Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the visibility of a website or a web page in search engines via the “natural” or un-paid (“organic” or “algorithmic”) search results. Other forms of search engine marketing (SEM) target paid listings. In general, the earlier or higher on the page, and more frequently a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine. SEO may target different
kinds of search, including image search, local search, video search and industry-specific vertical search engines. This gives a website web presence.
As an Internet marketing strategy, SEO considers how search engines work and what people search for. Optimizing a website may involve editing its content and HTML and associated coding to both increase its relevance to specific keywords and to remove barriers to the indexing activities of search engines. Promoting a site to increase the number of backlinks, or inbound links, is another important SEO tactic.
Google SEO is Primary
Google holds over 60% of the total search market. Its algorithm is naturally also unique, so ranking on Google carries its own unique considerations.
Although there are over 200 criteria Google uses to rank sites, they can be categorized into two main sections: on-site and off-site factors.
Google values sites that deliver quality content, relevance, easy navigation and an overall user-friendliness to the site’s visitors (on-site). However, a site’s popularity is heavily weighted when Google ranks sites (off-site).
Thus Google was originally designed to rank sites mostly based on the number of inbound links they were receiving from other sites. In other words, the more site A was used as a “reference” the higher it would rank.
Anchored text links used to link to site A are also very important as well as the popularity and the relevance of the site that is referencing site A.
White hat versus black hat
SEO techniques are classified by some into two broad categories: techniques that search engines recommend as part of good design, and those techniques that search engines do not approve of and attempt to minimize the effect of, referred to as spamdexing. Some industry commentators classify these methods, and the practitioners who employ them, as either white hat SEO, or black hat SEO. White hats tend to produce results that last a long time, whereas black hats anticipate that their sites will eventually be banned once the search engines discover what they are doing.
At Lake Norman Website Solutions we only employ White Hat Search Engine Optimization techniques. We design your SEO to be for the long term. Good SEO starts with proper research of your niche or industry to find the keywords, and keyword terms that are searched the most and and have the highest relevance to your business.
We check the strength of competition for the keywords and keyword terms we discovered during our research. We do this to determine how much we need to do to out rank your competition.
We then put together a quote for your SEO campaign. The quote we provide is different for each business. Many SEO companies have predetermined prices, this is good for them not for you. Your SEO project might be easier and less time consuming than what the predetermined price they charge everyone.