It’s important to understand that the Web is a fluid place. New websites are launched every minute, other websites are updated or redesigned changing their search engine placement and other business websites close and disappear all together. So, this fluidity means that a website owner must stay active and vigilant.
How?
These simple steps will help you work with your web designer to create and maintain better placement in the search engines. After all, doesn’t everyone want to stay at the top of the first page of Google?
1. Ask Your Customers. When you have a new client or customer, ask them how they found you. Knowing what and how your clients are searching goes a long way to learning which keywords are effective for your website. I have one client who gave her business networking group a survey to see what words they would use to search for her business. How clever is that!
2. Self Test. Use the search engines to see how and where your website places in them. Simply do searches. Search by your business name, business location, product descriptions, etc. This will tell you if your website has slipped in where it places in the search engine results or if you have moved up in ranking.
3. Explore the Competition. Learn who your competitors are and where they place in the search results. You may find that some lag behind you while others have shot to the top of the results page. Sharing what you know about competiors’ placement with your web designer opens the opportunity to improve your own search results.
Search engine optimizing should always be part of the design process of any website and updates continue through out the the life of the website.
