Search Engine Optimisation takes into account the factors used by Google, Bing etc. when they position websites in their natural listings. The natural listings form the main body of a Search Engine’s pages. Paid listings are separate to natural listings. In a typical Google or Bing search, you can see the paid listings in the right column and in the yellow box at the top. The ‘natural’ listings are straight from the main index. Algorithms are used to determine the position of a web site in a Search Engine directory.

Plainly our aim is to get our site up with the top ones. We’re unlikely to get noticed if we’re number 8 on the tenth page! Only those in the Search Engine’s ‘inner circle’ know all the factors used to position sites. It’s not in the SE’s interest to tell people everything they do.

So as time has gone on, a sophisticated industry has evolved to get the most from the listings. On the one side you have SE’s like Google deliberately filing technology patents in many different areas. This makes determining their ratings methods more complex. And then you have an industry built around SEO. This uses empirical testing and measuring of various factors to determine which ones are the most important.

SEO looks at two different aspects - one is Off Page and the other is On Page. Additionally, demographics have an influence, but SEO doesn’t cover off-web factors. To understand factors relating to off-page, please see our additional editorial.

SEO ‘On-Page’

If we can make changes to our site to make it more friendly to Search Engines, this is called ‘on-page’ optimisation. This is quite straight-forward - it simply requires correctly setting up your site. It involves such factors as - Using internal links, keywords, header tags and meta tags.

That might sound like gobbledy-gook, but don’t be alarmed! Actually, though on page work is straightforward it probably accounts for little. Indeed, it could be said to basically not have much influence at all. Many years ago, you used to be able to dupe the SE’s with lots of on-page factors. However, those days are long gone.

If, however, off-page has been optimised, (and there are many inbound back-links), then on-page continues to be important. At that stage, Internal Linking and some On Page manipulation can be beneficial.

Some Words Of Caution… A phrase that shows vast numbers of results should not be your first SEO target. For instance, if you typed into a Search Engine the term Car insurance, seventy million results would be listed for the UK alone. It’s fairly obvious that seventy million competitors is a few too many for someone just getting started.

Nevertheless - Extend the phrase to Southampton car insurance and it’s under a third of a million. (Presuming that was my market). So a much more realistic target.

I’ve a much better chance in the rankings having added the word ‘Southampton’. In actual fact, it takes very deep pockets to get a premier listing for a term like ‘car insurance’. I would actually be competing with the insurance conglomerates! Not the best way to do things at all!

Therefore, we’re looking for phrases that yield less overall results - but quite accurately sum up what we do or what we offer. These ‘long tail’ phrases might contain a number of specific keywords. They could be anything from two to seven words in length. Generally we use 3 to 4 words.

We like to start Search Engine Optimisation using terms that yield less than 500K. However, if the websites at the top of the listings aren’t well optimised, we may stretch to a higher count. In time our back links will grow. Then we’ll get a better rating on some of the bigger yielding phrases. With some effort, it will be possible to have a stab at the big ones within a year. This is a nicely targeted approach. We’re after the people who are really looking to buy, so we go for phrases that convert well.

Don’t just limit building back links to your website’s home page - link them up to various sub pages as well. The Search Engines like this - especially Google. Category pages for instance are good to back-link. They very frequently link up to a range of sub-pages, so driving appropriate terms to them can be very worthwhile. Thus - don’t restrict the back links to just one page. The managing and listing of individual sub-pages is receiving growing attention from the major Search Engines.

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Basic SEO theory and ‘on page’ factors have been covered in an earlier article. However, what really matters concerns off-page SEO. It’s a sort of selection process. If another site places a link to your site then that site has given you a vote of confidence. They’re saying, “Look at them - they’ve got something interesting to say…”

There are 2 main bits to the link. First, the actual URL or web address of the page they are pointing to. And second, the ‘anchor text’ or ‘keyword phrase’ that is highlighted on the web-page for you to click. That page can then be seen as receiving one ‘vote’. To clarify, that’s a check in the box saying raise this site up the organic Search Engine lists for the phrase embedded in the link.

This always works like this. The anchor text and page pointed to are irrevocably tied together. You can only proffer a vote for a web page that has anchor text highlighted. Search Engines utilise Anchor Text as an indicator of what the page’s content is. Read that again, because it’s vital… The anchor text determines the search terms your site will be rated for.

Can you see therefore why a ‘Click Here’ link serves no SEO purpose? We’ve done no more than give those two words our vote! Who would choose to search for Click Here? Obviously no-one.

So that explains why Anchor Text takes some thought and consideration. It signifies the keyword phrases that you want to rank for. Interestingly, you’ll see the Adobe Reader download site in pole position for ‘click here’. Did they SEO that term? Categorically No! But so many sites have a ‘Click HERE to download Adobe Reader’ link on them, that they’re number one for that phrase.

So to count a ‘vote’ for a web page, the Search Engines always go to the anchor text. It is the logical thing to do. The SE’s process tries to follow the logic of a human being. It even won’t matter what the rest of the page talks about in some ways. If all the anchor text phrases that point to you say ‘yellow balloons’, then that’s what you’ll rank for! That’s irrefutable!

Obviously, a few other things come into it - Such as the title of the webpage being pointed at. And many more factors too. Just as an example - they’ll look at the spread and relevancy of the ‘voting’ sites.

But the essence of this shows that the single most important factor in SEO is lots of back-links. If these back links come from a variety of sites and have well phrased anchor texts, then so much the better. The weight, or influence of the site stands for a lot as well - A link that’s come from Adobe for example would rate much more highly than one from a local newsagent’s site.

Take time to make sure you have the appropriate keywords in place. Do perform sufficient competitor and keyword research before you firm up on your strategy. But the bottom line is this: What would a customer of yours type in the search box in order to find your product or service? Crack that one, and you’ve got your correct anchor text and phrases.

However, you can’t just use your ‘best guesses! The best results are sometimes quite unexpected. Individuals can be quite random in the way they express themselves. One person looking for a good night’s sleep might type in “Orthopaedic beds” or “New Mattress”. While someone else might automatically think to say ‘I need more sleep’.

It’s simply not worth relying on supposition. DO NOT under-estimate the value that well-phrased keywords can carry. How much visibility your site gets is absolutely dependent on this. An analogy could be drawn with a listing in the Business Yellow Pages. You’re not going to get any enquiries for Car Repairs if you’re indexed as a Hairdresser! Successful SEO is the result of meticulous analysis of keyword research.

Tags: advice, computer, education, hobbies, home, money, self improvement, SEO, shop, software, technology, Uncategorized, web, work