Address: Iowa City, IA, 52240, US
Telephone: (319) 359-7230

What is SEO? And Why Do You Need It?

SEO is an abbreviation for Search Engine Optimization. Search Engine Optimization is the practice of adjusting and massaging a websites content, coding and architecture. This is performed in order for a website to place as high as possible on Page 1 in search engines.

Think about it, when you want to find something online what do you do? You go to Google, Yahoo or Bing and type in what you are looking for. You are then presented with results which are relevant to your search. When used in a proper and ethical manner, the various components of SEO will work in unison to position your website at the top of the search engines. Overall there are about 145 different ranking factors to consider for any given web page.

Greater than 90% of people who find a website get there from a search engine. You need proper SEO in order to ensure that your website will be found. And found quickly. We are quickly becoming a “now” society. If we want something, we want it NOW. We are also becoming an “on the go” society. Thanks to smart phones and tablets an incredible amount of information is only a few clicks or finger taps away. No matter where we are. By the year 2016 U.S. consumers will have purchased 188 million smartphones.

With more and more people purchasing untethered equipment (tablets, smartphones) SEO is now more important than ever before. There is now a potential to reach larger audiences then is previous times. Without SEO, it is unlikely your website will be found.

FAQ’s

So what exactly do you do?

How long does it take to get to Page One?

This depends on many factors. A few them are:

How many others are using the same keyword(s) that your are? Does the keyword you want to target have a high or low competition factor?
How old is your website domain? An older website helps establish trust.
What is your geographic target audience? Local results are quicker to achieve. National results take far longer to achieve.

Do you guarantee #1 rankings?

No. I would never guarantee anybody a #1 ranking. And you should run far away from anybody who does.

The rules and techniques which are used to maintain high search engine rankings are constantly changing and evolving. A lot of time and patience is involved to maintain favorable search engine rankings.

Only the search engines know definitively what it will take going forward for search engine placement. What works right now will not necessarily work 6 months from now. Therefore anyone who promises you a #1 ranking is not being honest with you.

Why do SEO, why not just buy links?

No link buying. Ever.

A good SEO approach is one in which your website earns its ranking. Ranking high in search engines by taking shortcuts or cheating the system is a recipe for disaster.

My services include a full audit of your website to gauge its current effectiveness in the following areas:

Your Competition: How your website fares against your competitors websites and what can be done to improve your standing.
Targeted Keywords: Analysis of current keyword trends and how your website can use them.
Website Structure: Health status of your website and what may need to be tweaked or adjusted.
On-Page Optimization: Getting those 145 different ranking factors to work in unison for your website.
Content Depth and Readability: Creation or addition of good, valuable and easily readable content.
Local Reach and Optimization: Preparing and submitting your website data to Google, Yahoo and Bing. Link creation to various social medias which emphasize local audiences.