Why Is Search-Engine Optimisation Useful for My Small Business

SEO and your business

Why should I SEO my business Website? Search-engine optimisation might not be your number one priority, especially if you already have a wide customer base. But once you realise that over 85% of website traffic is generated by the search-engines, you begin to see that SEO is actually quite important. If you want people, who have never heard of you before, to find your website you need to use SEO.

There are plenty of businesses that only use the Internet as a peripheral PR device, rather than a way to generate extra market interest-- and most of these will not show up on the search-engines, at least not anywhere near the top of the pile. Most of these businesses don't need to be SEO'd because the market is already well aware of their existence. Their business websites are often used to improve communication with existing clients, but they are not necessarily designed to attract new ones.

Using SEO to attract new Customers

Of course, some businesses are happy to remain static. It is a mistake to want to expand too quickly -- but if you want to use the net to catch a few sales then here's how it works

An SEO copywriter analyses your website for Keywords (for a more detailed explanation check out (What is a Copywriter?). Keywords are the search terms a web-user enters in search-engines like Google and Yahoo. If your copy is optimised, these Keywords will be interspersed strategically in the text so that they;

a). Are found by web-users when they search for those key terms

b). Sit nicely in line with the text

c). Are used as titles/headings and links

d). Don't detract from the content/meaning

More about SEO, Keywords and SEO copywriters can be found in the Herds of Words re-reprint article SEO Your Website Now! 

But it's not just about the search-engines you need to please... There is no point in having a fully SEO'd website that appears in the Google Top 10 listing if all your readers 'bounce.' Yes, I know, bouncing sounds like fun, but in reality it means that these visitors leave your website without going further than the main page -- (or the page they entered). If you want to see the percentage of these rubbery visitors I recommend that you sign your website up to the Google Analytics service.

Why? Well Google obviously says it best

Google Analytics tells you everything you want to know about how your visitors found you and how they interact with your site. You'll be able to focus your marketing resources on campaigns and initiatives that deliver ROI, and improve your site to convert more visitors.

You might feel that you are stuck between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea --- how are you meant to write well rounded, readable webcopy and incorporate clumsy sounding keywords at the same time? Keyword heavy copy might well impress the webcrawler, but that doesn't for a second mean that your readers are going to like it. In fact, it is likely that they will press that little black X and be done with you.

So, whether you use website-analysis tools or not, your website needs to hold your reader's attention -- and there are lots of ways you can do that.

Providing useful resources and 'sticky' material like;

- Forums

- Free re-print content

- Blogs

And best of all, all these can be used to SEO your website too. Two birds, One stone.

Bristol SEO is part of the UK SEO Network. Please also visit our sister sites Search Engine Optimisation and SEO Services [l]