DBK One

Search engine optimsation

Search engine optimisation (SEO) makes it easier for people to find your website.

Good SEO means your website will be listed further towards the top of the page on search engines like Google.

This has the potential for customers to find you more easily, choose you over others listed on Google, and click through to your website.

In this module, you’ll learn how to choose and craft the very best keywords to help increase your search ranking, and get your business noticed!

Search is the number one driver of traffic to a website, beating social media by more than 300%. Search engine optimisation has the biggest impact on boosting lead generation.

Part 1: Advantages of online search engines

Promoting your business through online search engines has many benefits.

  1. You can compete with much bigger businesses both locally and internationally.
  2. Business leads generated though search engines can be cheaper and more targeted than leads generated more traditionally, such as trade shows, event advertising and letterbox drop.
  3. You can gather better information about potential customers and their likely needs through analytics linked to your website. You can then use this to help define your strategy and target the right people.

Part 2: Keywords

The first step to ranking higher in Google search result is to understand your selling point.

Once you’ve done that, select key words or phrases that are distinct and meaningful to your business. Write them down, and include them within the text on your website pages. These words are called ‘keywords’ for SEO.

“What are the words and phrases that people will use when searching for my business’ professional services?”

Engaging an SEO expert may be helpful as they are often up to date with the latest techniques and changing algorithms of search engine metrics.

The more a keyword appears on your website (in pages, blogposts and media/photos), the more Google will see your site as a leader in this topic. Most online advertisers have between five and twenty keywords for each tab on their website.

It may seem simple, but keep in mind:

  • If no other sites use this keyword, your website will appear first on a google search for this keyword.
  • If there are many others with this keyword, you may appear on a later page in the Google search.

Other contributing factions include:

  • How old your website is,
  • How many times the keyword is used on your site, and
  • How many other reputable sites link to you or your social media sites (see more about building communities in Module 3).

Be as specific as you can

Some keywords are used by lots of businesses, which means there’s more competition. For example, a popular keyword for a law firm might be ‘legal services’. If a user searches for ‘legal services’ on Google, hundreds of businesses will be listed in the results and you may be displayed beyond Page 10 of a Google search.

This is why it’s critical to find something specific and unique to your business that you can promote. Whether it’s a technical capability, a special product – or something simple like your physical location – develop targeted keywords and phrases, and then continually use these keywords on new website pages and blogposts.

Refresh content regularly

Make sure your website content is relevant and up to date. Google rewards websites that refresh their keywords and phrases. And remember to support this through your social media. It will help get you noticed and jump your business up in search listings.

Evaluate your keywords

Online analytics gather information about who visits your website, where they live, what content they’re interested in, what keywords they searched to get to your site and much more.

Check in regularly for changes in users’ behaviour, and change your keywords as needed to take advantage of this information.

Further resources

If you want to increase your search engine ranking, and drive more traffic to your website, these resources may help. All information was current at the time of writing. When you go to any of the links below, you will be leaving the DBK site.

Freshbooks.com – An introduction to SEO for small businesses.

Adwords.google.com.au/KeywordPlanner – Google’s keyword tool

Flyingsolo.com.au/technology/seo-techniques – Information about SEO and search ranking.

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DBK1264