Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Generally, SEO is an umbrella name for all the things you do in creating and maintaining your website in order to drive your site up the search engine rankings. A search engine is the software program you use to sort through the millions of websites in order to find those that best fit your search terms.

Google is without a doubt the most popular search engine. In May of this year, Hitwise, an Experian company, reported that Google accounted for 72.39 percent of all U.S. searches conducted in the four weeks ending April 25, 2009. Yahoo! Search, MSN Search and Ask.com received 16.27 percent, 5.68 percent and 3.95 percent, respectively.

With that said, the best way to move up the rankings is to create captivating, relevant content for your website visitors. Because when it comes down to it, web surfers are looking for answers to their questions. That's why they're on the web. Contrary to popular belief, people are not looking simply for information, but more precisely, they're looking for solutions.

The most basic things you must do in order to optimize your website are:

1. Find the right keywords: What search terms are your potential customers using? You can use Google Keywords to help you. Go to www.google.com/sktool.

2. Create content that provides relevant information about those keywords.

Sounds easy, right? Of course, there are nuances that can make a difference in how fast your website gets noticed. A skilled writer and experienced website designer can help you in your specific situation.