SEO Process - Important Guidelines for Website Optimization

Search engine optimization refers to optimizing a website so as to drive targeted as well as quality traffic to your site so as to increase the search engine ranking of your site. This increases the visibility of your site. Before optimizing your website a properly planned strategy should be followed this would be further used to execute certain other steps which in turn would help to improve your sites performance. The SEO process begins with the domain name for your website. The domain name could be related with the product or services of your business or could be keyword related. The SEO process involves various phases including website analysis, keyword analysis, competitive research, web page optimization, link exchange, site registration with online directories & follow up of the result.

Following are the steps of search engine optimization process:

- Website Analysis - Before optimizing a website a thorough analysis of the website, its content, potential customers should be done. A competitive analysis of the competitor's website to find out what new techniques they are using. This would give you an idea of the strategy which you could use for your business promotion.
- Keyword research - Relevant keywords play a major role in search engine optimization. With the help of certain keyword research tool you get the best & the most frequently used keywords. Before preparing the final list of keywords an analysis of the competitor's site, keyword phrases & Meta tags should be done thoroughly.
- On page optimization - It includes refining of HTML code, content analysis, developing optimized pages, creation of sitemap so as to enable search engine spiders to assess the nature of your website.
- Off page optimization - It includes search engine as well as directory submission of your site. Search engine submission ensures that the search engines are aware of your online presence. Directory submission would provide your site with the much needed exposure. They are a good way of generating back links thereby generating targeted traffic to your site.
- Link building - It is a way of increasing sites popularity. Two types of links could be built i.e. inbound and reciprocal links. Inbound links & that too from top ranked sites play a significant role in website optimization.
- Monitoring & position reports - It includes monitoring the keywords finalized before optimization and the modifications made post optimization.
- Reporting - This involves detailing the search tools regarding the submission of your website and your position on the search engines, and the amount of traffic generated to your site. Paid inclusion report regarding submission is mailed to the clients.