Search engine optimisation is obviously an industrial sector that has built up over time. The techniques used on a site during SEO are the result of close study of search engine behaviour over a considerable period. Many of these techniques are new, developed in response to changes to search engine algorithms, but they all are ultimately derived from a common history.

The history of SEO goes quite a long way to explaining how and why SEO techniques are developed as they are. The methodologies used by SEO experts can sometimes be puzzling to the outsider. The hit-and-miss nature of what seems such a technically-based subject can also be confusing. The reasons for the way SEO works lie within its specific history. Search engine optimisation began mainly with the first big search engine, Yahoo! In around 1995, the first search engine optimisation techniques began to be implemented. These were basic, to say the least. In a time when search engines were desperate for information, all a site owner had to do to grab attention was to submit the site address to the search engine to be indexed.

Soon, however, search engines began to develop their algorithms to look for particular things within a site. Site owners became aware of this and began to research keywords appropriate to their industry. These initial techniques were based on a straightforward equation. The more mentions of a keyword was mentioned, the more relevance the site was deemed to have and most people were happy! This moment did not endure for long. As soon as this straightforward equation became clear, sites began to abuse the system by stuffing their pages with keywords. Even when keywords are relevant to the content, this kind of strategy can be intensely annoying to site users. The search engines altered their algorithms in response.

The complexity of keyword strategies increased in reaction to the developments in search algorithms, and theories on placement and density emerged. Competition on keywords began to heat up as more businesses developed their presence on the net. Still, many SEO experts were using a ‘try it and see’ approach that was slow in producing results. By 1996, the elements of a site needed to appeal to the secret rules of search, but a website could still appear high in the results pages by the simple method of submitting it. However, in late 1996, the SEO industry began to concentrate on how search engine databases worked. The first whitepapers on SEO began to appear and experts concentrated their attention on cracking search engine algorithms through reverse-engineering. A mix of technical study and creative experiment began to be used to boost sites in the rankings.

The techniques used early on by SEO experts to discover the search engines’ secrets are still in use today. Today’s search engine optimisation creatively implements techniques that are based on research. The qualities needed for SEO have emerged to be a mix of instinct and intellect, blended with experience, which is why many businesses hire SEO professionals.

Now you know a bit of the history, you could look to the future by contacting us at SEO Consult.

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