What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
SEO is the methodology and effort required to earn a high “organic” search engine rank without paying for ads. The underlying premise behind SEO is that a high rank on a Search Engine Results Page (SERP) increases visitor traffic to a website or webpage.
Search engines use over 200 criteria (also known as ‘Signals’) to determine a website’s rank on a SERP. The two types of SEO signals that search engines use for purposes of ranking are ‘Onsite Signals’ and ‘Offsite Signals’.
Onsite Signals
These are signals that originate from the website’s server; such as, domain name, written content, webpage URL, page load times and the organization’s published street address. A website’s owner usually has full control of these signals.
Off-site Signals
These signals originate from sources other than the website or webpage. The signals may be influenced by a website owner, but the owner many times has no direct control over them. Examples of off-site signals include Yelp! reviews, a published article from a news or magazine outlet, a visitor’s search query, or a link from another website.
Is it time for an SEO Checkup?
Do You Have SEO Failure?
SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s normal to have a wide time-gap between when SEO efforts commence and when results are seen. If resources have been consistantly allocated to an SEO campaign over months and very little has resulted, then a proper SEO recovery program should be considered.
What Contributes to Poor SEO Results?
There are various things that can wholly or partly be responsible for SEO failure. These include… a poor or no strategy, spamming the search engine index (“Spamdexing“), inconsistant efforts, wrong keywords, bad website architecture, or accidently hiring a blackhat or greyhat SEO firm.
What Does a SEO Failure Look Like?
SEO failures have a variety of personalities. The following are common types of SEO failures.
The Sugar High
This describes the occurance when a website experiences a brisk ascent in search rank and visitor traffic, followed by a rapid deep decent.
The Glass Ceiling
This is a situation when prior SEO efforts, that were once productive, no longer work and the website won’t rise above a certain rank.
The Disappearing Brand
This is when a domain or brand completely (or almost completely) disappears from SERPs when the organization name, trademarked products, or associated slogans are searched for.
How We Plan for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
All of our SEO endevours begin with formulating a plan that’s custom to the client. Be weary of firms that have difficulty explaining details of their SEO efforts. The following describes our approach to SEO and some underlying bits of important SEO information many don’t realize.
SEO Audits & Methodologies
Start with an Audit
Correct Fundamental Deficiencies
Map Business Goals with SEO Efforts
Map Keyword Phrases with Target Audience
Compose Reporting & Measurement Systems
Words to the Wise on SEO
Quality SEO is Hand-crafted
Google has indicated that most automated efforts to streamline SEO will be identified and penalized.
Patience and Persistance is Required
Don’t Worry So Much as to Where Your Competition Ranks
The fact of the matter is… 80% of your competition is either doing SEO wrong, has little-to-no resources allocated to it, or they stop efforts prematurely. Those doing Blackhat or Greyhat efforts find themselves penalized within 12 to 18 months – which accounts for a large percentage of SEO efforts. About half of all companies undertaking SEO concentrate on keywords their customers don’t use for searches.
Interested in our SEO Services?
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