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Usually, Search
Engine Optimization (SEO) is understood as a set of techniques applied to a website to improve its
ranking and positioning with
search engines, with the goal of helping
visitors or potential buyers find the website through a keyword search
on search engines
(see also
Web definitions of SEO).
In my approach to
SEO, I assume that the
ultimate goal of a site optimization project is to
increase the number of visitors who fill out your
order or registration forms. In other
words, I understand SEO as a set of techniques that
help you attract customers through your website and
generate sales.
I
believe that SEO is not merely a strategy for enhancing your web presence
and driving traffic to your website. SEO is a means for transforming your website into a powerful
yet cost-effective vehicle for generating considerable and sustainable
revenue.
As it is typically
described, a site optimization usually involves design
and layout changes, new text for the TITLE tags, METATAGS,
ALT-
attributes, headings, creation of new links, and most importantly
creation of new copy (text) as well as modifications
to the existing one.
Additionally, it is
also typical to supplement
"organic" site optimization with Paid-Per-Click
(PPC)
campaigns, such as
Google's AdWords, for example. Both
organic SEO and keyword-purchasing campaigns aim at
ensuring that users who are looking for your type of
products and services can find you through a keyword
search on
Google and other
search engines.
But what happens after your
users have found your site? Do they stay
and read on or do they leave it quickly? Do they
visit multiple pages and review your company
profile? Do they express interest in your white
papers or other available documentation? Do they
send you their feedback? And finally, do they
register on your site to purchase your products or
services? All these questions, although seemingly
disconnected from the actual search engine
optimization of a site, in fact, form the most
important part of the SEO process.
What is the point in
spending resources on optimizing a website and driving traffic to it, if it doesn't contribute to your
sales or business objectives? What is the point in investing in Internet
advertising, if nobody is ordering your products or services through your
website?
A recent study conducted by
researches at Cornell University (.pdf) supports
my point of view:
...A new study
released this year by a team of researches at
Cornell University aims to examine the actions of
searchers when it comes to both viewing search
results and deciding which result to select. The
team examined the results for actual search
results and manually edited search results to see,
if users are influenced solely by ranking
position, or also by perceived relevancy.
The studies findings were
not unexpected, though they do back up anecdotal
experience for most marketers.
While viewing stayed fairly
strong for the
top five organic search
listings, click-through rates dropped off
dramatically beyond the first result.
More than two-third of searchers take the time to
view the first two search results and more than a
third view spots two to five. That number drops to
less than ten percent when you get down to the
listings in positions nine and ten.
When it comes to
actual click-through rates, the findings are a bit
more scattered. On average, just four in ten
searchers click the first listing in a search
result. For positions two to six, the results
have far less variation. Position two tended to
receive about 16% of clicks, position three
received about 10% and positions four, five and
six all received around 5% or 6% of clicks.
The study suggests
that once you move beyond the first few listings,
searchers are serious enough that they'll take the
time to view multiple results. In other words,
unless you hold the first or second ranking, your
position in the top ten may not matter near as
much as you thought it did. In fact, it has
been the experience of many marketers that their
conversion rates tend to increase as their
rankings decrease.
The thinking behind this
is that the type of user that is determined enough
to sort through five or six listings before
landing on position seven, is a highly qualified
searcher, and therefore, more likely to convert.
While these lower positions mean less traffic, the
higher conversion rates that can go with them
often mean that the same amount of sales are still
made.
This furthers the shift in
thinking from focusing on rankings to focusing on
sales as a measurement of search engine marketing
success...
Source:
Search Engine Guide
To generate or increase revenue through your
website, you cannot merely aim at positioning your
site high on search engines and driving traffic to
it.
You
need to identify factors that form users'
impressions, create their motivations and influence
their decisions to register on your website and
purchase your products or services.
You need to approach these "intangible" factors as
the main building principles of both your web design
and SEO projects.
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When is the best time for an SEO project?
Many a company still
don't utilize their website to its full potential of
a powerful marketing and sales vehicle. Your website
keeps you engaged in an ongoing "dialogue" with your
customers, visitors, and users. This interaction is one of the
most important factors directly influencing your
users' purchasing decisions.
If you plan on
starting an SEO project, it is best to co-ordinate
it with a website re-design project. If your website
has recently been updated, but you plan on starting
an SEO project now, you need to be prepared for
additional new changes.
A good SEO
consultant, however, should be able to optimize your
site without bringing major structural changes to
it. With a few exceptions, it is always possible to
keep optimization changes confined to an on-page
level.
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Considering doing your own SEO?
Time and
time again, I am being asked whether I would
recommend doing your own
search engine
optimization (SEO). My answer to this is a
definite 'YES', but it comes with a couple of
footnotes. You can be sure to succeed with your own
SEO, provided all of the following conditions are
satisfied:
-
If you
are the main decision maker and all content-related
decisions reside personally with you, or
-
Your
company is relatively small (under 50 people), and
-
If your
site is relatively small (under 500 pages), and
-
You have
the time and desire to conduct research and learn
about search engines, and most importantly
-
You are
a good copywriter with at least a basic
understanding of main SEO copywriting principles.
If you
can place a confident check mark across all points
on this list, then there is no reason why you should
not be successful with your own
search engine
optimization (SEO). To start, feel
free browse the
SEO
resources section on my website. Do not be
discouraged by minor obstacles and temporary side
backs, start your project, work on it diligently,
and if there are problems, hire an experienced SEO
consultant to help and guide you on your way up.
Note from the
Ottawa editor
If there
are specific Web Marketing and Search Engine
Optimization (SEO) topics that you would like me to
discuss in this newsletter, please do not hesitate
to
drop me a line.
For
related Web Marketing and SEO information, browse
through the Resources
section on this site.
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unsubscribe from this free monthly
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Ottawa newsletter, click the
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Anna
Tulchinsky 
