We at Intelligent Business Solutions are old pros at the SEO game. The rules have changed significantly over the years and SEO continues to be a dynamic, moving target. The basic principles have not changed and we continue to use the following four-part process to achieve high rankings for our clients.

Positioning Analysis:
The first step in the web site positioning cycle is Positioning Analysis. The goal of a positioning analysis project is to provide the client and or design team with a clear understanding of their site's current search engine/directory position, how competitive the market place is, and what steps can be taken to maximize the site's position.

The most important factor in an SEO project is being able to "think like your customer". What search phases are your prospective customers likely to use? Are they more likely to find you through a search or via another site or directory? Once you have these answers you can determine your current ranking and then developed a plan to improve it.

Optimization:
Optimization is the process of implementing procedures developed from the positioning analysis to improve search engine position. Options may include but are not limited to such techniques as re-designing or improving the current site, providing optimization suggestions to the design team, acquiring additional domain names, and creating offsite or reciprocal links. Because different search engines and directories utilize widely varied algorithms for determining a site's importance we may target specific sites or site elements to a particular engine or directory where improvement is desired.

Submission:
Once a site has been optimized it is submitted to engines and directories for possible ranking or inclusion. This is an important and delicate procedure. We do not take the "shot gun" approach utilized by so many "fly by night" outfits. Most submissions are done manually on a one by one basis. Just as the optimization process often targets a particular search engine or directory for improvement, the submission process must follow through so as to improve rankings where desired without having a negative effect on the non-targeted directories.

Review:
The Intelligent Business Solutions staff will review the positioning status and effectiveness of the positional services on a regular basis. The review may include a keyword positioning report, trend analysis, traffic analysis, a popularity report and options for further optimization.

We all see the "submit your site to 7,000 search engines" and "guaranteed #1 ranking " email "come on's" that flood our inboxes and I caution you. If you are serious about SEO make sure you do it right.

The Intelihosts.com team will be presenting at the:
Contact Advocates ConnectME conference.
April 29th Westin Hotel, Stamford, CT
http://www.contactadvocate.com/connectme/index.html

Come and join us!