DeMystifying Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search Engine Optimization is not magic. SEO legitimately works when done well. The mystery behind SEO lies behind understanding how search engines work. My goal is to demystify it for you so that you have a broad understanding of why SEO works and how to best use it. I have written an article, as well as provided access to highly authoritative sources on the Web, relevant terminology and questions/answers.

If this is not enough (or more than you need to know), and your business needs professional SEO/SEM services like those that I offer, contact me.

Getting Top Rankings with SEO — Valerie McCord's overview of SEO.
Wikipedia Search Engine Optimization article — Complete and approved definition of SEO, including its history, what it means as a marketing strategy, what it means to be white hat SEO versus black hat, and more.
Most Commonly Used SEO Terms — Find the definitions of search engine terminology from the basics of what is a search engine to what an inbound link is and what anchor text is used for.
SEO Frequently Asked Questions — Specific SEO questions that are commonly asked of me.

What Does SEO/SEM Do For You?

In layman's terms, SEO is what is done to websites to get higher rankings on search engines, most notably the "top 3" (Google, Yahoo and MSN).

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a form of Internet Marketing that promotes websites by increasing website visibility in the search engines. It includes SEO, Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, directory submissions, and more.

Usually, the higher a site "ranks" and the more "visible" it is, the more people will visit the site. Done well, this leads to increased sales & leads.

If you're looking for more Internet leads or sales, you need SEO/SEM.