The process of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) involves incorporating search engine friendly elements into your website. All major search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo have primary search results, where web pages and other content such as videos or local listings are shown and ranked based on what the search engine considers most relevant to users.

Search engine optimization is broken down into two basic areas: on-page and off-page optimization. On-page optimization refers to the elements on a web page, such as HTML code, textual content and images. Off-page optimization refers to back links (links pointing to the site which is being optimized from other relevant websites) predominantly.

Types of SEO

There are three different types of Search Engine Optimisation: white hat search engine optimization, black hat and the grey hat Search Engine Optimisation.

White Hat

White hat Search Engine Optimisation utilizes techniques and methods to improve the search engine rankings of a website to comply with search engine (mainly Google) guidelines.

Some white hat SEO techniques include: high quality content development, website HTML optimization and restructuring, link acquisition campaigns supported by high quality content and manual research and outreach.

White hat Search Engine Optimisation may be a longer term process, but it is sustainable and will yield returns in the future.

Black Hat

Black Hat SEO exploits weaknesses in the search engine algorithms to obtain high rankings for a website. Such techniques and methods are in direct conflict with search engine guidelines

Some black hat SEO techniques include: link spam, keyword stuffing, cloaking, hidden text, and hidden links.

It is not advisable to apply any black hat SEO techniques to your website, as the search engines will always outsmart your optimisation efforts. Remember: the better your organic ranking, the less likely you’ll be to spend on pay-per click campaigns.

If your website employs any black hat Search Engine Optimisation it will probably be penalized or blacklisted.

Grey Hat

As the color suggests, this type of technique is halfway between the black and white hat SEO. It uses techniques like three way link exchange, article spinning, purchasing of old domains, and buying expired domains.

Because it’s halfway towards black hat SEO, we wouldn’t advocate it either. If you’re going to go to the trouble of investing time, money (or both resources) into marketing your website, a white hat strategy will yield the greatest returns.

What are the benefits of SEO for your businss?

A site that is well optimised for search engines ...

... can improve your website's ranking for a well-researched group of keywords over a period of months or years.

... can attract your ideal customer, no matter how specialized your niche may be

... can leverage well written, useful, helpful, entertaining, or otherwise interesting content to mount a successful link building campaign which will result in ranking improvements.

... optimize your website's textual content by incorporating a select number of keywords into the text, and utilizing the new text to develop an internal link structure which helps magnify the importance of those keywords for the search engines.

Interested? Get Mynt working on your website today and you won’t have to worry any more about visibility. Refresh your brand.