Search Engine Optimization is the method of promoting your site online, using text links as opposed to banner ads. Optimization begins with the registration of your site with search engines.

In addition to registering your site with the search engines, you must also consider the set up of your site. How you rank is effected by the design of your site, the copy on each page, and the META tags used in the coding of your site. Some things to consider:

1. Sites that use Flash or Frames make search engine optimization difficult.
2. Your copy should include specific and relevant terms that define your business.
3. The keywords you include in your METAtags must be thought through.
4. You should also be aware of what keywords your competitors have on their site.

There are three types of “search engines”: Directories, Crawlers, and Paid Listings.

Directories

Directories are search engines powered by humans (as opposed to spider technology). Human editors compile all the listings that directories have. Editors will review your site and determine whether it is appropriate in various categories of their site. Some categories will charge you to be listed there. We will advise you if and when this is the case. In some instances it may make sense to register a sub-page (as opposed to your home page) of your site that contains information on a specific topic.
Examples: Yahoo!, Looksmart

Crawlers

Crawler-based search engines automatically visit web pages to compile their listings. This means that, unlike directories, you are likely to have several pages listed with them. Because these sites scour the web to look for specific search terms – it is important that your site use appropriate terms throughout the copy.
Example: Google, Altavista

Paid Listings

Every major search engine with significant traffic accepts paid listings. This unique form of search engine advertising means that you can be guaranteed to appear in the top results for the terms you are interested in. The catch is – that your competitors can do this as well. To stay one step ahead of your competition – you must “bid” higher on your listing.

For example, if your company sells flowers and you bid $.75 on the term “Roses” and your competitor bids $.95 on the term “Roses” – your competitor will be listed above you. In order to beat your competitor, you might bid $1.05. For every potential client that clicks on your link, you will be asked to pay $1.05. Therefore you are only paying when a potential client visits your site.

Once your site has been submitted, we don’t stop there. If you ignore your listings, they will eventually disappear. Further Technologies will:

· Create a baseline report to show where you are ranking now
· Continually monitor your progress
· Submit sub-pages of your site
· Re-register your site (when necessary)
· Identify new search engines/new opportunities
· Provide reports to show progress
· Research competitors’ progress
· Identify cost per click opportunities
· Ensure that you outperform your competitors