Recommended: Click here to improve PC speed »
Currently about 6,000 people per SECOND are using an Internet search engine likeGoogle or Yahoo to find what they are looking for. Some people only wantinformation. Others are looking for a product or service to purchase. No matter whatyour business or organization provides, some of those people could be potentialcustomers, members or users of your products or services. But can they find yoursite with a search engine?
Now if they don't know your company already exists, they won't type in its name ofcourse. Instead they will type in the name of the product or service they arelooking for - "marketing services," "digital cameras," "skydiving lessons,""basement waterproofing" - you name it. These people will never find your websiteunless it is optimized for "keywords" such as these which potential customers ormembers would naturally use while searching online.
But unless your website is the only one in the world offering a unique product, suchas "left-handed monkey wrenches for right-handed violinists," or "advanced filingand polishing of index finger nails," etc. you will have to COMPETE with otherproviders for a high search engine ranking. Most people are in such a hurry, theywill never look past the first page of search results unless they cannot findANYTHING close to what they are looking for. However, if what they are looking forpops up on the first page of search results, using the same words they used tosearch with - BAM! - they are off to check out that site. And where is your sitelised? Page 2? Page 7? Not at all?
So how do you compete effectively? Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is both art andscience. It helps if you understand what keywords your potential customers ormembers are using when they do searches. One of the best tools for that purpose isthe Yahoo Search Marketing suggestion tool, formerly Overture. Sometimes it is usedso heavily it is not functional - if that happens, just come back and try again in afew minutes or hours. But on a good day you will find this truly valuable SEO toolat http://inventory.overture.com/ d/searchinventory/suggestion/ This will give you a good understanding of how many searches per month there are foreach keyword, and the competition for keywords important for your website.
There are many more tools, some free and some paid, some online and some off, thatyou can use to determine what keywords to optimize for your website, and how best todo that. For a more complete orientation, including a full array of over 250 focusedtraining videos, be sure to visit http://www.InternetMarketingPC .com, home of theInternet Marketing Profit Center.