Search Engine Optimization

The assignment for our midterm paper required us to research and write about search engine optimization and search engine marketing (SEM). So for the most part, our class has a basic understanding of what these terms mean but having the opportunity to talk with someone who does this every day is invaluable. And last Thursday we had this opportunity when we had a guest speaker come talk with us who has several years of experience in using search engine optimization (SEO). Not only is David knowledgeable but he was willing to share tips, insights and best practices for us to use when designing web sites so that they are positioned as high as possible in search engines, i.e., Google, Bing, etc.

Without going into much detail, SEO uses keywords and images on web pages so that search engines will list the site at or near the top in search results. I always thought that SEO and SEM where opposites when dealing with web site. However, as David pointed out search engine marketing is a broader term that encompasses search engine optimization and pay per click (PPC). Search engine optimization is called "organic" because it uses the keywords and tags on the web site for placement in the search results, where pay per click (PPC) is just that, the web site owner pays for placement on a search engine page and the cost is based on the number of times the web site link is selected (clicked).

There were three things that stand out from listening to David and his wealth of knowledge; (1) when deciding what keywords or tags to use, if at all possible, run a comparison between possible choices to see which one will work the best for you (or your client's) website; (2) be very specific in choosing keywords, often times a plural of a word will cause the web site to be placed lower in the search results; and (3) to have more specific search results use quotes ("") around the search phrase. These three things all seem to be "no brainers" to veteran web designers but to me they are a big deal and probably I would not have thought of them on my own.

I wanted to be part of the current MIT class to learn how to manage internet technology projects and programmers. However, the more I learn about the internet and how it works the more excited I become. I want to be part of this technology, hands on, not just an a manager. The guest speakers we have heard in our classes have been awesome! I still have such a long learning curve ahead of me especially in the coding side of this program but I am definitely up for the challenge.