Organic Seo and its Benefits

Many years ago, it was quite easy to draw effective traffic, as a good content-driven site, with good products, was enough to get a Web site ranked highly in the Search Engines. The competition has increased one thousand times over since then, with billions of Web sites existing online now, making for some very stiff competition in the area of Search Engine placement and rankings.

This increase in competition has given rise to many different styles, and many different methods of Web site optimization. Optimization is simply the method of making a Web site "Search Engine friendly", by using methods of enhancement that will increase rankings and placement by placing the Web site higher in the SERPS (Search Engine Results Pages).

Everything from software to increase rankings and placement, to Search Engine Management and Marketing Firms exist, with many online merchants becoming confused about what or "whom" to use and how to effectively use the various services to increase rankings and placement.

The real battle seems to exist between those that favor "Organic SEO" as opposed to those that prefer "Non-Organic SEO". The term "organic" itself is defined by Webster's Dictionary as: instrumental; acting as instruments of nature or of art to a certain destined function or end (Webster's: 1913: 3).

"Organic SEO", also called "Natural SEO", is the most time consuming, and the most tedious method of optimization for placement and rankings. However, it is prone to longevity of results, as it has a focus on content, meta-tag enhancement using proper descriptions, keyword enhanced copy within the appropriate specified densities of the Search Engines, and link exchanges. In addition, keyword dense reports, articles, and other content materials are usually added in a routine fashion to a site to maintain the densities necessary and increase rankings and placement.

"Organic SEO", if done properly in a step-by-step approach, can literally promote increased traffic and rankings for years. It can also contain overall marketing costs, as the use of PPC (Pay Per Click), is not needed as much with this method. The main drawbacks with this type of SEO, however, are the length of time it takes to properly implement all the steps necessary, and the length of time it takes the Search Engines to thoroughly spider and index a site that has implemented "Organic SEO".

"Non-Organic SEO", also called "Artificial SEO", can take many forms, and can use some "Organic SEO" coupled with other techniques. These techniques can include software generated keyword enhanced pages, some methods of re-directs, whereby traffic is shunted off from other sites, with their permissions, and software generated doorway pages and meta-tag descriptions. There are many different techniques that can be employed including rather controversial ones such as hidden text loaded with keywords, and tiny text.

Overall, "Non-Organic" SEO methods are quite popular, as it is a much quicker means to rankings and placement. Links might be purchased from "link farms" which are simply services that specialize in the promotion of links to others.

Although "Non-Organic SEO" can speed up rankings and placement initially, care needs to be given when using any of these methods. If keyword dense pages are automatically generated en masse, the Search Engines might view large sites, with large numbers of such pages as "Search Engine Spammers" and a risk of being banned does exist. In addition, pages may initially place very high, only to drop lower rather quickly, as the Search Engines still place a great emphasis on good content, which is not usually the focus of the "Non-Organic" type of SEO.

SEO For MSN

We are beginning with MSN as rankings are generally faster attained on this engine and thus it is a good place to begin, especially if you have a new site that is likely still in the sandbox on Google or are just at the beginning stages of link building. Like all of the major search engines, MSN builds their index of sites using spiders to crawl the web finding new and changed information. This information is then processed by the MSN servers using complex algorithms to determine which sites are most relevant to the search query entered. This may seem like an extraordinarily complex process and it is however the resulting environment is simple: all search engine algorithms are mathematical and thus, there is a fixed set of rules and factors which, if addressed correctly, will result in a high ranking. In short, because it´s math we have the benefit of knowing that if we take action x and action y we will get result z. The Rules For MSN Assuming that you are following the right rules, the results you can achieve on MSN can be fast and solid. MSN does not apply the same types of aging delays that the other two engines do and thus, when you change your content the change in results can be realized as quickly as they reindex your site and as quickly as your incoming links get picked. This differs greatly from Google and Yahoo! in that those two engines age both domains and links requiring a longer period of time before the full effects of your efforts are realized. As an additional note on MSN, users of MSN are 48% more likely to purchase a product or service online than the average Internet user according to a comScore Media report. So what are the rules for MSN that can help us get top rankings? As with all the major engines, there are two fundamental areas that need to be addressed to attain top rankings. The first is the onsite factors, the second is the offsite. Because they are fundamentally different we will address them separately. Onsite SEO Factors The problem with writing an article about the onsite factors is that by the time many of you read this some of the weight these factors hold and the optimal levels noted may well be out-of-date. Thus, rather than listing overly-specific-and-sure-to-change factors we will focus on how to know what the factors are, how to get a handle on what you need to adjust and by how much, and how to predict what will be coming down the road. And so we´ll begin: How To Know What The Factors Are: Unfortunately there´s no one over at MSN Search calling us up weekly to let us know what the specifics of their algorithm are, we have to figure it out for ourselves with research, reading and playing with test sites. From all of this there is only one conclusion that an SEO can make: the details matter. When we´re discussing onsite factors this includes:
the content of the page including keyword density
the internal linking structure of the site (how the pages of your site are linked together)
the number of pages in your site and the relevancy of those pages to your main topic and phrases
the use of titles, heading tags and special formats There are a number of lower weight factors however the ones noted above, if addressed correctly, will have very significant results on your rankings if the offsite factors noted below are also addressed. Page Content: The content of your page must be perfect. What I mean by this is that the content must appeal to both the search engines and the algorithms. In order to write properly for the visitors you must be able to write clearly and in language that is both appealing and understandable to your target market. While there is much debate about whether the keyword density of your page is important I am certainly one who believes that it is. It only makes sense that a part of the algorithm takes into account the use of the keywords on your page. Unfortunately the optimal keyword density changes slightly with each algorithm update and also by site type and field. For this reason it would be virtually impossible for me to give you a density that will work today and forevermore. For this reason you will need a keyword density analysis tool which you will want to run on your own site as well as the sites in the top 10 to assess what the optimal density is at this time. You may notice a variatio n in the densities of the top 10. This is due to the other factors including offsite which can give extra weight to even a poorly optimized site. I recommend getting your site to a keyword density close to the higher-end of the top 10 but not excessive. Traditionally this percentage will fall somewhere near 3.5 to 4% for MSN. Internal Linking Structure: The way your pages link together tells the search engines what the page is about and also allows them to easily (or not-so-easily) work their way to your internal pages. If your site has an image or script-based navigation it is important to also use text links either in your content, in a footer, or both. The text links are easy to follow for a spider and perhaps more importantly, the text links allow you the opportunity to tell the spiders what a specific page is about though the anchor text and, in the case of footers, allows you to add in more instances of the targeted phrases outside of your general content area. The Number Of Pages & Their Relevancy: MSN wants to please their visitors. For this reason they want to insure that highest likelihood that a searcher will find what they need once they get to your site. For this reason a larger site with unified content will rank higher that a smaller site or a site with varying content topics. (note: this assumes that all else is equal in regards to the other ranking factors) When you are optimizing your site for MSN be sure to take some time to built quality content. Do a search on your major competitors to see how large their sites are, over time you will want to build yours to the same range through general content creation or the addition of a blog or forum to your site. Titles, Heading Tags & Special Formats: Titles are the single most important piece of code our your entire web page for two reasons. The first is that it holds a very high level of weight in the algorithm. the second reason is that it is your window to the world. When someone runs a search the results will generally show your page title in the search results. This means that a human visitor has to be drawn to click on your title or rankings your site is a futile effort (this isn´t about bragging rights, it´s about return on investment). Heading tags are used to specify significant portions of content. The most commonly used is the H1 tag though there are obviously others (or they wouldn´t bother numbering them would they). The H1 tag is given a significant amount of weight in the algorithm provided that it is not abused though overuse (it should only be used once per page). Try to keep your headings short-and-sweet. They´re there to tell your visitor what the page is about, not your whole site. Special formats are, for the purpose of this article, and text formatting that distinguishes a set of characters or words apart from the others. This includes such things as, anchor text, bold, italic, different font colors, etc. When you set content apart using special formats MSN will read this as a part of your content that you want to draw attention to and which you obviously want your visitors to see. This will increase the weight of that content. Now don´t go making all your keyword bold or the such, simply make sure to use special formats properly. Inline text links (links in the body content of your page) is a great way to increase the weight of specific text while actually helping your visitor by providing easy paths to pages they may be interested in. Offsite SEO Factors With MSN, the offsite factors are much simpler to deal with than either Google or Yahoo! MSN will give you full credit for a link the day they pick it up so link building, while time consuming, is reworded much quicker on MSN. When dealing with MSN and offsite SEO there are two main factors we must consider when finding links: Relevancy. The site must be relevant to yours to hold any real weight. Quality is better than quantity. Because PageRank is Google-specific we can´t use it as the grading tool for MSN however upon visiting a website it´s generally fairly clear whether we´re visiting a good site or not. Spending extra time to find quality is well rewarded. Also, finding one-way links as opposed to reciprocal links is becoming increasingly important and I´d recommend utilizing both in your link building strategies. You will have to begin your offsite optimization by running link checks on your competitors to see what you´re up against. This is also a good place to start for potential link partners though those of you using a tool such as Total Optimizer Pro or PR Prowler will find it far faster and more effective to use these tools.

Tips for Improving Website's Conversion Ratio

There are some important tips that improve the website conversion ratio. According to the seo experts conversion ratio is normally 1 to 2 percent. But if we take care the following steps than the conversion ratio may be improved.

1. Make sure your visitors know what you do, the instant they land on your website. Don't make them have to guess. Tell them right up front with a benefits-laden headline.

2. Make sure the design of your website up to par? Make it easy to navigate. Get rid of distracting flash or stupid, meaningless graphics that are a waste of everybody's time and take forever to load? Simplify your website. Get rid of the flash, graphics and pop-ups!

3. Use psychologically effective colors. The color blue suggests quality, trustworthiness, success, seriousness, calmness--the perfect choice for sales pages. Avoid purple, which connotes uncertainty and ambiguity, and only use yellow to highlight key words and phrases. In addition, try to have as much white space as possible. It makes for a cleaner looking, easier to read website.

4. Get your own domain name. URL's that contain names like, "Geocities", "Angelfire" or "Tripod" have amateur written all over them.

5. Prove what you say. Back up your claims with cold, hard, indisputable and verifiable facts?

6. Put your name, telephone number and street address on your website?

7. Use authentic customer testimonials, complete with first and last names? Just make sure you get your customers permission first.

8. Offer a fair and reasonable money-back guarantee? Thirty days is good. Sixty or ninety days is better!

9. Make it easy for your customers to pay. And offer a variety of payment options. I can assure you, if you're using Paypal only, you're losing sales. There are a lot of people out there, myself included, that just won't do business with Paypal. It's too much of a hassle!

10. And last but not least, make sure you have a powerful sales letter. A strong and effective sales letter can blast your earnings into the upper stratosphere!

I hope these tips are very much usefull for a website to increase its conversion ratio.

Website Listed at Yahoo

Treat Yahoo as both a directory AND a search engine. Yahoo offers a number of different search results. Part of their search results come from an actual search engine, and some of their results come from human editors, called surfers.
Every Yahoo directory submission is viewed by a person. (Search engines use spiders and indexing software). Admission into the Yahoo directory is entirely at the discretion of the Yahoo surfer viewing your site. That's why the free submission lead time can often be 8-10 weeks, without using the Express Submit service.
Unlike search engine submissions that accept multiple pages from the same site, Yahoo surfers prefer to view your home page, and they will navigate your site from there.
With directories, the site owner selects the most appropriate directory categories for his/her site and writes descriptions that concisely and accurately describe the content of the site. Factors that affect directory placement are selecting the right category and writing a good description.
Always differentiate between the Yahoo search engine and the Yahoo directory whenever you speak to a search engine marketer. The strategies for getting listed in search engines are different from the strategies for getting listed in directories.
Fill out the Forms on Yahoo Exactly as Requested
We know this seems obvious, but some sites don't get listed because the submitters do not follow directions when filling out the forms. When Yahoo asks for a telephone number, give only one telephone number including the area code. When Yahoo asks for a 25-words-or-less description, don't try any fancy word stacking or keyword tricks. Stick to a concise, accurate description of your site's content. Yahoo surfers often change your site description after it's listed in their directory.
Although some fields are optional, try to fill in all of the fields in the förm, especially the fields asking your company name, address, telephone and fax numbers. Yahoo wants to know that you have a legitïmate business that will be around in years to come.
Select the Categories (only 3) That You Want to be Listed Under Very Carefully
To select your categories, type in your selected keywords in a Yahoo query, and study the results. Your site does not belong where you believe your target audience is searching. Your site's actual content should accurately reflect the category or categories you wish to be listed under.
You will probably be listed under the same categories your competitors are listed under. Study your competitors' directory listing. See what their descriptions are, and then modify your site's description to show the Yahoo surfer that you definitely belong in the categories you selected.
If you are a U.S. company, under the category Regional/United States/ in Yahoo, all 50 states are listed. You should include your site in one of the regional categories, if applicable. Don't be surprised that most of your traffïc from Yahoo is local. Many customers need to hear your voice or see your face to feel secure about hiring you or your company for a project.
Category listings are also at the discretion of a Yahoo surfer. You need to spend the time selecting your categories and studying your competitors so that you do not get listed under an "undesirable" category.
Have Unique Content and Point This Information Out in Your Submission
A web site is of no value to the Yahoo directory if the site contains the exact same information as other sites in the same categories. So to add value to the Yahoo directory, and to call attention to the unique aspects of your online business, make sure you have unique content on your site.

Analyzing One-Way Vs. Reciprocal Links

Link building has become a cornerstone of SEO/SEM services so many are interested in knowing what makes a good link, what they should strive for, etc. that will provide the biggest impact on their site optimization.

I was recently asked the following:
"These days, I've heard alot about one-way links being better than reciprocal and worth more in respect to pr rankings. If possible, could you please offer me some insight on reciprocal vs. one way links."

Here was my response:
"We certainly believe that one-way links are better than reciprocal links, but not to the extent that many others assume. You hear a lot of talk about reciprocal links being dead and for a while we believed this is the direction the search engines were going, but the more research we did the more we believe this NOT the case.

"The factors that we look at as being the most important are link relevance and quality. If these issues are in line then it’s not going to matter if it's a one-way link or a reciprocal link... just a valuable link."
Search engines certainly want to get a handle on link manipulation but there are many more effective ways of doing so. In fact, many believe the most recent Google algorithm change is the implementation of how links are viewed, and it has nothing to do with one-way vs. reciprocal links.

When analyzing links, determining if a link is reciprocated is not an entirely effective way to gage the users intent. Many sites link back and forth to each other simply because it makes good business sense to do so. If all reciprocal links are devalued search engines are essentially shutting out legitimate links simply by assuming that the intent was ill-formed.
Yes, a large portion of reciprocal links are simply SEOs and site owners manipulating the system, but that in itself isn't necessarily bad. After all, Google claims to have spidered over 8 billion pages. I'm sure its the grand link building campaigns and site cross-linking that has allowed them to find a few of those billion. The bottom line is that just because a link is reciprocated does not mean that it's an illegitimate relationship.

Search engines can determine link quality by a number of other measures:
Comparing themes of the link source and link destination pages
Placement of links on the page (i.e. is it in body content, ad section, navigation area, etc.)
Relatedness of the two linked sites (are they in compatible industries?)
These three measures alone will provide a far greater measure of the quality of a link than looking at whether a link is reciprocated or not.In regards to links, and SEO in general, I don't believe it makes much sense for search engines to look for ways to penalize those who are manipulating the system to their advantage, but rather to make sure that those manipulations work to provide higher-quality search results.

SEO:Important Steps For Optimize Website

Hi Friends, I want to share some important steps for optimize a website. A Website has no value if it has no traffic. With the help of search engine optimization techniques we can rank our site high on search engine and increase the traffic on it. This is my first blog I want to share my seo studies and its different techniques for optimize our website and make it "Search engine friendly".