What is search engine optimization? Have you ever used search engines like Google or Yahoo! and type a word in hoping to find information or websites? Well, when you create websites, many companies ensure that their company name shows up first or at the very least, in the first page. There are several ways to optimize your website.
Now first off, why would you want to be on first page when searched by certain key words? Most people are far too lazy to search page 23 of Google or Yahoo! to find what they are looking for. Most likely, even you, do not go beyond page 5 (on a good day), because you want results now and easily. The way search engines work is based off the mathematical formula of algorithm, and it is a mathematical equation based on several factors, but mainly through meta tags and links. Meta tags are key words that related to your web page, and it is calculated by various factors, but one component is how many organic hits you have gotten (meaning how many people go to Google and type in your company name and click on your webpage).
You can buy programs to help you so that when you go to Google, and type in your company name, it would pop up in the first page. Many companies spend money to get their name up where people can easily see them. There are other methods to getting your company page up higher in the result’s list. You can help get your company in page 1 of results if you search for your company…and at first, it will most likely be in page 25. But more you get people to click on your webpage link in search engines like Google, faster your company will be featured higher on the results page. Which means your competitor’s name gets pushed down. That’s part of the algorithm that search engines like Google use. There are faster means, like paying. It can get costly. See the image where the red is circling eBay. 
This is what Google consider a sponsor, and companies like eBay pay a premium to be featured in the box above the result links. It guarantees that your company will be featured at eye level, and given priority.
Now, eBay wasn’t smart, as their company is first on the results. If people click on the sponsor box, eBay must pay additional fees to Google. So you pay two fees: to be featured and when people click.
Some competitors get employees to click in the sponsor box to cost their competitors more money.
If you have the option of adding tags, I would put key words as your tags…so when someone types in a search engine, ServiceMaster, if it is a tag I have added in, I have a greater chance of my website or blog showing up in the first page of results.
Also, another variable to ensure that your company webage will show up first, is to name all your images as your company’s name or key words you feel is important. For example, all my blog post images are saved as ServiceMaster (image name). People don’t see it, but it is another variable in the algorithm. Bet you didn’t know that!
