My previous post discussed Social Media marketing and its implementation. I felt that the most natural progression from this topic, particularly with regards to SMEs, was to Search-based marketing. Search marketing can be broken down into 3 main methods of search engine based marketing.
1. SEM – Search Engine marketing
2. SEO – Search Engine Optimisation
3. SEA – Search Engine Advertising
SEM is the umbrella term essentially for the following two. SEM can incorporate SEO or SEA or both. The objective of any and all of these marketing methods is to affect the search engine results pages SERPs in favour of, for example, a company website. In other words, these techniques can ensure that the website appears high on a search results page after a key term is searched.
Of SEO and SEA, I want to focus on SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation. It can be defined as the process of getting traffic from the “free,” “organic,” “editorial” or “natural” listings on search engines. In laymans terms, it involves manipulating characteristics in search engine functionality to ensure that your website or webpage appears in related search results. Critically, many, if not most, of SEO tactics that are implemented can be accomplished by the SME itself for little or no cost. When I say SEO tactics, I need to emphasise that there is a vast amount that can theoretically be done to optimise where a site appears in a search. However, as is the case with the rest of this blog, I will try to ensure any technical jargon is explained.
In the article How to Use Search Engine Optimization Techniques to Increase Website Visibility by John Killoran (2013), the author concludes an extensive number of SEO approaches that can be taken to affect SERPs. Examples of what Killoran proposed include:
1. SEM – Search Engine marketing
2. SEO – Search Engine Optimisation
3. SEA – Search Engine Advertising
SEM is the umbrella term essentially for the following two. SEM can incorporate SEO or SEA or both. The objective of any and all of these marketing methods is to affect the search engine results pages SERPs in favour of, for example, a company website. In other words, these techniques can ensure that the website appears high on a search results page after a key term is searched.
Of SEO and SEA, I want to focus on SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation. It can be defined as the process of getting traffic from the “free,” “organic,” “editorial” or “natural” listings on search engines. In laymans terms, it involves manipulating characteristics in search engine functionality to ensure that your website or webpage appears in related search results. Critically, many, if not most, of SEO tactics that are implemented can be accomplished by the SME itself for little or no cost. When I say SEO tactics, I need to emphasise that there is a vast amount that can theoretically be done to optimise where a site appears in a search. However, as is the case with the rest of this blog, I will try to ensure any technical jargon is explained.
In the article How to Use Search Engine Optimization Techniques to Increase Website Visibility by John Killoran (2013), the author concludes an extensive number of SEO approaches that can be taken to affect SERPs. Examples of what Killoran proposed include:
- Frequently posting useful new content that would invite not only inbound links from traditional websites but also sharing throughout the audience’s social networks through “likes” and tweets.
- Rewarding inbound links, comments, discussion, sharing of content, and other forms of engagement.
- Adding one-button functionality to readily enable content to be relevantly tagged, bookmarked, embedded, tweeted, and so forth in social media.
- Proactively posting content to social media sites, such as documents on Scribd, slides on Slideshare, videos on YouTube. (Killoran 2013)
However, while the report is incredibly thorough and very recent, there sheer quantity of content is overwhelming. A clearer, more succinct process is necessary. I managed to find one on an SEO blog (Moz.com 2009). As the picture below Illustrates, the order by which to implement various SEO tactics is clearly outlined. (Note: Spiders are search engine tools that constantly scan the web and index sites and files). It is important to point out that while the process below is very clear, it lacks in the specifics of Killoran's article. Furthermore, John Killoran outlines the importance of being aware of new search engine algorithms as they hold the key to effective SEO (Killoran 2013).
SEO Building Blocks
While all of the SEO may sound very complicated, its merely the process of constantly building and managing the website in such a way as to affect SERPs. Some of you may prefer to establish a foundation, or hierarchy of sorts, that further reinforces how SEO works and how all content and online activity related to the website can be built upon and utilised. The model below tiers the SEO building blocks in order of importance with all the critical basic elements starting from the bottom and working their way up. This model can be used in conjunction with the order of operations above. Be warned, however, the models can compliment each other but complete harmony in terms of functionality is not guaranteed. See the image below.
Killoran, J. B., 2013. How to Use Search Engine Optimization Techniques to Increase Website Visibility. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, 56(1), pp. 50-66.
Image Order of Operations source: http://moz.com/blog/4-essential-seo-infographics
Image SEO Building Blocks: http://cashflowbizz.wordpress.com/2013/12/16/seo-building-blocks/
Image Order of Operations source: http://moz.com/blog/4-essential-seo-infographics
Image SEO Building Blocks: http://cashflowbizz.wordpress.com/2013/12/16/seo-building-blocks/