Understanding the value of better search engine position results can be the difference in having a website that people flock to and one that remains largely ignored. That's why it's important to understand how organic search works and how you can create a website that makes the most of it. You want your site to be found. You want it to be on the front page of a Google or Yahoo search. Sure, you can pay to have your site come up at the top, but it is expensive and many people are skeptical of those paid search results.

First, it's important to know the terminology. Organic search listings are the natural results of a keyword search done by an individual. The search engines use web crawlers or "spiders" to search pages on the internet. The information they collect is used for indexing all the websites visited in an organized manner. This allows the search engine to give you accurate results.

The "key" to getting top search engine placement results is keywords. The search engine creates a hierarchy of sites based on their strengths in relation to the keywords. The hierarchy is also based on traffic, the age of the site, and the quality of links to and from the website. If you have a newer site, achieving front page results can be nearly impossible if your topic is very common. Your competition is probably devoting a significant amount of time and resources to stay on the front page.

So, if your site is relatively new, it is in your best interest to set your sites on less competitive keywords. How can you know what words to choose? Keyword programs can help you determine where you might have an opportunity. Google offers a keyword tool that's free to use if you have an account. This tool allows you to view the search volume for any keyword or phrase. It even allows you to see the bids for pay per click ads so you can see how competitive various phrases have become.

When deciding on your keywords, be careful to choose words that are not so competitive that you can't crack the front page, but do have enough volume to warrant the effort. A term that has little competition but only receives a handful of searches per month is not a valuable keyword.

Another good way to hone in on your keywords is to talk to your staff or customers. Listen to the words that they use to describe your company or organization. Do they use words that you haven't considered? Are there patterns that emerge from listening to your clients, volunteers, or board members? Is your organization in the news frequently? How do reporters refer to your organization?

The idea is to listen to how your audience talks about you and then use the same terms consistently in your web content. This will allow people to find you using the words that are meaningful to them. And when the results are organic search listings, the audience is much more likely to trust and click thru to your website.