How do I achieve top left rankings (natural rankings) on Google and what is Search Engine Optimisation?
To get your website to the top of the natural rankings (left hand side of the page) in a search engine is a project that can not be completed overnight. You cannot buy your way up there, nor can you do just one thing to get you up there. There are many steps that are involved but with dedication and commitment you can do it and your business will see results with an increase of traffic and hopefully sales.
Following these steps will help:
Establish your keywords
Write down all the words and phrases that you might type into a search engine to search for your product or service. For example if I was looking for horse shoes I would type in:
horse shoes
equestrian supplies
farrier supplies
farrier equipment
Stay away from single words as they are not specific enough. If I typed in “horse”, there would be a lot of information but not all of it would be relevant to horse shoes.
Once you have got you key words type them into Google and make sure they are bringing up similar businesses to yours in the results. Don’t try to come up with every keyword phrase possible. Targeted traffic is the key here.
Write Keyword Rich Content
Google and other search engines want to provide results to relevant material. Their engines analyse and check content of websites to ensure it is really related to the industry you say it is related to. There is a saying in the web design world “CONTENT IS KING” This means basically that if you write good and relevant content both you readers will find it useful along with the search engines and you will achieve KING status!
Your Keywords should be used throughout your website in the text but within reason. Typing you keywords over and over again on a hidden page is not a good idea as the Google spider can detect this and you will be banned from Google.
Bigger is Better
It is true the bigger the website the more chance you have to be recognised as a reputable source of information, so get typing and be creative about how you display the information it does not all have to be visible to the public on the first page, but it has to be there and is must be RELEVANT. A good way to add relevant content is consider adding a blog or forum to you site. Frequently asked questions and other helpful articles about your industry will go a long way to add relevant content to your website.
Create Inbound Links to you Site
This is where you have to use your imagination and creativity. You need inbound (one way) links to your site from other sites within your industry.
One way Links from high page ranking sites such as smh.com.au or ninemsn.com.au also help with you ranking. To check a websites page rank you can download the google toolbar from the Google/Firefox button in the right hand column. It is okay to exchange links with other sites as long as they are in a relevant business/industry to you.
Another way to create great one-way relevant links to your site is to start blogging on or contributing on forums with links to your website in the footer. But don’t spam these platforms or they will ban you.
Spread the Love
Treat each page in your website as one website and try to optimise each page. This way customers will have more chance of finding you in the search engines. This may take more time, but is well worth it
Keep at it
SEO is like marketing or public relations. No time frame can be put on it, it is just something that needs to happen in online business. Keep promoting you business online and offline and add relevant content and you are on the right track. Rising through the natural search rankings is a long term strategy and can take 4-12 months of commitment to start yeilding results.
For more short term and instant paid results. Consider Google Adwords and Yahoo Search Marketing.