Search
Engine Optimization - SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the
volume and quality of traffic to a web site from search engines
via "natural" ("organic" or "algorithmic")
search results for targeted keywords. Usually, the earlier a site
is presented in the search results, or the higher it "ranks",
the more searchers will visit that site. SEO can also target different
kinds of search, including image search, local search, and industry-specific
vertical search engines.
As a marketing strategy for increasing a site's relevance, SEO
considers how search algorithms work and what people search for.
SEO efforts may involve a site's coding, presentation, and structure,
as well as fixing problems that could prevent search engine indexing
programs from fully spidering a site. Other, more noticeable efforts
may include adding unique content to a site, ensuring that content
is easily indexed by search engine robots, and making the site more
appealing to users. Another class of techniques, known as black
hat SEO or spamdexing, use methods such as link farms and keyword
stuffing that tend to harm search engine user experience. Search
engines look for sites that employ these techniques and may remove
them from their indexes.
The initialism "SEO" can also refer to "search engine
optimizers", a term adopted by an industry of consultants who
carry out optimization projects on behalf of clients, and by employees
who perform SEO services in-house. Search engine optimizers may
offer SEO as a stand-alone service or as a part of a broader marketing
campaign. Because effective SEO may require changes to the HTML
source code of a site, SEO tactics may be incorporated into web
site development and design. The term "search engine friendly"
may be used to describe web site designs, menus, content management
systems and shopping carts that are easy to optimize.
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