When Über Web is hired to build a web site, be it a brand-spanking new site or a rebuild of an existing site, my client is often surprised that the very first thing I want to do is keyword research. I explain to them that before I make a site map, or build a wireframe, I need to know what keywords the site should be optimized for. Why is that? Because search keywords should be the building blocks of any well optimized web site and those keywords need to be “built-in” to the site from the ground up.
It appears to me that most companies will first hire a web design/development company to build them a shiny new web site that looks and works fantastically and then they engage a SEO comapny only after the site is built and is ready to launch or worse yet, has already launched. This is actually a bass-ackwards way to go about site development! You should hire the SEO/marketing company first before you ever hire a developer. And better yet, hire a web development company that specializes in SEO like Über Web! 
Now why is this?
Well, I don’t want to give away the store but here are few good reasons to start….
- You need to find out what real people are searching for to find companies that offer products or services such as yours.
- Those keywords need to be built into several aspects of your site such as navigation points, image names, descriptions, & content.
- You need to do it the right way, simply knowing the keywords is not enough. Experienced SEOs know how to do this.
And finally, just like a brand new car, it’s always cheaper do get something as original equipment than to get it after market. Why hire an SEO firm AFTER a site is built to retrofit SEO best practices? You’re going to pay more in the long run and it’s going to take longer for your site to get those top rankings you desire!