Professional Joomla!

Chapter 13. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

There is generally little point in having a Web site if interested users cannot find it. Making your site conspicuous in the search engines used on the Internet is one of the most important aspects of modern Web deployment. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques will maximize your ranking in the search engines and minimize practices that keep your site with only an average placement.

This chapter examines SEO that relates most directly to a Joomla site. Joomla includes a number of features that make a site more Search Engine Friendly (SEF). The built-in settings help guide the search engines to more accurately represent the content of your site. There are also a number of general techniques that, if followed consistently, will aid in maximizing your site placement on every relevant search.

This chapter also takes a brief look at Search Engine Marketing (SEM), where paid advertising can help drive traffic to your Web site. SEM encapsulates SEO techniques, but large commercial organizations often hire an SEM firm (such as The Search Agency) to handle both sides of the search engine business. In contrast, small sites and noncommercial sites will emphasize SEO because of the low (or no) cost of implementation. Since a majority of Joomla sites are medium sized or small, this chapter will focus on SEO.

Keep in mind that the world of SEO is changing constantly. What may have a tremendous effect on search placement ...