Organic Search Engine Marketing (sometimes called Search Engine Optimization) is the process of taking specific actions to attract as many qualified visitors as possible from search engines.

Typically, this means taking specific actions that cause your website to show up on the first page of search engine results whenever a potential customer searches for the type of stamps, coins, or collectibles that you specialize in, or carry on your website.

These actions are outlined below.

According to a recent study 85% of people who shop online use search to find what they want to buy.

Online shoppers want to buy 'now'. They are fequently sitting behind a computer, so they don't request catalogs or pricelists through the mail. They are used to finding what they want to buy quickly, and purchasing it immediately.

They do this by "Googling" for what they want, and choosing from the many results offered.

If your Website shows up on the first page, you have a good shot at making the sale. Websites that don't show up on the first page usually have no chance to make the sale, because few online shoppers ever look beyond the first page of results.

The purpose of Search Engine Marketing is to cause a website to show up in the first few listings whenever an online shopper searches for items sold on that website.

Search Engine Marketing includes the following actions:

• Choosing the search marketing strategy: which specialities will you focus on? What work will the dealer do herself? Which will she need help with? What's the budget? How will she measure return on investment?
• Targeting search engines: which search engines will be targeted? Just US search engines, or does the dealer want to reach collectors in other countries? Which ones?
• Choosing keywords: what words do collectors type into search engines when they are shopping for the target specialties? If more than one country is targeted, are the keywords different in different countries?
• Baselining the website: measuring how the website is doing before optimization, so that changes can be assessed.
• Making sure the website is being indexed by search engines: install software on the website that measures how often the website is being 'scanned' by search engines. A website must be indexed to use search engine marketing.
• Optimizing content: changing the content on web pages, including title tags, item descriptions, and other important content.
• Optimizing technology: adjusting the website to make it as easy as possible for search engine spiders to crawl the website.
• Measuring results: measure how the website ranks for the target keywords on the target search engines over time. Measure the number of searchers that arrive from search engines. Measure the resulting increase in sales.
• Analyzing the results / adjusting optimization: based on the actual results measured, decide what else should be changed to further improve the results.

Typically 3 - 6 months to achive Top 10 listings.

Brand-new websites, that aren't being indexed yet, may take longer to show up on Google. Call for details if you have a new site (i.e., a new domain name.)

Other pages related to growing or building an online stamp, coin, or collectible business:

• Unlocking the mystery of search engines
• Writing for the Web
• Search Engine Keyword Hotspots
• If you want visitors, build bridges
• Website Measurement and Analytics

Please contact John Almberg, our Managing Partner, if you would like more information, or are interested in this service.