What is SEO?

You've probably heard the phrase, but maybe you don't know what it means, what it does or why you need it. You probably already know what a search engine is. For those that don't, it's a tool people use to help them find what they're looking for on the Internet if they don't have a direct link to type into the browser's address bar.

You can compare a search engine to a dictionary or a set of encyclopedias. Just as you would look in the dictionary for a word or the index of an encyclopedia, the use of a search engine provides you the opportunity to type in what is known as key words or key phrases pertaining to your topic which then produces a list of results to you so that you may further investigate the results. An example of a key phrase might be "web design." To further narrow your search you might use "web design wisconsin" for instance.

Another way to think of Search Engine Optimization (also referred to as SEO) is that it is a process of steps applied to your web site to assist in achieving good search engine ranking and positive indexing results. Proper search engine optimization helps your web site to be found readily on the Internet.

Outsourcing SEO

A skilled web designer has the ability to create an eye appealing web site with great functionality, but is not necessarily trained in SEO. It's to your benefit to inquire as to whether or not your chosen designer is also trained in SEO. If they're not, this by no means takes away from their qualifications! It does mean that they should have resources to sub-contract this portion of your site work and be willing to take advantage of these resources. If your designer does not offer these services, you may purchase one of our SEO Plans. But please make sure to check with your designer before purchase. We will coordinate (sub-contract) with them if they do not provide the service. It's not unusual at all for a web site to be developed by more than one person as a team effort.

Consulting with others in the profession is something every web designer should be willing to do for their client when necessary. One sign of a good designer is their ability and willingness to take advantage of available resources to put your site together properly. There are so many aspects to web design that no one person can possibly know or do it all. More than one set of eyes is always to your benefit when it comes to designing your web site. Skills one designer may not possess are generally the skills they resource out in order to provide you with the best possible site they can build for you. A good web designer knows their limitations and takes full advantage of their resources to give their clients the best they can give.

Keeping that in mind, please read on for more information on search engines and search engine optimization. If you're really interested in this topic we have an assortment of articles you may wish to follow-up with.

About the Search Engines

The most popular search engine for quite some time has been Google. Google is the chosen search engine of over 80% of Internet users! You're probably already familiar with some of the others. Here are a few examples: Yahoo, MSN, AOL, Netscape, Hot Bot, Dog Pile, and Teoma just to name a few.

One interesting thing to note is that if you plug the same search phrase into each one of these different search engines, you are very likely going to get different results supplied by the various search engines. This is because different algorythms and search rules are used by each one. This is just one reason why having your site optimized professionally is to your advantage. You can very plainly see by this little experiment that not all search engines are designed to work like another.

On Getting Found

It's important to remember that no matter which search engine your visitors may use - ideal placement is within the first three pages of results, and of course first place is everyone's priority. Google's bots alone travel through billions of web sites every day. Your site is just one of those billions!

It's a fact that most Internet surfers will view just the first two to three pages of results when researching their topic before moving on to another search engine or on to investigating the results they have found in the search engine of their choice. Even though there is never a guarantee of top placement, you would preferrably want to be found on that first page of results and high up within those results. Competition is tough and the cold hard fact is that there only one web site can hold any one placement.

It's a constant struggle and a time consuming process to get top placement. Neither Digital Mouse Designs or you have control over which search engine any person will use, and in an ideal world you want to be easily found no matter which search engine is being used.

About Optimization

What is the "optimization" part of the term search engine optimization, also known as SEO? Each search engines has rules their bots use when they go out to index and rank web sites. Search engines use something called "algorythms" to complete their indexing and ranking. Just because you have a domain name that starts with the letter "A" doesn't mean you'll be at the top of the charts. In many cases your site may not even be found in a search or at best, may have poor rankings.

SEO involves a process of steps to help your site obtain good search engine ranking and positive indexing results. In other words; we help your web site to be found on the Internet. Neither your nor your site visitors actually see the SEO as it works in the background. A web developer skilled in SEO techniques (also known as a Search Engine Specialist) can help your site to obtain good positioning, which helps people find your site. Without SEO, you've just wasted your time and money on that new web site. A person or business can have the best looking site on the Internet, but if it can't be found ... what good is it? Did you know that just because you have a web site on the Internet doesn't mean a thing? If it's not constructed properly, if it doesn't have proper SEO applied to it ... it's pretty much useless. Makes a great conversation piece, though, doesn't it? You can say you "I have a web site." When people ask "how's the web site business doing?" ... just what are you going to tell them?

About Flash and Splash!

So, you love Flash or other animation and lots of graphics? You are not alone! Many people are initially drawn to this "really cool" look.

Let's address graphics ... as pretty as graphic images can make a site look is as bad as they can be for the search engines, which translates into the potential for poor indexing and rankings for your web site. Search engines read text content. There is no text content in an image. Even if you include text in a graphic, the search engines cannot read it because it's "encased" or "hidden" in an image.

Let's take a look at the drawbacks in the use of Flash and other animation. Not only can Flash be expensive, I can assure you that these are *neat looking* options ("eye candy" is another way to describe Flash) but neat looking does not make a good web site all on its own. The enticing look fades fast and becomes nothing more than an annoyance to your site visitors, not to mention can be very hard on the eyes. Your site text content is the most important component of your web site. If it's not, it should be. Yes, make your site look great - but don't annoy your visitors or they will go elsewhere!

Think of it This Way ...

Imagine yourself surfing the web and you come across a site that is heavy with these options. You "oooh and ahhh" for a little while but after the first or second time visting the site — are you really going to want to return to a site that in order to view the all important content the site is set up so that it requires you to view things that 1) take extra clicks to get to the important content you seek? 2) take extra time to load so that you may view them? This is particularly annoying to those on a slower connection speed.

Believe it or not, the majority of Internet viewers are still mainly operating on a 56k dialup connection speed! High speed broadband connections (cable and DSL) are *not* yet the norm. High speed connections are not only more expensive than dialup but also are not yet available in many areas. Dialup is still the major form of Internet connection in use.

Accessibility Issues

There are individuals that must use special computer equipment such as screen readers to view web sites because they have some kind of visual impairment. Screen readers are just that — they read out loud the text content to the individual utilizing the equipment. That's right - these individuals hear web sites, they don't see them! If you don't have appropriate text content, they cannot view or read your web site! If your most important information is encased in a graphic or some kind of animation, they can't read it so the impaired visitor is not able to access what may be the most valuable information on your site.

The same thing holds true for any type of animation. I'm not saying you can't use Flash, but unless you are a well known name like Nike or Pepsi, Flash (and animation in general) and heavy duty graphics should be used in good taste and in moderation. These options are not search engine friendly and are not indexed well.

If you want to get and keep visitors, use visual "eye candy" sparingly. The two most important components to a web site are the text content and ease of navigation because that's what's important to your site visitors.

It's also strongly recommended to never ever use what's called a "splash page." A splash page is a fancy entry page to the actual web site. Generally speaking, a splash page offers some clever design, (many times with heavy use of Flash or graphics) but doesn't include much if any text content that defines what your site is all about. Search engines cannot read text within a Flash file, so there is little or no content for the search engines to read! Your home page is the most important page of your site and should contain the most pertinent information about the entire site. It's the page the search engines look for first. A Splash page is pretty to look at but doesn't do you a darn bit of good when it comes to getting and keeping site visitors.

About Paid Inclusion

Someone told you that if you opt to use paid search engine submissions you'll get guaranteed great results? Well, your site may be up there with the best of them, but the paid submissions show up differently in the search results. Did you know that many Internet users *don't* click on paid submission or sponsored links? Studies show that 80% of search engine users initially ignored the sponsored listings.

Here's another interesting thought - if you can get your site's results up there high in the rankings without paying for it - why spend the extra money? In many cases, paid submission is a recurring fee! Keeping that in mind, here are a few articles written by experts in the field of SEO that you may wish to read over: "No Quick Fix", "Paying for Inclusion", and "Common Sense SEO".

Did you know that no one person, no SEO company .. no one can guarantee you great search engine ranking? If someone or some company tells you this ... run! If you believe them, you're only hurting yourself. An SEO specialist will do their best to give your web site it's greatest potential for being found. That's the best anyone or any company can do for you. There are many dishonest companies out there and their main interest is in taking your money. Don't fall into the trap of believing any *guaranteed top results* bunk!

There are instances where paid inclusion is very appropriate and even necessary. Discuss this with your SEO Specialist to determine if your site might benefit from paid inclusion.

Unless paid inclusion is warranted, a web developer trained in good SEO techniques has the potential of getting you like results - being found - and will do this for your site without you having to spend hundreds of dollars or more in yearly submission fees to get the same kind of rankings. SEO has fast become one of my favorite aspects of web design. For me, it's a lot like putting the pieces of a puzzle together.

Digital Mouse Designs is trained in SEO techniques. We keep up on the lastest information so that we can provide you with the most effective SEO available. So, if you're ready to make the effort to get your site ranked well, submit* your SEO application and we'll do our best to help you achieve this.

* For security reasons, the SEO Application is in PDF format. We must ask sensitive information in order to complete the work. For your safety, it's not recommended this information be transmitted over the Internet. You will need to fax or mail us the completed document.