Search Engine Optimisation - Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't my Web site rank very well in the search engines?

Having your website rank high in the search engines is a science and the rules for search engine optimisation (SEO) are always changing. Here are some reasons why you may be having poor ranking:

• Incorrect usage of TITLE tag or no TITLE tag content at all.
• Too many repetitions of the same 'keyword' in a page (spamming).
• Missing H1 heading tag content.
• Missing ALT tag text in your graphic links.
• No meaningful content in the first 250 characters on each page.
• Less than 350 words per page.
• Very few pages on your website.
• No links from other websites to your website (link popularity).

You should always submit your site to any search engine directories manually.
Do not use automated submission services.

How long does it take for SEO results to kick in?

The amount of time required to see results of search engine optimisation work ranges anywhere from days to a few months. This is all dependent on how often search engines crawl sites to pick up changes, update their index, and subsequently re-rank sites.

What is my site ranking dependent on?

Site ranking tends to be "cumulative" and is dependent on the following factors:

• The specific keyword phrases (search terms) that have been targeted
• The overall competitiveness of your industry
• Whether you are targeting a regional, national, or international market
• How well ranking is monitored and the site tweaked over time for SEO improvement
• The progress of your linking campaign
• Number of competitor sites achieving new ranking themselves.

Yes. Every page of a website can be a potential entry point for visitors. You can't predict which page or pages will be ranked the best for specific keywords. As such, each page must be individually optimised for optimal ranking. Collectively, all pages of your website reinforce the common "theme" of the site, which also can help boost ranking. DO NOT assume that your home page is the most important page on your site.

Can you guarantee a number #1 position in the search engines?

Nobody can guarantee a number #1 position or specific ranking for your site for a given keyword phrase. There are simply too many factors beyond anyone's control - the search engines changing their ranking algorithms, efforts made by competitors, and new sites being added to the Web.