Search Engine Optimisation
Would you like to see your website on the front page of Google when people search for your type of company? Of course you would - but unfortunately so would every other company.
So what is SEO? Very simply, when a website user wants a product or service, most will go their chose website (most common search website is Google) and search.
As an example, if you want to send some flowers to Auntie Maud in Northampton, you may type into Google: florists in Northampton. You will then get a lot of different companies.
At the very top and down the right hand side are paid for listings (Internet advertising). You may then have a map with company details. Further down you will then have the 'natural listings'.
Search Engine Optimisation is the name given for attempting to get your site ranked highly so that you appear in the natural listings on the first few pages.
First of all, anyone who promises you that they guarantee that they can get you on the front page of Google (and they are normally emails) is either lying, will be selling you adwords (the adverts on the top and right side) or may be able to get you on the front page with very obscure search words (eg you may be on the front page if someone searches for: pianoforte scunthorpe floristry (ie a term that no one in their right mind would search for).
The usual way of increasing your ranking and getting a higher natural listing is by ensuring that you have repeated the search words several times in your text. You also want as many links into your site as possible - you can approach customers and suppliers for this as they are usually free. Internet directories will also help but usually cost. You should also ensure that the page title relates to the search term and also ensure that you have 'meta tags'.
Although your site will be optimised with relevant page titles and some meta tags, if you want to appear naturally in the first couple of pages of Google, then you need to approach a different company. And have a very large budget!