Promoting sites in search engines

This process integrates many parameters that
include optimizing the web site content and
design for search engines, while emphasizing
the type of business and taking into account
as much as possible the existing site.

The process demands a rich understanding of different
areas including: website building, website design,
copywriting, investigation, statistics and logic together
with a strong grasp of marketing and advertising on the Internet.

To optimize a site is complex and during its process the following steps are checked and implemented:

• Preliminary data collection on the site and on direct/indirect competitors
• Analysis and selection of keywords and search terms according to which the site will be found
• Adjustment in web site content based on the keyword phrases selected, while making every effort to preserve the significance of the site and the central marketing message that it transmits
• Analysis and writing of Meta tag code for the site based on chosen keywords and site content

After performing the optimization process and adjusting the site to the needs of the search engines, the site is then submitted to leading search engines as well as to Directories and various other portals on the Web.

Ongoing maintenance
After the web site has been indexed by the leading search engines, it has to be constantly maintained. This work is required to monitor how well the site is moving up in search engine ranking and to respond to all obstacles along the way to such progress. This work also regularly monitors how the client’s site is doing vis-à-vis his competitors.

Data Collection
During the research process, the target site is checked against competitive sites. We collect information about the position of these other sites and check where their traffic is coming from. We then use advanced Internet-based software to help us sharpen the quality of this data and undertake correct analysis.

Technical analysis and keyword selection
This stage involves selecting the first keyword phrases that are relevant for the business. Selection is undertaken by learning the type and nature of the customer’s business and then finding ‘most popular’ or ‘most searched’ keywords used by potential clients. At the same time, research is undertaken to find alternative keywords, spelling (or popular mis-spelling) and evaluate the competitive position for each word on the Web.

Finding the best and most relevant keywords is an extremely important phase in helping your web site to achieve maximum visibility. In addition, choosing the wrong  keywords will shift the focus off-track and result in poorly qualified visitor traffic.

Changes in web site content
For a web site to be found according to the chosen keywords, those keywords have to be ‘seeded’ within the web site content. This has to be done in an intelligent and logical way that does not detract from the overall look and feel of the site.

Should the content of the web site need to be changed, we will change or rewrite it (in English or Hebrew) based on the relevant type of business and principal marketing message. Content writing is undertaken by writers with special expertise in the Web environment, a strong marketing awareness and English and Hebrew as their mother tongue.

Technical analysis and preparation of code (Meta Tags)
Optimization work has to be individually adapted, because search engines have different algorithms and parameters. Some search engines are affected not only by the content that is visible to the visitor, but also by special code tags that are called ‘Meta Tags’. These include the title, description and keywords relevant to a specific web page, guidelines for search engines and more.

Correct writing of these tags is based on a solid understanding of programming and marketing needs. It greatly increases the chances of the web site being placed higher in search engine results.

In addition, we will run tests on your site and look for technical problems that could cause conflict with search engines.

Ongoing maintenance
Following the first distribution and submission steps on the Internet, ongoing monthly maintenance is required to fine tune the process. This may involve changes in keywords and other adjustments that will preserve and improve the position of the web site in search engine results.

During the ongoing maintenance program, the site is submitted to additional places on the web (search engines, directories, portals etc). A periodic report is generated to evaluate current achievements and plan future actions.

Fine tuning
This process involves double-checking that the selected keywords are still the most relevant, checking on the performance of competitive sites and undertaking any necessary changes. The Web is a dynamic environment and therefore web site optimization must match the flexibility of changing market needs.

All changes require the re-submission of the customer’s site and its re-indexing by the search engines. This process can take days, weeks or in some cases even months (based on the rules of each search engine or directory). When fine-tuning is done continuously, it achieves the results of ‘good-to-better’ rather than ‘poor-to-good’.

Long-term maintenance
In the constant flux of search engines, dynamic changes and instability of data are the prime characteristics. Search engines constantly apply new algorithms to change search results, which gives new competitors the opportunity to act and improve their position. For these reasons, fine-tuning and constant site monitoring are essential steps to keep track of changes and respond in minimal time.

Link development

Traficare has developed sophisticated systems for a) registering the client’s site with leading web search engines and directories and b) undertaking link exchanges in an efficient and productive way.

Submission to search engines and directories
The Internet comprises hundreds and thousands of search engines and directories that cover many different subjects and topics. However there are only 10-20 search engines and directories that offer truly comprehensive coverage on the Web for your site.

The results received from the leading search engines indicate the results in the index of every search engine and the results from clicks on other search engines (??)
Your site is submitted manually (rather than automatically) to each of these search engines because this allows the registration process to be focused, precise and individually adjusted. In any event, search engines have defense mechanisms to guard against receiving submission requests received automatically by computer software. They want people to think carefully before submitting their site, and not receive irrelevant junk.

Directories such as Yahoo and DMOZ (also called ODP Open Directory Project) work differently in listing sites. They employ teams of editors who receive and evaluate all web site submissions. They decide whether a site is suited to the category to which it is applying. If a site has its application for acceptance rejected, or does not meet the criteria of acceptance, it will find itself on a ‘reject’ list. Such rejection can be temporary or, in some cases, permanent. However in all such cases, repairing the damage is a lengthy process.

Note that it takes time (a few days to several months) for a web site to appear in a search engine or directory, and that the ‘waiting time’ for each of them is different.

Link exchange