Despite what you may hear, search engine optimization isn't entirely free. In fact, some companies spend tens of thousands of dollars each year trying to get their websites ranked in the number one organic ranking. This is not only expensive, but can take loads of time. If you think SEO doesn't cost a cent, than think again. However, if you have the time to spend, you sure can save a lot.
Before undergoing any changes to a blog or web site, you must determine what keywords people are using to search for your programs. You want keyword terms that are frequently used but have little or no competition from other websites. This improves the chances of increasing web page ranking significantly. Marketing professionals can research possible keywords by talking to current students and using free online tools such as Adwords Tool which provides estimates of search volume and advertising competitiveness.
Once you've done the initial keyword research, its time to start investigating your competition for that given keyword. Do a search for the keyword or keyword phrase you've chosen and analyze the websites that appear in the first three positions. You'll want to evaluate on page factors as well as optimization factors like the number of inbound links to their website and directory listing. This research gives you a good understanding of your competition.
You can also learn more about a topped ranked website by researching it via Alexa.com for additional ranking information. Try for keyword phrases that have less than 2 million competing pages, less than PR 6, and less than 500 in-bound links. If the top competing websites are too large, you should pick a different keyword to focus on.
After choosing the most effective keyword phrases for your niche, design web pages to optimize readability for web site browsers and search engines. Basic areas of on-page optimization you should consider include having the appropriate headers for landing pages, a clear call to action and clean navigation. Your keyword phrase should also be used in meta tags and throughout your web page. Don't overdue it though, keyword stuffing can result in significant penalties from search engines.
I'm often asked for the one magic formula that will raise someones search engine rankings above all others. The answer is very simple, in bound links. Google evaluates the quality of a website based on a number of factors but the most important are simply page rank and inbound links. Focus on building inbound links from third party sites that are well established, have a number of sites linking into them, and carry a Google page rank of 3 or more. This will improve your rankings very quickly.
As you focus on SEO your chances of improving rankings increases twofold. Search engine optimization is ideal for anyone who doesn't want to spend a great deal of money on performance based advertising like Google Adwords. Instead of spending cash, spend time and energy on improving organic rankings. Pay attention to on page optimization criteria and start researching and contacting other sites for link building. This will enhance website PR value and improve rankings.
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