Search Engine Optimisation

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the process of changing the structure of a website so that it performs well in search engines. It is a dark art, because the exact formula the engines use to decide which results to deliver first is a closely guarded secret, and constantly changing. Optimisers learn what works best by continuously testing and monitoring websites.

The dark side of SEO

There is something of an arms race going on between search engines and optimisers. When unscrupulous webmasters use various tricks to get irrelevant pages to the top of all the results, it is a problem for search engines. This dilutes the value of their results and they lose visitors. These tricks are known as "search engine spamming". An example is using white text on a white background, stuffed with hidden keywords which the search engines can read but human visitors will not see.

Attempting to cheat in order to perform well in search engines is a high-risk strategy. If a site is found to be cheating, it risks being banned, either automatically or manually when someone makes a spam report. Penalties vary, but if a major engine applies one it can drastically reduce a site's traffic. If this happens the webmaster is often better off starting afresh with a completely new domain name.

Legitimate SEO

Fortunately, there are many optimisation techniques that do not involve deception. Legitimate SEO matches the topic of a website to the text picked up by search engines, and ensures that the words on a page are visible to them. Many search engines have difficulty with advanced techniques such as Javacript, frames, and dynamically created pages. Optimisation ensures that the work you put in to your website is not invisible to them. It also deals with ways of giving more prominence to your most important pages.

Keyword Optimisation

Central to your search engine optimisation strategy is your choice of keywords. If you optimise for a very competitive term like "travel" or "home loans", it would require an inordinate amount of effort to reach the top spots. But if you choose "origami microwaves" or "tealeaf erudition", getting to the top is simple because these searches bring in very few visitors, and they are rarely the sort of visitors who are planning to spend money. The key is a to find a happy medium, using a number of selected phrases.

Keywords gain and lose popularity over time, either seasonally or due to unpredictable events in the news. Careful selection and forward planning are needed to make the most of the text on your pages.

Why Optimise?

Search engine optimisation is a major method of marketing your website. Although it's possible to buy paid-for listings in most search engines, some searchers will always prefer to use the regular listings first. Without optimisation your website will only be accessible to those people who have come into contact with your advertising or your sales literature, or who have heard of it through word of mouth. Increasingly people are turning to the internet to research topics before making a decision to purchase. Search engines are a major part of this process.

Some judicious changes to your website, coupled with a link building campaign, could provide better results than more traditional forms of advertising, especially for certain sectors. If you want a part of the massive amount of traffic that flows through search engines, but you don't have a large budget for advertising, good optimisation is the best option.