Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of leveraging search engines to help drive traffic to website. The goal is to have your content rank higher in search results for phrases that are 1) directly related to your content and 2) highly relevant to those conducting the search.

There are two major forms of search engine optimization:

1)  On-page search engine optimization – this includes anything you do on your site to draw the attention of search engines. For example, using keywords in your blog title and meta tags, embedding images and videos that add visual appeal to your con- tent and publishing new, original content on a regular basis.

2)  Off-page search engine optimization – this is everything you do off of your website to help search engines better index your content. For example, submitting your site to Google, commenting on another blog with a link to your site and creating a YouTube video with a link in the description to your site.

The key to effective SEO is to pick the right keywords and long-tail keyword phrases before you get started. There are a few steps to determine the right keywords for your product:

1)  What words or phrases would you use to search for your product? It’s likely that other people will use similar keywords and phrases as well. This is a good place to start.

2)  What keywords are being used on the merchant’s website for this product? Tip: in your browser, you can right-click and choose to View Source. Look and the keyword meta tags to see what keywords they’re using.

3)  Enter these keywords into the Google Keyword Tool for a quick look at how much traffic and competition these keywords have. You want keywords with higher traffic and lower competition.

4) Get a copy of Market Samurai and run a complete analysis.

The Don’t get fooled into thinking more traffic is all good. It’s not terribly difficult to start getting traffic to your website, but if it’s from search phrases that have little to do with the products you’re trying to promote then that traffic is essentially useless.

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