SEO is the process that is used to increase the rankings positions on search engines of a website. This process manipulates the onsite content as well as the inbound links to a site, ultimately creating a situation where search engines consider that website or webpage to be the best source for information on that topic. Businesses use SEO to increase their exposure to potential clients and customers, by having their website be displayed favorably in the results that are returned when someone searches for the products or services they offer. Like any marketing method, exposing your brand to potential customers will increase sales.
Search engine optimization is one of the most powerful forms of marketing, due to the fact that it displays your brand to customers who are actively searching for your products or services. Most forms of marketing will display your brand to a group, expecting some of the members of that group to have an interest in buying what you are selling. With search engine marketing, you are displaying your brand to people who are actively looking for something you offer. This is a far better customer than a simple group that is not defined by a characteristic or motivation. Because SEO pushes your website higher into the search results that are displayed, more potential customers see the brand. Most people who use search engines for decisions will choose from the first five results that are displayed. This is why it is critical for your website to be on the first page of results.
Many business owners are frustrated by a lack of performance due to a crucial mistake being made. If you do not "localize" your website and SEO efforts, then you will be competing for positions against a global competitive landscape. If you are trying to rank for the words "SEO company" your content will be competing with companies that provide this service all over the world. If your company is located in Las Vegas and serves mainly that Las Vegas audience, then a localized SEO campaign targeting "Las Vegas SEO company" will reduce the competition to only companies targeting those terms and areas. This makes your efforts more effective by competing in a smaller pool of results. Effective local SEO uses specialized techniques in addition to keyword targeting to achieve the goals.
SEO uses two main methods to achieve higher rankings. Creation of content that is on a specific topic and positioned either on the website or on another website linking back to your site encompasses nearly 100% of ongoing SEO efforts. By creating new content on a topic, you prove to Google that you are an authority on that topic, and ultimately will rank higher as a result. While there are other factors that are also used in the process, these are the most important two.
SEO is an ongoing process, due to the fact that rankings are a competition between your website and others. There is no such thing as fixed placements, and you can always be bumped.
Raymond Santopietro
