Some search basics (Small Business E-commerce Link Digest – January 22, 2010)

If vaudeville joke writers were working today, the punchline to the old “How do I get to Carnegie Hall?” gag might be: “Search. Search. Search.”

Um… maybe not.

Whether or not you think that’s funny, it’s no joke how important search is to your business online. So this week, we’re diving into some Search 101 topics to help you rank better and turn those rankings into sales. Here we go:

• Let’s start with the source. Google provides a list of SEO basics to get you started.
• Of course, sometimes knowing what not to do is more important. Fortunately, Dave Naylor’s 101 common SEO mistakes can help with that.
• And we here at thinks have our own 5 questions about search engine optimization that are worth a look.
• One question that’s well worth answering for your SEO efforts is whether higher ranking leads to greater conversion. Fortunately, PPC Hero offers one way to find out.
• Now ranking only helps you if you’re ranking for the right search terms. Search Engine Journal has a good list of 7 overlooked sources for keyword data.
• And, finally, if you’re ready for more advanced topics, take a look at SEOmoz’s article on employing multiple keywords to target conversions. Heady stuff, but very well explained.

Once you’re able to apply these lessons to your business, you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.

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