Today, most new business is generated online, which helps to lower costs and also increase flexibility. A drawback of this type of business is that it still needs customers just like any other 'shop'. The business needs to not only look attractive so that people will browse around and make a purchase but also be accessible and easily found by potential site visitors.

This is where Search Engine Optimization comes into play because it is a method to attract the optimum number of users to a site. It is necessary because even though a website may be highly attractive to look at, use and be full of great information, if nobody knows it is there, then nobody will visit.

The position of a website in search engines such as Google or Yahoo is one-third dependent upon the actual site content and two-thirds dependent on factors such as blog comments, bookmarks, inbound links and videos. Basically, if a website is not found within the first two pages of search results then it is highly likely that it will not be located. Making sure that a website has a significant number of inbound links and that the site content is relevant will lead to an increase in search engine rankings.

A major responsibility of SEO consultants is to work out keywords and phrases that match user search patterns. Following this the SEO consultant utilizes the keywords and phrases to produce articles and further content to be added to the website. In doing so, they promote the natural progression of website ranking and give strategies to help the client to further develop the popularity of their site.

The process appears to be straightforward; however, SEO does not happen overnight. In reality, it is a rolling process that can take months before results appear; therefore, it is essential that once the desired ranking is achieved, SEO remains an ongoing process. One reason for this is that search algorithms alter regularly and an SEO consultant is best placed to monitor when this happens and make adjustments where necessary.

Basic SEO services will put in place procedures that make a website more attractive. The content put onto a site needs to be relevant and unique in order to draw in and retain visitors. SEO consultants aim to provide clients with all the information they need to implement their search engine optimization strategies.

Outsourcing website optimization to an SEO consultant can be extremely beneficial to business and often provides many advantages. It can be cost-effective due to the reduction in staffing and the need for specialist training, it also allows companies to keep their focus on the core objective of their business, therefore, allowing more ways to achieve corporate goals.