What is SEO or Search Engine Optimization?

This is such an over-overused term and it has come to mean different things as internet marketing has evolved. Internet marketing "companies" have developed language that makes this subject difficult to understand when in fact it isn't. Using hard to understand or industry specific language may or may not prove you know "a lot". This reveals a lot more about the messenger than the message. I want to be able to discern the "sales pitch" from consultants and vendors who really have the product or services that best serves my clients' needs.

In the past what was important in SEO was "page ranking". What is is important now is the number of entities that tell a consistent story of your the business name, contact information, owners name, owners photo, geographic service area and whether you are a service or storefront business. The more "entities" that show up on line is called off-site SEO. On-site SEO speaks to correct geography, correct contact, owners information and photos plus relevant keywords throughout the site that speak directly to the specific types of on line searches a business wants appear. In the example of my well driller, there are specific techniques that work better than others to increase on-site SEO. The important ways are in tabs, titles and text that refers to Geography and keywords throughout the website. Attention to both of these areas (off-site and on -site) results in better quality scores for your website and overall better ranking under competitive keywords.

In our culture today photos and videos out perform websites and ads overall. Making sure you have lots of consistent photos across the web will increase rankings and quality scores. Videos embedded on websites increase time on site which in the long run increases quality score which in turn increases rankings.

SEO can change slightly daily. No person's search is exactly the same. tracking software, ip addresses and user settings influence search results. Consistent updating of information on website and off site will help and continue to help over time. Content added today can take up to 6 months for the best results to be evident depending on the competition in business searches. Usually effects can be seen in 90 days or sooner.

Avoid anything confusing. Multiple phone numbers, tracking lines, address confusing, name confusion, lack of owner identification, unclear service areas, and trying to cover too many services or businesses at one time lead to confusion which leads to lowering of quality scores and on line rankings for search engines.