Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

What is search engine optimisation? SEO is the technique of presenting refined and targeted information about your web site to the search engines. The process (also called web site optimisation) will push the site up to or near the top of the rankings whenever keyword searches are performed.

The challenge when optimizing a site is to manipulate the information being presented to the search engines in such a way that your site ranks ahead of hundreds or perhaps thousands of similar sites competing for the same top rankings.

CoSource’s team of SEO specialists prides themselves in their ability to consistently achieve top rankings for our clients. Their knowledge and expertise provides the foundation for expert web site optimisation the first time, every time.

Some of the components of CoSource’s SEO process are listed below.

Benchmarking

Before we begin the optimisation process, we determine your site’s current positioning. Many poorly optimised web sites (like the majority of smaller and mid-sized sites), will usually rank close to the bottom of the keyword and key phrase search results. This is where the SEO process begins. We ascertain which keywords and phrases need to be emphasized and devise a strategy to improve the way this information is presented to the search engines.

Competitive Research & Analysis

Another important part of the SEO process is understanding your competition. Once CoSource becomes completely familiar with your products or services, we perform an in-depth analysis of your competition. Through this process we determine which of your competitors are successful, and those that are not. Our specialists then improve on the methods used by the successful businesses and fill in any gaps in their strategies. The result? Your site now competes on the same playing field as your biggest competition, with the advantage of a highly optimised web site.

Technical Site Analysis

Your site's technical structure can inhibit the search engines’ ability to properly index your web site. Several variables including programming elements, page structures, link titling, and dynamic content can, in some cases, prohibit them from seeing your site at all. CoSource uses a variety of techniques including search engine simulators to analyse your site’s technical structure and identify any of these potential problems. And, because all search engines don’t function in the same manner, our teams manually scrutinize your site’s structure and internal code.

Keyword Research & Analysis

Search engine optimisation can be a “hit or miss” proposition. If a potential client were to search for a “holiday package,” and the only similar listing on your site was “vacation packages,” that client will probably never land on your site – even though your package might be the best one offered. Consider this same scenario with dozens or even hundreds of different words or combinations of words and imagine the business potential that would be missed if it weren’t for keyword analysis. Keywords and key phrases that will elevate your site to the top of the search results must be presented to the search engines properly. CoSource has the knowledge and the expertise to ensure the right information is presented with the best ratios and densities to push your site to the top of the rankings.

Content Optimisation & Specialty Writing

Web content is arguably the most important factor when considering SEO. Your web site’s content must contain all the “information” that the search engines look for. Keywords, key phrases, page titles, headers and footers, even link titles are analysed by most search engines. The successful imbedding of key information into your web’s text while maintaining continuity and flavour is a task that can only be accomplished by the most talented copywriters and editors. While simply writing bland copy that makes no sense with a myriad of keywords and phrases might seem like optimisation, it is not. And, if the keyword ratios and densities are either too high or too low, the search engines may pass over the web page or web site labelling it as insignificant.

CoSource’s writers and editors have extensive experience imbedding keywords and phrases and their variations while telling your story to your site’s visitors. Your web content always reads well, and works right

Linking Strategy

Google was the first search engine to consider the number of your web site’s inbound links (how many outside web sites link to you) as an important measure of your site's value and popularity. The higher your site’s value, the higher your rankings will be in search results. Optimised web content may be the most important vehicle for SEO, but without strategically developed inbound links, optimised web content made to stand on its own may fall short of expectations. To further complicate matters, major search engines like Google not only check for inbounds links, they also analyse who the links are from to ensure validity. CoSource understands the game, knows the rules, and plays to win.

Search Engine Submission

Many Internet marketing organizations promote the fallacy of submitting your web site to "hundreds" of search engines. Although hundreds of search engines may exist, only 4 are responsible for processing over 90% of all web searches. And, since Google, Yahoo!, AOL and MSN actually find your site with web crawlers in order to provide the best results, there typically is no need to submit to them. In many cases, improper or excessive submissions result in poor rankings or your site being overlooked completely.

Launch & Maintenance

Once the SEO process has been completed and the site is launched, rankings within search results should improve rather quickly. In addition, your site’s traffic should increase proportionately. The actual time frame can be anywhere from two to eight weeks. During this span, CoSource continually monitors rankings in order to identify successful keywords and phrases and tweak those that may not be performing at peak. This process also alerts us to changes or modifications to search engine algorithms which may result in the appearance of new competitors. Through regular, scheduled maintenance, modifications to your site can be implemented to ensure site position stability or improvement.