Maximize Your Site's Search Engine Ranking with SEO

In the last few years, search engine optimization (SEO) has become a big business. Site owners are eager to have their sites show up near the top of a user's Google search results, and there are hundreds of tutorials, how-to guides, and technology companies that aim to achieve this goal. Costs can range from several hundred dollars to price tags in the tens of thousands.

While all websites can benefit from SEO, most associations don't budget for the practice, and may balk at making the investment. However, there are some simple modifications you can perform that will aid in SEO without breaking the bank.

One of the most effective things you can do to increase your association website's prominence on the 'Net is to encourage other sites to link to you. The more sites that are linking to you, the greater chance that Google and the other search engines will rank your site higher. Search engines use algorithms to determine which sites are more 'relevant' than others, and the number of direct links from neighboring sites is ranked highly in the mix.

Other no-brainer site upgrades that can raise your site's search engine visibility is to utilize keywords strategically. Keywords are the words that you think most prospective visitors will be using to search for your site, or for information about your association's specialty. Placing these keywords in your headings and page titles will further increase their relevance in the eyes of Google.

Finally, a sitemap of your site can help the search engines index your site. A sitemap is simply a page that contains links to all the content that your site has to offer. This can increase the number of your site's individual pages that are indexed by Google, and have an effect on page ranking.

Social Media Only Works If You Have Something Relevant to Say

Associations must use three-fold approach to building social media networks: market research/audience definition, message and content development, and platform selection and implementation. Like all communication initiatives, the first step is to define and get to know your audience or audiences. The next step is to craft the proper message or messages. Finally, it comes down to finding the right vehicle to transport those messages, and that's where social media comes in. Like any other communication tool, the use of social media must be carefully planned and executed for long-term success.

It is important to recognize that, without a robust and well-defined social media strategy, Facebook is just another pretty face. Beauty really is only skin deep—if you have nothing relevant to say, it doesn't matter how or where you say it.

It is also important that association leaders understand that social media is not one-way communication, and that they must be prepared to relinquish control over the content posted by any given audience using a dynamic social media platform. Associations cannot mandate or manipulate a desired brand image in today's marketplace like they could in the past. Their members and constituents are communication savvy, and are already using social media tools such as blogs to provide commentary, kudos and complaints instantly and en masse, in ways never before imagined.