Dos

1)     Learn about SEO – like B&Q for home improvements, SEO work can be done the DIY way. But to do this you need to learn as much as you can about the process. Utilise resources online like Search Engine Land, and there are plenty of books you can get out from the library like Aaron Wall’s SEO Book, Jennifer Laycock’s Small Business Guide to Search Engine Marketing, and Search Engine Optimization: An Hour a Day by Jennifer Grappone and Gradiva Couzin.

2)     Patience is a virtue – SEO is a bit like trying to loose weight – it doesn’t happen over night, it takes time. The results of your hardwork might only be seen many months after, particularly if you are a smaller business, new to online business.

3)     Have one of the best websites – if you want to be on page one of Google, make your site one of the top ten for what it’s about. Keep it relevant, updated regularly and interesting – so people search for it and keep coming back. Live by the mantra great relevant content!

4)     Be the process – SEO isn’t a one off event. Good SEO techniques involve continual evolution. A process that includes a feedback loop to ensure that your tactics remain inline with the algorithms of each of the search engines.

5)     Do some keyword research – use tools such as Google’s keyword tracker to get an idea on what keywords are relevant to your site, and how much they are queried within search engines. This way you can target those words that searchers actual use, and make your relevant site content reflect them.

Don’ts

1)     Don’t wait – As noted above, SEO is a long term strategy. Start addressing it now. Considering it at the design and build stage, including your web agency, means your entire site will be set up with optimisation in mind.

2)     Don’t be too general. Keywords should be specific. Often using regions, or tag lines can increase relevance. If your business is building, you have more chance on ranking page one on the keyword Builders Guernsey, than builders….not to mention that your site is likely to have the keywords Guernsey Builders throughout its content.

3)     Avoid duplication – don’t trade relevance for variety.  Some search engines use supplemental indices to identify sites that copy, or “mirror” content purely to gain page rankings. Once you’ve been black listed by a search engine it can be hard to prove you should be back on.

4)     Don’t stop creating content – relevant content is so important it’s worth putting in the dos, and the don’ts.

For more on SEO check out Guernsey Web Design.