More about Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
If you have been in business any length of time you will have been approached by people offering to optimise your site for Google searches. If you have a web based business that relies on being ranked number one on Google then paying for search engine optimisation might be a good idea. If not, have a read below:
If you’ve ever wondered whether there is a way to for your website to magically appear on the first page of a Google search then let me assure you there isn’t.
There are many ways to help increase your rankings in internet search engines. Some are easy and may only cost you some time, some may cost you a little money and some can cost you lots but with no guarantee of results. There is no quick fix, instant solution but with with a little time and patience you can usually increase your ranking by following a few basic rules and understanding the facts.
Here are some facts around search engine optimisation:
Fact number one: Internet search engines are successful because they deliver people the answers they are looking for. Before Google there was Alta Vista, Web Crawler and dozens of other search engines all doing similar jobs. Google came up with an algorithm that produced better search results for their customers and became the World’s leading search engine.
Fact two: Google knows that if another company comes up with a method that produces better search results they could lose their number one position so Google constantly refining it’s search results to give their customers what they want. Their “spiders” constantly trawl the internet looking at every word on every page on every website and process huge amounts of information in order to rank each page. Not only do they look at the page but they track how long someone spent looking at the page, how many links to other sites, the relevance of those sites to the original site and countless other factors. It is rumoured, depending on the search engine, that between 200 to 600 factors are considered when deciding how to rank a web page.
Fact three: If the internet can be likened to the wild west, there is a battleground in cyberspace where SEO cowboys try to outwit sheriff Google by coming up with tricks to try and get their customer’s websites ranked higher than they should be. If the sheriff even thinks that someone is trying to outwit them they can ban them to the desert for months or even for ever. No arguments, no trial, no appeal, he’s the sheriff! There are hundreds of rumours and myths about how to “cheat” your site towards better rankings. Some may have worked in the past but the sheriff has a huge team on his side closing each loophole as it is discovered.
Conclusions: An honest, well made website that has plenty to offer visitors and keeps their interest will eventually find its way up the search rankings. Using a company that knows how to create a search friendly website can really help when starting out. Employing tricks to gain a higher ranking may damage your ranking.
It is a good idea to get an audit to see how much your site could be improved. Use a reputable company and ask what you get for your money. Don’t get sucked in by monthly maintenance fees, an annual check up is probably all you need unless you’ve radically changed the site.
Engineering Communications Ltd has access to the services of a leading internet marketing specialist so call us today to find out how you can get your website performing to its best.
Helpful Hint: If someone tells you they can guarantee to get you on the first page of Google, do a search for the words SEO or Search Engine Optimisation and see if their company appears on the first page. If they can't get their own page on the front page of Google, what hope do they have of getting yours there?
By Roger Lacey
Engineering Communications Ltd (09) 528 1160
If you’ve ever wondered whether there is a way to for your website to magically appear on the first page of a Google search then let me assure you there isn’t.
There are many ways to help increase your rankings in internet search engines. Some are easy and may only cost you some time, some may cost you a little money and some can cost you lots but with no guarantee of results. There is no quick fix, instant solution but with with a little time and patience you can usually increase your ranking by following a few basic rules and understanding the facts.
Here are some facts around search engine optimisation:
Fact number one: Internet search engines are successful because they deliver people the answers they are looking for. Before Google there was Alta Vista, Web Crawler and dozens of other search engines all doing similar jobs. Google came up with an algorithm that produced better search results for their customers and became the World’s leading search engine.
Fact two: Google knows that if another company comes up with a method that produces better search results they could lose their number one position so Google constantly refining it’s search results to give their customers what they want. Their “spiders” constantly trawl the internet looking at every word on every page on every website and process huge amounts of information in order to rank each page. Not only do they look at the page but they track how long someone spent looking at the page, how many links to other sites, the relevance of those sites to the original site and countless other factors. It is rumoured, depending on the search engine, that between 200 to 600 factors are considered when deciding how to rank a web page.
Fact three: If the internet can be likened to the wild west, there is a battleground in cyberspace where SEO cowboys try to outwit sheriff Google by coming up with tricks to try and get their customer’s websites ranked higher than they should be. If the sheriff even thinks that someone is trying to outwit them they can ban them to the desert for months or even for ever. No arguments, no trial, no appeal, he’s the sheriff! There are hundreds of rumours and myths about how to “cheat” your site towards better rankings. Some may have worked in the past but the sheriff has a huge team on his side closing each loophole as it is discovered.
Conclusions: An honest, well made website that has plenty to offer visitors and keeps their interest will eventually find its way up the search rankings. Using a company that knows how to create a search friendly website can really help when starting out. Employing tricks to gain a higher ranking may damage your ranking.
It is a good idea to get an audit to see how much your site could be improved. Use a reputable company and ask what you get for your money. Don’t get sucked in by monthly maintenance fees, an annual check up is probably all you need unless you’ve radically changed the site.
Engineering Communications Ltd has access to the services of a leading internet marketing specialist so call us today to find out how you can get your website performing to its best.
Helpful Hint: If someone tells you they can guarantee to get you on the first page of Google, do a search for the words SEO or Search Engine Optimisation and see if their company appears on the first page. If they can't get their own page on the front page of Google, what hope do they have of getting yours there?
By Roger Lacey
Engineering Communications Ltd (09) 528 1160
