Aedis Creative

At some point in time during any web design project I am asked, “How do I get my site ranked on google?” The topic of SEO is well covered across the internet, but for the sake of covering all the bases, let me sum up the major points.

Long ago the strategy for SEO was to load your website up with a bloated keyword list. This tactic was heavily abused and as a result is longer given a great deal of consideration by the major search engines. In truth, while meta elements such as keywords and descriptions, well structured page titles, valid HTML, and a strong site architecture all play a part in optimizing your website for search, there are two consideration which will drive your results more than the others combined.

This might be a “duh” moment, but your SEO primarily depends on your site’s content. All the keywords in the world will not get you on the front page of google, but writing compelling, relevant content which draws the attention of your audience will. You see, google pays attention to what people are looking at. It knows when you’ve created something effective and when other people are going to want to see it.

This leads into the next consideration. Google also watches to see who else is linking to your content. Incoming links are a major consideration for site ranking. When someone reads your content, decides they need to spread the word, and posts a link to your site in their blog, google takes notice and gives you a nudge up. Bookmarking sites like dig have long been a strategy to promote your content in an effort to get others to link to you.

So how do you get others to link to your site? Once again, it’s all about relevance. Invest some time in your content strategy. Have a plan for releasing regular content which speaks to the needs of your users. Use it as an opportunity to show how your services are different from your competitors. The phrase “content is king” may be cliché, but in terms of search engine optimization, it’s the simple truth.