The best thing about Search Engine Optimization is that its largely free. I wouldnt profess that the cost is zero simply because it takes a lot of time to do correctly and time is money. Search Engine Optimization is the development of website rankings for online search engines and targeted keywords. To properly implement a SEO strategy, there are four stages to help manipulate search engine result listings for specific keyword phrases.

Before undergoing any changes to a website, you must determine what keywords people are using to search for your programs. You want keyword terms that are frequently used but have little or no competition from other websites. This improves the chances of increasing web page ranking significantly. Marketing professionals can research possible keywords by talking to current students and using free online tools such as Adwords Tool which provides estimates of search volume and advertising competitiveness.

Before choosing a keyword for search engine optimization purposes, size up your competition. Look at the number one ranked website and learn more about them. Consider the websites age, Google PR (Page Rank), and number of in-bound links. This can give you a good understanding of how solid a competitor that site is.

The next step is to do additional using Alexa. This site provides additional details that can help you determine whether or not the keyword you’ve chosen can bring you success. While researching competitors sites, Alexa will provide additional details on site strength including age and sites linking in. If the number one ranked site has less than two million competing pages and few in bound links, then you have a good chance of outranking them.

Upon deciding which keyword phrase is ideal for your search engine optimization campaign, the next step is to design your site in a way that is both easy to read and highly accessible by all search engines. Consider breaking up your search engine optimization campaign into on page optimization factors and off page optimization factors. By addressing both, you can quickly influence rankings in a positive way. Consider starting with site design that integrates SEO best practices including meta tags, headers, and typeface. Once complete, turn your attention towards building links to your web site.

The most heavily weighted factor for Google is the PR of those sites linking to your website. The best links are those from highly ranked pages, particularly in relation to your chosen. A hundred links from strong web pages are worth more than a thousand weak ones. So concentrate you link building efforts on sites that are in your niche and have a high Google PR. Links should also use your keyword phrases as the link text instead of your URL.

Succeeding online with Search Engine Optimization is your ticket to success. This is especially true if you can’t afford the large pay-per-click budgets that advertisers are spending to get their web site promoted. Consider on page optimization techniques and off page optimization techniques like linking building to improve rankings and enhance your search engine presence.