An Introduction to SEO

As a business owner, you've probably heard the term "SEO" pop up countless times in journals and discussions about online marketing, but may still be totally unsure about what it is or how it can benefit your business. To make this very large topic a bit clearer, here's a brief introduction to SEO.

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation, and its main focus is making a business's website as compatible as possible with the way search engines work. Google, Bing, and any other engine used by consumers, operates according to a specific algorithm, which is changing all the time. Optimising a business's website starts with keyword research; selecting certain words and phrases related to the given company's products or services, and applying them to online content. Of course, this isn't the only factor that makes up the whole of SEO, but understanding how keywords affects a website's ranking will give you a better idea of how SEO works.

Once you've integrated SEO into your business's website, you're likely to see a sudden increase in both traffic and sales, usually far greater than what you'd get with PPC or other marketing techniques. One of the great things about SEO is that it targets consumers who were looking for your business in the first place, which has allowed business owners a marketing method through which they can avoid flashy, obtrusive ads. If you searched for a product or service right now, would you be more likely to click on an actual site or an ad that's been awkwardly placed in the borders?