The world of search engine placement is much more than just building Web Sites. There are literally thousands of search engines, each with their own criteria for placement. Because of this, a site must be built properly. Paying special attention to not only the design, navigation and information, your site must also have the proper search engine information designed into it.
Most web sites on the Internet have not been optimized for search engine placement. This makes them the equivalent of a billboard facing the wrong way on the free way; they exist but cannot be located or viewed easily. It is also worth pointing out that most Web Site owners do not even know that the site they bought is not well represented in the search engines! It is my belief that most business owners think that when they hire a company to design and develop their Web Site, they expect to be represented well in the search engines - sometimes you do not get what you may think you paid for. Many web designers do not know the criteria for search engines!
Sure, you can be located by your site's address, but that is only a small part of what a Web Site can do. A Web Site is not meant to be a stagnant display ad, a Web Site should be designed to go out and find clients and bring them into your site. Twenty-Four hours a day, seven days a week, potential clients should be able to locate your site by your location (city, county, State) or by your occupation (e.g. Traverse City Builders, or Traverse City custom homes, etc.)
Don't be fooled when buying a web site, ask for references and a list of first page Yahoo, Google or MSN rankings - this will tell you if the company is capable of giving you what you think you are paying for! What they don't know can hurt you!