It is not very difficult to understand Search Engine optimization and yet it is very important. There are some things that you can do to help your site do better with the Search Engines.
When you are getting started with Search Engine optimization you really should not worry about all of the jargon that is used. The point here is to make things simpler so that Search Engines will like your site better.
If you haven't heard, or received your invite, the annual SEMPO State of the Market survey is currently looking for search marketers to give us this years snapshot of the industry. You can find a link to the survey at the SEMPO site. Now in its 3rd year, this Survey has become the definitive year over year look at search marketing.
Knowing that we're in Chicago next week for Search Engine Strategies, we paused long enough to take some on the fly data points which we'll be sharing at a special SEMPO meeting on Monday night. I can share one of them with you in this column.
Before you get started with the Search Engines you should decide which of the two major Search Engine marketing strategies will work best for your site. This will help you to stay on track and not waste a lot of time needlessly.
The 2 major Search Engine marketing strategies that exist today are SEO (search engine optimization) and PPC (pay-per-click). You should know and understand that these two methods are very different from one another. This will help you to be better enabled to decide which one is right for you and your web site. Of course, part of this decision will depend upon what your web site is like.
Analyzing a competitor's web site may seem like a big job. You should have the mindset that you are going to do this as a learning experience though. This will help you along your way when you may feel like giving up.
Before you even begin to analyze a competitor's web site you should make sure that you are equipped to do the job. If you do this job properly you can gain a lot of information that will help you to increase your site's traffic and popularity. These sites can also help you to analyze your own market. After all, if a web site is getting a lot of hits then it must be doing something right. If you take time to see where it is ranked, what key words are being used, how the site is formatted, and what you can do to make your site better while not violating any copyright laws then you will be well on your way to success.
UK host ResellersPanel (www.resellerspanel.com) announces the introduction of API (Application Programming Interface) software, which allows a 100% customization of customers websites, to its hosting platform. Some of the functionalities of ResellersPanel API version 1.0 include domain name availability checker, username availability checker, domain name and web hosting account registration, and web hosting plan selection. The API, which returns results in plain text and XML format, can be accessed via an authorized IP address through a secure SSL connection using a MD5 encrypted password (IPs are added via the ResellersPanel Control Panel).
Google is the behemoth of search engines, the plateau we aspire to, and the chagrin of many a Webmaster and marketer. If they love your website, you will in turn grow to love the masses of traffic they send your way. In contrast, if they deem your site to be of little or no value then you'll struggle to fill the aching void in your Internet marketing. OK, so that might be a little over the top but to the battle hardened SEO a lot of it will probably ring true and they are certainly the biggest and most popular of the current search engines.
In the competitive B2B landscape, search has become the front page to most, if not all, B2B companies. The need for clear, concise and at times unique promotion has never been more evident. With the emergence of technologies and search strategies it becomes more difficult to differentiate your company from the competition. B2B marketers are beginning to utilize creative ways to persuade potential consumers to consider their solutions. The role of online video, B2B social networking and the use of Wikis are all being used by B2B marketers as persuasion tools in the online B2B world. B2B marketers are looking for that edge that will allow them to intercept their audience and maintain their interest. One way they are accomplishing this is through the use of online video.
Last week, Google, Yahoo and Microsoft agreed to support the Sitemap 0.9 protocol. How can this new standard help you to improve the ranking of your web site in search engines?