Search engines and search engine optimisation
What are search engines?
In a nutshell, search engines are computer programs that gather and categorise information on the internet.
According to some surveys, more than 86% of all visitors arrive at web sites via search engines, which means that you ignore them at your peril!
Which are the most important search engines?
The main search engines are the 'Big Three'. In order of current importance these are: Google, Yahoo! and MSN. Other search engines follow behind.
Google, the search engine of choice for most users, is currently said to have indexed 8 billion web pages, and counting. Not only is Google famous for its search facility, it also offers numerous other products which you can read about here.
How do search engines work?
Google uses an array of 'bots', also known as 'spiders' or 'crawlers', that trawl the Web looking for new web site content. MSN and Yahoo, the other two in the 'Big Three' have their own versions of spiders.
If your web site has been built to be 'search engine friendly' the spider will easily be able to trawl your web site to gather information. It can then categorise your web site in the right place in its search engine database.
If your site isn't built properly the spider is likely to have trouble gathering information. This means that your web site may not get listed in search engines at all, or it might be listed poorly and won't come up in the first 30 results of any search.
Many design companies are experienced in graphic design, but don't know how to build search engine friendly web sites. What's more, some don't care whether a web site is found in a search or not, and concentrate all their efforts on making the site look beautiful.
For example, MSN states that it will only accept sites that "meet accepted standards for content, design, and technical implementation." Make sure that YOUR site achieves this by using a web site design specialist.
Remember, you might get compliments on how great your web site looks, but if it can't be found on the internet other than by using your company name or web site address, you have wasted your money.
What is search engine optimisation & marketing?
Search engine optimisation is the art and science of building web pages that are both search engine friendly and user friendly. At a bare minimum this means pages that have good coding behind them, easily navigable links and information-rich content (see search engine copy writing).
It also means using your 'key words' in the right density on each page and in the coding behind it. 'Key words' are the search words that visitors might use to find your site.
Search engine optimisation is also about avoiding having a web site
that is heavily graphics orientated, or made from
Flash animations, or is using so-called 'black
hat' search engine optimisation techniques, the latter of which will get
your site banned by search engines.
Contact M35 design now to find out how we can help your business to succeed on the Web.
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