I had a fascinating discussion today with a small business person whose web site was, in his words, "invisible". He wanted to know what he could do to change the equation. To put his plight in perspective, I found that if I typed the name of his business into a search engine his business web site was listed sixth. A couple of questions later, I suggested some revisions to his web site strategy that will make a difference soon. I think they are a fine start for someone beginning their pursuit of a better SEO (search engine optimization)
#1. The web site itself should include text, and a decent amount of it. The business owner's entire web site was made of attractive but unindexible graphics. Web indexing robots look at text. Hence, talk about your business and services in words, and use key words as much as possible (and that includes your business name.)
#2. If it's possible to get into the HTML code (and it should be!) pass search terms into a Meta tag up front that will be noticed by the robots.
#3. Talk about your business and your services, products, and expertise in a connected property, such as a blog or in LinkedIn or Twitter, etc. Regular infusions of material that relate to your business and web site will improve its standing.
#4. Exploit opportunities to have other web sites point to yours. Comment on blogs or forums. Form alliances with other businesses. Or ask other businesses to list you in a "recommended web sites" list.
I do not recommend buying into a service that purports to "move you up the search engine listings to the top". Much of the traffic that feeds their scheme doesn't help much---if they work at all, and others are bidding for the same space. Slow and steady progress through your own words will make a difference, using techniques that amplify your good work.
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