What is Search Engine Optimization?

What is Search Engine Optimization ?

If you ask 100 Internet marketing advisors to define search engine optimization, you’re likely to get 100 different interpretations of a search engine optimization definition. The reason for this is: Very few Internet marketing advisors can offer their clients a comprehensive approach to SEO. They usually focus on one or two aspects of SEO and provide their clients with incomplete search engine optimization information to cover for the gaps in their expertise.

At Brick Marketing, we get calls everyday from people that have been provided only a narrow portion of the full spectrum of search engine optimization services and want a straight answer about SEO. To that end, we offer this page to explain what search engine optimization is in plain language because the more informed that our clients are, the easier it will be for us to help them achieve their goals.
What is Search Engine Optimization?

Simply put, search engine optimization is the process of improving the quality and volume of web traffic to a website by employing a series of proven SEO techniques that help a website achieve a higher ranking with the major search engines when certain keywords and phrases are put in the search field.

To put this into context, consider your own Internet search habits. When you want to find information, your first instinct is to use a search engine because it is the fastest and easiest way to get it. Once the search results are posted, you’re far more likely to explore the links on the first page of results because they are the most relevant to what you are looking for and allow you to find what you’re looking for easily.

That is the goal of search engine optimization. To optimize your website so that the major search engines rank your site as highly as possible which, in turn, leads to a greater volume of qualified traffic. SEO can level the playing field for your business whether your business is a Fortune 500 company or a brand new business venture trying to get noticed in a competitive field. Done properly, SEO puts your site on the left side of the page where it gains instant credibility with the very people that you wish to reach.
How does Search Engine Marketing Achieve this?

This is where SEO can be a bit confusing as there is no single, comprehensive approach that works for every website. Just as every company is unique, success with SEO requires that an Internet marketing solutions company draft a unique strategy for each client. There are no shortcuts and better rankings are achieved in weeks not days but if done properly, SEO will transform a website into a powerful web presence that creates an energy about your goods and services and engages your target audience.

To achieve this, an Internet marketing advisor will employ a combination of the following SEO practices and more:

* An SEO Strategy – SEO analysis of your site conducted by an experienced SEO advisor to identify opportunities for improvement and devise a comprehensive approach that will get results.
* Keyword Research – Thorough research of your industry and identification of which keywords and phrases will achieve the best results.
* SEO Copywriting – Content optimization using your keywords and phrases in the pages of your site to achieve higher ranking.
* Link Building – The process of creating inbound links to your website which allows your site to achieve a higher ranking.

These are the main aspects of an effective SEO strategy but there are several more methods that can be employed to help your site achieve a higher ranking. For a more thorough explanation of these and other search engine optimization definitions including: