Page One of Google - How can I get there?

It’s Not Just About SEO

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the process by which a website is engineered in such a way that it will be listed highly in the various search engines. Essentially SEO can be divided into two distinct parts; On-page optimisation and off-page optimisation (by the way, in the United Kingdom it is optimisation; in the USA it’s optimization!).

On-Page Optimisation

This is the ‘traditional’ techniques applied to a website, for example, is the content relevant, are the correct metatags in place and are alt tags used? There are various guidelines that can be followed and the subject is easily researched on the web.

Off-Page Optimisation

Off-page optimisation can be summarised as using techniques to get your website listed elsewhere on the world wide web (the nature of these links and how they can be obtained is too wide a scope to be part of this article). Off-page optimisation is essentially an ongoing process whenever there is some kind of competition involved, quite simply because your competitors will almost certainly be doing ongoing work to build the number of links that appear back to their website.

By combining these two strategies, a website owner can get their site listed at a high ranking within the search engines and a ‘good’ SEO company will be able to offer you both of these services. They should possess a good measure of experience in on-page optimisation so that they get the fundamentals of your site in good order (it’s pointless getting your website to appear all over the internet if the search engine robots simply bypass your site because it has poor or incorrect coding within it).

A good SEO company will have built up a wealth of experience also within the sphere of off-page optimisation. The nature of this has changed markedly over the past few decades, even over the past few years, as the search engines change the way in which they rate (or rank a particular site above another).

Web Designers

You need to be aware that many (but not all!) Website design Companies will tell you that they have SEO expertise. They may well have, but don’t take it for granted; check out their credentials and success stories before you employ their services.

Is That It? Is That All I Need to Know?

The short answer to that is “NO”! There are many websites that are listed highly in the search engines for a particular product or service but they are not entirely successful in making a profit. Why is this? Well, let me just say that it’s one thing getting a million people to visit your website every day, but it’s another thing to get those same people to buy anything! It’s like putting a giant advert in the national press advertising a huge discount store and then when the people turn up to visit that store, the products are badly displayed and of poor quality; they just won’t sell very well.

So What’s The Answer?

The answer is to find an SEO Company who has a proven track record of optimisation of various sites. Asks for testimonials and then visit the sites that they have optimised and see if you think those sites will make any profit. A good SEO Company will not only have SEO skills and expertise, but will also have general commercial experience and will be able to help you not just to get your business top of the search engines, but also how to make sales.

The best SEO Companies should even advise you NOT to spend money with them simply because your e-commerce idea will not make money!

In summary, check SEO Companies out carefully; get testimonials, check out their success stories, but make sure those success stories are about making profit, not just getting top of the search engines.


The Author is the owner and webmaster of a business offering SEO Advice, in particular advice on getting on page one of Google.




Occupation: Self-employed
Mike has an extremely diverse military and commercial background. He spent 17 years in the Royal Navy, working as a Nuclear Technician, Submariner, Diver, Helicopter Pilot, Flying Instructor and Special Operations Pilot, including teaching leadership at the Royal Navy Leadership School. Since 1995 he has run several successful businesses and worked as Project Manager for Richard Branson's round-the-world ballooning attempt before becoming a Director in the Virgin Group. He has been teaching percussion for over 7 years and has been running his own SEO company for the last 3 years.
http://http;//www.search-engine-company.co.uk