Search engine optimisation – or SEO – is the brave new world of on-line marketing.

Mind you, it has been around for years but for much of that time it has remained the exclusive enclave of computer whizzes that understood what the terms Google algorithms and back-linking actually meant.

And just when the rest of us were finally getting our heads around the secret language – Google ups the ante and changes the rules.

One moment, back linking is the flavour of the month and the next websites suffer heavy penalties for relying on the behind-the-scene marketing strategies.

I am writing this blog in a bid to help others learn by detailing my mistakes, experiences and insights I’ve gained from wrestling with SEO during the past three years.

According to my very patient (and long-suffering) SEO experts advising me on the mystical world that is SEO, the latest changes implemented by Google are forcing businesses owners into some draconian methods to maintain – much less increase – their on-line presence.

Namely, Google wants people to get out there and mingle with the public.

No more skulking behind the scenes in the murky world of back-link land. Rather actively engaging with your existing and prospective clients via social media, Google Plus and – for the brave at heart – networking in person.

The idea being to become the sought-after thought leader in your area of expertise proffering insightful tidbits to guide the masses. Reaching out to them via Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn on a regular basis on all things – in my case – copywriting and business writing training.

After considerable research, navel-gazing and picking of brains, I concluded I needed to adopt the follow hybrid of strategies to improve my Google rankings.

Appoint a professional SEO company
Paying a monthly service fee to a trusted SEO company to insert relevant keyword search terms into my website content.
They monitor your traffic as well as my competitors to devise strategies to keep me in the game.

Revise existing website content
Review and rewrite my website material on an annual basis to avoid becoming stale and outdated.
Adding at least one new webpage per month.
Update client testimonials.

Adopt a Google Adwords campaign
Pay a capped amount for my advertisement to display in the top tinted section and sidebars of Page 1.
Divide the campaign into key business areas.
Nominated the times, days and geographical regions for the campaign to be broadcast.

Write a blog
Summarise my key ideas in regular blogs focusing on different aspects of my business.
Provide insightful information to my clients and the broader public.
Raise awareness about upcoming product and program releases relating to my business.

Regular social media updates
Broadcast all my information to a wide audience via Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

How to improve your Google ranking – for dummies

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