Search Engine Optimization

Unless travelers have seen a web address in a promotion or knew it beforehand, good chances are they're not going to type it directly into their browser. Instead, they are going to "search" for it. Research shows that nearly 60% of web surfers use search engines at least once a day. That is, they visit a site such as Google or Yahoo and type in a few "keywords" in the hopes of being met with results that meet their needs. Research also shows that more than 80% of surfers will try a new search if they're not satisfied with the listings found in the first three page of results. So what can you do to increase your chances of landing there?

Know the difference between SEO and PPC.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a method of improving the ranking of a website through design and content, often referred to as "organic" or "natural" optimization. Pay-per-click (PPC), on the other hand, is an advertising technique that uses text ads usually placed near search results. With PPC, an advertiser is charged each time a consumer clicks on a specific text ad or link.

Seeking top positions in search results, many businesses focus solely on PPC. However, as demand grows for such placement, PPC prices are increasing, and there is a lot you can do organically to drive up your search result positioning for free. In fact, research shows that organic optimization efforts can lead to a higher return on investment than PPC. Plus, users trust organic searches to return relevant results. In many cases, a balance of both is wise for improved results, as you may be interested in investing in a few PPC ads for keywords that are just not performing up to par organically.

Create relevancy by matching up those keywords.

In the mind of a search engine, a web page's relevancy is determined by how closely its contents match a query. If the searcher's query shows up multiple times on a page, particularly in important parts, the page is determined to be very relevant to the query. 

• Page title: appears at very top of browser window; should be descriptive, reflecting what you're selling and who you are; 66-120 characters.
• Description: appears in search engine results; a one-sentence description of the page; 170-200 characters.
• Keywords/meta tags: not visible, but used by search engines when generating relevant results; should be between 10 and 20 precise words/phrases of content
• Content: optimize for 2-3 keywords per page within a few good-sized paragraphs of text; content should be fresh and unique for each page and should not have excessive keyword density or duplicate content.

Think beyond the words themselves.

While the incorporation of actual keywords in text is very valuable, the manner in which they appear can also make an impact.

• Formatted text: as it makes sense, include keywords in subheads, bold face or larger type sizes<
• Alt tags: images make a difference too; incorporate keywords in your alt tags, the phrases of text that are are associated with images

Develop a strong linking strategy.

Here's a good rule of thumb: whenever a web page's copy presents the opportunity to link to another page within your site, do it! Strong internal linking helps users to navigate throughout your site, leads them to other pertinent information, and in this case, is attractive to search engines. A few tips on linking:

• Link text: whenever possible, incorporate keywords into the actual text of the link, rather than using the old "click here" standby. Users are familiar with the linking concept; they'll know to click on their own. For instance, try "Review rooms and rates" instead of "Click here to learn more."
• Format of a link: whenever possible, use text to create a link, as opposed to an art element such as graphic or image. When using a graphic, make it a live link if applicable, but also include a text link.
• Reciprocal linking: link popularity is key; more links to your site mean it is more popular and, theoretically, more valuable. However, link quality matters too; links from sites known to be of poor quality could actually hurt your rankings. So, develop relationships with relevant, credible partners and link to each other's sites using the principles above. A good place to start: on your PA Dutch CVB member page, we provide a link to your website, so it will benefit you if you also link to padutchcountry.com. Check out our "link to us" buttons and text, complete with instructions.

Review the construction of your site

The manner in which your site is constructed could have an impact on how the search engines rank your site. For instance:

• Page size: smaller is better; a page should load in less than 10 seconds
• Flash and image-based navigation: be prepared for this to have an impact, and consider using an alternative HTML-based navigation in another place, i.e. the site footer
• Site map: should be text based and linked from every page within the site, especially the home page
• Errors: Correct all HTML errors and broken links

If you decide to engage in a PPC campaign, start with a few simple rules of thumb:

• Be relevant: to your current campaigns, that is. Use terms that are reflected in your current marketing and advertising initiatives, adjusting as these shift to draw attention where you want it.
• Be specific: in your ad copy. You don't have much room to work with, so be catchy, but also to the point.
• Be strategic: with your landing pages. The pages that users land on when clicking on your ads should be relevant to the ad. Don't make them work by having to click through multiple layers to find the information you are advertising. You'll only end up frustrating potential visitors.
• Be smart: with your money, that is. Think in terms of co-op and seek out partners to extend the reach of your marketing dollars.

Resources:
Destination Marketing Association International
Godfrey Advertising