Can You Optimize An Existing Site?

Absolutely.  Although there are strong benefits associated with creating a fully optimized website from scratch, the simple fact is that not everyone has the time, resources or desire to remake their site altogether.  The good news is that there is still plenty you can do to improve your code without substantially changing the look or feel of your website.

Optimize Your Website Code

Most websites today are simply coded poorly.  The basic language of the Web, HTML, has undergone vast improvements since the early days, and today you can achieve dazzling design effects with minimal code.  Why should you care?  Because code-heavy sites tend to load slowly, and the search engines hate slow.

So a good website optimization package starts with streamlining the code and simplifying your site's architecture.  Why use 150 lines of code when you can use 10?  Why embed enormous image files when they can be compressed for better viewing?  Why confuse the search engines with links that point nowhere when you can upload a nice, clean sitemap instead?  Optimized website coding is a quick and easy way to bring your site into the 21st century without changing its look or feel in any substantial way.

Once the code is nice and clean, you must finish the job by optimizing for your keywords of choice.  Proper URL structure, Meta title tags, ALT-image tags and some other small details all play a role in the search engines' evaluation of your site.  These are subtle changes to be sure — not nearly as important as links and content — but they are cheap and easy to fix, and there is no question such details can make a big difference in aggregate.  The search engines look to these cues to tell them what your site is about.  With a little research into the best keywords for your company, you can make your focus known.

Optimized Content

Of course there is an even better way to optimize an existing site: add new content.  Compelling SEO content is without question the most reliable and effective way to bump up your search rankings across the board.  If your visitors are finding you through a few common "keywords," create targeted content to take advantage of that traffic.  If you are hoping to rank higher for certain search terms, build some highly optimized content to stake your claim.  If you are looking for more repeat visits and loyalty, an SEO blog is the surest way to grab mindshare, esteem and daily traffic.  

Ongoing SEO Optimization

So okay, now you have made your site more search-engine friendly. But what happens if the ground shifts once again? Google's algorithm is constantly changing and your competitors are always trying new things.  There is simply no such thing as "final" search rankings — top companies that have enjoyed a Number One spot for years can easily plunge 100 places overnight.

This is why SEO is considered a service and not a product: search is a moving target.   The best way to ensure your site stays optimized no matter what is to retain the ongoing services of an expert SEO company.  Good optimizers will keep your site clean and current on a daily basis, growing your footprint with careful digital strategy while maintaining the integrity of your business.  

Want to learn more about ways to optimize your website? Please contact the SEO experts of Breakthrough Content today.