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The ABCs of SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has been gaining attention as an essential element in Internet marketing. If you want to be found in the search engines, it is important that you add search engine optimization to your Internet marketing plan.

In a nutshell, search engine optimization--or SEO for short--is the process of making your web pages "search engine friendly."

The search engines are constantly in flux, so SEO techniques that worked yesterday may not necessarily work tomorrow. As a result, it is exceedingly important to keep up with the fast pace of the Internet, and the search engines in particular. At WebsiteDesigner.Com, we regularly research the updated submission requirements for the major search engines/directories.

One of the frustrations of search engine placement is that your rankings are constantly fluctuating. The key to a successful SEO campaign is creativity, perseverance and practice, practice, practice.

If you are developing a new web site or redesigning an old one, now is a good time to think about SEO.

This newsletter will describe the process of optimizing your web pages for the search engines, as well as highlight some of the other components that are important for a successful search engine marketing campaign.

Writing Keyword Rich Copy

Although the Internet is graphic-rich, it is a text-based medium. Information is what your visitors are seeking. If your web site doesn't present the information they want, remember that your competitor's web site is only one click away.

Search engines need copy to know what your web site's theme is and how your site should be indexed in their directory. If your home page consists solely of Flash or an image map, there will be nothing for the search engines to index. So, how do you write keyword-rich copy? The first thing you need to do is identify the keyword phrases that are important and relevant to your web site. For instance, how would you describe your company, products and services? More importantly, how would your visitors describe your company, products and services?

A good place to start your keyword research is by looking at your statistic reports (accessible from the WebsiteDesigner.Com Client Center). What search terms are your visitors using to find you? Armed with this information, you can begin researching the popularity of those terms. Researching your keywords is a very important task, because if you target the wrong terms, your traffic will suffer. Although your site may rank number one for some obscure term, if no one is searching for that term, your site will not be found in the search engines.

Once you have identified your keywords, you will need to integrate them into the body of your web page. Your sentences need to be intelligible and grammatically correct. Don't forget: Your web copy will be read by human beings, as well as the search engines.
Writing Your Meta Tags

The most important tag in the header section of your web page is the title tag. The title tag is displayed in the bar at the top of your browser window--above the toolbar. Many webmasters do not use the title tag properly. For example, their page will be titled "Home" or "Welcome," or worse yet "untitled," because they don't include a title at all. The search engines place a lot of relevance on the words contained within the title tag, so be sure to include your targeted keyword phrases when writing your title tag. This tag is generally limited to 60 characters, so choose your words with care.

The next important tag in the header section is the description meta tag. This tag is used to describe your web page. Again, be sure to include your targeted keyword phrases.

The third and least important tag in the header section is the keywords meta tag. Because of abuse by some “so-called” webmasters, the keywords tag is ignored by many of the search engines. Even so, some do use it, so it doesn't hurt to include it. Like your title and description tag, choose your keywords carefully. Do not include keywords that are not included in the body of your web copy or irrelevant to the theme of your site.

Link Popularity

A few years ago, people were joining "link farms" to increase their link popularity, but today that is frowned upon and can actually be detrimental to your quest for higher rankings in the search engines. Now the emphasis is more on the quality of the links pointing to your web site versus the quantity.

Many of the major search engines use link popularity to gauge the relevancy of your site in its search results. Links to and from web sites that complement yours helps to build credibility and sets the stage for making your web site an authority in your field.

Much is written about the importance of getting links from directories like Yahoo!, Looksmart and the Open Directory Project, because they are reviewed by individuals and not automated computer processes. If you want a link in the first two, however, it will cost you money. A listing in Yahoo! and Looksmart is considered "paid inclusion." Your marketing dollars will be well spent, though, because listings here will not only generate increased traffic, it will add greatly to your web site's link popularity.

Submitting To The Search Engines

Once your web page is fully optimized, it is time to submit it to the search engines. Although there are hundreds of search engines on the Internet, only a handful are truly important. The “Big Four” are: Google, Yahoo, MSN and AOL. Although there are automated services that promise to get you listed on thousands of search engines, it is recommended that you manually submit your site to the top search engines. Some of the search engines view automated submissions as spam and will not list your site. Others put a higher priority on manual submissions. And others--such as Inktomi--require an annual fee to list your site. It may take several weeks (sometimes even months!) to get fully listed.

Monthly Statistic Reports And Analysis

Once you have allowed an appropriate amount of time to lapse (six-eight weeks), it is time to analyze your reports once again to confirm the success of your SEO campaign.

If you have any questions regarding SEO and how it can benefit your business on the Internet -- give us a call (401-454-1487).

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