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Search Engine Management for Nonprofits
Generally half of the visitors to a successful site are referred there from search engines. Since a search on a common word or phrase can reveal hundreds of sites, placement in the top 10 or so sites is critical in order to generate visitors to your site. There are hundreds of search engines using dozens of different models to rank websites based on the content of the website. Since almost all of them are automated, the design and construction of the site play a key role in determining search engine rankings. Search engines also reveal what other web sites have content related to yours. Sites that consistently rank high in searches with your key words are those that you need to pay attention to. They may be archrivals from which you can learn strategy, or they may be potential partners who offer complimentary services or products and with whom you can reach a broader audience much more effectively than you could alone. Search Engine Research and Recommendations The first step in search engine management is to determine the key words or phrases that potential visitors will use to find your site (or your competitors'). Undertake a thorough search of the major search engines and see your ranking for each of these key words. See who else ranks consistently high in these same searches. This marketplace analysis will help you identify competitors, potential partners and other resources. Next, evaluate your site in light of the method by which search engines report sites like yours. Think about changes in site design and construction which will increase your search engine rankings. Search Engine Registration and Monitoring Actively register your site with every major search engine and work to ensure that your site places as high as possible on each site in searches of your key words. This will include manual registration at some sites. Coordinate with your web developers to effect the changes that are necessary to improve your rankings. These may include text changes, such as including your key words early on your start page, or changing graphics to text so that words are counted by search engines. Monitor your search engine placement on a quarterly basis, note the changes within your rankings and the rankings of target organizations, and consider further tactics for search engine management. Monitor your site visitation statistics by referral source, to see what search engines are generating traffic for your site. updated March 2002 | ||
