Yes! Definitely. Search engine optimization strategies (SEOS) play an important role in website development. Search engines are the starting point for most people when they're looking for something on the Internet. This is why the most popular websites are search engines and web portals with search functions. Imagine that you are selling T-shirt online. When an Internet user key in "T-shirt" in google search engine. You website appear as top ranking in the search result. This will generate a huge traffic to your web site and off course may generate huge revenue to your company.
 
There are many statistics that illustrate the importance of search engines as a method of attracting traffic on the Internet:

• 24 percent of marketers said that over three-quarters of their traffic came from search engine referrals. [CyberAtlas Research - Aug 21, 2001]
• Nearly 60 percent of students reported using a search engine when picking an online retailer. [NACS - Mar 7, 2001]
• Study found that 55 percent of online purchases were made on sites found through search listings. [NPD Group -Feb 14, 2001]
• Search engines were used by 86 percent of users in Switzerland. [Wemf AG Research - Ag 31, 2000]
• Over 80 percent of Internet users reach sites through search engines. [Forrester Research - Jul 5, 2000]
• Nearly 48 percent of websites depend on search engine listings for the majority of their traffic and over 70 percent of all websites generate at least 20 percent of their traffic from search engine listings. [NetGambit - July 14, 1997]

What Is Search Engine Optimization?

 
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) involves making WebPages more search engine friendly to promote them as the most relevant solutions for the search engines' users. The improvements can mean the difference between achieving top rankings, which can result in thousands of monthly visitors, and being lost in oblivion.
 
Search engine optimization can and should play a major part in the decisions you make in the following areas:

• Domain name
• Site structure
• Structure of your site network
• Site design
• Site navigation
• Site topics
• Headings
• Sub-headings
• Page content
• Links
• Site usability
• Site accessibility
• PageRank
• Link Popularity

Sounds complicated? Visit Mikes-Marketing-Tools.com for more information. This is a great site on SEOS