How To Build A Website That Google And The Other Search Engines Can't Miss!

Last year, my wife helped me learn a valuable lesson about the internet and the importance of search engines and search engine optimization (SEO).

I was sitting a few feet away from her while she was using the computer. She was finishing up graduate school at Ashland University at the time, and she was going to look up some information on AU’s website.

She started Internet Explorer and Google popped up. In Google, she typed “Ashland University” and clicked the search button. Ashland’s website was listed first, and she clicked it and was on her way.

“Why did you do that?” I asked.

“Do what?” she said.

“You know that AU’s website address is www.ashland.edu, so why did you go to Google first?”

She replied, “That’s the way I always do it. It’s easier that way.”

This blew my mind. I started talking to other people, and found out that my wife isn’t the only one. A LOT of people use search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN to get to their favorite websites, even if they already know the address. 99% of all internet users report using search engines, such as Google.

This illustrates how important search engine optimization (SEO) is and that your search engine ranking show up in Google and the other search engines -- even for the people who already know your website address.

If you look in your local yellow pages, I’m sure you will find several companies who design websites. Unfortunately, the vast majority of web developers don’t know the secrets to search engine optimization for their client’s website to show up at the top of the search results.

If you think about it, the people you’re trying to reach (new customers) are using a search engine and probably aren’t searching for your business by name. They are looking for the product or service that your company provides. If your search engine placement can start showing up near the top of the list, you have a serious leg up on the competition.

Did you know that every web page has hidden code that Google and other search engines use to index your web page? The vast majority of businesses who already have websites haven’t properly used this “hidden code” (called metatags) so their websites aren’t getting the search engine ranking they should. This is the key secret to improve search engine placement, and it’s free. I’ve studied exactly how Google and other search engines index pages, and have figured out the secrets to help your company get the best possible search engine ranking. You can also sign up for pay-per-click campaigns on Google and other search engines to increase the order that your website appears during a search as well as use different key words to increase traffic to your site.

Here are some other tips that will help with search engine optimization…

Create a page where you can trade links with other websites. It might another local business, OR it might be related businesses, for instance, a company who sells tires on a used car dealership’s website. The key is to get them to post a link on their website pointing to your website, and then you post a link on your site pointing to theirs. Google loves this… one way they measure the significance of a website is by how many links point to it. So get as many people as you can to link to your website and your search engine placement will shoot up!

This article contributed by Spire Advertising & Web Design--Leveraging powerful results for small business leaders.

Jeremy Harrison is the founder of Spire Advertising & Web Design.