To Be Found on the Web, Think Like a Spider
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<h1>To Be Found on the Web, Think Like a Spider</h1>
<p>Too many small businesses regard their website as the start and end of their web presence. Sure, they think about Search Engine Optimisation, and may even hire someone to optimise their pages. The trouble is, <strong>whatever your industry, the top Google listings are probably already crammed with search-optimised websites</strong>; so how do you get traffic to your site instead of theirs?</p>
<h3>The answer is, think like a spider</h3>
<p>I mean this metaphor in two senses:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Think like a search-engine spider</strong> — the software that search engines use to crawl around the web, finding and indexing pages; and</li>
<li><strong>Think in the <em>shape</em> of a spider</strong>, with your website as the body, and with arms (content) reaching out through blogs, article submission sites, and industry-specific websites that accept submitted content.</li>
</ol>
<p>First point first: <strong>Think like a search-engine spider.</strong></p>
<h3>Search spiders need links</h3>
<p>There's a great deal of debate about exactly how the major search engines index websites, but there is one thing nobody argues with: Search spiders need links.</p>
<p>Without links from one page others, spiders can't move. <strong>Without links to your pages, the spiders aren't going to find you.</strong> Conversely, the when there are plenty of links to your pages, the spiders will find you more often. (Okay, I know there will be some people reading this who are scared of spiders. You're probably thinking "I don't want the spiders to find me!" <strong>You can come out from under your desk now — these are <em>nice</em> spiders</strong>).</p>
<p>As the spiders discover your pages over and over again through all the links to them, they will begin to see your website as an important place, and your search engine rank will reflect their opinion.</p>
<p>However, search spiders aren't stupid. They know that people use lots of tricks – link farms, reciprocal link arrangements and so on – to increase the number of links to their websites. Spiders place less value on these links. Sometimes they even rate them negatively.</p>
<p>So how do you get "good" links that will impress the spiders? That question brings me to my second point:</p>
<h3>Think in the shape of a spider.</h3>
<p> Reach out across the web. Get your content out beyond your website and draw potential customers to you. You can do this in several ways. Here are just a few:</p>
<p><strong>First, there are lots of websites that spiders already see as important.</strong> In many cases, these sites have achieved importance by providing lots of high-quality content that encourages links from other sites. Many of these websites accept submitted content. <strong>They won't accept a blatant sales pitch, but they <em>will</em> accept articles that will interest and help their readers;</strong> and they will let you attach a link to your website on each article, or will maintain a profile page that links to your site. Spend some time searching for <strong>article submission</strong> websites, as well as websites specifically related to your industry that may accept your content.</p>
<p><strong>Second, become familiar with the bloggers who write about your industry.</strong> Leave pertinent comments on their blogs, along with links back to your website (always limit yourself to one link in any comment; otherwise you may be seen as an undesirable "link-spammer"). Most bloggers want to know who is commenting, and will have a quick look at your site. If they like what they see, they may mention you (with a link, of course) in a posting.</p>
<p><strong>Third, consider starting a blog yourself.</strong> Blogs frequently rank better than static websites, and will give you a forum to get your message out on an ongoing basis. A word of warning, though — a blog is a big commitment. Don't start one unless you are prepared to write new posts at least a couple of times a week.</p>
<h3>Don't neglect the body</h3>
<p>Of course, it's no good attracting people to your website if it isn't designed to convert visitors into customers, subscribers, or whatever it is you're on the web to get. <strong>To return to the spider analogy, your website is the body of the spider.</strong> It's where all the important stuff happens. Your website needs to be designed and written to achieve your business goals.</p>
<p>Your own website should still be the focus of your effort and investment when marketing on the web; the point of this article is that your thinking and your efforts shouldn't end there. <strong>Business on the web is like business anywhere else.</strong> You probably don't just sit in your office and wait for clients to stumble through your door. You list in the Yellow Pages. You advertise. You send out sales reps. <strong>You get out there.</strong> It's the same on the web.</p>
<p><strong>See you out there.</strong></p>
<div style="border:1px solid #CCCCCC; padding:10px;">
<p>Tai McQueen provides marketing copy and technical writing services to small and medium-sized businesses. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.wordspace.com.au/" title="Copywriting for Small Business - WordSpace" target="_blank">www.WordSpace.com.au</a></p>
<p>You are welcome to download this article and reproduce it online or in print, provided that you do not alter it and that the attribution and website link is retained.</p>
</div>
<p>Too many small businesses regard their website as the start and end of their web presence. Sure, they think about Search Engine Optimisation, and may even hire someone to optimise their pages. The trouble is, <strong>whatever your industry, the top Google listings are probably already crammed with search-optimised websites</strong>; so how do you get traffic to your site instead of theirs?</p>
<h3>The answer is, think like a spider</h3>
<p>I mean this metaphor in two senses:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Think like a search-engine spider</strong> — the software that search engines use to crawl around the web, finding and indexing pages; and</li>
<li><strong>Think in the <em>shape</em> of a spider</strong>, with your website as the body, and with arms (content) reaching out through blogs, article submission sites, and industry-specific websites that accept submitted content.</li>
</ol>
<p>First point first: <strong>Think like a search-engine spider.</strong></p>
<h3>Search spiders need links</h3>
<p>There's a great deal of debate about exactly how the major search engines index websites, but there is one thing nobody argues with: Search spiders need links.</p>
<p>Without links from one page others, spiders can't move. <strong>Without links to your pages, the spiders aren't going to find you.</strong> Conversely, the when there are plenty of links to your pages, the spiders will find you more often. (Okay, I know there will be some people reading this who are scared of spiders. You're probably thinking "I don't want the spiders to find me!" <strong>You can come out from under your desk now — these are <em>nice</em> spiders</strong>).</p>
<p>As the spiders discover your pages over and over again through all the links to them, they will begin to see your website as an important place, and your search engine rank will reflect their opinion.</p>
<p>However, search spiders aren't stupid. They know that people use lots of tricks – link farms, reciprocal link arrangements and so on – to increase the number of links to their websites. Spiders place less value on these links. Sometimes they even rate them negatively.</p>
<p>So how do you get "good" links that will impress the spiders? That question brings me to my second point:</p>
<h3>Think in the shape of a spider.</h3>
<p> Reach out across the web. Get your content out beyond your website and draw potential customers to you. You can do this in several ways. Here are just a few:</p>
<p><strong>First, there are lots of websites that spiders already see as important.</strong> In many cases, these sites have achieved importance by providing lots of high-quality content that encourages links from other sites. Many of these websites accept submitted content. <strong>They won't accept a blatant sales pitch, but they <em>will</em> accept articles that will interest and help their readers;</strong> and they will let you attach a link to your website on each article, or will maintain a profile page that links to your site. Spend some time searching for <strong>article submission</strong> websites, as well as websites specifically related to your industry that may accept your content.</p>
<p><strong>Second, become familiar with the bloggers who write about your industry.</strong> Leave pertinent comments on their blogs, along with links back to your website (always limit yourself to one link in any comment; otherwise you may be seen as an undesirable "link-spammer"). Most bloggers want to know who is commenting, and will have a quick look at your site. If they like what they see, they may mention you (with a link, of course) in a posting.</p>
<p><strong>Third, consider starting a blog yourself.</strong> Blogs frequently rank better than static websites, and will give you a forum to get your message out on an ongoing basis. A word of warning, though — a blog is a big commitment. Don't start one unless you are prepared to write new posts at least a couple of times a week.</p>
<h3>Don't neglect the body</h3>
<p>Of course, it's no good attracting people to your website if it isn't designed to convert visitors into customers, subscribers, or whatever it is you're on the web to get. <strong>To return to the spider analogy, your website is the body of the spider.</strong> It's where all the important stuff happens. Your website needs to be designed and written to achieve your business goals.</p>
<p>Your own website should still be the focus of your effort and investment when marketing on the web; the point of this article is that your thinking and your efforts shouldn't end there. <strong>Business on the web is like business anywhere else.</strong> You probably don't just sit in your office and wait for clients to stumble through your door. You list in the Yellow Pages. You advertise. You send out sales reps. <strong>You get out there.</strong> It's the same on the web.</p>
<p><strong>See you out there.</strong></p>
<div style="border:1px solid #CCCCCC; padding:10px;">
<p>Tai McQueen provides marketing copy and technical writing services to small and medium-sized businesses. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.wordspace.com.au/" title="Copywriting for Small Business - WordSpace" target="_blank">www.WordSpace.com.au</a></p>
<p>You are welcome to download this article and reproduce it online or in print, provided that you do not alter it and that the attribution and website link is retained.</p>
</div>