So what is search engine optimisation?

Search engine optimisation is the process of improving the ranking of a web site among search engines through the use of keywords and keyword phrases as well as back links.  The more relevant your content is to the words people are typing into the search engine to look for information, the higher your website will be in search results. 

By carefully drafting text and naming images appropriately, your site can be made more relevant to what people are looking for and therefore more "Optimised" to what the search engine is looking for.

How does it work?

On the whole, search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, Ask etc. analyse the content of your pages and compare them to other pages on the web. They also take into account where you are located and who else is in the same market or category as you. They look for keywords amongst your text to see whether they are relevant to the searches that users are making and then "ranks" you in the results.

By carefully composing your text and by use of a few other techniques, it is possible to move your site up the rankings. Alternatively, you can "Pay per Click" although this can prove quite expensive and doesn't guarantee results.

How long does it take?

How long it takes for your pages to percolate up through the rankings depends on how competitive the area you are in is. With careful thought however, it isn't unusual to see your page somewhere on the first page of Google results within 3 to 5 weeks.