SEO FAQs

Is paid submission necessary?
What is Search Engine Optimization?
Does my site need professional optimization?
How many Search Engines are there?
How are keywords important?
How much should I spend on optimization?
Is optimization done when my site is first built?

Is paid submission necessary?

Paid submission for major Search Engines seems a bit of a waste. It is so easy! Submission should be done as a free service by your site designer, or as an initial free service by your SEO company. You can do general submission yourself. Log onto http://www.allsearchengines.com/ or any similar list. Browse each search engine for their "submit" or "addurl" page. Follow instructions. It is that simple.

For more specialized submissions, to vertical search engines, directories, DMOZ and local sites, perhaps the average site owner needs a little guidance and help. But, don't pay for it. Paid submissions, even those as inexpensive as $19.95, tend to cause problems down the road. Botched automatic submissions can ruin your chances of being included in DMOZ and certain categories in Google and Yahoo.

What is Search Engine Optimization?

SEO: defined as - "Designing and redesigning a web site so that it does well in organic, crawler-based results of search engines."

But successful search engine optimization is much more than that.

Specifics of how websites are optimized changes almost weekly. Google, MSN, and Yahoo change their algorithms and weightings continually in an effort to refine search results. This constant change is what makes professional optimization worth paying for. Only full-time attention to the vagaries of search engine evolution can keep one current with what is necessary in order to excel online.

In today's competitive world, optimization goes much further than organic search. Paid inclusion campaigns, pay-per-click, conversion maximization, and complete online marketing integration are all part of the professional website optimizer's repertoire.

Does my site need professional optimization?

If you have any reason to want more people to view your site, the answer is simple. YES!

Online competition is just too strong to overcome with just a good site. The numbers are inconceivable. Most search terms return millions of results. If you sell, promote, distribute, or advertise ANYTHING online, you need ongoing, professional, optimization.

Much of the work you can do yourself or an employee can do it. Corporate sites are often maintained by in-house staff. Staff works with the SEO company to keep the site on track and competitive.

How many search engines are there?

It doesn't matter! You need be concerned with only eight or ten.

There are hundreds of search engines. Last time we did a survey, we came up with 2300 English language search engines. But, there are only a handful, maybe as few as three, general search engines that really matter to you, Google, Yahoo, and MSN.

In addition, there will usually be a vertical, subject-specific engine or two as well as a couple local directories that are relevant.

You can spend a lot of time and money optimizing for these few. There is no need to worry about the others.                                                read more...

How are keywords important?

Keywords are the simplest, most condensed, definition of your site's content. Identify keywords as an exercise in identifying your business. Use these targeted words in your online text. List them as meta tag keywords. Use them in your page titles. These are the terms your potential customers are using to search for your type of business.

How much should I spend on optimization?

I am tempted to say, "All you can afford!"

Search Engine Optimization services come in all price ranges.

If you have a simple, basic site and no budget, start with a site survey. Ask the SEO company to give a text report with recommendations. Work on the recommendations yourself. Survey and report for a basic site might cost as little as a few hundred dollars.

If you have a budget for online marketing and/or web advertising, spend it on optimization first. An ongoing optimization campaign can make a real difference in the success of most businesses.

Corporate programs in competitive categories must spend at least several thousand dollars per month on an ongoing basis in order to compete.

Mass retailers will spend as much on optimization and positioning as they spend on advertising.

Is optimization done when my site is first built?

Preferably, yes. And, on an ongoing basis as well. If you are lucky, your site designer will confer with an SEO professional during the initial site design. Building pages with optimization in mind allows you to focus the entire content and layout on the desired outcome. But, once is not enough. Things change quickly online. Websites have to change as well.