Search Engine Optimisation

The Search Engine Optimisation Process

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the process of optimising a website to achieve high ranking in the search results page. This chapter will explain the basics of SEO and how UK Small Businesses, Bloggers and individuals can use certain tools and techniques to improve their website performance.

Millions of people around the world use Search Engines (especially the UK) to find specific content on the Internet. The Search Engines use secret algorithms (mathematical formula/code) to conduct searches and produce the results shown on a Search Engine results page (SERP).

Marketers want their products to be found by consumers and have adapted by identifying what factors are required by the Search Engines. This process is called Search Engine Optimisation or SEO for short.

White Hat SEO vs Black Hat SEO – The Two Sides of Search.

There are two sides to Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). There is the White Hat SEO which is also known as Organic SEO or Natural SEO. White Hat SEO is the process of keeping within the best practise and guidelines set by the Search Engines (e.g. Google, Bing, Yahoo) to achieve a good ranking.

Black Hat SEO is the use of techniques that try to trick the search engine into displaying a high search engine result. These Black Hat techniques are usually banned by the search engines best practise guidelines. This can be a risky business and if caught can result in being excluded from the Search Engine altogether.

The 5 Elements Of Search

Google is by far the largest Search Engine in the UK. When referring to search engine ranking Google has stated there are over 200 factors that go into determining a web page Search Ranking. That aside the main priority for the Search Engines is to match a users search criteria (e.g. what a person types into Google) with web pages that relate to the search term.

Search Engines look for signals of:

Relevance
Importance
Popularity
Trust
Authority

The job of a decent search engine optimiser is to identify where the five elements can be improved and will not disrupt the user experience or the requirements of the Search Engines.

SEO – On Page and Off Page Factors

To achieve the requirements of the Search Engines and comply with the relevance, importance, popularity, trust and authority factors a business needs to look at two factors. Firstly at their web page (On Page Factors) and secondly at their external marketing activities (Off Page Factors).

On Page Factors The methods to achieve good ranking on the Search Engines come from a mix of techniques undertaken on the web site which include: the site structure, adjusting html code, and the content.
Off Page Factors refer to work not directly undertaken on the webpage mostly to create links and highlight a web sites (business or bloggers) presence on the web which includes Social Media, Affiliate Marketing, Link Building, External Press Releases etc.
(PPC – Pay per click creates links to your website but is a Search Engine Marketing activity and is explained in more detail here Pay Per Click)

Business and Bloggers SEO

We now have some understanding of Optimisation and in broad terms what is required to help improve your website for your users and the search engines. Below is a 6 step process outlining techniques and SEO tools which will help you to improve your website and help to improve your ranking.