What is Search Engine Optimization?

Search Engine Optimization is, quite simply, doing everything you can - using all the tips, tricks, and tweaks you know or can find - to rank high in search engine results. That's really what it boils down to. But making that happen - ranking high for 'Bright Orange Suspenders' or 'Philadelphia Internet Marketing Consultant' - takes a lot of work, strategy, and time.

There are many 'on-page' optimizations that need to be done, that is, the format and the way you build your web pages is very important and needs to be methodical to be sure you hit all of the optimization spots available to you. These include: title, keyword, and description tags, image names and keywords, link titles and anchor text, header tags, etc. The on-page optimizations are the targets you can't miss, the prep-work, the foundation to build upon for great search engine results.

After the on-page optimizations, you have to add content and design. You could be on the 1st page of Google for your keywords or niche, but if your site design is horrible, high ranks won't keep people on your site to see what it is all about. Design is obviously the look and feel of your site, is it comfortable, with good color combinations and an easy, common sense navigational system. Good design does not have to be complex nor do you have to be a programmer or visual artist to be good at design. Think cozy den or living room for your site, not office cubicle with harsh flourescent lighting, and you should be fine. And add content to your site often, at least once per week, preferably two or three times.

The 'off-page' optimizations are the different paths you take to build links from other sites back to your own. Some of these methods include submiting articles you have written to various sites, engaging in discussions on blogs and forums that allow you to link back, and using the various 'social media' sites. Create content and then get that content out there to the world, even if you aren't breaking any literary or analytical ground with your articles, it doesn't matter (very few people actually are breaking any sort of new ground, yet they all post their work), just get your stuff out there, that's what matters.