Search Engine Optimisation

Search Engine Optimisation or SEO is a term most of you will have heard of but some of you may not be too clear on what it's all about.

To put it in VERY simple terms, it's about getting your website ranked highly on the search engines - that is appearing on the first page. It's actually a very complicated subject and companies charge anything from £40 per page to £3000 before they will even look at your site.

But there are a few simple things you can do yourself to aid in the Search Engine Ranking game! Get links back to your site! That means asking other websites and directories to link to your website. But you don't just want any old link. Some links score better 'points' than others, especially for Google!

So what links are best. You want links from complimentary sites - those websites who provide goods or services compatible with your own. For example you might sell organic make-up, so a link from an organic vegetable provider would be a good link but one from a mortgage advisor wouldn't be as powerful, earning less 'points'.

And try to get links that use your keywords as the link text rather than your web address - e.g. Organic Cosmetics instead of www.yournaturalbeautystore.com or Keel Soft Toys instead of www.greattoys4u.co.uk . If your keywords are part of you web address it isn't so bad but a text link is still better e.g. www.childrensbooks.co.uk has the right words but a link saying Children's Books would score more.

This is only a very small insight into improving your rankings. There are lots of other things to be done but hopefully it's given you something to think about. If you would like some more info then ask us at the next WBa meeting on June 10th.