Lowdown on Search Engine Optimization

A critical first step for an effective SEO plan is to perform heavy competitive analysis. In fact, if you search in Google for a key term or phrase related to your field and website, you should look at the first three to five Web sites that come up on the first page of your Google search results. These folks are the ones to beat.

That's because if you're listed in the top 10 search results in Google, you may find that your website will get significantly increased traffic (assuming you have a competitive search term).

It's also critical that your website be built in such a way that it's search-engine friendly but also user-friendly. To begin with, you must be very clear about what your site is all about. Do you know what your "value proposition" is? Then you'll want to ensure easy navigation, a clear call to action and relevant content. When you add relevant content pages and links within your theme and community, you're taking the first steps to success.

You must also make sure it loads quickly, is html/css (cascading style sheets) compliant, and lets visitor know what your site is all about in less than eight seconds. Even if you think your visitors are familiar with your product or service, you'll still want to make it easy to navigate and user friendly.

SEO is one of the most powerful online marketing mediums there is, and it's critical to the success of your online business. The bottom line is, SEO done right can enable you to be found and ranked well in the sea of billions of existing web pages, and your visitors and your bank account will both love you for it.