What is Search Engine Optimization?
So, you've created your fabulous widget store. You have blue widgets and green widgets
and fat widgets and skinny widgets. You scored the perfect domain name, www.WidgetsRus.com,
and you've got a beautifully designed site that's sure to attract people who are
looking for widgets.
But how are all those widget seeking customers going to find you?
They may find you through word of mouth. Maybe you mention your new widget store
on all the widget forums you visit. Maybe you already have a nice customer base
from your widget blog, which you update daily. Maybe you even want to pay for advertising
on Google Adwords to drive traffic to your store.
But advertising online is expensive. It would sure be cheaper and more effective
to drive traffic organically, by optimizing your widget store through the search
engines.
In a nutshell, that's what search engine optimization is. It's the process of creating
or changing your website to make it more accessible to search engines. The more
accessible your site is to the search engines, the more people will find it. If
your site is not accessible and is buried on page 10 when a possible customer searches
for "Widgets" on Google.com, that customer will never find your store. If your site
is very optimized for the search engines, they will find your store and display
it high up on their lists.
Search engine optimization is not always easy. It takes time to implement and requires
content building. You will not see results overnight. However, the results will
be worthwhile when widget searchers see your WidgetsRus.com at the top of the list,
instead of your competitors' websites.
Roxanne Grandis is a Creative Director with BV Software, makers of the award winning BV Commerce Shopping Cart Software and other ecommerce related products. Roxanne has created content for some of the largest online stores including Godiva.com, Carolee.com and Ragu.com.
She holds both a Master of Teaching and Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
from NYU.