Search engine optimization is the process of optimizing a website to rank highly in the organic search results for important keyword phrases, or search terms. Over 60% of all online search traffic goes to websites that rank in the top 10 search results for the search term queried, making search engine optimization one of the most effective forms of online advertising, and a critical part of any strategic online marketing plan.
Thoughtprocess Interactive's search engine optimization program is an ongoing, multifaceted process that involves a detailed analysis of your website, an overview of the competitive landscape, thorough keyword research, content optimization, submission to major search engines and directories, and then diligent monitoring the sites rankings and making adjustments accordingly. Here's a summary of each phase of our process:
The purpose of Phase 1 is for us to get to know your website better. During the Site Analysis phase we'll create an overall health assessment of your website in terms of SEO. We look for areas of strength, and areas of weakness, so we can develop a customized SEO solution tailored to your website. The Site Analysis document serves as a baseline report so we can track the progression of your SEO campaign over time.
When developing any online marketing strategy, it's important to understand the competitive landscape. We'll take a look at some of your top competitors to evaluate their strengths, their weaknesses, and how to best position your site for success in the search engines.
Keyword research is the foundation upon which any solid SEO strategy is built. If you want your site to have success in the search engines, it's critical that you know what your prospective customers are searching for. Our keyword research is conducted with 3 things in mind: traffic, competition and relevancy. These 3 factors help us determine which keyword phrases are most likely to drive qualified customers to your website. We'll work with you to determine which keyword phrases should become part of your "keyword portfolio," which then leads us into Phase 4.
When someone conducts a search, the search engines aim to return the most relevant results possible. In order for the search engines to determine that your website is the most relevant site to return for any given search, your site needs to contain content that is built around the keyword phrase on which the user searched. In Phase 4, ThoughtProcess will take your keyword portfolio and develop search engine friendly content that is optimized for your selected keyword phrases.
In order for your site to have any search engine visibility at all, the search engines need to know it is there. There are two primary ways in which the search engines discover a website: submission or discovery. Submission occurs when you submit your website's domain name to the search engines and discovery occurs when a search engine spider or "bot" follows a link from another site to your site. Obviously it's not ideal to sit back and wait for the spiders to stumble upon your site, so we submit your website to the major search engines and directories after content optimization is complete. We also create a search engine friendly xml sitemap, which is quickly becoming the preferred method of submitting a website and notifying the search engines of updates.
We can talk all day about how great our SEO process is, but the proof is in the results. At ThoughtProcess Interactive, we pride ourselves in delivering measurable results that are aligned with each individual client's goals. In the final stage of the SEO process, we run a baseline ranking report that shows us where your site currently ranks in the major search engines for all of the keywords in your keyword portfolio. We then run the reports and deliver them to you on a monthly basis so you can track your site's progress in the search engines over time. We'll also help you install an analytics program if you aren't using one already, so you're able to see what search engine optimization has done for your site in terms of traffic, search engine referrals, keyword referrals and user behavior.
It takes a lot of hard work to obtain top rankings in the search engines, and unfortunately, once you get there you don't get to just kick back, relax, and revel in your accomplishments. SEO should be considered an ongoing process, not a one time solution. To stay on top of the game, you have to stay on top of your competitors and keep a close pulse on the search engine industry. There will always be new competitors entering the market, and the search engines are constantly updating their algorithms in an effort to improve their results. Ongoing maintenance is necessary in order to keep your website optimized for top rankings.
ThoughtProcess offers a Monthly Management plan that will help keep your website performing at an optimal level. Our Monthly Management Plan includes the following services, customized on a monthly basis, based on your web sites performance and recommendations by our Online Marketing Strategists:
Thoughtprocess Interactive creates custom online marketing solutions for a wide range of clients. Give us a call if you'd like to discuss your marketing objectives and we'll put together a strategy that focuses on delivering measurable results, tailored to your business goals.