To develop a website without a thought out search engine optimization (SEO) plan will lead to launching a sub-par site that will struggle to find an identity and an audience. If a website is going to find its niche and achieve its full potential, SEO should be where planning starts and not an afterthought. A slight shift in planning by web developers will help them launch a more targeted site that fits into an internet that is more controlled by search engines than ever before.
- SEO plans are a gateway to the masses – According to internetworldstats.com nearly 80% of the United States is using the internet and worldwide users are closing in on two billion. Google, which is both the market leader in the US and globally performs over 34,000 searches per second which is over 3 billion per day.
- SEO plans put sites inside the doorway to global markets – Sites appearing on the first 2 pages of the major search engines (Google, Yahoo, and Bing), have a proportionate increase in consumer awareness which leads to an increase in sales. There is a symbiotic relationship between search engine page ranking and product market share.
- SEO plans build and reward credibility – Search engines have complex algorithms that measure websites on many different criteria. Google’s algorithm reportedly has over 200 measurement points. At their core, the algorithms are measuring site quality which can be increased by having links from credible organizations including educational, government, and established web sites. Credibility can also be increased through time. The longer the domain has been owned and is live and having an expiration date longer than a year from expiration are both signs of increased credibility. As sites earn credibility they are rewarded through improved search engine results.
- SEO plans provide content focus – A focused and coherent site is always better. People want clear defined purpose with an easy to understand interface. Build your site to be easy to navigate and understand and site visitors will reward you with return visits. The time spent choosing the right keywords and phrases will provide great content to write to. You shouldn’t be writing content to satisfy abstract keyword results, but you should be integrating content with appropriate targeted keywords that will provide site visitors with a focused and coherent message.
- SEO plans assist in building sites using current technology – Are you developing your site using outdated HTML tags, are you relying too heavily on Flash? The search engines are relying on the latest technology to improve their searches. You should understand what technologies they are embracing and which ones they are leaving behind.
One thing is a constant on the internet and that is that everything always changes. Search engines are at the center of that change. As more people rely on search engines to manage their web experiences, developing an SEO plan first before designing and coding begins is essential. Implementing SEO-friendly practices before you begin building your site will help you create a unique identity and ultimately find your audience.
Ken has developed corporate websites, online communities, and online panels. He holds an M.B.A. from Dominican University and can be followed on Twitter at @KennethZenger
Comments