Search Engine Optimization Terms

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Basic SEO Definitions

Search Engine Optimization ( SEO )

Search Engine Optimization is the art and science of making pages more attractive to search engines. A well-optimized site will appear high in the Google search result pages as a result of good incoming links (see linkbuilding below) and good onsite content.

Linkbuilding

The most important aspect of SEO, and thus increasing traffic, is not anything you do on your site, but rather the links pointing to you. If you can get high quality, industry specific links pointing toward your site then you are guaranteed to have your traffic increase.

Conversion Rate

Conversion Rate is the percentage of visitors to your site that complete a pre-defined action. In the case of ecommerce, this is most typically a purchase. Thus, if 2 out of every 100 visitors to your site complete a purchase you will have a conversion rate of 2%. Average conversion rates vary according to the type of business.

Web Analytics

Web Analytics are the tracking and reporting tools used to monitor activity on the web. These include tools such as: Google Analytics, which monitors track traffic volume and sources, Search Rank Reports, used to monitor ranking in Google on selected keywords, and various other tools used to select keywords and monitor web trends.

Usability

Usability is, simply, whether or not your customers can easily and intuitively complete the tasks they need on your site. This includes, for instance, finding the product they want, and checking out easily. Improvements in usability can have a huge increase in conversion rate, and thus sales.

Keyword

A keyword is the phrase that your customer types into a search engine, like Google. For instance, someone looking for digital cameras might type in "digital cameras," "sony camera reviews," or "buy a digital camera." Some keywords are more likely to indicate someone who is highly likely to buy and we can help you to show up in searches for those profitable keywords.

blog

An abridgment of the term 'web log,' a blog is a website, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. Blogs can be a great way to get links pointing to your site, either through creating your own, or through commenting on others with links pointing back toward your site. When done correctly, these links can dramatically improve your site's performance on search engines.

Social Networking Market

Online social networks such as MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn are responsible for a major portion or the total traffic on the web. Marketing directly on these networks can generate traffic to your site at a low cost.