Simply put, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) refers to a set of techniques used to make search engines like your web site. You want them to like your site so that they will rank it well, thereby increasing your exposure to potential clients and customers. The 'Big 4' search engines you are aiming to please are Google, Yahoo, MSN & Ask. There are also hundreds of other search engines, but these four engines tend to bring in most of the traffic a website is likely to receive.

At this point in the on-going evolution of the Internet, a major part of website owners and even web designers do not understand why SEO is critical to the success of any on-line venture, and both homemade sites and fancy, expensive custom ones sit by the millions, lost in cyberspace, without hope of ever seeing the light of day at the top of the search engine listings. We expect to see awareness of the need to build search engine friendly websites grow over time, but to date, lack of information and an abundance of misinformation still seem to be holding the upper hand on the world wide web.

SEO, boiled down

If you are about to make an investment in having a website designed or redesigned for your company or organization, this is a critical moment for you in which you must realize that unless your website is built to please the search engines, you will have missed the opportunity to benefit from the traffic search engines send to your door. You are launching a site in hopes of people finding it. People use search engines to find things. Search engines must be able to find you, in order to present you to the people who need to find you in order to become customers and clients. And, that is the boiled down scenario of why SEO exists, and why people hire us to build their websites: Solas Web Design develops websites that welcome human visitors and search bots.

Our small firm is adamant in the stance that websites must be built with search engines in mind, from the ground up. SEO should never come as an afterthought, or be something a designer charges extra to tack onto a website. The needs of human and search engine visitors must be considered in a dovetail plan throughout each and every step of the development of a website, if that website is going to rank at the top and make the most of the opportunities the Internet offers.

If you reached this page today in the midst of your search for a web design firm to whom you feel you can entrust the needs of your web business or Internet presence, please make note of the following list of factors that should be in-built into each and every page of your website:

Unique Title Tags
Unique Meta Tags
Unique Alt Tags
Obstacle-free Code

Any designer you are considering hiring should be able to explain, in detail, what each of these four elements are, and why they are vital to both SEO and click-through rates. These are the bare bones, critical elements of on-page optimization, and though good SEO skills cover a great many more issues than these, the above list is your starting point to judging whether a web designer is going to build you a site that sinks or swims.

We do urge you to educate yourself to the fullest possible extent about search engine optimization, and our Simple SEO Guide for the Small Web Business has helped thousands of business owners to understand how search engines work and how to choose a designer wisely. Client education is a major part of what we do. SEO should never be treated as a mystery. It's all about being clear, being focused and working hard to achieve your goals.

Ethical SEOs do not offer guaranteed rankings. Steer clear of any firm that promises you magic, instant results. Rather, judge web design firms by their track record. Our clients are currently ranking in Google's Top 10 for thousands of keywords because of their great businesses and our honed skills. We develop sites that are a pleasure to visit and a breeze to use. Being search engine friendly doesn't mean being ugly - it means being clean, classy and sharp! E-commerce websites redesigned by us have doubled and tripled profits for the business owners. We have happy clients.

Make your first step into the world of Internet business a smart step. Insist on an SEO-based website.

Curious about the money-side of having an SEO-based website designed for you? Just fill out our simple Inquiry Form to receive a prompt quote.

For further information on this subject, please read our article I want a Top 10 Google Ranking.

Consider having us perform an expert SEO review of your small business website.

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