Introduction to SEO
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I’d like to begin by providing a comprehensive definition for organic search engine optimization
(SEO) and explaining how it differs from pay-per-click advertising. Organic SEO is the method of developing
and marketing a web site so that it achieves higher ranking in search engine results pages, known as SERPs.
Notice how I have highlighted the words developing and marketing. The actual development of your web
site — such as proper code, content, and structure, plus the online marketing of your web site, such as link
building— are the main tactics used in organic search engine optimization.
The development and marketing of your web site are further described by two categories: “on-page” and “off-page” optimization tactics. On-page tactics include any optimization tools that you implement in the actual pages of your web site and are considered development factors. Most on-page tactics include user-friendly page structure, keyword and meta tag inclusion, proper coding, and necessary content.
Off -page tactics include the optimization tools that have to do with the marketing and link building of your web site. Most off-page tactics involve choosing reputable web sites to exchange links with, placing links on reputable directories, and submitting articles and press releases.
The proper web site development and marketing is essentially the key to top search engine rankings. The search engines measure both the development and marketing of your web site when determining your rank; therefore, you must employ both to achieve top rankings.
The main feature of organic SEO is that you don’t pay for each and every click, as in pay-per-click advertising. When your web site is optimized for organic search listings, it will be listed in the top SERPs shown on the left-hand side of the page. The listings displayed on the far right-hand column are those that require you to pay for each click and are essentially advertising through Google or other major search engines.
Reaching the top pages of organic listings will definitely take a while since your web site is one of more than a million web sites that are submitted to search engines on a regular basis. When you sign up for pay-per-click advertising, you can get listed that same day, although you will be paying for each and every click, whether it is a fraudulent click or not.
You can opt to run a pay-per-click campaign on one of the major search engines at the same time as you work on your organic SEO. It is your choice, although you need to be aware of the prevalence of fraudulent clicks at your expense.
Up to thirty percent of your pay-per-click charges can come from fraudulent clicks. Fraudulent clicks can come from many different areas, although the two most common sources are excessive clicks from competitors or individual web site owners/employees that display search engine ads to receive commissions.
Organic search engine optimization, on the other hand, is free to implement and a must-have for your web site. Organic SEO requires hard work and time, just like all great things, yet your web site will benefit from it greatly. More than 80 percent of all online traffic begins with a search on one of the search engines. Furthermore, since most web surfers do not look past the first one or two SERPs, you must constantly aim for top rankings.