Website Design, Search Engine Optimization

Some people may be confused over difference between a search engine and a directory. Why is it important to be in both?  To the everyday computer user it may seem transparent. What about those phone calls or emails that tell you they will submit your website to a “bazillion” search engines. Do they really mean search engines and are there really a “bazillion” of them out there? Next time they call I would ask them that question.

A recent study on Search Engine User Behavior “found that 62% of search engine users click on a search result within the first page of results, and a full 90% of users click on a result within the first three pages of search results.” The last study was done in 2002, when the statistics reflected 48% and 81%, respectively. As a search engine marketer this once again reveals the importance behind appearing on the first few pages of search results.My question would be are users learning to dig deeper for more personalized results and are the search engines providing the users with better results?

This study, supported by iProspect (a search engine marketing firm) along with Jupiter Research, also revealed that searchers are not only loyal to a specific search engine but they’re increasingly using lengthier queries. Most searchers, 82% stay with the same search engine after an unsuccessful search and try again with more or different keywords versus changing search engines. “Just 68% stayed with the same engine in 2002.” We are now seeing a new brand loyalty to search engines. It sounds like the search tool bars are working, I know it does for me.

This study also found that 36% of the searchers polled believe that companies whose websites are returned at the top of the search results are the top companies in their field. Slightly more (39%) felt neutral on this question. But then 25% said that top search engine rankings had nothing to do with market or brand leadership. Searchers are becoming more seasoned and doing more personalized research. Therefore getting your web site to be spidered deeper so that it will be found for these customized searches is even more important. The information also supports gaining a better understanding of who and how your clients are finding you.

For the entire article and more statistics you may read the article at:
http://searchenginewatch.com/searchday/article.php/3598011

Click this link for a full copy of the Search Engine User Behavior Study .

Adding good quality information (content) to your web site is never a waste of time. The process of SEO is really making an investment in your site and business. The goal is to make your web site the “authority” on your product and services. Once you get known by the engines for that kind of content, other sites will start linking to your site (boosting your popularity) as a great source of reference. The search engines will view the site as quality content, due to the popularity in linking, and the site can be depended on, therefore the site improves in rankings. SEO is really about making your site the best it can be.

The goal of SEO is to optimize the entire site so that it’s the best it can be for the search engines as well as your users (viewers). My job (as SEO) is to help it to be found in the engines for  lots of  phrases that relate to it, but as you know I can’t simply *place* a site in the engines for a specific keyword, in a certain position. That is where PPC (pay per click) comes in.

Within your content you want to analyze the key words on each page, that are relevant to your business. This will help your potential customers to find you and educate them about your goods or services. SEO does not happen over night and it really is a process, the rules are always changing and what works one day may not work another. From my experience good quality “content is king” and it will remain that way. Adding links within your content using key words gives you that extra needed boost. It is never a waste of time.