So you have your new visually appealing website designed. You're thinking "Wow...this new site is really going to bring me more business," so you post it to the web and start waiting for calls to come in. Weeks go by and your phone is silent! You think, "what’s going on? Why aren't we getting any business?" Here’s the problem: building a web presence is more much more than just having a pretty website online. You must implement a strategy that is based on knowledge of how search engines place websites.
It's been said that search engines are very much like your old science teacher in school. If you don't do the work according to the proper formula, you won't get a passing grade. It may seem like getting your site to the "sweet spot" of any search term is impossible, but in reality it's basically a check list of things that need to be done in the proper way. Let’s use this analogy for understanding the process better. You go buy a new car and you drive it until one day you develop a problem. Unless you’re a mechanic, you don't think to yourself, "I'm going to work on the engine and fix it." You understand that it’s a complex situation that requires the right tools, skills and experience to do the job properly. Even mechanics do diagnostics to cars these days before working on them because it pin points the problem and tells the mechanic exactly what is wrong.
Search engine placement requires tools designed to do diagnostics and pin point the problems or issues that your site most likely has. Like the auto mechanic example, you still need to be a mechanic to do the work properly or in this case an SEO consulting expert. This is because the information that is provided by the diagnostics process is in terms that most non-professionals won't understand. Once you have identified and resolved the problems, you will soon you find yourself in the coveted top-search ranking spots!
There is one other thing to consider when putting your SEO plan into action: someone is always trying to get your spot! SEO experts continually keep up with the rules and best practices of search engine optimization. The search engines like Google and Yahoo are constantly changing their rule and methods. The HTML standards are always changing and getting new updates. It's quite a lot of information to keep up with when you are trying to get to the top. The top is not a destination; it's a continuous battle.
The only way to stay on top once you get there is to keep a monthly SEO maintenance program in place. This is done by the SEO professional. They must continually keep up with the rules and regulations of search engines and watch over your spot on a regular bases, and know what to do if your site falls off of its target spot. Speak to the website design and SEO consulting pros at IEV MEDIA when you’re ready to get serious about your Internet marketing image.
I guess it really depends on the goal of your website. In our case, a pretty site is not enough. We need to drive traffic to it and that traffic needs to find its way around our site so they can buy our stuff.
Posted by: Jesse | November 22, 2008 at 05:58 PM