This topis introduces you to the basics of search engine optimization. By the end of this lesson you should be able to:
1. Understand what search engine optimization is and does it work.
2. Understand the basic principles behind search engine optimization.
3. Distinguish between SEO and web design.
What is Search Engine Optimization?
Search
engine optimization, or SEO for short, is the process of altering your
web pages so that they rank more highly in search engine results. As the
Wikipedia puts it, search engine optimization is a set of methodologies
aimed at improving the visibility of a website in search engine
listings. The term also refers to an industry of consultants that carry
out optimization projects on behalf of client sites. Search Engine
Optimization is also sometimes referred to as search engine marketing
(SEM).
Although
this usage is not strictly accurate as search engine marketing involves
high-end marketing strategies that encompass more than just optimizing
web pages. The purpose of search engine optimization is to make your
site visible on the Internet. It does this by optimizing web pages in
such a way as to improve their visibility to search engines and
ultimately their search engine ranking. There are other ways to get your
site found on the Internet. One way is to get listed in various
directories. This usually involves some kind of fee. Another way to make
your site visible on the Internet is to pay for advertising. One of the
most popular is the Pay per click system or PPC for as like Google
Adword.
Under
this system, you pay the company who advertises your site a fee every
time somebody clicks the link in your advert. These systems can prove to
be expensive. In fact, not entirely necessary. A much more cost
effective way of making your site visible is to learn the basic
techniques of search engine optimization. Unlike PPC or directories,
listings in search engine results are absolutely free. Of course, hiring
a professional SEO company to do the work of improving your visibility
in listings is far from free, but by following the techniques outlined
in this course, you can learn how to do the work of optimizing you site
yourself site while saving a lot of money in the process.
Because
search engine listings are free, this does not mean that they are far
from important. It is estimated that somewhere in the region of 85% of
Internet users have used search engines at some point. This suggests
that millions of people search the Internet for products and services
every day. An optimized website allows you to tap into this vast
reservoir of potential visitors and customers by allowing your site to
be found in search engine listings. Consider also that when Internet
users actually go to the bother of typing a search term into a search
engine, they are already actively looking for specific products,
services, or information. SEO helps you to direct this qualified traffic
to your site and thereby convert visits into sales.
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