How SEO Works

Take The Mystery Out Of Search Engine Optimisation

Search Engine Optimisation involves developing a website’s coding, content and link relationships so that it achieves high search engine rankings for targeted search terms.

How search engines index websites

Search engines use automated software programs called spiders, or robots, to collect information about individual web pages, which is then stored in the search engine’s index.

The first step in the SEO process is to ensure that a website is spider-friendly. These sites allow the search engine spider to navigate with easy access to information on the individual pages. Website technologies and techniques which can prevent spiders indexing a web site include:

Framesets
JavaScript navigation
Flash navigation
Explicit session IDs
Dynamic content
Requiring users to log in

Effective SEO identifies and eliminates the obstacles that spiders commonly face. By cleaning up websites, optimisation experts allow search engines to find the information they need.

How search engines determine results

Search engines use algorithms (complex mathematical formulae) to determine search engine rankings. When a search is performed, the websites which rank highest in the search engine results are those identified by the algorithm as being most relevant to that particular search term.

What affects the rankings?

Google has stated that its algorithm uses over 200 different factors to determine a website’s relevance and importance. These ranking factors can be broken down into four main groups:

Content - The presence, position and repetition of keywords and key phrases on the page
Coding - Analysis of the (X)HTML code provides additional weighting factors for text, images and other individual page elements
Structure - The organisation of the site, its directory structure and navigation shows the relative importance of individual pages
Links - The quantity, quality and link text of inbound links (IBLs) and internal links are amongst the most important ranking factors

Reverse engineering the algorithms

Successful SEO requires the reverse engineering of search engine algorithms to determine the most important ranking factors for each search engine. The Search Engine Optimisation process then involves redeveloping the website’s coding, content and links to include, or enhance, the key ranking factors. This ensures that individual pages achieve high rankings for selected keywords or key phrases.

Tailored optimisation for the major search engines

Each search engine uses a different algorithm, with each of these algorithms incorporating different sets of constantly evolving ranking factors. Therefore, it requires expert Search Engine Optimisation to ensure that high search engine rankings are achieved and maintained across a range of targeted search engines.

Optillion’s SEO campaigns usually target the four major search engines – Google, Yahoo, Bing and Ask – which between them carry over 90% of UK search traffic. With specialised understanding of the algorithms that drive these search engines, Optillion is able to tailor its optimisation techniques to ensure that clients get the best results. Other search engines can also be targeted, if required.