SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is not the means to an end.

It should only be one part of your total Internet Marketing strategy. It is a fundamental part of your strategy and it is considered the baseline. High search engine ranks and listings can brand your website and drive a high awareness of your site. When search engine listings are within the first three, consumers are able to recall those sites at least 50% of the time. Banner ads and titles are usually ignored and avoided like the plague.

In the years before the Internet explosion, businesses had to identify a market and craft their messages in such a way as to target those markets. They used mass medio to deliver these messages, hoping that the right person will read them and buy.

Now things have changed. People are searching on the Internet for products, goods, and services. They are actively pursuing these online. When keywords are typed in that are relevant to your business, then these people are sent to your website. These are highly qualified leads, with a high conversion and response rate.

Now the next step is to offer valuable web content. There is a saying, “content is king” and this is very true. People go to a website for the content. Your site has to be usable and it has to excite the user. You have to be able to balance usability and visibility of your website.

You could have a perfect site with great content, but you must take care to make sure it can be found. Or you could be ranked number one on all of the major search engines, but when people get to your site, there is nothing useful on your site.

Having useful web content and being visible go hand in hand. Using SEO as part of yoru overall brand and Internet marketing strategy will position you at the higher rankings of your industry.