Vital to the success of online business is search engine optimisation (SEO) - the information that a website gives to search algorithms like Google and Bing, which in turn tells them where it should be ranked for certain key terms.

It is absolutely crucial to include SEO because if search engines do not like or do not see a website on a local or national level, customers will find it more difficult to find it, and will choose to spend their money at competitor websites.

Search engine optimisation need not be costly but it should he fully integrated into a website design and, ideally, needs to form part of a business marketing strategy in the long term in order to reap the best rewards regarding business profit and investment.

This includes, but is not limited to:

• Keyword and optimisation audits
• Updating website features
• Website redesign
• Copywriting
• Articles
• Press releases
• Link building
• Search engine optimisation
• Bespoke/custom back-end web design features

VI Media in Accrington is an ethical practitioner of SEO and works with both local and national businesses and organisations to improve and maintain their online performance.

The first step in devising an SEO strategy to improve traffic - and therefore sales - is to perform an audit of key terms, content quality and other architectural elements of a website.

The results of this audit will reveal what works and what does not, and VI Media will then make recommendations and draw up a schedule of online SEO activities that will almost immediately begin to improve a website's search engine ranking.

We will also formulate a long-term plan in accordance with our client's business plan and budget to ensure their continued success, which will include regular monthly reporting.

Our SEO strategies include improving written content and keyword targeting, link building by placing relevant articles and press releases and managing directory submissions.