Search Engine Optimization in Practice:
A Case Study of a Trade Show Booth Designer

		Would you like to be on the cutting edge of Online Marketing? Every month you can receive articles, white papers and guides that deal with the challenges you are faced with. Sign up for the Bloofusion Newsletter now!

Introducing the client

The fictitious client is the trade show booth designer QualBooth (www.qualbooth.com). The ultimate goal of this company is to attract more potential customers via their web site. Thus, QualBooth assumes, it is of utmost importance to attain a good ranking for the keyword phrase "trade show booth"

Undergoing a reality check

The less specific a keyword is, the more difficult it is to attain top search engine rankings. In this case, we would inform QualBooth that it will be very competitive and very costly to have their site appear in the top 10 for "trade show booth". However, this need not be a hurdle, since there are many more potential keywords that can be applied here.

After querying various keyword databases, we are able to deliver the following search terms, which make much more sense in terms of QualBooth's target markets and geographical focus:

trade show booth design
custom trade show booths
trade show booth san diego
trade show booth los angeles
discount trade show booth

Since these phrases are much more specific it will be far easier (and less expensive) to achieve good rankings as well. Plus the traffic will be much more qualified.

Rule #1: Usually there is not just one search term that is relevant. It is often easier and more profitable to target a multitude of qualified keywords, thus lowering the risk of only betting on one single combination.

The importance of content

As the next step the client will need to understand that their goal cannot be achieved with "invisible" changes (adding and manipulating meta tags). In other words, if a web site needs to rank well for "trade show booth los angeles" these terms must appear on at least one page of the actual site.

Introducing the plan

Since QualBooth's fictitious site only consists of a home page, we suggest the creation of one page of content for each of the keywords targeted. We are working with five keywords, so that means creating at least five pages that deal with each of the target keywords.

Rule #2: Your web site must conform to your target keywords.
Rule of thumb: The content of each page should focus on one keyword or keyword phrase.

The implementation

The content pages will be created by QualBooth copywriters according to our directions. Initially it may be unusual for writers to compose content according to keywords. And to make sure this process remains fluid and the output is optimal, various levels of proofreading are required. After all, the final copy needs to be of high quality and read naturally.

Connecting the site to the outside

The site optimization isn't concluded by having reworked and enhanced the content areas. For most search engines (especially Google) it is also vital to have inbound links. This means other external sites linking back to QualBooth's site. Our task here is to verify and quality-check existing links and to request additional links from qualified web sites that share the industry theme of trade show booths..

In this case we would submit the QualBooth site to various online directories such as www.dmoz.org, www.business,com, etc. as well as thematic portals such as www.tradeshowweek.com, etc.

Rule #3: Inbound links need to echo the same theme as the target web site otherwise they are near worthless.

Patience, patience, patience

Unfortunately success doesn't happen overnight. The search engines (or their spiders) have to download the new site and add it to their index. In addition, the new links must be detected as well and added to their databases. Depending on the initial level of the site it can take three months or longer before success becomes obvious.

Rule #4: Be patient. Give it a rest and sit back, even if things take a while.

Back to the starting block?

Search engine optimization unfortunately is a very inaccurate science. At the end of the day, your success is determined by each of the search engine algorithms and by how the competitor sites compare: If there are eleven companies targeting the same keyword, by definition, one of them won't be able to make it into the top ten.

Search engine optimization is a continuous, evolving and iterative process that needs to take these issues into account. A #1 rank for your keyword today won't guarantee the same for tomorrow, unless you are more flexible and savvy than your competitors.

To finish things up

If an online agency is promising you the moon, be cautious. You will be able to recognize a good agency by how much time they spend explaining the process of optimization and by how realistic the goals are that they set for your campaign. Be patient and understand that it will take time and a commitment to increase rankings. After all, none of the top web sites attained their ranking overnight.

Printer-Friendly Version of this Page

	Our white papers cover the online marketing sector in much greater detail: Search Engine Optimization for E-commerce Sites     Search Engine Optimization and Web 2.0     Web Design and Search Engine Optimization: Two Separate Worlds More White Papers...