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Secrets
Marketing on the Internet is a challenge and as the internet grows every day and more and more people put up websites and fight to get theirs higher up the search results list on Google, it all gets a bit overwhelming. Especially if you're responsible for marketing your business!
Not all marketing has to be costly and search engine marketing (SEO) is one of those areas which happily, can be achieved on a low budget. There are a few basics that you need to know when you create a website but these can also be applied if you already have one. Your web developer will have to do some of these, but they're not difficult:
If you haven't already, buy a domain name that has some reference to what you do, as it helps the search engines recognise what your site is about. E.g. if your business name is Smiths and you landscape front yards, try something like www.smithsfrontyards.com. It can be hard to find domain names that aren't already taken so you might have to think laterally to get one that works for you, but doing it this way will pay off in the long run.
In the coding for your website (the source code), your web developer can add in “page titles” (which usually appear at the top of your browser when you load a page). It's worth giving these some thought so that they say what the page does, then the search engines have an easy reference point.
Also in the coding, you get to add a “description” for each page – this is the bit that Google pulls when it lists you in its search results, so use it as an advert rather than a list of keywords or tags. Again your web company can add this for you.
Add keywords (words which relate to your products and services) into the code aswell (or meta tags) just so it's clear what your site is all about. Your keywords should also appear in the main text of your website otherwise search engines become suspicious that you're not doing what you say you are. Don't use too many, though, otherwise the content won't make sense and you'll be moved down the results list for “keyword stuffing”!
One of the most effective ways to improve the chances of your website being found by search engines is to find other websites who will link to yours. To work properly though, they must be relevant and preferably good sites which are recognised by the search engines as “authorities” in their field (e.g. www.abcnews.com is an “authority” site). Not as easy as it sounds because it can take time to get good links, but if you stick at it it definitely pays off. Google particularly places more importance on websites which have a lot of high quality links.
All of the above are absolutely necessary to give your website a fighting chance of being found without advertising. They're also very low cost or no cost if you manage your own site so there's no excuse!
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