SEO Terminology – 5 Terms You Should Know

SEO Terminology 5 Terms You Should Know

SEO Terminology – 5 Terms You Should Know – One of the reasons Search Engine Optimization seems so complex is that it there are so many foreign terms used. In this short article, I’ll list some of the most common terms and will try my best to give you “geek free” definitions.

 

  1. SEO

 

SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization.” This is a set of techniques and processes used by a SEO Specialist to improve your website’s rankings in the search engines for a particular set of keywords, or keyword phrases.

 

Of course, the real goal is to increase targeted website traffic in hopes of generating new business. It’s just that this is achieved through better search engine rankings. Studies have proven that the top 1-4 listings get far more traffic than the others found on the page.

 

  1. SEM

 

SEM stands for “Search Engine Marketing.” Defining SEM is a bit tricky as many authorities have varying ideas as to what the term means.

 

However, as a general rule, SEM Specialists use three distinct practices to promote their clients’ websites:

 

  • Traditional SEO techniques including both on-page and off-page search engine optimization strategies.
  • Buying paid ads from the search engines that offer this type of service… primarily Google, Yahoo and Bing.
  • Buying paid “inclusions” from the search engines. This is paying a search engine company for a guarantee that the website will be included in the search.

 

  1. Serps

 

SERPs stands for “Search Engine Results Pages.” Basically, it’s the page that is returned to you whenever you use a search engine.

The goal of SEO is to improve your web page’s ranking amongst the other “organic” listings in the SERPs.

 

  1. Keyword Phrase

 

A keyword phrase is any set of words that is searched upon by internet “surfers.” It is the goal of the SEO Consultant to determine which keyword phrases are most relevant to your website/business and are likely to bring you targeted website traffic.

 

These keyword phrases are then used in the optimization process with the intent of getting your web page’s strong rankings for the chosen terms (aka keyword phrases).

 

  1. Backlinks

 

Defining backlinks is a challenge only because there are a variety of other terms that mean basically the same thing. You may also hear them referred to as text links, anchor text links, hypertext links, one-way links or contextual links.

 

A backlink occurs whenever another site links to yours. The link could come from an image or banner type graphic or it could be a linked piece of text.

 

For SEO purposes, the text links are of primary importance with the goal being to get links that include the keyword phrases you are optimizing for.

While there are hundreds of other SEO terms to learn, these will give you a good framework to build upon. Whether you are learning more so you can improve your own site or just want to be able to communicate better with your SEO Specialist, I encourage you to keep studying.

What Is Search Engine Optimization?

WHAT IS SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION

Search Engine Optimization

 

  • A – The top three ads in the shaded area are paid ads. They have been created through Google’s Adwords program and are Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads.

 

  • B – As I conducted a “local search,” Google is showing me a Google Map relevant to my search. The red drops, lettered “A-G,” represent the businesses that have claimed their Google Places listings.

 

  • C – These ads are also paid ads created through Adwords.

 

  • D – This is an “organic” listing that can be manipulated through SEO. You can see that this business has created/claimed their Google Places listing as the “A” tear drop appears in their listing.

 

  • E – These two listings are standard “organic” listings… the kind most are familiar with)

 

 

Search engine optimization, aka SEO, is the term that refers to the things you can do to improve your website’s visibility in the search engines. Search engine optimization techniques focus on increasing  the organic, or natural, traffic that you receive based on your ranking within the search engines. 

 

The goal of search engine optimization is to ensure your website appeals to search engine crawlers, or bots. The search engines will take note of your site and its content, categorizing it in a way that will allow it to show up in the SERPs (search engine results pages) when certain keywords are typed. 

 

Search engine optimization is achieved through a wide variety of methods. Many webmasters or SEO professionals will focus on proper keyword research, clarity in the setup of your website’s headers, tags, file names and descriptions, external backlinking, internal cross linking, and quality content creation.

 

While each search engine uses its own algorithm for determining the ranking of every page that is indexed, it is possible to increase your rankings by making your site informative and visible via both on-page and off-page techniques. Sites that are designed with ease-of-use and quality information in mind tend to do better than those built sloppily and without a solid plan.

 

Search Engine Marketing

 

Search engine marketing, or SEM, is similar to search engine optimization but focuses less on natural rankings and more on the actual promotion of a website. SEM techniques generally include natural SEO but almost always branches out to include contextual or paid search advertising.

 

Paid search advertising models became more prominent in the late 1990’s, after the search engines themselves became more popular. SEM focuses more on business-oriented websites and their overall online marketing strategies. Because many of the paid advertisements appear at the top of the search engines, the FTC in 2002 responded to complaints by clarifying that paid advertisements and website listings must be clearly denoted so that consumers do not confuse them with websites that have obtained high rankings naturally.

 

It really doesn’t matter what type of website you have, whether it’s personal or geared towards your business. Incorporating search engine optimization techniques into the creation and ongoing upkeep of your site will ensure you receive higher levels of traffic and, ultimately, greater success.

The Importance Of Backlinks

seo importance building backlinks

You may have done everything but still you’re not satisfied with the direction your business is going. It’s true that your website has all the necessary attributes to make it to the big time, but still there’s something holding it back.  And maybe you’re suspecting that your backlinks are not working as they should. It’s time for you to get professional help. You can’t afford to stay where you are on the ranking page when your competitors are now ahead of you.

 

Your website’s relevance is tied to the search engine and your backlinks play a big role in the SEO rating.

Hitching your website on backlinks which are highly regarded will give your website added prestige.  Backlinks are equivalent to road signs going to your website. The more you have of them the more your website will be easier to find. That’s the main reason why backlinks are important for SEO. But too many backlinks may also make your website prone to spam.

 

What does your website need in order to increase your backlinks? Give the consumers the opportunity of knowing your products and services better by sharing them through social media. The interaction is more intimate and there is the personal rapport which later becomes friendlier in nature and you get more visits. And the proverbial excellent web content will further boost your stock among other websites.  All these and more such as participating in forums and giving time to attend seminars give you a sense of authority when it comes to your product lines.

 

Other websites would like to associate with winners, and you portray yourself as one by following those sure measures I just mentioned above. Are you up to it? Do you want to do it alone? Do you think you can take on your rivals without professional help? The answers to these questions are crucial to the survival of your online business.

 

Building your website will require money, time, and effort.  Don’t hold back on it. Those backlinks will be the deciding factor whether your business will continue to survive or will crash out from the online scene. Your product and service exposure will depend a lot on how well your backlinks relate to your website.

 

 

There are many ways of obtaining links, and if you’re not really familiar with it you may end up losing them because of the techniques you used.

One very big no-no is buying them.  It’s considered a black hat technique and the punishment is swift and harsh. Your website will get deleted. Excessive guest posting may also link you to web pages which are promoting spam. And you may find yourself linked to a website with nothing to do with your product.

Seeking professional help will not only ensure that you get the proper links, they will also help you avoid the pitfalls of improper link build up. You can concentrate with your business without any distractions. And as you continue doing it, you will start to feel the effects of your backlinks as more and more people visits your website and buy your products and services.

In the 21st Century, Businesses Need an Online Presence

In the 21st Century Businesses Need an Online Presence

We are only 20 years into the 21st Century and already life has changed enormously, especially in commerce.

 

We are on the verge of having self-driving cars and trucks, packages that are delivered to our doorsteps by robotic drones, and widespread automation in both the home and the workplace.

 

Despite all these futuristic technological advances, one thing hasn’t changed for business owners: If you don’t continually attract and engage new customers, your business isn’t going to be successful.

 

Creating an Online Presence

 

Today’s consumers are looking for the products and services they want online. That’s a modern business fact. So if you are relying on outdated methods to attract new customers such as print media marketing, costly radio or TV ads, or direct mail, you may not be getting the most for your marketing dollar.

 

A better approach today is to cultivate an online presence using a business website, especially one that is mobile friendly. You also need a comprehensive web-based marketing campaign that includes SEO, a heightened social media presence, and an aggressive approach toward actively attracting and engaging Internet users who have shown an interest in the types of products and services you offer.

 

Building Your Web-Based Business

 

This is where “Lytron Lead Generation” can help. We specialize in heightening the online identity of both existing and new businesses. We have worked with dozens of clients both in South Florida and throughout the US establish, promote, and expand web-based business solutions that produce profitable results.

 

We can help you create a website, expand your social influence, and attract new customers both online and in the real world.

 

The 21st Century will continue to create new high-tech opportunities for businesses that are willing to adapt. “Lytron Lead Generation” can help your business optimize your response to these advancements to build your business and expand your online presence.

The Purpose of SEO Is to Attract Page Visitors Web

The Purpose of SEO Is to Attract Page Visitors

Web content has undergone a transformation in just the past couple of years. A decade or five years ago, many web designers were focused on creating blogs, web pages, or other text-based content for page visitors to read.

 

But thanks to the explosion in streaming video services, technological advancements in data storage and bandwidth, and the enhanced abilities of the new generations of smartphones and other devices, today’s web designers and content creators are increasingly using video, animation, and even virtual reality on their websites.

 

Despite this high-tech shift, one thing remains the same: People still find the content they want using keyword searches. As a result, SEO is just as important as ever.

 

Keywords and Phrases

 

What people do when they land on your web page may have evolved in recent years, but the way they arrive there hasn’t really changed that much in the past couple of decades. Page visitors usually start on one of the big search engines like Google, Bing, or Yahoo! and then input key words or phrases related to what they want to find.

 

Search engines use elaborate, sophisticated algorithms to search through the billions and billions of pages on the web to find the ones that best match the key phrases and words inputted by the person searching. To get them to land on your pages — whether it features text content, video, or anything else — you need to make sure you are including these key words and phrases in the appropriate places on your page, on its address, in its descriptions, and in other important places.

 

The More Things Change …

 

What type of content you offer on your web pages isn’t all that important to search engines. What really matters is that the pointers you use to direct people to your page meet their criteria.

 

Despite the increasing complexity of the web, one thing remains straightforward: Give search engines the SEO they want and you will get a lot of visitors. Fail to use the right keywords in the right places, and you won’t. It’s that simple.

 

Where Should You Promote Your Website?

WHERE SHOULD YOU PROMOTE YOUR WEBSITE

Even if your business has the greatest website ever built, it’s not doing any good unless people are looking at it. So web design is only half the battle. The other half is web promotion.

 

In order to attract the most visitors, your website should be promoted in both the virtual world and in the real world.

 

Where Should You Promote Your Website? Online Marketing

 

By this point, there have been volumes written about how to promote your website online. These types of online marketing can include search engine optimization, keywords, and both free and paid online ads.

 

The benefit to online marketing is that a little work or a small investment can go global. For example, promoting your website on a friend’s Facebook account or cross-marketing on your social media platforms can provide

exponential exposure.

 

Where Should You Promote Your Website? Real World Marketing

 

But marketing in the virtual world isn’t enough. In order to maximize the number of visitors to your web pages, it’s important that you promote it in the real world as well.

 

This can include such simple things as including your website address on all of your correspondence, including emails and direct mail marketing. But you also should be creative in looking for every opportunity to get your web address out in front of the public, such as putting it on banners, signs, or even balloons or t-shirts.

 

In fact, anything tangible that you can give to somebody has more value than simply posting your website somewhere. It’s practically impossible for people to remember all the web addresses they see every day. But if you can give them something they can take with them and refer back to later, they are going to be more likely to actually visit your web page.

 

Getting the most visitors to your Website requires both virtual and real-world marketing efforts.

Without a Website, Who Can Find Your Business?

Without a Website Who Can Find Your Business

Businesses today need to have an online presence. The days of opening a storefront and waiting for customers to discover your business are long gone.

 

Today, nearly all customers search for the products and services they want online. And why wouldn’t they? It’s faster, easier, and more efficient. And today more than ever, people are all about getting things done quickly.

 

 The Amazon Effect

 

Think of your own shopping habits. If you are like most people, the percentage of products you order online has gone up significantly just in the past couple of years.

 

Part of that has to do with innovative companies like Amazon, which is constantly developing ways to make buying from their website irresistible. Whether it’s promoting voice-activated devices like the Amazon Echo or floating the idea of drone deliveries, Amazon is leading the way in online ordering.

 

And other companies are following suit. Right now, retail businesses and the service industry are in the midst of a digital revolution. And no business can afford to sit on the sidelines.

 

Without a Website, Who Can Find Your Business? The Digital Revolution and Your Business

 

What does that mean for your business? While you may not have the bottomless resources for research and development that Amazon does, you can start somewhere. And for most businesses, that includes a website that customers can access online from their mobile devices.

 

Click and order retail is the future of business, whether you like it or not. Businesses that don’t embrace this future are going to find out the hard way whether or not they are on the losing side of history.

 

When you are ready to boost your business’s online presence and take part in the digital revolution that is going on around you, “Lytron Lead Generation” can help. Contact us today to find out how we can help you create the online presence that will put your business in front of prospective web-based customers.

 

Without a Website, Who Can Find Your Business.

Competitive Research Can Improve Your Website

Competitive Research Can Improve Your Website

Does your website look like everybody else’s? If so, you could be missing out on potential clients and new business because you blend in with the crowd.

 

The key to promoting your business or personal website online is to be distinctive. And the first step toward standing out from everybody else is to see what other web page owners in your niche are doing. In other words, you need to do some competitive research.

 

Competitive Research – Capturing Your Customer’s Imagination

 

The best web design is unique and distinctive. The worst is derivative and bland. Where does your website fit in?

 

If it’s in the latter, you probably aren’t realizing your full potential. Make a point of regularly checking out what your direct competitors are doing with their websites. If they all look exactly like yours, you probably need to make a change.

 

While it’s important that you get your core message across clearly and quickly to your web page visitors, you can do it in a way that doesn’t look like everybody else’s website. People looking for products and services online can be prone to “website fatigue” when clicking on one page to another.

 

But if your website has a unique perspective, great photos or images, and — most importantly — doesn’t look like anybody else’s, you stand a better chance of getting their business.

 

Making the Leap

 

Competitive research can help you identify the merits and drawbacks of your website. It’s the only way you can tell if your website is better or worse than those of your direct competitors.

 

Depending on your industry, competitive research should be done quarterly, monthly, or even weekly. It doesn’t take very long but it offers huge benefits to the quality of your website, and the profitability of your online business.

Does SEO Even Matter Anymore?

fort lauderdale web design 1

When the internet first became popular, the name of the game for small businesses was search engine optimization or SEO for short. These are the techniques web builders can use to improve the odds of their websites being ranked high on Google, Bing!, Yahoo and other popular search engines.

 

Beginning in the late ’90s and continuing until just a few years ago, most people used these search engines for school, work, and social purposes. But most importantly for businesses, they also used Google and the others to find the products and services they wanted.

 

So using SEO to get your business ranked at the top of the search engine results pages for the keywords that best describe your business was critical to your online success.

 

The Rise of the Mega Monsters

 

Flash forward to today, when a handful of big online retailers have essentially taken over the marketplace. Amazon, Wal-Mart, eBay, and a handful of others are the go-to websites for the majority of consumers who want to buy products. And apps like Uber, StubHub, Tinder, and other big players have taken over specialized online services.

 

So where does that leave your business and SEO? Does it even matter anymore?

 

The answer is: Yes! While most small businesses are never going to be able to compete with the scale or variety of products offered on sites like Amazon, they can still use SEO to attract local customers looking for specialized products and services that are specific to their business.

 

SEO in the past few years

 

For example, a consumer seeking to buy a new winter coat, might simply use Amazon or Wal-Mart. But if your business offers a specific brand of coat or coats that serve a certain audience such as long-distance runners, or customers in your specific geographic region, you can still use the web to capture that core customer using SEO techniques.

 

Mega online retailers may have exploited the internet to attract the lion’s share of web customers, but your business can use the same SEO techniques Amazon and others use to find the prospective customers and clients who are seeking the specific products and services you offer.

Use Separate Websites For Specific Audiences

Use Separate Websites For Specific Audiences

If your business uses a website to promote your brand, sell products or services, or simply generate new customer leads, you already are ahead of the game. An increasing number of people worldwide are choosing the web over every other media to find the companies, products, and services they want.

 

But what if you are doing business in one country and want to attract a more global customer base. For example, you have a business based in the US but want to be able to attract customers from Canada, the UK, or Australia. How can you do it?

 

The Money Problem

 

If you are simply offering information and not products or services that need to be paid for, you may be able to get away with just one website. But if you are doing actual business in other countries, you probably will want to consider a separate website for each country that you have paying customers.

 

The problem is with the money. While it is technically possible to accept multiple types of currencies on the same website, it can be really complicated. And you can’t expect customers to pay in your local currency. You wouldn’t want to buy a product online from China and have to pay in yen, would you? Of course not!

 

Canadian customers need to be able to pay in Canadian dollars. UK customers need to use the English pound for currency. Mexican customers want to be able to pay in pesos. If you require them all to pay in US dollars, you’re probably going to lose the sale.

 

Use Separate Websites For Specific Audiences – Focused Content

 

Another benefit of having separate websites for each country where you do business is that it gives you the ability to fine-tune your content to your specific audience. You can even use a different language.

 

When you globalize your company, you generally need to use a different website for each specific set of international customers.