Before you roll your eyes at another post about optimizing your web page for better traffic, consider the fact that you could have been subject to a bad experience, and that optimizing your web page can actually be something of value to you.

Most people are realizing that Pay Per Click and running online ads are now becoming too expensive, and they don’t often give much in return. I’ve been there, and I know how frustrating it can be. You pull out your card information and willingly fork out the cash so a company can help get you more traffic – yet your passion to promote your business quickly turns into frustration over the result of little to no traffic increase.

Bad Egg:

While growing up, I always heard the saying, “don’t let one bad egg ruin the whole bunch.”  That little rule of life didn’t really set in with me until it came to fruition with optimizing web pages. I had a bad experience of handing over money, and got nothing in return, so I went back to what worked best for me – self promotion.

What Works:

It wasn’t until I came across someone who worked in SEO that was able to share with me, not only the importance like everyone else could, but was able to give me factual information and proven results, that I started to consider it again. We discussed what services most SEO companies or a “SEO specialist” would do in order to get a web page noticed by search engines like Google. Most of the time these companies or individuals just rename images to match search terms, (which helps) but it’s not worth spending all your money on; and besides, you can do that yourself.

What To Look For:

When considering an SEO service, take your time and play your cards right. Search the market and call around to see who can give you the best deal, and ask them to be able to explain to you in detail the extent of their work. Most of these services are monthly because search engines like Google change it’s algorithms (how Google conducts what results to give based on your search terms), so you want to make sure your web page will be updated as Google plays cat and mouse with SEO experts. Did I mention this happens very often? Make sure you are paying the right people, or you will find yourself holding another “bad egg.”

Good SEO Service:

Someone who provides a good SEO service, will consider the following:

 

1. Algorithms – These are the ever changing formula of what shows up on your screen for a search result. This is how you get to the first 2 pages on a search result, and that is where you want to be. More than 90% of all traffic lands on pages 1 and 2 in a search, and after that, consider your company or service invisible.
2. Proper Links – Believe it or not, Google will know when your labeled links don’t take someone to the right place on your web page. Google is watching you… beware – or just make sure whoever is coding your website is doing it correctly. After all, you’re paying them to do that, so they should make sure you’re links work. If not, you will lose potential customers, and that is an entirely different blog post.
3. Roadmap – Search Engines take into consideration how many other websites or conversations happening online are driving traffic to your web page. The more people that are discussing your products and services, the more search engines will recognize you – sort of like a high school popularity contest. Oh, the memories…
4. Substance – As much as I enjoy eating ice cubes for dinner, i’d rather have something that will leave me feeling satisfied and not hungry 5 minutes after I leave my kitchen table. Consider the substance of your website to be the content – you not only need content, but you need strategized content. You might have a beautifully crafted paragraph that highlights your product or service, but search engines don’t care about fluff. As much of a pain it may be for parts of your web page look like an ad, it’s important to remember that those paragraphs and key terms are what get people to your page.

There are many more things to consider with SEO, but that is why I leave it to the real experts, like those at Market Reach SEO, who have more than 10 years of experience under their belts. The good thing about companies like Market Reach SEO, is that their passion is to make sure you get the highest possible rank on search engines; and they won’t stop until you get what you pay for. I’ve seen the fruit of their labor, and well, it’s remarkable.

Companies like Market Reach SEO are just one of many, but make sure you hire someone who has your best interest and not just a paycheck; and remember, don’t let that one “bad egg” rob you of truly getting results from a professional service.

SEO Explained:
“Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web page in a search engine’s natural or un-paid (organic) search results.” – Source Wikipedia