SEO stands for “search engine optimization.” The term
may sound like optimizing an actual search engine such as Google, however this
professional service focuses on tweaking a website to do well – to
appear among the top listings on search engine results pages (SERPs). SERPs are
web pages returned by search engines like Google or Yahoo! after a user
performs a search. These pages contain links to web sites and documents that
the search engine deems relevant to the word or phrase. These words or phrases
are also known as “keywords.”
As many of us web developers already know, Google is rated
by many as the number one search engine in the world. We personally know that
our websites get about 90% of their search engine traffic direct from Google
searches. Getting indexed by Google can be a pain, but getting highly placed
rankings for specific keywords seems to be the nut that not many web developers
without SEO (search engine optimization) experience or SEO training can
crack. SEO is the process that we use every day to optimize our websites and
stay ahead of our competitors. SEO is the practice of improving and promoting a web
site in order to increase the number of visitors the site receives from search
engines. There are many aspects to SEO, from the words on your page to the way
other sites link to you on the web. Sometimes SEO is simply a matter of making
sure your site is structured in a way that search engines understand. Search
Engine Optimization isn't just about "engines." It's about making
your site better for people too.
SEO is the process whereby a web site, or more
specifically a web page or document, is constructed or amended in such a way as
to improve its placement in the search engine results pages or SERPs. Search
engine optimization should not be seen as an end in itself. It is a function
that should be undertaken to improve the overall commercial performance of a
web site. Good search engine optimization will ensure that a page appears
higher in the search engine results for a range of relevant, specific and
valuable search terms or queries. The simple objective of SEO is to generate
more valuable web site traffic. The achievement of a higher ranking against
relevant search terms has commercial value for a web site because it will
attract more traffic than a lower ranking. In an increasingly crowded online
environment, search engine optimization is therefore a crucial online marketing
discipline.
The role of SEO is to legitimately influence the
process of improving rankings. There are
few genuine guarantees of a top placement,
particularly for highly competitive search
terms. Good SEO will improve a web site’s ranking
across a range of selected terms.
However, any process whereby a search engine is
illicitly manipulated in order to
guarantee a high placement is referred to as
spamming.
