Millions of people use search engines but many people have trouble understanding search engines, SEO and how it all works.
I imagine many people think search engines results appear “magically” after typing in the information they are looking for. Years ago I guessed Google grabbed the websites from a “lottery ball” method. It really is a lot more precise and complicated then most people comprehend. 🙂
Understanding search engines and the basics of how Google gets their results for you will help you identify important factors of SEO and why there is a genuine need to know search engine optimization.
Google recently put a 3 minute video together to help you with understanding search engines. Take a look at Matt Cutts (One of the important team players from Google!) as he explains search engines and how Google works. This video has great visuals to help make sense of it all!
After viewing this video, if you’d like help understanding search engines and SEO, we are here to assist you! Let’s take a look at your website and get it optimized to be in the best search engine results for the user and for YOUR business!
So you created a website. Now you are wondering, “How can I get my website on Google?!?” You’ve tried typing in Google your business name, but nothing comes up!
This question is a very basic question to what is called “search engine optimization.” SEO help you get your site on the first page of Google!
SEO finds good keywords people are searching for in search engines, within your field, then optimizes the site so when people type in something directly related to your product or service, these web users will find your website!
This question is the very beginning to understanding internet marketing. There are many different factors that helps your site get better ranking in search engines such as Google, Yahoo or Bing!
Google also offers you SEO tips to know how you can do well in search ranking. Google “Google Webmaster Tools.” Reading Google Webmaster Tools is the first step to get your website into Google.
But the work doesn’t stop there!
Take a look at some of our other SEO blog posts to help you learn more about SEO and your business. I wrote another post called “Is My Website in Google?” Learn more and read that post!
Want more answers? Contact us today so we can help you get started on the right foot for your business with internet marketing!
Have you seen the term “white hat” &Â “black hat” SEO?
These are two terms used to differentiate between safe and risky search engine optimization (SEO):
- White Hat SEO – Recommended, strategic, SEO operations by search engines such as Google, Yahoo or Bing. Examples can include: Using meta tags or adding your website link to other websites that rank better then yours.
- Black Hat SEO – Illegal or hidden or deceptive methods to improve ranking in search engines. Examples can include: Hidden text on the website or bad linking. (Linking with bad sites)
Be cautious! Advancing in the wrong direction with black hat SEO can be detrimental to your website!
When I read comments posted to our SEO blog, I always look at the website that is posted with the comment. Occasionally, I will see websites that have black hat SEO embedded into their website. I always delete these comments if I see them on the website. Why? Because we do not want to be linked to any website that is involved with black hat strategies.
When Google and other search engines find a website using black hat techniques to help improve their Google ranking, that site can be ranked poorly or even be banned. It can take a lot of time to be reconsidered by a search engine once you’ve been banned. If Google connects us with a banned site, we could get banned also. And we don’t want that and neither should you!
Our SEO business works to follow the guidelines set out by each search engine in addition to following Biblical principles. “What does that mean?”, you ask. It means we have morals, guidelines, rules in our SEO work and we follow what authorities say.
Don’t get caught up with illegal (black hat) SEO. If you want to learn good SEO ethics (white hat) continue to follow our SEO blog, or send us an email with your question.
Ultimately remember this:
It is our desire to help you have a website that is SEO friendly, user friendly and developed so that people searching for your business, service or product in a search engine will find YOUR website!
You can trade blog posts with other bloggers to have quality backlinks. In exchange, the other blogger will write a post for your website with a backlink to their website.
Here are 5 steps to blog post exchanges:
- Find relevant websites that blog. You can search for Google blogs at: http://blogsearch.google.com/
- Find websites that have a higher page rank (PR) then your blog.
- Find websites that are free, indexed and relevant.
- Send an email to the blogger to request a blog post exchange.
- Write a blog post and deeplink within the blog post.
This method of creating quality backlinks and deep links is preferred over exchanging links because it adds content. Many bloggers prefer this method so their website has relevant links with new content!
Write blog post exchanges and add deeplinking value to your website!
Matt Cutts recently wrote his thoughts about Google Instant. Although Google Instant is still unavailable to everyone, you can see what it is like! (If you don’t like it, there is a link to go back.) So what did Matt Cutts say? And what did he say about SEO?
Google Instant is making searching so advance that it is waiting for you to type in what you want to search for. (Google Instant results will give you search results faster then you are typing!) Google Instant mentions that you will save 2-5 seconds per search compared to the previous Google search.
So what about Google Instant and SEO? Will search engine optimization die? Not according to Matt Cutts, head of Google’s Webspam team. People might change the way they search for information in search engines or through social media, but search engine optimization is very much alive and well. Matt Cutts states this:
“But that doesn’t mean that SEO will die. I’ve said it before, but SEO is in many ways about change. The best SEOs recognize, adapt, and even flourish when changes happen.”
If you are thinking about creating a website or don’t understand the how and why of search engine optimization, it’s not going to go away or get easier! Millions of people are on the internet searching for the specific products or information they want. SEO will always exist but it will need to change based on the needs of technology and the user.
Are you a Christian? Are you shining for Jesus in this dark world? Living for God means serving as Jesus did. It can be challenging, but Christians have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us to enable us to live a life that is more like Jesus and less like ourselves. Some of these ways include:
- Our words and conversation – They should be pure without unkind words or cussing, and encouraging to others!
- Our charity – Giving of our time, our gifts and our money to help those who are in need physically and mentally.
- Living a pure life – Not only does this mean sexually, but also in our thoughts, actions and deeds.
Our life should be lived as a servant, as Jesus did while on this earth. Our lives should not be boastful or prideful. but show the fruit of the spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
So how does this coincide with Christian search engine optimization? My answer is simple. You can shine for Jesus on the internet to the millions of people who are searching for the answer you have! Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. God has opened your eyes and given you the gift of eternal life. Don’t hide this gift! Share it with the world!
Are you shining for Jesus?
If you want to know how to do this with your website through Christian internet marketing, contact us today and we will put you on a path so you can make a difference for the one who has given you life ~ Jesus!
Question: How do I get people to visit my website?
Answer: You don’t! The better way to market your website is to let people who are searching for your product or business in a search engine (Such as Google or Yahoo) find your website!
Do you see the difference? In the old days of marketing, TV ads, radio spots and print ads “waved flags” and did silly stuff to try and get the attention of the consumer. The larger the crowd, the more the marketing cost in hopes of gaining greater sales!
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps the small business be found in a very large internet world. When people search for information, products or businesses, you want your small business to be found above the competition. Correct? 🙂
To answer the question a little deeper, there are lots of factors to be considered to get traffic to your website. Here are a five basic factors to look at:
- Is your website search engine (SEO) friendly?
- Do you comment and share your website link with other websites?
- Do you have any web development issues that might hinder search engines from returning to your website?
- Do you carry business cards that advertise your website?
- Do you add content frequently to your website?
If you want to discuss these in more detail, leave a comment or contact us! We’ll be glad to consult with you on search engine optimization and internet marketing to help get people to find and visit your website!!
Ever asked yourself, “Why are backlinks important?” Today we will examine this question from an SEO perspective so you don’t make a common mistake!
Search Engines, (Such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo) use backlinks as a way to tell whether a website is popular. Imagine trying to determine what websites should be in search results for the phrase someone just typed into their search bar! Let me give you an example we all can relate to about popularity.
Go back with me to your high school days. (Yes, I said your high school days! 🙂 ) Popularity contests occur all the time in high school. If you had popular friends, it made you popular. If you had half of the freshman class like you, it really didn’t help you out. The popular friends (other well-known websites) you become friends with and get backlinks from, the more valuable your website appears to search engines! This is one way search engines measure your importance from the millions of sites on the internet.
♦ It’s good to build a website, but unless you create backlinks, your hard work building a site will be for nothing. ♦
Here are 5 areas you can start getting backlinks from:
- Clients or Business Partners
- Quality directories or backlink sites like Links Do Matter
- Social Media profiles
- Articles and Press Releases
- Video sites
Don’t let this step of search engine optimization get lost in the scheme of work to be completed. Need more information or direction? Contact us and get started today because backlinks are important!!
Google concepts and internet marketing are always changing! If you are a small business trying to keep up, get on your running shoes and let’s go!
If you look at Google search results, you will see results for whatever you type into the search bar. In my example I typed in the words “iphone 4.”
Note the different types of results you get! If you want to find your website on the first page of Google, you will need to have an understanding of SEO and internet marketing.
5 types of Google search results:
Paid Advertising – Also known as pay-per-click. This advertising costs money each time a user clicks on the ad. This can cost a lot of money if you are not certain what keywords are best to use. You can get a great ROI if marketed correctly.- Organic – Organic results are free and results can linger. It takes knowledge, detail and expertise to comprehend the 200+ variables of search engine optimization. (SEO) Outsource this type of internet marketing to a reliable SEO company.
- News – These results are primarily newspaper sites and blog that follow specific criteria to be considered in the news category.
- Images – Add an image to your website and optimize your images with correctly added keywords to enhance the ability to have your images appear in image results.
- Video – Take advantage of video marketing! It’s smart to add optimized videos to Youtube. (Although there are many other video websites.)
If you are a small business with a physical address, make sure to take advantage of all the internet marketing available to you! How do you market your business? Do you know how many ways you can promote your small business?
There are many factors that make up Google concepts and internet marketing. Google’s information is free! Make sure to use good SEO concepts and internet marketing concepts to make your web business a success!