Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search News
May 2012
What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the art and science of increasing the visibility of Web pages by boosting their ranking in the organic (free) section of search engine result pages. Tactics include optimizing Web architecture, optimizing content writing, and community building (link solicitation, social media colonization, and socialization).
- Optimized Web Architecture
The architecture of a website has a considerable impact on search engine optimization results. A poor architecture will limit the number of pages found and indexed by robots – regardless of all the optimization efforts, the pages remain difficult to find.
Robots love and derive their primary sustenance from text. The goal of stellar architecture is to provide text and multimedia content to robots in a format that is simple and easy to read. Information technology professionals must work closely with those responsible for search engine optimization. Together they will create a Web architecture that will provide textual content access to search engines within a proactive user design.
Several aspects of architecture must be considered to achieve this objective. Some of them are listed in our Tips and Tools on Optimized Website Architecture.
- Optimized Web Content Writing
We all want the content we create to be seen, read, and appreciated by our target audience. Good preparation must precede writing to maximize the visibility of Web pages. Otherwise, time and effort will be wasted to create Web pages on a subject that no one searches for, or that no one can find.
Furthermore, using a specific writing technique will maximize the visibility of pages on the Web and the ease with which Internet users can access the content. Find out more about this SEO technique through our Tips and Tools on Optimized Web Writing.
- Community Building
Community building is an online activity to support the creation or enhancement of communities with common interests that are closely related to a website’s content. Community building uses three main tactics: link solicitation, social media colonization, and socialization.
The more active you are with community building, the larger your community will grow. Find out more about this SEO technique through our Tips and Tools on Community Building.
A good SEO strategy will consider these three pillars or tactics described above. You won’t succeed if you are working on one tactic alone and leaving the two others aside.
On the right side of this article, you will find resourceful links on training, tools, resources and business cases that will help you to better understand and benefit from a well-thought-out SEO strategy.
Tools
Google Insights: To find keywordsGoogle Webmaster: To understand how your website is indexed
Juicystudio: To evaluate the readability of your content
Resources
Searchenginewatch: News and information about SEO
Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide
Searchengineland: News and information about SEO
SEMPO: Professional association
Business cases
Search Marketing Success Stories