The information super highway. The World Wide Web. Cyberspace. While there are many different names, it all boils down to one thing — the Internet. It is through all of these names that we begin to realize what a large part the Internet plays in our lives. Most of us in Western culture use it on a daily basis for correspondence, information, and entertainment. We would be disoriented and disconnected if the Internet were suddenly unavailable.

One of the key components of the Internet is search engines. Search engines can provide answers to nearly every question in a matter of seconds, from fashion and trivia to weather and services. An important part of what makes search engines effective is search engine optimization , or SEO. SEO is a process of understanding the ranking and visibility of a given webpage. Some companies and website administrators go to great lengths and use an SEO tool to help them monitor and assess their website’s position and ensure that they stay within a certain range. SEO is important to businesses and organizations because it allows them to be more accessible to current and potential clients. The more visible the site is, the more likely they are to receive visitors.

Businesses, however, are not the only ones to benefit from good SEO . As a Web surfer you want to be sure that when you search for something you are getting the most relevant results. The more websites that understand and utilize SEO, the more competitive the sites will be, and the more relevant the results will be.

The Internet is constantly growing and changing. What worked one day may not work the next day. When businesses stay on top of the changes, they not only receive the benefit of additional visitors but the customers receive the benefit of finding the website quickly and easily. It is a winning situation for everyone.