This is the practice of researching and analysing actual search terms people enter into their search engines when conducting a search.

For example: If you were doing an online search for your local fruit store, you would most likely type the words 'fruit store' or 'fruit shop' and your location into your search engine to determine a relevant search result e.g. Fruit stores The Gap Brisbane.

By using keyword research tools you can find out what terms people are actually typing that are relevant to your business - by weaving these keywords into your website copy, page titles and meta data will help your website get found on relevant terms.

Keyword Research is one of the best steps to start with when establishing a new website as all the following elements can flow from the keyword analysis.

For optimal results continual commitment to keyword analysis and implementation should become part of your marketing agenda.

Here are some great Free SEO Tools to use if you want to do some of your own keyword research:

Google Keyword Tool - there are loads of third-party keyword tools you can purchase, but we find Google's free keyword tool to do the job well:

https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

SEO Book - offer a great range of useful freebie SEO tools and resources.:

http://www.seobook.com/

And of course GemStar Interactive can also conduct, analyse, report and implement relevant keyword research for your business to succeed online.

When it comes to SEO -Content is King!

Try not to stuff your copy with keywords just for the sake of having them there - Google algorithms for ranking websites are getting smarter all the time and honour relevancy of content to establish ranking, rather than just a bunch of words that have been mashed together.

One of our web developers told me an SEO joke the other day -

"An SEO copywriter walks into a bar, pub, cocktail lounge, grill, tavern, public house, Irish, bartender, drinks, beer, wine, liquor...."

Just because you list that you offer a bunch of services, or service a city so you list all the suburbs individually doesn't really do a lot for you in terms of being found on these keywords.

Content needs to be unique, relevant and consistent - if you keep copying and pasting the same copy across each page it looses relevancy.

For maximum benefits page titles, meta data and meta keywords need to be relevant to the content on each page.

Create headings that are consistent with the body text and keep the context relevant for each page of your website - this will help search engines such as Google to understand what your website is about and to help your site get found on relevant search terms.

Keep your website content fresh and relevant this not only helps to keep people interested it also encourages search engine crawlers to keep visiting your site.

We at GemStar Interactive build all of our websites with SEO in mind

The architecture of a website needs to be designed and developed so that search engine crawlers can go through the entire site and place relevancy on what is on each page.

Search engines cannot read images so it is best practice to ensure all images should have a relevant alternate description (alt tag) so that search engine crawlers and screen readers can tell what it is an image of.

Menu items need to be readable and have selectable text - If the menu is made up of rollover images and the menu text is embedded in the image - how is google meant to know what it says and what the page is for?

A good way to test how search engines such as google see your website is to turn off images and javascript in your web browser - does it still make sense? can you still see the menu items? is there enough copy on the page for someone to understand the relevancy of what the page is about?

Try to get your website linked on as many relevant high ranking websites as possible, this is highly regarded by search engines.

External links from other websites to yours increases traffic to your site and can assist in building the recognition on what your website is about.

If possible try to have the link to your site include other relevant keywords such as GemStar Interactive Web and Graphic Design  this will help google (and other search engines) place relevancy on what the site is about and the search terms you are trying to get ranking for - it will read the link then follow on to the website, see that the content is consistent and this will help to improve ranking on relevancy.

You might like to consider having a links page on your website so you can offer exchanging links with other businesses and organisations.

• Promote your website on all marketing material for your business, include the web address in your company email signatures, stationary and any other printed marketing material.

• Keep writing regular content, new articles, information on product releases and encourage people to visit your website to stay informed.

• Implement regular eMarketing practices as part of your marketing agenda and budget to ensure you are reaching your target market.