‘If i could do one thing, what would it be to get my website ranked higher within the search engines’.
This is easy… Content. It’s king don’t you know!
If you want to let the search engines know you’re alive and kicking, then show them. The fresh content part of the algorithm is still very powerful.
If you regularly put fresh content on your key pages, you’ll encourage the search engines to index you and hopefully generate some links.
‘I get lots of emails where people would like a link from me’.
This is a standard SEO practice. Remember not all links are equal and some people will try to deceive you. The best possible advice is to get them to link to you. Then evaluate the link using either firebug or the simple PageRank icon on the Google toolbar. If it’s good, then it may be worth following them. Any business that wishes a link from you should be willing to give one back.
A good link will have good page rank, it’s from a complimentary business or even from a business in your particular field. Make sure the link isn’t a ‘No follow’ (a way to try and devalue the link back to you).
‘How can i get more links’?
It’s like I told you, good content is an easy win. Create a widget or a plugin for websites with a link back to your site. Info-graphics, Tweet’s, Facebook and YouTube are also good ways to generate links.
‘How come SEO costs so much’?
Well, this is a difficult one. There are only 10 organic listings per page (although talk is this may shrink). Competitiveness of keywords, level of competition and the actual current state of the website are determining factors. Do you want to compete locally, nationally or globally?
Anybody that solicits to you is generally not going to be that good. Anybody who asks you to pay a small monthly fee, won’t give you the attention your site deserves. Any company that doesn’t care to know about each aspect of your business and your current internal resources won’t generally be good either.
SEO is complicated, constantly evolving and fairly costly. If a company can demonstrate a return on investment then they’ll usually be worth it.
Thanks for questions guys