trick the search engine into pushing up a website through the SERP’s. However this type of SEO is seriously frowned upon by the main search engines and can lead to a website being penalised and often banned forever off from the search engine itself.
White Hat SEO
White Hat deals with ‘search engine friendly’ techniques of optimising a website, these techniques usually fit within the search engine guidelines and can help to push a website up the SERP’s although it can take longer to achieve a top ranking result than Black Hat.
Search Engine Guidelines
The major search engines offer advice and help for any webmaster about applying search engine friendly optimisation to perform well within their SERP’s:
Google Guidelines
Yahoo Guidelines
SEO Companies
You can hire an SEO Consultant to perform your search engine optimisation for you, Google™ offers guidelines on selecting the right type of consultant. Be wary when selecting a company as there are many out there that will do you more harm than good. An authentic SEO consultant will offer you a proven track record in the form of a web portfolio of sites they have worked on and their current rankings. A golden rule is to always check out the SEO companies own rankings, because if they can’t do it for themselves they certainly wont be able to do for you. (Watch out for SEO firms that offer weird and weak search phrases as proof of their SEO abilities – these usually draw no real traffic and are easy to attain).
Video of Google Search Engine Optimisation Tips:
Tags: Google, Search Engine Optimisation, Search Engine Optimisation Guidelines, SEO, Yahoo
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