Today the aim of every business or website is to Optimize their websites for the major search engines so that their website features higher on natural organic search results. If this is going over your head, let me explain this for you. Everyone today knows that over 90% of the web users search for products and services they want using major search engines like Google, Yahoo, MSN, AltaVista etc. Now to appear on the first or second page of the search results you can either use paid listing or optimize your website so that your website features on natural organic search results. What natural organic search result means is the search engines find your website relevant enough and useful enough to show your website on the first page of their search results.
Paid listing is no more a good option as the price you pay per clicks you receive on your listing would usually be higher than a dollar or so. And there is not guarantee that it will bring results.
There are several SEO techniques that can be used to make your website higher in search results which could include Directory submissions, posting in Blogs and Forums, Article submissions, Press Releases, link exchanges etc. However, you will notice that the ultimate aim of each of those techniques is to get quality link backs to your own website. When any website links back to your website, in a way it counts as a vote for your website in search engine’s eyes. Therefore the more votes or link backs to your website the better your website will feature on search results.
Of course the keywords for which your website shows up will depend on the keywords used or the content of your website. To control the content aspect of a website is called On Page optimization. Using the techniques mentioned above for getting link backs to your website is known as Off Page optimization. Off Page optimization is the most important as that is what tells Google and other search engines that your website is worth displaying in its results.
Link exchange can be a good method to kick start your SEO campaign as this can quickly get you quality links from other relevant websites and get your website noticed and indexed in the major search engines like Google. Results can be seen within a few months only. Some of the significant advantages are higher Google PR, improved Alexa Rank, more visitors to your websites, website featuring higher in search results for many of the keywords etc. In general higher earnings from your website. How well your website does will depend on the number of link backs to your website. So if your website is not performing according to your expectations, get more back links. Its as simple as that.