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Search Engine Optimization 101: A Comprehensive Guide From Beautiful Planning Marketing Group- www.beautifulplanning.com

If you're new to the search engine optimization world, the plethora of terminology and strategies (old and new) may seem overwhelming.

If you're new to the search engine optimization world, the plethora of terminology and strategies (old and new) may seem overwhelming. In actuality, it's simpler than it sounds. Optimization reminds many of science and engineering, but its practice on search engines is mainly the procedure one follows to maximize a web site's ability to rank higher (be shown on earlier pages) in search engine results pages.

As an example, if you type the key phrase "bowling balls" in Google, Dogpile or other search engine, web site links and their corresponding short descriptions appear in search engine results pages [usually in batches of ten (10)]. The chances of your clicking web site links appearing on the first search results page are statistically much higher than on the second or third pages.

As a web marketer, your goal is to do everything you can possibly think of to have your web site rank higher for specific keywords or phrases (e.g. bowling balls) that matter the most for your business or interests. Having said that, what are your most treasured keywords? What does your business involve and what are you prospective visitors' interests and concerns? Knowing this will help you select and fine tune your specific keywords that have higher chances of resulting in site visits (ranking higher).

Performing Keyword Research: Broad vs. Specific

Many search engine marketers fail to reach their full potential for one key reason- poorly and inadequately defined keywords. As we enter further into the Information Age, the proper and smart use of words will either make or break your internet marketing campaigns. There are many keyword research tools on the web that help users focus and "niche" down. Google Adwords, WordTracker, Keyword Elite, and many others all have one primary function- input your initial keyword ideas (e.g. bowling balls), sift the web (based on statistics and historical search data) and provide you more related keywords to choose from. This is good, at the start, but you shouldn't stop here.

For example, if you're trying to promote your new bowling alley in Mountainview, CA, it may fare you better if you focused on more specific key phrases (e.g. bowling alley mountainview or bowling alley mountainview california). The reason for this is that not everyone who searches "bowling alley" actually lives or is interested in visiting Mountainview. It would be optimal if your web site ranks high for the broad term "bowling alley," but if you're just starting out, competition may be roaring louder than you can bear, so keeping it "niched" down and specific is key to ranking higher and attracting more relevant (Mountainview bowlers, as opposed to those in New York) web site visits.

Meta Tags: Title, Keywords, and Description

Although search engines now place less emphasis on this aspect of search engine optimization, having complete, specific, and precise Meta tags for your web site is still important. If you're trying to rank high for the key phrase "apples and oranges," and you don't insert this properly in the "header" section of your web site's programming, search engine crawlers will discredit your efforts to rank high, even if you desire to do so.

Meta tags are also a great place to initially work out your initial frame of mind- what is an attractive title for your web site, a good list of keywords you treasure, and a good brief description on what your site is about? Stuffing 1000 keywords here, of course, is not the goal. The goal is to come up with and include action-driven titles and descriptions (as these will typically be displayed in the search engine results pages and thus, will be the pivot for surfers to either click to your site or surf on).

Here is what typical Meta tags look like:

Yours will surely look different, but the general idea is the same. Resolve to come up with well-defined Meta tags before you head on to create content. Content is important, but you need to establish direction and focus first.

Content is King: In Abundance and Plenty

If you're going to rise up in the search engine ranks, your web site will need to be well known. That doesn't necessarily mean that you need every man and his half sister to be mentioning your web site during dinner time. It simply means that "web-wise," you need to be known and mentioned (back links) frequently. For established businesses, this isn't a problem- people love to adore, rant and rave, especially through our friend, the "blog." For startups, however, you'll have to do most of the initial "mentioning" yourself.

Cash is king in the real world, and content is king on the web. Content that's well versed, both for search engines and human readers, have a distinct advantage- search engines will rank it higher, and human readers tend to spread them via word-of-mouth or through linking (which in turn helps search engines rank it higher. Bravo!). Good content never fails, so strive to "work" your content with these two in mind.

With the advent of ezines (online "magazine" articles), many have successfully used these as a tool for marketing and promoting themselves and their businesses. EzineArticles.com is currently the most popular article directory (i.e. article marketing tool) and will most likely continue to be for years to come. Because of EzineArticles.com's popularity (plenty of "mentions" on the web), articles posted to this directory tend to rank high almost immediately. For example, if you write an article focused on the key phrase "new york jeans," there's a good chance that, once the article goes live, your article will appear in, at least, the first five (5) search engine results pages (for the key phrase "new york jeans"). This immediate effect can be huge when it comes to attracting traffic for new web sites. If you want to rank high for a key phrase like that (or more competitive ones), it'll usually take a couple of years before you start seeing results.

Thus, the marketing of many articles (well written and useful content, periodically distributed all over the web) related to your specific niche and that points back to your web site, is the key to getting you more "mentions," and thus, over time (through the accumulation of sufficient back links) will help your web site rank higher for your most treasured keywords.

Plugging Your Keywords and Phrases in Your Content

Now that you've come up with a list of your most important keywords, the next step is to strategically sprinkle them over your general web site content. This is important for two reasons.

If you want your web site to be ranked for specific keywords by search engines (in their search results directory), your web site content needs to mention these keywords. For example, if you are running a blog that teaches others how to overcome sales objections, your most valued keyword (or key phrase) is probably "sales objections." This is the key phrase that a typical user would search in Google; do your homework and optimize your web site properly (including sprinkling the term "sales objections" liberally and strategically). This tackles the search engine aspect of optimization.

The second reason is to maintain the sanity of your readers. If you don't mention your key phrases (e.g. sales objections), your readers may second guess whether they've arrived at a relevant web site that can help them or at a bogus one. Work your content strategically for search engines, but do so in a way that serves your readers as well.

By strategically, we're talking about using the keywords or key phrases as part of section headers, in introductory paragraphs, within the body of the main content, in concluding paragraphs, etc. Of course you shouldn't spam your keywords- this is frowned upon and prohibited by Google and other search engines.

So what's safe? How many times can you liberally sprinkle your keywords in your web site content prior to being considered a search engine manipulator? Typically, keyword densities of about 1% to 3% are safe. That is, if each body of content (each web page) consists of approximately 500 words, sprinkling each keyword about 7 to 11 times throughout, is usually not a problem. When you start seeing your keyword appear more than twice per sentence, you've got some trimming down to do. Keywords are your best friends, but don't overdo them.

Online Press Releases: Spread the Word

Press Releases can be a powerful marketing and promotion tool for businesses, and especially so for startups, because it exposes your web site to the masses in a relatively short period of time (almost immediately upon release). Of course, the main goal is to have press release content that's "press worthy." Journalists are on the lookout for striking stories likely to catch the public's attention- this is how they keep their jobs! So having an innovative or insightful story to tell is key to a successful press release.

Originality, of course, is the name of the game. If you're opening up a new bowling alley (and there are already 59 other ones in the same town), you'd better have something out of the ordinary to tell if you want your story to be realized- perhaps a bowling alley that features performances from famous rock bands every weekend.

If you're promoting a web site that helps solve an old business problem in a more effective way, helps communities increase awareness for schools and student progress, or helps advertisers cut costs dramatically, there's a phenomenally higher chance for your press release to stick, than if you're starting a "new" online gambling site.

All in all, focus on originality and being "striking"; seek out current newsworthy press releases and figure out their strong points. Collect as many as you can over the next week or two and see if you can adapt any of their characteristics to your press release. Don't reinvent the wheel when you can learn from what's already working in the markets.

Search engine optimization can be a bit daunting to take on at first. If you feel you need to consult an expert to get started, that's an option that many novices take. There are many SEO experts in the field who have seen the ups and downs since the beginning of the internet. Seeking help from those who have done it and made it will fare you better in the long run.

Whether or not you seek assistance, the tips above will most definitely give you a head start. Remember, knowledge, patience, and action is key, especially in the ever growing competitiveness of your niche market(s).

For more information on Search Engine Optimization or to obtain the services of Beautiful Planning Marketing Group for all of your search engine optimization needs please visit us online at http://www.beautifulplanning.com/purchase/seo.php or call 877-841-7244. Beautiful Planning Marketing Group has worked within the SEO industry for over seven years assisting many big name companies in gaining top tier ranking in popular search engines. Your site could be the next to appear at that PR1 coveted spot.

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