Search Engine Optimization White Paper - Developing A Seach Engine Strategy For Your Web site - Page 2 of 2

Step 1: Determine key phrases
To successfully reach your potential customers, it is imperative to first stabilize your target by determining key phrases. At this point you'll need to "get into the heads" of a potential customer by thinking of the kinds of words that one would type into a search engine's search box. Be somewhat specific. General keywords such as "construction" or "insurance" are unlikely to be successful. Also, think in terms of the vernacular of your customers and avoid industry specific titles and jargon. Consider for example a Web site that manufactures home heating boilers for residential hot water heating systems. Targeting the words "furnace" and "heater" are important, despite the fact that their product is technically neither a furnace or a heater.

Choose three to six key phrases and prioritize them. While designing and writing copy for the site, this hierarchy will become important.

Step 2. Develop the Site Around the Key Phrases
This process involves both copywriting and design. It is important to feature the selected key phrases prominently on the home page or selected interior pages by using them in page titles, headlines and hyperlinks.

Step 3. Submit to search engines
This is actually the easiest part of the process. All major search engines have a link on their home page called "Add URL" or "Add your site". Submitting is simply a process of
going to each site and providing the address of your site and usually an email address as well. Special instructions for Yahoo are outlined earlier in this document.

Step 4. Request Links
The Accessibility of Information on the Web article cited earlier states that there is direct correlation between the number of sites linked and the probability of being indexed. Sites with 2-10 links to them are three times more likely to be indexed by search engine spiders than sites with no links. In addition, the site is likely to be indexed faster, because the probability of the spider following a link to the site increases the chances of indexing. Also, search engine ranking algorithms consider links to the site as a sign of credibility and will rank the site higher. Further, recently discovered evidence suggests that some search engine actually rank sites found via links higher than sites that are submitted, raising the possibility that submitting the site might actually cause a lower ranking. Finally, links to the site are beneficial for bringing traffic on their own. Often site visitors who follow these links are better qualified than those finding the site via search
engines.

Step 5. Constant Follow-up
Checking rankings, making modifications, re-submitting the site and keeping an eye on competition for rankings is an ongoing process. Check your positions at least once a
month and be aware of the rise and/or fall of the site's rank. Look at the sites above yours (and the sites with links to them) and try to determine what those sites are doing right. Also, examine your site traffic reports, which can tell you where your traffic is coming from and the keyword queries that brought those visitors to the site.

A New Reality: Paid Placement
For the past several years, submitting your site's URL to search engines and directories has been a no-cost proposition. However, in an attempt to boost revenues, several
directory sites have recognized their power and now charge a fee to be listed in their databases. This seems to be a trend which started when Yahoo began its "Business Express" service in 1998. Until recently, this service was an optional way for site owners to get listed in Yahoo in an expedited fashion. Now, ALL commercial interests must pay $299 to be included in Yahoo's directory.

Another directory service that can't be ignored is LookSmart. Although their name is not as well-known as Yahoo's , LookSmart is important because their service is used by several of the best-known search engines to power their categorized "directory" sections. These sites include MSN, Excite, AltaVista, and IWon. Over three hundred smaller sites use the LookSmart Directory as well. LookSmart offers two levels of service. Their "Express Submit" service guarantees you'll be listed (assuming your site meets their reasonable guidelines) in two business days. The "basic" service requires an eightweek wait to be listed.

The GoTo service is also gaining momentum as a major source of site traffic and a cost-effective advertising vehicle for your site. The recent addition of GoTo listings at several major portals, including AOL and Lycos, has increased their traffic significantly and has established GoTo as a "major player" in the search engine market space. We have clients who are having success with GoTo's unique "bid-for-placement" system.

Here is how it works: companies or organizations that want to be listed simply sign up and agree to pay a set amount of money for each search keyword or phrase by which they would like to be found. The listing rank is determined via an auction-type system. Listings are ranked according who bids the highest. The amount the listed party is paying is clearly stated with their listing. When the user clicks-through to the listed party's website, the listed party pays the amount they bid for that keyword. A charge is only incurred when the user clicks. As might be expected, popular keywords on GoTo are more expensive than obscure ones. For example, as of this writing, the top bid for the keyword "lawyer" is $3.50, while the top bid for a more obscure term, "heating elements" is only 3 cents. An important element of maximizing your GoTo investment is to attempt to be listed in the top three results, which are displayed on the at the very top of search results at AOL. This is very desirable placement which is sure to bring a good deal of traffic. It is also necessary to continually evaluate your position in relation to other sites and make judgment calls on the value of outbidding competitors.

Conclusion
Search engine marketing can be a confusing and frustrating process, but can also be the most cost-effective way to obtain new customers for your business. The bottom line is this: The more time, effort and/or money spent on search engine marketing equals better and faster results. It is possible to spend several hours per week optimizing and "tweaking" your site for best results, checking rankings, resubmitting and staying on top of the latest changes and trends. One could also go so far as to create separate home pages for each search engine, or create separate "dummy" sites just for the purpose of linking to the target site. You will most likely need to make aesthetic compromises to the look of your site in order optimize it for search engines.

Increasingly, pay-for-placement directories and enhanced paid services are becoming more prevalent and appear to be a trend. This fact is a double-edged sword. While "free" is always better than "paid", it is more desirable to pay Yahoo $299 and rest assured in the knowledge that your site will be listed within a week, than to submit to a free service and wait months for inclusion, which may never occur. Planning and knowledge combined with a good dose of patience and perseverance are your most useful assets.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, contact our office at 610-409-1605.

Top Search Engine Sites
AOL Search - www.aol.com
AltaVista - www.altavista.com
Direct Hit - www.directhit.com
Excite - www.excite.com
Fast Search - www.alltheweb.com
Go - www.go.com
Google - www.google.com
GoTo - www.goto.com
HotBot - www.hotbot.com
IWon - www.iwon.com
Looksmart - www.looksmart.com
Lycos - www.lycos.com
MSN - www.msn.com
Netscape - www.netscape.com
Northern Light - www.northernlight.com
Open Directory - www.dmoz.org
Yahoo - www.yahoo.com