5 Steps to Take Before Optimizing Your Website

Before jumping right into search engine optimization (SEO) for your web site, there are some very important steps you must take. SEO can provide a very high return on investment - if done correctly. Wasting time and money on SEO has happened to many who have jumped in too quickly. The excitement over seeing high rankings and the perceived sales benefit from them can blind some people from some important preliminary steps. Before retaining SEO services, ask yourself these questions:

1. Have I Done My Keyword Research?

We all want great search engine rankings and traffic to our web site, but will you get highly targeted traffic or visitors who couldn't care less about your product? Choosing the best keywords and using them effectively in your web site copy is essential in order to maximize the effectiveness of a link building campaign. Services like Keyword Discovery, Wordtracker, and even the Google AdWords Keyword Tool are an SEO's best friend. They show us the current trends in every industry as well as popular and niche keywords we should be targeting. How can we properly optimize a web site if we don't know what our potential customers are searching for? An SEO will do this as part of the campaign, but it doesn't hurt to use some free services ahead of time to help them narrow their research faster.

2. Is My Web Site Content Ready to be Shown to the World?

Have you hastily created copy and added it to your web site just for the sake of "having something up there" for people to see? Have you ensured that the writing is effective and free of mistakes by getting a professional editor or copywriter to analyze it? Have you created specific landing pages for different keywords, making sure that your pages present the best information for visitors? Is the site structure and technology attractive to search engine spiders? You wouldn't open a physical storefront without doing it right so don't skimp on your online store.

3. Do I Have a Clue About Web 2.0?

Many people don't even know what Web 2.0 means let alone how the concept can help their web site. Web 2.0, to put it simply, is the shift towards more social networking and the ability to share information in a collaborative and community-based way. Making use of sites like Del.icio.us, YouTube and Myspace as well as things like blogging, podcasts, wikis and online photo albums are examples of Web 2.0. This shift is from the "old" version of the web where we had web sites acting more like brochures or business cards, with few ways of actually connecting with other users online.

So how can you harness the power of the new Internet to help your business? Work along side your SEO company by updating a blog regularly; create unique content that your competitors don't have - if you offer something different it can be "linkbait", which is something that can entice others to link to you; create articles or how-to pieces that can be syndicated on other important sites within your industry; participate in Facebook groups related to your business and share links with others on social bookmarking sites. The possibilities are seemingly endless if you take advantage of the tools that are out there.

4. Have I Installed Analytics Software?

Any reputable SEO company will insist that there be a way to track visitor behavior and statistics. But you can go one step further and install that software before the SEO even begins to get a "before and after" look at SEO efforts. My personal choice is using the free Google Analytics program - it's easy to install the small piece of code on your site, and once you get used to the online interface, the amount of information available is astounding.

5. Can I Commit Company Resources For the Duration of the SEO Campaign?

I've had clients who chose to enter into a contract for SEO services only to find a couple months into it that they don't have the cash flow necessary to continue the campaign long-term. Employee turnover has also affected SEO if the go-between leaves the company. The disconnect between you and your SEO can stall progress and at worst end up wasting previous efforts. Search engine optimization is an investment, not a quick fix. While it may seem expensive in the first few months, good SEO pays for itself before too long, especially if your sales are on high-priced items like real estate, cruises or vacation tours. The most important thing to remember is backtracking equals a loss in time and profits. Get it right the first time and follow these steps before jumping into search engine optimization.