SEO Search Engine Optimizer Defined

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the position of a given website in the organic or natural results on a search engine. The purpose of improving the organic search results would be to increase traffic volume and quality to the website. Search engines determine these results based on their individual algorithms. The algorithms are designed to produce the most relevant results for targeted words being searched for. These words searched for are referred to as key words. So the algorithm is the formula that the search engine uses to produce results based on the websites most relevant to the terms in the target search. The earlier a site is presented in the search results, or the higher it "ranks", the more searchers will visit that site.

As a marketing strategy for increasing a website ranking or relevance, the SEO considers how search algorithms work and what target audience will search for. SEO efforts will involve a website's coding, presentation, and structure, as well as fixing problems that could prevent search engine indexing programs from fully spidering the site. The SEO may also include adding unique content to a site, ensuring that content is easily indexed by search engine robots, and making the site more user friendly.

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 when discovered remove them from their indexes.

SEO has become synonymous with "search engine optimizers", an industry of consultants who carry out optimization projects on behalf of clients. Search engine optimizers may offer SEO as a stand-alone service or as a part of a broader marketing campaign. Because effective SEO will require specific elements in the HTML source code of a site, SEO tactics should always 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 are after they have been optimized.