Note that this document primarily covers Google optimisation.

What is Search Engine Optimisation?
The term "Search Engine Optimisation" (or SEO) covers a number of techniques, the end result of which is that your website is listed in a prominent position in search engine results for relevant search terms.

What's the point of it?
One of the biggest misunderstandings in businesses is that all they need to do is create a website and then the customers will come flooding in. Sadly, that isn't true. In fact, in the same way that you have to market your business for people to know that you're out there, you also have to market your website.

Thankfully, because Google controls such a large part of the search market and because so many people use Google to find services then if you can appear in the right place in Google then you will attract a huge number of visitors to your website. It's an easy and cost-effective way to publicise your website with a very high rate of return.

How do you do it?
Sadly, Google doesn't publish a book called 'How to be successful in Google'. I wish they did. However, if we break SEO down into its simplest form, then there are two main elements to optimising your website.

1. Having all of the right text and structure to your website
2. Having relevant links from popular websites.

What's a keyword?
A keyword is a word that is relevant to your services.  For example keywords for an accountant may be 'tax', 'accountancy' or 'finance'.  These are the words that people type into Google when searching for a service and these are the words that you should be targetting in your optimisation campaign.  You should be targetting a mixture of these words and also add in other relevant words, such as your location or a specific specialism.  Keywords, or search terms that you may be targetting would be 'Accountants in Reading', 'Tax accountants in berkshire' etc.

How is SEO different to Pay Per Click?
Pay per click (or PPC) are the links that you sometimes see on the right hand side of the Google search results. (Click here for an example)

Google agrees to display your link in the paid links section and in return you agree to pay Google a certain amount of money if your link is clicked on. 

You choose which search terms you would like your link to appear for.  So for example, if you were an accountant you might want your link to appear for every search that contains the word 'accountant'.

Some search terms are more expensive than others because they are more popular, so you set a maximum cost that are willing to spend on each search term.  Other companies can bid on the same term and will appear in the search results alongside your link.

The benefits are that you only pay each time your link is clicked and you can very quickly appear on the first page of the search results.  The disadvantage is that once you stop paying for PPC, your link disappears and the stream of visitors to your website dries up.

With SEO, you do not pay any money to Google but there is no guarantee about where you will appear in the search results.  However, once your website is optimised and appearing near the top of the 'organic' results (as opposed to the paid results) then you will have a steady stream of traffic and it won't cost you anything,

Can you guarantee results?
With SEO, there is no guarantee of results, and anyone who tells you that they guarantee results are either lying or trying to sell you a PPC listing instead of an SEO service. The only thing they might be able to almost guarantee is a first page listing for a highly obscure, non-competitive term that no one searches on. If you have a #1 listing for 'Divorce Tax Accountants with offices in the side street off Friar Street in Reading' then you won't get any traffic from it. The key to a successful Google listing is to appear near the top of the results for competitive and relevant terms.

How much does it cost?
As much or as little as you want. SEO takes time and effort - the more time/money you spend on it then the better the results.

How long does it take?
Unfortunately, it's not just a case of applying a fix and then your site is optimised.  It's a case of investigating what keywords are appropriate to your business, doing the optimisations and then monitoring and adjusting your website as trends change and as your competitors adjust their SEO strategies. Your position in the search results fluctuates and you have to be able to respond to that quickly, otherwise you will disappear entirely from the results.

Are there any shortcuts?
People will tell you that there are, but in fact, there aren't.  It is possible to buy lots of links to your website which will give the impression of a quick fix but Google frowns on such behaviour.  See our Ethical Search Engine Optimisation service page for more information.

SEO takes time and effort but when done properly and successfully, the results and the rewards are significant.