SEO or search engine optimization is the process of optimizing websites for achieving high rankings in major search engine like Google, Yahoo and MSN. Hailed as a brand new service, search engine optimization has been around for over 10 years, the first appearance of the term “search engine optimization” was on the popular internet discussion system of the time called Usenet. The message was entitled The Truth About Internet Marketing and went on to explain various methods of advertising on the internet. [1]

There is a lot of speculation as to why search engine optimization was created in the first place. The reason it was invented is the same reason everything else in the world was invented: necessity. When the internet was first getting started in the early 90’s search engines were an entirely different monster than they are today. Back then, hardly anybody was using the internet and it certainly was not user friendly. As internet popularity began to grow, so did the use amount of websites in existence. Invariably as the amount of websites grew so did the need for organization and the search engine was born. With a never-ending increase of users and need for relevant web pages, the search engine optimization industry was born.

Starting as an elite group of web designers and internet guru is the SEO field was small and information was difficult to get. However, despite this fact businesses in the know were starting to recognize the internet as a medium for advertisements. Business owners began to realize that people are spending more time and money on the internet, and if they could rank highly in any given search engine, then their traffic and ultimately their customer base would increase. Then, the gaming began, internet marketers began optimizing and in certain cases deceiving, the search engines into a high rank. The few who knew about it had amazing results, which increased the “WOW” effect of SEO. In the early days something as simple as having accurate and keyword rich meta tags was enough to rank highly, even for a competitive keyword. However, one barrier prevented the industry from gaining any speed. The fact that there was still limited search engine technology, limited user base and limited profit making ability led many companies to prefer the mass medium to the internet.

Part II: The Evolution

After the dot-com bubble burst in 2001 businesses wouldn’t touch internet services with a 10 ft pole, the world was in a skeptical frame of mind, cautious apprehensive and unwilling to take unnecessary risks. This mindset was reflected in every sector most notably the business sector. It took a few years but eventually internet spending began to increase and so did the publics trust in the American economy. With the money flowing everyone began looking for market opportunities, and the internet was the opportunity. Those lucky enough to have top spots on major search engines gained a huge portion of business and web traffic. People and businesses started to see through the dotcom haze, internet marketing was not only viable but also lucrative.

Search engines have become integral to the internet experience and about 91% of all internet users, use search engines. It is surprising that 100% of internet users do not use them. However, as usage has grown, methods have changed. Things like Meta tags no longer worked and were useless. Competition for popular keywords or phrases grew substantially, and some deceitful users began to realize that there were methods of manipulating search engines. As popularity for SEO services and internet marketing grew so did the need for more talented and knowledgeable employees.

As the industry grew the tried and true SEO’s began to differentiate themselves from the ones using deceitful or manipulative techniques, a metaphor for this dichotomy was created and is known as White hat and Black hat SEO’s. Later on, most Black Hat SEO’s were shunned and regarded as spammers and even refereed to as Spamdexers. Many regard this as an inappropriate metaphor and contend that there are either SEO’s or spammers.

Part III: Google – We Are Here To Stay

In a brave new world there were many competitors vying for #1 most used search engine, the one that succeeded went against all previous search engine technology and has changed the way everything works: Google. The way search engines originally worked was they would search through everything on a page like keywords or Meta data. There were many factors then as now but in those days the keywords were enough. However, Google decided that to defeat manipulation and increase the relevancy of search results they would base their results in part off link popularity. The amount of one way inward links or (back links) the topical relevancy, the Page Rank of the back link website, the amount of outward links and many other factors all influence the way that a search engine determines which website is most relevant to a keyword.

As it turned out the decision to give more weight to back links then meta-data proved to be good for Google. Taking their place as the most popular search engine of the day Google has become a juggernaut of technology and advertising profits, giving it the ability to compete with huge corporations like Microsoft. With one main search engine to focus on SEO became a huge industry that began to branch out. What started out as a few simple web page edits became an industry with a multitude of techniques, technologies and careers. Words that pioneered the search engine optimization industry like Meta-Data and keywords fell behind in usage as link building; social networking and Local all took their place.

It was in 2002 that SEO professionals started gaining recognition and the industry as whole became mainstream. Starting with a string of legal troubles such as KinderStart.com LLC vs. Google Inc, [2] in this groundbreaking case, the LLC Kinder Start sued Google Inc because Google was practicing unfair business practices by using spam filters, which ultimately led to the removal of Kinderstart.com from Google’s index. Ultimately, Google won the lawsuit and even motioned for Rule 11 Sanctions, which required Kinderstarts lawyer John Yu to pay for part of Google’s legal expenses. The countries eyes were on news that was more important but this case began exposing legal precedence for something that would become very important as the years progressed.

Since it’s inception in 1996 search engine optimization went from all but unknown to one of the fastest growing and most profitable career choices in modern society. Starting on a simple Usenet message and surviving through the Dot-com bust of the 90’s, SEO is modern vernacular, something that is no longer fringe but instead necessary. Really when it comes to the line SEO is a subset of marketing, the only difference is the technology and procedures that work most effectively. One thing is clear as long as there are products to be sold marketing will always exist, and as long as the internet exists, there will always be SEO. The question is not whether search engine optimization has made or will make a difference but instead what difference it will make in the lives of billions of people.

William Atkin - Utah Search Engine OptimizationReferences

If you can create slideshows, you can boost the traffic to your website. When you decide upon the slideshow that you are going to use on your website, make sure it is one that will meet you're the expectations and high standards of your visitors.

For one thing, you do not want your slideshow to be the plain old everyday type piece that sparks no interest whatsoever.

Certainly you would agree that if your website is just going to sit there and not attract visitors, you may as well not have one.

The creation of a slideshow to use for advertising your company will help to get you the traffic you need to be an online success.

How can I use slideshows to improve my business, you ask?

One thing that will work like a charm is to create a slideshow to advertise what you have to offer. If your business sells products, this will work. If you provide services, it will work.

No matter what your website is about, a slideshow will enhance it and make more people interested in what you have to offer.

People love to watch slideshows that are interesting and have lots of good information. This will allow them the time to be introduced to a new company and find out what this company does that they might benefit from.

If you have a live presentation available to give out, you may want to use a slideshow to explain what it is you are offering.

Create slideshows that have sound. This makes them more interesting. Getting prospective client's attention is the first step to making sure they will come back.

If your slideshow includes pictures of places and things that grabs visitor's attention, you are halfway there.

If you want to make sure that people will return to your website, create slideshows that have offers of a free CD for the viewers.

A free offer will get them every time. Use a little of your creative side and make a slideshow that includes digital photos. Put together something that is unique and talks about the point you want to get across.

The best way to get someone's attention is to start with something they do not expect. When you do this, the initial work is completed and all that is left is to get them directed to your website.

You will be surprised at how well this works to get people to go to your website.

Getting them there and keeping them interested is what your business is all about is your main challenge. Try it out and see how this simple method will work for you.

Richard Gorham is the founder and President of Leadership-Tools, Inc. His web site, http://www.leadership-tools.com is dedicated to providing free tools and resources for today's aspiring leaders. Offering high-quality tools in the areas of Business Planning, Leadership Development, Customer Service, Sales Management and Team Building.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Gorham

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) are Two different things altogether. The two things go hand in hand but are often thought of as one thing. Search Engine Optimization is what is done to your site to ensure that the end users have a friendly easy to use web site with SEF Menus and SEF URLS that Google, Yahoo, MSN and Ask.com crawl through and find your content. Search Engine Marketing is doing the advertising and marketing of your site. Ironical this is all done "offsite" whereas SEO is mostly done "onsite". SEO is a more technical process than SEM and involves a deeper understanding of search engine algorithms.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) involves advertising and target marketing in order to draw traffic to websites. This includes:

Pay-for-inclusion - Many SEM companies guarantee your site will be indexed by the search engines within a short period of time, and if you really want to you can directly submit your site to the engines. DO NOT DO THIS until your site is done. Also do not go around your SEO/SEM advertiser's back and do this multiple times, this is a form of spam which you are penalized for. Patience is the key. Submission fees are required for submissions to search engines and directories.

Email Marketing (aka "Email Blasts" and "Spamming") - I firmly do not believe in Email Marketing. Unless you already have your own list of clients that read your emails, don't Email Market. I never open spam and everyone I know hates being spammed. So why pay to piss off 10,000 people or more every week? Conversely the Email Marketer will tell you not to SEO or SEM your web site in more cost effective ways. They want you to keep paying for Email Blasts. I think spending your time and money on natural position on Google, Yahoo, MSN and Ask.com is a much better business model then sending out 10,000 emails where 90% of them are not even read.

Traditional Ads (PPC - Pay Per Click) - Ads are displayed on the SERP (Search Engine Results Page) generally these are text based ads, where the copy is written by the SEO/SEM advertiser. Ads are based on the Keyword entered in the search and fees are triggered by impressions. You pay for the ad even if it's not clicked through. You want to work with your SEO/SEM advertiser so that your ads Click Through Rate has a high percentage. You can easily spend hundreds a day for very little ROI.

Link Exchanging - The SEO/SEM advertiser trades for one way, reciprocal and three way link exchanges while making sure they are of the same niche as you web site is and not spammy web sites. Its the hardest part of getting your web site going.

ROI tracking - The SEO/SEM advertiser tracks your Web Site's stats

SEM and SEO are both a necessary evil if you want a successful web site. Make sure that you work with your SEO/SEM advertiser to Market your web site very strongly both before and after you enjoy organic listings in Google, Yahoo, MSN and Ask.com. Remember if you website is brand new and has no content its going to go no where fast. Content is King. Listen to your SEO/SEM advertiser.

A search engine friendly design can greatly decrease other search engine marketing and advertising costs. Search engine friendly web design is often an after thought when someone has the idea for a flash web site. People rarely start out thinking about search engine friendly web design in the early stages of their web development. Search engine friendly Web design, Good content and usability should the corner stones of your web site. Flash should be an afterthought or used in small doses.

What is search engine friendly web design? Your web site should have: Search Engine Friendly URLs (SEF URLS), Search Engine Friendly Menus (SEF Menus), dynamic titles, and dynamic headers. Never use Flash or JS scripts in your web site's menus if you want your web site spidered by any of the search engines. A menu that looks just as good if not better than flash can be done with CSS, XHTML or DHTML. A lot of web sites have the same header on every page, a bad header or a non matching header.

If your site is brand new, it will take three to six months to get listed on the major search engines. Have us use our Search Engine Friendly Web design methods to help your web site have a strong foundation so you can get into the search engines. Search engine friendly web design should never be an after thought.