Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Getting Google to Work for Your Business

We discussed in last week’s article how social media has grown in importance for potential customers to link to your business, potentially surpassing search engines as the most prominent way for users to find you. There is no doubt, however, that the use of search engines is still essential to your online web presence. After all, customers have to be able to find you and your business, and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the concept of making sure people can do so in a natural manner on the internet.

First, the elephant in the room: SEO has recently developed a bit of an unfortunate reputation, where its methods are accused of being spammy or even sleazy by its critics. The argument goes that it manipulates users into being directed to content they allegedly would not want to see by abusing the use of keywords in search engines’ algorithms. As with any successful business practice, bad apples will appear to spoil the crop, and it is essential to use the correct methods of SEO in order to avoid falling in with that group.

Google itself is a proponent of SEO, offering educational material to its employees in the form of its SEO Starter Guide, helping them bolster the online presence of their individual websites. It is safe to say that if the current king of search engines has a list of SEO best practices to use, it is A) certainly fine to use SEO in general, and B) a good idea to read up on the given material. The free guide covers important topics such as creating unique web page titles, optimizing core content for search purposes, and making sure the right material on the website gets picked up by the “crawlers” utilized by search engines to index your site into its search directory.

While Google’s guide is an excellent start into the world of SEO, the field is always changing and requires constant vigilance in order to stay ahead. For instance, how does your website handle the increased use of digital assistants like the iPhone’s Siri for search purposes? Is your website geared for mobile platforms such as iOS and Android? Your site may be optimized for Google, but what about Bing, Yahoo and other search engines – do you know if your business is topping out on those web services as well? The fact of the matter is, not everyone is an expert in online marketing, nor should they require themselves to be. The qualified professionals at Sun Sign Designs are adept at cutting through the noise in the SEO world to deliver you meaningful and tangible results for your online presence. So reach out to us today to find out more about how SEO can contribute to your overall marketing strategy.