When the concept of SEO first hit the online marketing radar, the strategy was pretty simple: saturate your content with critical keywords and you’d float to the top of the results lists on all the major search engines. The approach was initially successful, but it didn’t take long before search management teams caught on  and developed programs to filter those keyword-rich sites out of the search results.

Website developers were now challenged to devise multilevel search strategies that would restore their clients to the top of the heap without raising the red flag of search string manipulation. This was done through keyword tags that are incorporated into the site’s electronic markers, opening the door to a new level of electronic media professional: the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) or SEM (Search Engine Matrix) specialist.

These professionals provide a critical service to website designers, undertaking hours of research including search string analysis, competitor keyword tag comparison and results rankings. From this basic foundation they build layers of data that tie to site content and service details. When first implementing SEO strategies, many sites experience a drop-off in overall site traffic, which disappoints many new clients. But the effectiveness of the strategy is proven by its ability to attract buyers rather than lookie-loos.

SEO professionals are typically directed by the client to ensure that their site will rank in the top 5% or top 20-search results for their specific business demographic. While that might seem a successful strategy on the surface, it is virtually impossible for anyone to guarantee results. Search rankings are a moving target as the rankings vary daily – and sometimes hourly – based upon the consumer trends and the effectiveness of sites to retain visitors and close the sale. Search engines monitor click rates and the time each visitor spends on different sites, adjusting search rankings by traffic trends.

If visitors to your site ascertain that they can’t easily find what they’re looking for from your landing page, they’ll likely close the window and go on to the next intriguing result. For this reason, it is critical that your SEO tagging represents the actual content or service offered by your site. And remember: it takes time to build any successful business. Likewise, it takes time to build the steady and dependable traffic flow of hard-line buyers to your online e-business.

For this reason, it is critical to monitor other trends such as the number of visitors navigating your site, the number of visitors that are filling out electronic forms requesting quotes or feedback, the number of site sales and the feedback provided by site visitors. It is also important to quantify the length of time it takes to convert a first-time visitor into a sale.

Keyword development strategies are generally multi-layered approaches to define a unique footprint for a particular site. For instance, under the umbrella term “Sign Manufacturer” falls two, three or more tiers of keyword terms or search strings that will drive search traffic to specific pages within the site. “US Sign Manufacturers,” “US Sign Designers” and “North American Sign Installers” would each drive traffic to the landing page that sums up the history and experience of the firm with intriguing links to category-specific information.

The next layer of search terms is designed to drive visitors to areas of the site that are designed to answer commonly asked questions and capture their personal information. Here, personal interest inquiries could include “LED Signs,” “Institutional Sign Options” and “Directional Signs,” for example. It is critical to tie feedback, question and order options to every page within the site to ensure that even the most time-strapped visitor can quickly connect with sales staff who can close the sale. The sales team is well advised to work from a script designed to capture critical personal information that will be used to improve site functionality and rankings. Questions might be broad reaching, such as “What brought you to our site?” or direct: “What other sites did you visit?”

In defining these layers and specific search terms, the SEO professional researches the effectiveness of each of the words or terms in returning specific results. They then define the hierarchy of the terms to structure the hidden tags in order of importance. It’s a labor-intensive process that requires hours of quantifying and qualifying the effectiveness of individual search terms. The results are tabulated and rated, then reviewed with the client to ensure that the final selection of tags will return the desired volume of sales.

Calls to Action are an aspect of electronic marketing activity that bridge the gap between traditional advertising strategies and e-businesses. These are the “buy it now” strategies that inspire a visceral reaction in the consumer … offering them a deal that they simply cannot resist. It is difficult to meld these action-items into the SEO or SEM tags as they are fluid and likely to change as opportunities develop. For instance, when the e-business obtains a close-out deal on a hot item, they are well advised to post it as a special “buy it now” product. But SEO professionals must monitor the effectiveness of these strategies to determine whether they are enhancing or diluting the efficiency of the site.

Are visitors price-shopping for a specific product? If so, are they enticed to “buy up” by following a sales strategy that points the consumer to a slightly better product at a competitive price? Once you have the visitor at your site, the specific flow of that traffic through your site is indicative of whether your site is delivering on all levels. If site visitors are still not clicking through or contacting the business through online questionnaires or feedback opportunities, the site needs tweaking.

Some sites will never be top performers and it’s the job of the SEO professional to provide that quantifiable feedback to the customer. A small startup may be unable to compete with the larger firms that offer a greater mix of products, free shipping and other value-added options to the consumer. These smaller sites still have potential, but they are unlikely to ever achieve and sustain highly rated search engine results placement. At this point the SEO must put on their marketing hat and counsel their client about alternative strategies that will improve their results and grow their business over time.

Even these bare-bones sites can produce valuable returns, however, if the SEO professional has done their homework and devised a keyword matrix that returns valuable traffic. In general, one strives to achieve a .5% traffic sales return, so for every 1,000 visitors they could expect to close five product sales.

Ongoing SEO site audits provide key markers that allow the SEO professional to counsel their client on trends in the market and strategies that should be incorporated to improve their sell-through rates. Partnering with other sites, such as Click-Bank and Google, employing ad strategies and periodic freshening of content all work together to refine the functionality of the site and improve its search rankings. A “dead site” that implemented all the right tools in its original design will slide down the search results list if it isn’t managed and maintained.

Each page within the site must be indexed and keyword tagged to ensure its presence in the electronic search realm. The site designer identifies the primary target landing pages designed to return hard sales results, then utilizes the supporting pages to establish and heighten the visitor perception of the professional quality of the firm. 65% of sales are driven by visual impact: splashy graphics, pleasing design and well-written content that captures the interest of the average consumer. The other 35% of sales are relationship driven. The supporting pages are designed to create a connection to this level of consumer … to reinforce the durability and commitment of the company in a way that will reassure the consumer that the business will be there to serve their needs over the long haul.

Many clients balk when it comes to making the additional investment in SEO keyword research and site tagging, but this is a critical element that truly drives the success of the site. SEO and SEM trends must be periodically revisited to ensure that the site continues to perform effectively as competitors respond to trends and model their own sites after their most successful competitors. Educate your clients about the intricacies of keyword strategies and you’ll likely develop a client for life.