I want a top 10 search engine ranking!

Wouldn't it be a wonderful world if everyone that had a web site could be in the top 10 rankings of Google? When you start thinking about rankings in terms of what keywords and phrases are being typed in Google, you start to wonder how could everyone that had a website be in the 10 ten rankings.

I think it is impossible. Here is why: Let's just say that most people when they are looking for a web designer in Louisiana type in the search term "Louisiana web designers" in Google. The page listed displayed (default settings) displays 10 website listings (not including sponsored links for which you have to pay).

Well, assuming that at least 20 web designers in Louisiana with a similar amount of page content and a similar amount of incoming links (other factors Google really likes to help determine your ranking!), were optimizing their site using the phrase "Louisiana web designers", someone has to lose. Well, maybe "lose" is a strong word. 10 web designers don't quite make the cut and end up in the 11th to 20th position (most times, the second page) of Google.

Why do I bring this up? Because I abhor these search engine optimization companies that guarantee 10 top search engine rankings on Google and charge an arm and a leg to do it.

I always caution clients that have received the tempting phone call from such companies to ask a question to the search engine optimization company: If you guarantee ME a 10 top listing for the search term (fill in the blank here) and you end up getting 10 more clients that are in the same business as me with the same search term, how can 11 companies end up in the top 10 listings???

Enough said.

OK - Just one more thing - good content, a well optimized web site, as many quality incoming links as possible and continual follow-up on your web site rankings - those are the factors that make for good search engine rankings. No guarantees... but it is a step in the right direction!

A website is much like a house

Often, I am asked: How much does it cost to build a website? Often, I respond: That depends.

Building a website is much like buying a house. Will it be a big website or a small website? Will it have a lot of bells and whistles or not? Will it be a custom website taylored exactly to the customer's specific business or a template website (like a spec home)?

Of course, budget plays a factor in answering any of these questions. But, really, you need to consider the value of the end result. If your business could potentially increase its sales by having a user-friendly, interactive and informative website, would it be worth the investment? Of course it would!

And even if you are using a website template, which typically costs less than building a custom website, your site could still be user-friendly, somewhat interactive perhaps, and informative. You must think about your customer. You must think like a customer. Build your website around the customer. What information could you include on your site that they would like to know about? What features on your site might entice the potential customer to call you or email or submit that Contact form that many sites have?

Just as you would want a good friend to enjoy their visit to your home, you should also want your customer or potential customer to enjoy their visit to your website. Build your website so that your customers keep coming back. Make it a website that all visitors will find useful!