If you're a business owner with a website, you may be hearing that you should “optimize your website,” yet you may not totally understand what this actually means. As I talk to other business owners I often hear, “I have a website, and it appears in Google when I type my business name.” Yet, I usually see light bulbs come on after I tell them that new customers who have never heard of their business name wouldn’t type their business name verbatim if they are looking for products or services related to their business. This is just something business owners usually never think about and nor should they have to.
According to the
2007 Marketing Sherpa Ecommerce Benchmark Guide, "89% of consumers research products online before buying in a brick-and-mortar store either regularly or occasionally." This research often revolves around general keyword terms, product names, and perhaps questions, not specific business names. So, the process of optimizing your website involves determining keywords that potential customers would use to find your website and buy your products,
then work to rank high in important search engines for those keywords. This work involves factors associated with your website architecture and off page factors.
Search Engine Optimization Is a Process
If you're considering investing more in your website in order to rank in search engines for search terms and attract this vast pool of online consumers, it's important to keep in mind that search engine optimization is a process. It is not an event that can cure ranking problems overnight.
There is no magic bullet. Well, maybe there is, but it can be extremely expensive. A reputable search marketing firm understands this and will not promise overnight success. Be wary of a search marketing firm that says it will submit your website to hundreds of directories or promise a #1 ranking. No one can guarantee you rankings other than the search engine company itself. Furthermore, those firms do not disclose that they get your site a #1 ranking alright, but for off the wall keywords that no one will ever use and have very low conversions.
A successful search engine optimization plan is executed overtime. Not by mass submissions to foreign directories that no one ever use, rather a strategic hands-on approach that reaches out to niche online communities that your potential customers participate in.
1011 Web would like to discuss your online marketing goals at no obligation. We'd be happy to give you a free website review to point out factors that may be inadvertently hurting your rankings and establish a partnership with you to increase your online presence.