Surely there's an easier, more cost effective way to get your site listed better on the search engines?

There it is, your website, sat all alone amongst the mass of websites which make the internet. You can find it alright by typing in your web site address into a browser, but the big search engines don't seem to see you... why!?!

Search engine optimisation (SEO)

A bit of a buzzword at the minute is SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation. Hopefully, we will now explain what it is, what it should be, and what it isn't... please read on!

Here's a quick rundown of how a search engine works:

1. The search engine finds a site, either through direct URL submission or by discovering it through links from sites already indexed in it's database
2. The search engine checks the site content, and many other factors, and the search engine 'spider' then crawls the site, following links from the page to other parts of the site. During the crawl, the search engine 'indexes' the content and saves it
3. The search engine monitors many things about the site, including popularity—determined by how many incoming links from other trusted sites—and the relevancy of content and keywords used
4. The search engine adds the site to the index, and using a proprietary algorithm gives the site a 'score' for certain keywords and phrases
5. When the end user searches the engine for these phrases and keywords, the search engine uses the data collected to return a list of results, ranking pages of better relevancy higher in the list

The process from standstill can take months to get a website into the search engine index. But following the rules and not abusing the system helps a lot.

SEO... what it is

Becoming popular in the late 90s, SEO is a method employed by web designers/builders which attempts to make a website look and feel appealing not only to the browsing user, but also to search engines.

Once certain methods were discovered to achieve better rankings, web designers found loopholes which allowed them to stuff pages with key words and phrases and cheat the system.

The only *proper* way to achieve a good page rank is a well structured, well coded and well written website. There is a degree of science required to achieve this, and it's basically getting under the skin of the way the search engines work.

However, some web design companies and SEO agents are still using backdoor, or 'Black hat' methods to promote sites.

Every search engine uses different algorithms to index pages, and although most of them share common methods, they all have their own character.

Boiling this down to it's simplest form, modern search engine indexing is much more human, and penalises sites who use spamming, stuffing and backdoor methods heavily.

White hat SEO is the proper way of doing things. This follows the rules and uses natural, organic methods to get the site indexed. Websites employing White hat methods usually get better rankings and stay in the index at higher positions much more consistently.

Black hat SEO is the enemy. Companies offering 'Guaranteed Results!' use Black hat methods to push your site high quickly, ignoring the rules and methods and using slack and ugly methods to get the result fast. These companies have little or no care that the website will drop or even be blacklisted eventually—all they wanted was your money, and once they have it, they've done their job, regardless of the consequences.

Black hat SEO can consist of:

• Stuffing your pages with keywords and links
• Spraying your name across directory/link sites
• Adding you to pay-per-click services, such as Google Adwords
• Faking your website performance statistics

A Black hat SEO company will often make promises they can't keep, or worst still will make guarantees which on the surface sound good, but are shrouded in sales talk and avarice.

Bear in mind, the best and most natural way to achieve a good position is to have a properly constructed website.

Some common things to steer clear of:

• SEO companies who guarantee better rankings without even touching your website or wanting to alter it. Even worse, they can offer to get you better rankings without even SEEING your site.
• Promises of first-page listings within a given timeframe: NOBODY except the search engine creators know the algorithms used, and they are very precious about them... SEO companies can only attempt to jump the queue, they cannot profess to 'Know the ways in' or 'Know how it works'. If they do, they're lying.
• SEO companies offering performance-based packages: Bear in mind that your site may already be in the search engines, the SEOs who offer a 'We only take money if we do what we say' approach are on a winning line without lifting a finger. Avoid.
• Being asked to place links on your site to other sites. This is a huge danger as every bad/directory outgoing link dilutes your own site's good standing.
• Avoid companies who are pushy. We've had clients tell us that they've been approached by salesmen who just happen to have a client 'ready to push the go button' with them for the same field of work you're in, and obviously they want to give you first refusal. Salesmen who are having to push SEO down your throat are obviously desparate for work, and use standard sales patter to sell you something you don't need.
• Never sign up to a contract or package without asking the following questions... both to yourself, and the SEO company:
  • Who is making the money here, the SEO company, or you? Is the money better in your pocket, or theirs?
  • Have they already looked at your website or business and made a decision on how well they can place you for getting the coverage YOU want?
  • Is your website in a position where you WANT more exposure? Is it good enough and comprehensive enough to give the right first impression?
  • What happens when the yearly contract is up? What happens to your site then?
  • Ask the salesperson the simple question: Is their service something you could do for yourself with a little tuition?
    If they answer 'no', it's a lie.

SEO... what it isn't

SEO isn't something which will guarantee you more sales. It won't guarantee exposure. And it certainly isn't guaranteed to make you a millionaire.

Traffic to your website is fine—so long as your site is good in the first place. Many Black hat SEO companies will be glad to take your money to get you listed, even if they know your website will be ineffective when reached by the end user.

SEO is also nothing to do with Google's Page Rank. Page Rank and search engine placement are two completely separate areas, and there's far more science involved behind climbing the lists.

And... remember, you don't need to be on page one of the search engines to get noticed. Take your own search/browsing habits into account when thinking about how your own site is listed and indexed...

SEO... what it SHOULD be

At Pixelmakers, we take a very honest approach to SEO. We build our sites with SEO in mind, and our primary concern is that your site is content rich, marketing driven and complete.

The SEO happens naturally after a while, and generally only six months of tweaking is required to get your site seen and listed high in the ranks.

Our honest approach also involves schooling our customers into how to maintain and improve their search engine rankings themselves—saving £££s with SEO companies who use smoke and mirrors to hide their methods, and also saving hundreds on pay-per-click campaigns.

The Pixelmakers solution

Because we've been designing for the internet since it's commercial birth, we know a lot about how it all works. Most of our sites are hand-coded, and each one is built from scratch.

For over 10 years we've been creating sites with search engine friendliness in mind. Our sites perform well, get very highly ranked, and attract business for our clients.

And best of all, we don't charge our clients for SEO when it's actually something which occurs naturally if their site is designed properly in the first place.

Why we're different:

• We don't ask you to 'pay per click'
• We won't bombard directories/link farms with your site link
• We don't use offshore programmers to do our work
• We don't make performance-based promises for money
• We don't hide our costs
• We know about design, coding, programming and optimisation—all in house, all under our control
• We write your words for you, if you want. We know 'marketing speak' and can often put into words what your company does, even if you can't put your finger on it—think 'plumbers with leaky taps'
• We care how well your site performs, even after you've paid!

Have you got any questions?

We really can't list here everything we do or have done. Which is why we'd love to hear from you if you're considering using our services.

Just give us a call on 01743 368836, or if you'd rather, email us at info@pixelmakers.co.uk