The use of search engines to help surf the Web has become commonplace. Everyone has a favorite, whether it be Google, Yahoo!, or AOL. And many business owners have finally discovered the ability to advertise on these engines to increase traffic and sales to their site. For beginners there are many terms bandied around relating to these search engines which can be confusing. And to add to the confusion it is becoming increasingly difficult to decipher between all of the “experts” and their advice that is so freely available. Perhaps the greatest confusion revolves around the meaning of “search engine optimization” and “search engine marketing.”

Search engine optimization is the act of altering a Web site so that it performs better in the ‘free’ organic, crawler-based listings of search engines. Organic search listings cannot be purchased. Web sites must be altered to be search engine friendly and to encourage the search engines to rank the Web pages for keywords and phrases that are relevant to the Web site and Web pages.

Search engine marketing is the act of marketing a Web site via search engines, whether it’s creating specific landing pages for your site, purchasing paid advertising on the results pages, or a combination of these and other search engine-related activities, including natural optimization.

The Importance of Keywords

Whether ranking through the ‘free’ organic listings or through paid search media, the most important step that most site owners have trouble comprehending is the importance of keywords. The key is to find keywords that are actually converting into sales. For example if you are a car dealer in Phoenix, does it really matter if you rank number one for “cars” in Google? Therefore, taking the time to use available technology to help define which keywords are used by your target market and really drive your desired results is really the first step in any search engine marketing program.

Search Engine Optimization

There are numerous tips and tools available to help you better optimize your site for the engines. Overall, search engine optimization is composed of programming elements that exist in three places: on the page, on the site, and off the site. In general, the consensus is that one must pay attention to:

• Title, Description and Keyword Meta Tags
• Site Structure and Programming
• Page Content Development
• Link Strategy

Search engines use complex algorithms to determine how they spider, index, and rank sites. These algorithms are constantly changing. While you can follow the various tips and resources to do it yourself, please keep in mind that gaining rank is a long-term process that requires consistent attention. It’s not just a one-off deal. Therefore you may want to consider outsourcing to an SEO expert. This is especially true if your site is a complex, dynamically driven e-Commerce site.

Search Engine Marketing

The search engine marketing space has become highly competitive. Paid search media is an advertising program where listings are guaranteed to appear in response to particular search terms, with higher ranking typically obtained by paying more than other advertisers. Paid placement listings can be purchased from a portal or a search network. For example, the listings a user sees in “boxes” at the top and along the left hand side of the page in Google are all paid advertising spots.

The major players in the space include Overture and Google Adwords. But, many forget to utilize the third tier players, which for smaller niche sites, sometimes produce even better results. Those include: Kanoodle, FindWhat, and Enhance.com.

Search Engines and your Business

People seem to think that they are somehow entitled to top ranking in the search engines. There is also the perception that these engines are government supplemented services. The truth is that they are independent businesses and so are responsible for profit and loss. This means that they decide how they run their business and how they rank Web sites.

What does this mean for your business? You should start by developing a search engine strategy. This can be done by utilizing ‘search engine optimization,’ ‘search engine marketing,’ or a combination of both. You should aim to educate yourself on these systems and determine how you can use them to further your online business. The goal is to increase your business visibility within the search engines and bring ‘qualified’ traffic to your site. The result will be increased sales which will ensure the continued success of your online business.