Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) - What is it?

So many times I have been asked what it is I do for a living. Explaining the practice of Search Engine Optimisation before your audiences eyes glaze over is certainly a challenge.

The explanation that resonates with most is to determine what industry your audience works in and suggesting a search query that would typically be typed in the search engines to find the services or products that this industry supplies.

Maybe they run a home rental management company in Auckland, New Zealand. So the common search phrase may be “Home Rental Management Company + “Auckland”.

The fact that the businesses that appear at the top of search results page for this search query indicates that Search Engine Optimisation in some form or another has been applied to the site.

This would be all that is required to explain Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) however as in life the explanation needs some further details.

Organic Search Results

Search results deliver two very different results. Those that have earned their place near or at the no.1 position on the search result page (SERPS) due to solid SEO principles and excellent unique and interesting content that deserves its top spot.

These results are commonly referred to as organic search results.

Remember Google's core business is a search engine that give searchers the best results at the top of the search results with no surprises!

Paid Search

The second type of results are those referred to as Paid results. These are easily identified with a small yellow icon

next to the placement and are positioned on the top and to the side of the organic listings.

The AdWords placement can vary from as little as a dollar per click (CPC) to as high as $50 for industries such as Insurance, loans and Mortgages.

What influences high page ranking in Search?

There are many factors that influence good page ranking and even if you have clicked most of the good practice SEO boxes for on page and off page optimisation without good content that informs and educates the user that is unique and relevant all else will fail.

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How to select a SEO company?

As with any selection of a company who you wish to give your hard earned cash to its important to understand what factors are to be considered when selecting a SEO company. SEM design wrote a good article on how to select a SEO company.

Many factors should be considered but the strongest factor I would consider is talk to them directly. Make sure that they understand the market you are in and the goals you have set for your business.

It needs much more than a technically minded person but someone with a solid business acumen!

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