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What to consider when using a service or a contractor to register and optimize your Web site with the search engines

According to Forrester Research, almost 80% of all searches conducted online are done with search engines. Marketing your Web site through the various search engines is still considered to be the most effective way to drive traffic to your Web site. But how will potential visitors find you? With millions of visitors searching online, registering with the search engines is not enough--using the most effective keywords and optimization strategies are a must if you want to attain a top 30 ranking with most search engines. There is an art to search engine optimization and registration, so you may want to hand this project over to the experts. But what should you consider when using a service or a contractor to help register and optimize your Web site?

Do the research
It's important to understand the terminology and the strategy behind registering with the search engines. Take a look at Web sites such as www.searchenginewatch.com to read up on the latest strategies for optimizing your Web pages for the search engines. Be sure to create a master list of keywords that you feel are relevant to your site, and then use search engine optimization software to determine the effectiveness of those words. Start with sites like www.wordtracker.com to determine if a keyword is strategic or just too competitive. Based on the results, distribute the most effective keywords throughout the entire Web site, especially on the part of the page that search engines consider the most important (the page TITLE, body, images, etc.). Then register with the search engines and within a few weeks, run a report with a search engine optimization tool such as WebPositionGold to determine your rankings. This tool can also be used to help improve your rankings with the search engines. Used by the experts, it's the tool you'll want to use to also maintain a top 30 ranking with many of the keywords being used throughout your site.

Ask the right questions
If you decide to hire someone to register and/or optimize your Web site with the search engines, be sure to ask the right questions so that your goals will be met:

-What are the search engines should I register with?
-Will you research my competitors?
-How long will it take for you to research my competitors and my current Web site?
-How will you distribute the search engine optimization report?  
Note: Always get a report in writing, and be sure to have the contractor go over the report verbally as well.
-What kind of software are you using to research and optimize my site?
-How often should I run search engine ranking reports on my site?
-How often should I re-register with the search engines?
*Be sure to submit a list of your keywords to the contractor

Get an estimate
The estimate you receive should contain a breakdown of:
-The research that will be done on your Web site and your competitors' Web sites
-The research that will be done on the most effective keywords to use throughout the site
-The number of hours it will take to perform the research
-A list of search engines that will be researched 

Debbie Berg has optimized many Web sites for the various search engines through keyword optimization practices, and she's also helped to maintain a top 30 positioning with those keywords for many clients throughout the United States. For an estimate, contact Debbie Berg today.

Source: This lesson was developed especially for YOU by Debbie Berg  :-)

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