SEO FAQs
If you have questions about Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) then check out the answers below:
Who the heck are you?
Where are you?
A: I work out of an office in Newtown Sydney but live in the sunny Central Coast of NSW.
What is SEO?
A: Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the process of enhancing your website to get the best possible results in the natural listings. But what the heck does that mean?
Well, put simply, every website is judged by search engines on thousands of variables. The algorithms that search engines use to decide your position are a bit of a mystery and change all the time. Just to make it even more difficult, every search engine uses a different method!
So how do you ensure that your site gets the Search results you’re after on the top engines like Google, Yahoo! and Bing? You contact someone like me.
What are organic, natural search results?
A: These are the results that most of your customers want to use. They occupy the centre space on the web page. The long list of links is decided by relevance.
Why should I care about Search Engines?
A: SEO is, of course, just one part of a marketing strategy, but its importance is increasing due the number of users who use Google to find websites (around 80% of all website traffic is driven by natural search). A strong SEO strategy can lead to:
- Increased visibility for your brand.
- Improvement in overall traffic figures.
- Better-quality leads.
- Improved conversion rates.
- Reduced cost of sales.
How do Search Engines decide on their rankings?
A: Search engines use lots of different factors to decide their rankings. They send out ‘bots’ or ‘spiders’ to ‘crawl’ your website and analyse it. Each search engine has it’s own complex algorithm and are constantly updated.
What is a keyword phrase?
A: A keyword or keyword phrase is what a user types in to find your site. For example you might have typed in ‘Sydney Copywriter’ to find this site.
How do I choose which keyword phrases to target?
A: A keyword or keyword phrase is what a user types in to find your site. For example you might have typed in ‘Sydney Copywriter’ to find this site.
For more information read ‘How to choose your SEO Keywords’
Why is it so hard to get a good ranking for my chosen keyword?
A: Search engines use lots of different factors to decide their rankings. They send out ‘bots’ or ‘spiders’ to ‘crawl’ your website and analyse it. Each Search Engine has it’s own complex algorithm and they are constantly updated.
What is keyword analysis?
A: The first thing you need to decide when building a new website is which keywords and keyword phrases you want to go for. To do this, someone like me can carry out a keyword analysis, which involves a bit of research and a good understanding of business and the benefits you offer to your customers.
For more information read How to choose your SEO Keywords.
Can I pay for a high ranking?
A: You can’t pay for a good natural ranking, but you can pay for advertising.
What are paid search results or SEM?
A: Paid advertising or Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is where advertisers pay search engines to display their ad whenever someone searches for a pre-chosen keyword. They are labelled ‘Sponsored Links’ and appear at the top and the side of the search results. Google Adwords is an example of paid advertising.
What is search engine optimisation (SEO)?
A: Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the art of creating a website which is search engine friendly. This includes:
- Designing and building an SEO-friendly website.
- Deciding on keywords that are achievable.
- Using the right keywords in your copy and code.
- Driving lots of back links to your website.
- Adding content regularly to your website.
- Creating link bait.
What is link bait?
A: For more on link bait, read this article: How to create link bait.
Are directories useful?
A: For more information on directory submission, read this article:
What is Google Places and how can it help my ranking?
A: For more information on Google Places, read this article: How to boost business with Google Places
What is back door SEO?
A: For more information on Back Door SEO, read this article.
How do I know if I’ve found a good SEO consultant or agency?
A: To learn more about how to decide if your SEO agency is good or bad, read this article: 10 Silly things other SEO consultants tell you
I’m always happy to provide recommendations for GOOD SEO agencies, so if you need one contact me. But of course I recommend you learn to DIY your SEO with my ecourse: The Recipe for SEO Success.
What now?
A: Give me a call, or drop me an email via my contact form. I’m always happy to have a chat about your project, and even if we don’t end up working together, I’m willing to pass on a few useful tips!
I'm ready and waiting
SEO FAQ was last modified: December 14th, 2021 by