SEO 101
Getting a good ranking isn't an easy task...
Good listings within search engines are difficult, if not impossible to obtain without some understanding, training and appreciation for the art of Search Engine Optimization. The first step in understanding how you may benefit from SEO principles for your business, product or service is to have a basic knowledge of how search engines work. SEO 101 is designed to be an introduction and guide covering strategies and techniques most commonly found withint the SEO concept.
Unfortunately, many Web sites appear poorly in search engine rankings or may not be listed at all due to lack of information, misinformation, and the implementation of unethical tactics from the many so-called SEO companies floating around on the Web. Even with good intentions and some basic information about SEO, some companies still get swept up in the hype surrounding this fascinating industry and end up wasting a lot of time, energy and resources, not to mention sacrificing the integrity of their business, product or service due to lack of education concerning what it takes to achieve positive SEO results.
SEO scams, overpricing and some additional warnings:
One example can be seen from the way some companies present their services and exaggerate about the results they will bring, as well as the cost of implementing them, as can be seen from the issue of “submitting your site to search engines”.
Sure this is important, but it is nothing more than a simple first step in letting search engines know you are out there. Let's be real, as anyone with some experience knows, this process takes about 1 minute and can be done by anyone who enters “url submission” with the various search engines, then inputs his/her url within the provided box and clicks the “submit” button.
Yes, this is amazingly simple, yet some search engine companies have the audacity to pray on your ignorance and can charge up to $100 for this or similar services. We tend to focus our attention on Google because at any given point, it is estimated they control about 70% of the search market, with Yahoo at about 18%, MSN at roughly 8% and ASK at about 1.5%. All other search engines fall below the 1% mark of control over the search market. This is something nice to know, especially when an SEO firm approaches you and tells you they will submit your site to the top 200 search engines in the world, and attach a price tag of $125, or even worse, $39.95/month for this or a similar service.
The lowdown on search engine optimization
What happens after you submit your site to search engines is dependant entirely on a list of no-so-simple factors considered by Moura Marketing, and other truly reliable and ethical SEO firms. It is estimated that there are roughly 125 factors that when put together, determine the listing results for search engines such as Google. This is also referred to as the search engine “algorithm”, meaning the software program used to determine which site will make the list and their position. This is also known as “rank”.
SEO is NOT a guessing game!
Consider that search engines such as Google do not release this information and offer very little insight into which factors are crucial, essential, and which factors are not as important. It is the responsibility of every SEO company to develop systems, programs, partnerships, and gather resources to develop a strategy of measuring, tracking, testing and ensuring the factors they focus on are the correct ones when it comes to affecting search engine listings and ranking for clients.
