SEO has become a critical component in a small business’ marketing plan. Most prospects now turn to a web search to find the right product or service so a business needs to focus on showing up for the right search terms.
San Diego, CA (PRWEB) June 26, 2012
According to Wikipedia, SEO “is an acronym for search engine optimization, the process of improving the ranking of a web site in Internet search results.” Not only is it the process of ranking higher in search results but it also is the process to rank higher in the “organic” search results. The organic results are the websites listed in the middle of the search results because of their relevance to the search terms. The websites that achieve a high organic ranking, such as those on page 1, will typically garner more impressions and traffic because these results are more trusted by users.
The primary search engines that people use today are Google, Bing and Yahoo. Developing an SEO strategy around the parameters of these search engine giants is the best way to improve your overall website ranking and get more traffic.
Bop Design, a San Diego web design agency with offices also in New Jersey, has developed helpful tips for small businesses developing a SEO strategy. Jeremy Durant, Bop Design Business Principal, states, “SEO has become a critical component in a small business’ marketing plan. Most prospects now turn to a web search to find the right product or service so a business needs to focus on showing up for the right search terms. Unfortunately there is still much confusion among the small business community on how to rank prominently in a search.” The marketing agency has developed some practical tips that small businesses can implement on their own.
Target Keywords
Before getting started on an SEO strategy the most important thing is to develop a set of target keyword phrases. Bop Design SEO Director, Jessie Topper says, “Think of your target keywords as your roadmap to success. Your target keywords should not only reflect the products or services your business offers, but they should be keywords that are actually searched on the web. If you choose words that are too niche with little to no traffic then your SEO efforts are in vain.” With millions of new searches each day, it’s important that a company takes the time to properly research keywords that are the best fit for their business. Once a business has a definitive list then the next step is creating an action plan to improve ranking for each of these target keyword phrases.
On-Page Optimization
Now that a business has a list of keywords to target, the next step is to focus on integrating the keywords on the website. The following are just a few guidelines to getting the SEO basics of your website set-up using the definitive keyword list:
Off-Page Optimization
After integrating the targeted keywords on a firm’s website, the next step is to focus on SEO initiatives outside of the website called “off-page optimization.” Topper states, “Search engines view a website as more credible if quality sites are linking to it.” Bop Design advises small businesses to garner inbound links to their website through local listings, directories, social media accounts, blog articles, etc. “Small businesses want to focus on getting thought leadership content on high traffic websites. The websites should relate to their business. As a firm collects more links from high traffic websites, they will ascend the rankings for targeted keywords,” suggests Topper.
What Small Businesses Can Expect From SEO
Bop Design reminds small businesses that SEO is not an overnight achievement, but the results are lasting. Topper states, “On average, even with maximum effort, it will take 3 to 4 months to start seeing any improvement in website ranking, and not every website or industry can expect the same results. The more competitive the keyword phrases, the longer it can take to see results, or more work might be needed to effectively compete.” Bop Design warns businesses that SEO is a continuous fight to achieve a better ranking and it doesn’t all rely on the firm’s efforts. “There are three primary factors involved in how well your website is ranked: how well you’ve optimized your own website, how well optimized your competition is, and the parameters search engines are using for ranking. Unfortunately you can only control one of these factors, but it has a big influence on your ranking.”
SEO versus PPC
If a business decides that implementing an SEO strategy isn’t right for their firm, one alternative is to purchase pay-per-click (PPC) advertising to appear on the first few pages of a search engine. Paid advertisements in search results appear typically on the side or top of the search results. PPC is an expensive alternative and it isn’t guaranteed to produce great results. Topper adds, “Most people searching the Internet tune out the paid listing sections in the search results, so it is typically quite difficult to get people to click on your ads. Most people prefer to click on the results in the organic search results display, knowing that the websites listed here are probably the best match for their needs.” Bop Design identifies common pitfalls of PPC: long time to implement, continuous monitoring and tweaking, and a continual investment to rank on the first few pages. “With an SEO strategy you are building a foundation that provides a long-term goal of continuously improving search engine ranking.”
About Bop Design, San Diego and New Jersey Web Design
Bop Design is a boutique marketing communications firm headquartered in San Diego with offices also in New Jersey. We express a business' values through web design, branding, advertising and print design. The marketing agency also helps attract a firm's ideal customer through search engine optimization and search engine marketing. Bop Design's focus is on small businesses that want an external team of marketing specialists to help give their brand an edge in the marketplace.
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