Understanding Basic Search Engine Optimisation Concepts
The understanding of ‘SEO’ varies in the business owner world from just about zero to quite well informed. Understanding just what search optimisation is can be very confusing and isn’t helped by the plethora of agencies – Internet Marketing, Digital Media, Web Design and so on who include this as part of a service package they offer. Many a small business owner has been sucked into accepting search improvement packages by such agencies looking to expand their portfolio of offerings by upselling add-on packages. Such experiences often don’t have a happy ending.
The truth is that much like specialist lawyers, architects, doctors it pays a business owner to deal with an agency or SEO consultancy that specialises in search promotion first and foremost. Anything less sells the company client short and, while there are some competent agencies out there who also offer search optimisation, they are few and far between.
Are you considering whether SEO is right for your business? If so then it’s really important to realise that working with an SEO specialist is an ongoing partnership – not a single package of work that is delivered and then forgotten about. The landscape is forever changing and only a firm or consultant specialising in SEO can offer the very latest cutting edge knowledge. Factor in that poor work can truly harm, even destroy, a business and the case for working (and partnering) with a specialist makes itself.
Search optimisation is based on the ability to rank a client web property (not just websites but videos, social media pages etc) at the top of major search engines. Of these, Google is by far the big boy in town and concentrating on your Google ranking is very advisable for any business looking to attract web traffic and possible conversions.
The Basis Of Search Engine Optimisation
Broadly speaking SEO breaks down into 3 broad areas;
a) On-Page Optimisation – This involves fine-tuning of web page content to target and rank for specific terms known to be used by people searching for a given service or product etc.
b) Off-Page Optimisation – The basis of this element is to acquire and optimise those external factors that relate to a website or other web property
c) On-Site Optimisation – This area of work relates to the site performance itself (for a website that includes such factors as page-loading speed, mobile-friendliness, coding standards and several more).
The important thing to realise is that individually working on the areas above will bring benefit but it is when all 3 are implemented together with knowledge, the correct resources and as part of a strategy over time that real gain is seen.
So, with that said, can you see the problem with an agency that ‘adds on’ SEO when their client’s website is built?. Firstly, most add-on packages of search optimisation will not encompass all three of the above and, if they do, then not with sufficient knowledge and breadth. At the same time, you can see that it is a strategy implemented over an extended period that brings the really valuable gains for a business. If that sounds like a pitch for a long run of work then I’m sorry but that is the truth of it. It will take time to devise, deploy and see results from an SEO campaign at the business level. There are those that will promise quick results but often the risk of that approach is a long-term penalty and harm to the site. Google is on the lookout for ‘Unnatural’ behaviour on a website and trying to cram search optimisation into a few weeks qualifies in spades. Many business owners have discovered that to their cost.
Understanding that SEO for website ranking is a marathon and not a sprint is the name of the game. Accepting and working with this is what delivers long-term and, more importantly, generally sustainable results for a company. Choose wisely when considering such work for your business.
If you would like further guidance and to discuss your SEO requirements then get in touch.
