SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMISATION (SEO)

What is Search Engine Optimisation?

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) refers to the process of improving a website’s structure and content in order to improve its rankings on all the major search engines, most notably Google, MSN Search and Yahoo!, as well as South African search engines like Funnel, 24.com and Ananzi.

Search engines rank websites by considering many factors which carry different weightings in their algorithms. Most engines use a combination of Meta Tags, content, link popularity, click popularity and longevity to determine a sites ranking.

 

 

How does Search Engine Optimisation work?

Search Engine Optimisation starts with extensive keyword research and competitor analysis. At Purple Cow Communications, we use what we believe are the best SEO tools available to determine what Internet users are searching for online. This in turn enables us to establish which keyword phrases a website needs to be search engine optimised for.

These keywords will form the basis of a website's Search Engine Optimisation strategy.

Why optimise your website for search?

Within search engine marketing, Search Engine Optimisation ensures that a website meets the necessary criteria to appeal to search engines in order to rank higher on their search engine results pages (SERPs).

Very few searchers look beyond the first page of results, so it’s best to appear within the top 10 search results at least. This means that your website will be more visible on the SERPs, which will bring more traffic to your website.

Search engine traffic (or organic traffic) accounts for 75-80% of search-generated traffic, while Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising accounts for the remainder. At Purple Cow Communications we focus strongly on boosting your natural search traffic first, while we view PPC as a complementary and important strategy that should also be pursued, especially if time is of the essence.

Website Optimisation results take time

After a website is search engine optimised, the structural changes and updated or expanded content needs to be crawled and indexed by the search engines. The time it takes for a website to be indexed varies, with an additional time delay before increased rankings are seen.

As such, Purple Cow Communications generally advises our clients to expect major ranking improvements only after approximately four to six months from the stating date of website optimisation.

Having said this, however, it should be noted that some of our search engine optimisation clients have seen positive ranking results in as little as a week of the changes being implemented.

SEO approach and techniques

We employ scientific methodologies to our SEO analysis and use only spam-free Search Engine optimisation techniques to get your website ranked.

We typically start off with a pre-optimisation assessment, after which we conduct advanced keyword research and keyword phrase planning, competitive analysis and a technical assessment to ensure that your website is accessible for all the major search engines. Learn more about the fundamentals of SEO that we find are often neglected on sites we audit.

SEO best practices in action

Adhering to the best, ethical SEO practices, Purple Cow Communications optimises websites in a way that delivers sustainable ranking results over time, rather than employing quick-fix or unscrupulous search engine optimisation methods.

Purple Cow Communications subscribes to accepted best practises guidelines as outlined by the search engines themselves, and adhere to all white-hat methods.

We approach website optimisation as the primary method of increasing our clients’ natural search engine traffic.

Affordable Website Optimisation Packages

Our search engine optimisation packages are substantially cheaper than those offered by internationally-based Search Engine Marketing companies, yet we offer the same SEO toolsets and advanced web analytics tools that other SEO companies use in the analysis.

Contact Purple Cow Communications today to discuss your website’s optimisation requirements, or to get a free quote for a tailor-made Search Engine Optimisation package.