Search engines have many purposes in the business realm. Businesses utilize them for advertising purposes, the gathering of information and data, staying up-to-date on news and keeping track of competition. They are vehicles for advertising and resources for research. Search engines are also important customer service tools that can be implemented on a website to help visitors locate any information they need.
Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing a website in order to receive a high ranking in a search engine. Most searchers don't go past the first one or two pages of search results, so it is especially important for businesses to achieve a high ranking. Two key strategies are to have fresh, quality website content with important keywords, and to link between other reputable websites. There are many details involved with SEO. Some businesses hire consultants or work with a Web designer to institute and follow an ongoing SEO plan.
Search Engine Advertising
Search engine advertising is a direct form of advertising utilized on a search engine. This usually manifests as text or image ads that run alongside search results. Businesses can choose which keywords they want their ads to appear with. Popular keywords or key phrases cost more than less popular ones, but can also generate more traffic for a website. This type of advertising can be very effective because businesses can reach potential customers who are specifically interested in what they offer.
The Internet is an incredible repository of information. Businesses use search engines to seek out relevant information from online sites. This may involve checking into what the competition is doing, locating news stories or finding social media mentions of a business. Companies can read up on clients and receive advice on operating a business. Internet research can be a good starting point when planning a new work project. Using a search engine, you can learn if other similar projects have been done before, how your competition has addressed your specific issue, and look into studies, surveys and research related to your topic.
Employee Background Checks
Many businesses use search engines to check into the backgrounds of potential new hires. Simply plugging the candidate's name into a search engine can reveal quite a few results ranging from news stories to personal websites to social network profiles. Businesses can learn about a candidate this way; however, depending on the commonality of the applicant's name, results can be returned for other people with similar names. Keep an eye out for major red flags, but give the candidate an opportunity to address any issues that arise.
Many business Web sites contain a substantial amount of content. A search engine integrated into the site is a feature that most Web visitors expect. It helps them locate products in an online retail catalog or track down a specific bit of information. This is an important customer service component. An accurate site search connects a customer to what they are looking for and improves the company's chances of making a sale or gaining a new client.
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