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SEO - Search Engine Optimisation

Piccante SEO services

Content is king for SEO. What are the other factors?

Content - original, authoritative and well written content will always be the most important factor in Google and other search engine results. After all, it is their job to serve up great results, their core business. But in addition to that, there are literally hundreds of factors that Google considers in their (highly secretive) algorithm. Page load time, back links to your site, semantically correct coding, keyword placement, images tagged appropriately, Click Through Rates (CTRs) - the number of people that click on a search result - and then the period of time they stay on that site.

Voice and mobile search in the modern SEO environment

Trending SEO topics include the development of search terms and detailed keyword searches (traditionally known as long-tail searches) in the mobile enviroment, especially relating to voice searches using Google Home, Alexa and other voice-recognition technologies. ALT Agency explores these and the importance of back links and getting your search terms right.

RankBrain and User Experience Signals

These are more important than the usual Google algorithm updates, such as Penguin. They mark a more intelligent, user-orientated measure of actual search results - measuring key user benchmarks of time spent on the site and whether the results are what the user is actually searching for - or not.

I have always maintained that my SEO strategy is simply for the client (or designated person) to write and produce great content. This is reinforced by RankBrain, which proves that the best site (content-wise) will win.

There is an excellent article written by BackLinko that summarises the latest in SEO strategies, including RankBrain updates.

On a personal level, I would like to say that Google Plus is also yielding excellent results on posts in highly competitive markets, including accommodation rentals.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Google Analytics tools for your website

If your business depends on high visibility online and getting found on Google then you will want to consider one or more of our optional search-related packages. For ease of categorising these services they are grouped on this SEO page but as well as Search Engine Optimisation they include Search Engine Marketing and Google Analytics tools. We explain these terms in further down this page.

SEO and SEM are specialised and very important strategies affecting the page rank and therefore success of online businesses - they are also constantly evolving. Piccante Web Design will explain the process to you openly and in simple terms. Our systems are ethical, well-researched and based upon the best information available at the present time. We will help you understand what we are doing, why, and not try to sell you something you don't need. Like all of our services, the cost of these packages are published on our prices page.

1. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) package. Optimising your website and content to achieve the best possible search engine results without paying third parties

Using proven SEO techniques to improve your organic search engine results (without resorting to paid links and advertising). Tell me more about the SEO package.

2. Search Engine Marketing (SEM) package. Creating an online marketing campaign and introducing paid-for-services with third parties such as Google adwords

Often used in conjunction with the SEO package (above) SEM can produce outstanding results targeting key areas and niches that could otherwise result in missed opportunities for your business. Because you set your monthly budget which will never be exceeded, it doesn't have to be expensive. Tell me more about the SEM package.

3. Google Analytics package. The basic starter-pack

We get your website indexed (located and analysed) early by the three major search engines (including Google) by submitting your site directly. We also include analytics code in each of your webpages so you can start viewing internet traffic statistics related to your site. Tell me more about the Google Analytics package.

1. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) package

The SEO package by Piccante Web Design uses ethical, reliable and proven techniques to maximise the perfromance of your website in organic, or 'natural' results for searches by internet users. You do not pay Google or any other search engine for these results; any return links and other services are free of charge and the only price you pay is a one-off cost to Piccante which you can view on our published prices page.

Here is what you get in the SEO package:

A written package containing, and when possible, a two hour personal brief from our staff covering the importance and relevance of:

  • Content (copy) writing guidelines and techniques
  • Keyword selection, research and placement
  • Website structure and hierarchy of pages
  • Links (internal and external)
  • Managing your SEO strategy
  • Social networking and blogs

Once you have submitted your content to me, you receive the following services prior to your website going 'live'

  • Post-production copy review and feedback
  • Keyword selection review and feedback
  • Optimised code and comprehensive meta-tag inclusion
  • Page title (URL) optimisation
  • Link optimisation
  • Sitemap submission
  • Robots crawl-file submission
  • Site submission to the three major search engines
  • Google analytics code added to each webpage for traffic analysis purposes
  • Google account setup on your behalf to utilise the many tools available for analysing traffic trends and to assist your ongoing decision-making processes
  • Google Local Business submission (where your business has a physical or street address)
  • Local Search Directory submission
  • Squidoo hub-page construction and submission
  • Selected social bookmarking tools

If you have any questions regarding this service, or any other matter please do not hesitate to contact us.

2. Search Engine Marketing (SEM) package

SEM differs from SEO in that we now enlist the help of paid services, normally in the form of 'pay-per-click' Google advertising. While this may sound rather expensive, it doesn't have to be. You simply set a monthly budget (which will never be exceeded) and this can be as little or much as you want - or can afford. It is important to remember that you only pay for results - visits to your website - not simply for having an advertisement that nobody sees. The price for our SEM service can be viewed on our published prices page. Please remember to factor in your advertising budget when considering the total cost of your Search Engine Marketing strategy.

Here is what you get in the SEM package:

  • Advice on the selection and use of keywords for your advertisement(s)
  • Advice on setting your advertising pay-per-click rate based on estimated client 'successful conversions' formulae
  • Copy writing guidance for your ad
  • Single ad copy review and feedback
  • Single ad creation (including any pictorial ads), placement and activation
  • Google AdWords account setup on your behalf to utilise the many tools available for analysing ad performance

Subsequent advertisements may be placed free of charge by the client using the Google AdWords account that Piccante has set up for you. Further assistance and advice is available and will be billed according to the time taken based on Piccante Web Design's published hourly rate. If you have any queries about this, or any of our services please do not hesitate to contact us.

3. Google Analytics package

This basic package enables you to begin tracking your website's performance with only the smallest of financial outlays. While it is not strictly optimisation or marketing, the Google Analytics package does provide you with the tools required to analyse your internet traffic and make informed decisions about the need for advertising, increased levels of marketing or discovering more about the visitors to your website. The price for our Google Analytics service can be viewed on our published prices page.

Here is what you get in the Google Analytics package by Piccante:

Google account setup on your behalf to utilise the many tools available for analysing traffic trends and to assist your ongoing decision-making processes. Some statistics available include (amongst many others)

  • Site visits, views, average pages viewed per visit, bounce rate, average time on site, percentage of new visits
  • Visitor languages, browser types, geographical locations and internet connection speeds
  • Where visitors come from, i.e. direct traffic, search engines or referring sites
  • Top performing keywords and referring websites
  • Click patterns on your site
  • Goal (target) performance

In addition to the Google Analytics data we provide:

  • Sitemap submission
  • Robots crawl-file submission
  • Site submission to the three major search engines
  • Google analytics code added to each of your webpages for traffic analysis purposes

Please note that Google accounts are free to set up by anyone, however, a good knowledge of FTP, HTML and the addition of specific javascript code will be required to generate useful information. If you have any queries about this, or any of our services please do not hesitate to contact us.