Search Engine Optimization

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Navigation: Search Engine Guide Home Page > Search Engine Optimization

Search Engine Optimization

Making your site more accessible to search engines and increasing the number of pages indexed is a major benefit of search engine optimization. The process is not difficult. Search engine optimization is just a matter of understanding what search engines look for when they visit your site.

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Search Engine Optimization

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1. What Is Search Engine Optimization?

Ask ten different people what Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is and you may receive ten different answers. For the purposes of this guide, SEO will be defined as the process of making changes to your site to make it more accessible to search engines and the people that arrive at your site from the search engines.

Search engine optimization is not about tricking the search engines. It is about

understanding what elements search engines look for on a page to help determine the relevance of the page to a search term. By understanding what page elements the search engines take into consideration, and making adjustments to better present your page, you can improve your rank for a search term.

Search engines use programs called "spiders" or "crawlers" that visit the pages of your Web site and index the information on those pages. This includes the content that your visitors see when viewing your page and some of code used to build your page.

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best approach. Fortunately, search engine optimization can also be performed after a site is built, but it will require making changes to your site.

It is important to understand that it will likely take more than a month before you see the results of your work. This is due to the fact that it takes time for the search engines to update their databases.

A basic overview of the content and basic code that the spiders or crawlers will look for on a page is covered here. The information provided is not specifically geared toward one search engine. Instead it takes a more general approach that will work well with most, if not all, search engines.

Each section starts with a brief description of the page element covered. You will then be provided with sources for further information including:

z Recommended Articles

These are articles that do a good job explaining the key concepts of the topic discussed. Each articles is linked with the option to open it in a new window.

z Check the Article Archives

Search Engine Guide provides a directory of thousands of search engine articles from experts across the Internet. This section will provide a link to the relevant category covering the page element being covered. The articles are arranged by date with the newest articles first. This will allow you to get the most up to date information and then do further research on older articles.

z Recommended Forum Threads

These are pointers to specific threads in search engine discussion forums that cover the page element being discussed.

z Books and Reports

In some case, there are books and reports that are available that cover the page element being discussed. For those that wish to have further research material, we provide links to sources that provide the books and reports.

2. Domain Names

Having keywords in your domain is not a major consideration. For example, having a domain such as www.keyword-keyword-keyword.com isn't going to do much, if

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anything.

If keywords in your domain naturally make sense and would make it more memorable to your visitors, then don't be afraid to use keywords in your domain name. If you already have a domain name, don't worry about switching just because it isn't packed with keywords.

Don't purchase multiple domains with the idea of having multiple copies of your Web site to get multiple listings in the search engines. This will likely result in a penalty from the search engines.

To learn more about Domain Names:

Recommended Articles:

z Attacking the Search Engines - There's no need for an additional domain. If you

have additional products or services, simply add pages to your existing site. Every page is a gateway to the rest, and they can all rank highly if properly optimized.

z Multiple Domain Names Pointing to One Site - I have heard through the

grapevine that if you buy many domain names and point them back to your home page, when the search engines find this out they will shut you off. Is that true at all?

z Keyword-Rich Domain Names - The myth of using keyword-rich domains for

SEO purposes has been perpetuated for way too long, and quite frankly I'm tired of seeing it written about as if it's an all-important SEO factor.

Check the Article Archives:

z More Articles About Domain Names - Check the Search Engine News Archives

for articles about domain names and the impact they can have on your

rankings. The articles are arranged by date with the newest articles first. This will allow you to get the most up to date information and then do further research on older articles.

Recommended Forum Threads: z Gateway/ Keyword Domains

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z Check the archives for more related forum threads...

3. The Title Tag

The title tag for each page of your site is very important. If you look at the code of a web page, you will find it in the head section and it will look something like the following:

<head>

<title>Your Page Title Here</title>

Your title should include your keywords or keyphrases and help describe your site, or the specific page, in a concise manor. When people are viewing a list of search results, they typically will scan down the list. Make sure your title tells them what your site, or the page, is about.

For the title, your keyphrases are more important than your company name, unless your company name is a well known brand.

Repeating keywords and keyphrases over and over is likely to be penalized and looks terrible in the search results.

To learn more about the Title Tag:

z Search Engine Optimization Basics Part 2 - Title Tags - Not only is the structure

and content of the Title tag used by the search engines when calculating your webpage's relevance, but it is also displayed in most search engine results pages. It therefore needs to be carefully constructed in such a way that it influences your website's position in the SERP, but is also attractive enough to encourage a surfer to click on your link.

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z More Articles About The Title Tag - Check the Search Engine News Archives for

articles about the Title Tag. The articles are arranged by date with the newest articles first. This will allow you to get the most up to date information and then do further research on older articles.

Recommended Forum Threads:

z Same title and keywords across entire site

4. Meta Description and Meta Keyword Tags

These tags are also in the head section of the code of a web page and are not seen by the visitors of your site unless they happen to look at your source code. If you look at the code of a web page, the Meta Tags will look something like the following:

<head>

<title>Your Page Title Here</title>

<meta name="Description" content="Your Description"> <meta name="Keywords" content="Your Keywords">

</head>

Of the two, the Meta Description is the most important. In fact, many experts will advise that it isn't even necessary to bother with the Meta Keywords tag because most search engines ignore it.

For your home page, your Meta Description Tag should briefly explain what your site is about. Each page of your site should also have a Meta Description Tag that explains what that specific page is about. Keep it short and to the point.

To learn more about Meta Description and Meta Keyword Tags:

z Search Engine Optimization Basics Part 3 - Meta Tags - As part of the continued

series 'Getting Back To Search Engine Optimization Basics', Andy Beal takes a closer look at Meta description and Meta keywords tags. Do you still need them

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and what benefits do they bring?

z What Exactly are META tags? - You probably know that META tags are important

for search engine optimization and that they need to be included on your Web site. But what exactly do they do? What is their purpose and how exactly do the search engines interact with them?

z No Meta Keyword Tags - Unfortunately, once Meta tags became spam magnets,

we SEOs started telling people to only use words that were already on the page and no others. From what I discovered, that advice was actually wrong -- and in fact, probably useless!

z More Articles About Meta Description and Meta Keyword Tags - Check the

Search Engine News Archives for articles about Meta Description and Meta Keyword Tags. The articles are arranged by date with the newest articles first. This will allow you to get the most up to date information and then do further research on older articles.

Recommended Forum Threads: z Is it worth it?

5. Copywriting

This is the text on the page that your visitors see. This is an extremely important factor in search engine optimization because both the search engines and your visitors rely on the text on the page to understand what the page is about.

To learn more about Copywriting:

z Copywriting: Key to Search Engine Visibility and Conversions - High rankings in

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convert those leads when they get there? Paul Bruemmer tells you how to write Web copy for your customers and the search engines at the same time.

z Keywords Coming Out of My Ears - You don't need (or want) to repeat the word

a zillion times over and over again. The key is in using your phrases where they make sense in the copy. The copy *must* read well. It absolutely must.

z Search Engine Spiders Like to Read - While a good domain name and targeted

META tags can help improve search engine rankings, they alone will not help a Web site if it does not contain relevant text on the page being optimized.

z Good Content: The Key To Search Engine Ranking - What drives visitors back to

your website and keeps them there? Good content. Content is key to promotion success.

z More Articles About Copywriting - Check the Search Engine News Archives for

articles about copywriting. The articles are arranged by date with the newest articles first. This will allow you to get the most up to date information and then do further research on older articles.

Recommended Forum Threads: z Keyword Density Vs. Userfriendly

6. ALT Tags

Images are an important part of making your site visually attractive to your visitors. But, search engines do not understand the content of images on a page. This is true even if the images have text in them. For example, your logo may have words in it. The search engines can not read these words because they are not standard text. They are a picture.

This is why ALT Tags can be useful. ALT Tags are text descriptions that are used to describe an image on a page. These are not seen by the visitors to your site unless

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they look at the source code.

If you look at the code of a Web page, the ALT Tags will look something like the following:

<img src="imagename.gif" alt="image description">

Sight-impaired people using special Web browsers will appreciate them because these browsers can read the ALT Tags and tell the visitor what the image is about.

ALT Tags can also be useful to your optimization efforts when used with images that serve as navigation links to a page on your site. For example:

When set up this way, some search engines will factor in the ALT Tags for images that serve as links. This provides another opportunity to include keywords and keyphrases on your site. But, don't forget your site impaired visitors. The description in the ALT Tag needs to make sense to them in the context of describing the purpose of the image.

To learn more about ALT Tags:

z Issues for SEO's: Making Pages Friendly to People with Disabilities - Did you

know that nearly 20 percent of all Web users have some form of disability? Making your site accessible for all is a matter of courtesy, is good business practice, and is not difficult.

z More Articles About ALT Tags - Check the Search Engine News Archives for

articles about ALT Tags. The articles are arranged by date with the newest articles first. This will allow you to get the most up to date information and then do further research on older articles.

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7. Site Map

A site map is a page on your site that lists and describes all, or at least the most important, pages of your site.

A site map is valuable for both search engines and your visitors. For search engines, it makes it easy for them to find all of the pages of your site. For your visitors, it is helpful in navigating your site and finding the information they need.

To learn more about Site Maps:

z Site Maps and Hypertext Links: "Food" for Search Engine Robots - Site maps

and hypertext links are 'food' for search engine robots. We will look at the value of text links for optimal spidering, and the importance of using a site map in order to help search engine robots reach your website's deeper pages.

8. Dealing with FLASH

Although some search engines are beginning to implement ways to index FLASH pages, they generally will be difficult to get indexed. There are ways around this problem though. For example, instead of making the entire page a FLASH

presentation, make the FLASH element smaller and use it as a feature on the page. This will leave you with plenty of room for descriptive text that the search engines can easily index.

To learn more about Dealing with FLASH:

z FAST Breaks the Flash Barrier - Expanded visibility for Flash sites is good news

for designers and users alike because it means that AllTheWeb, Lycos, InfoSpace, and other partner sites using FAST technology can readily display

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links to a cache of Flash content that wasn't available to users before.

z More Articles About Dealing with FLASH - Check the Search Engine News

Archives for articles about Dealing with FLASH. The articles are arranged by date with the newest articles first. This will allow you to get the most up to date information and then do further research on older articles.

Recommended Forum Threads: z Google & Flash sites

9. Dealing with Dynamic Pages

Great improvements have been made by the search engines regarding indexing dynamic pages. But, there are still times when getting the content of dynamically generated pages indexed by search engines creates special challenges. Solutions are discussed in the recommended articles that will help the Webmaster overcome difficult cases.

To learn more about Dealing with Dynamic Pages:

z Optimization of Dynamic Sites Requires Precision - Dynamic sites require highly

specialized search engine marketing strategies. Learn how dynamic databases are created, why they are hard to index, and what strategies can be used to increase dynamic site visibility.

z Dynamic Page Optimization and Search Engine Inclusion - Optimizing large,

dynamically driven web sites can be difficult without the right toolbox of ideas and technology available. Lander reviews some options and lays down the groundwork for getting a great optimization plan going on these dynamically generated giants.

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z More Articles About Dealing with Dynamic Pages - Check the Search Engine

News Archives for articles about Dealing with Dynamic Pages. The articles are arranged by date with the newest articles first. This will allow you to get the most up to date information and then do further research on older articles.

z Dynamic urls, ?'s, Google and htaccess

z mod_rewrite and SEO

10. File Formats

Beyond simple HTML files, search engines are now indexing other file formats such as PDF files, Word files, Excel files, etc. These files can be optimized to improve the results when search engines index them. The recommended articles will discuss how this is accomplished.

To learn more about File Formats:

z Optimizing Your PDF Documents - As search engines begin to crawl many

different file formats besides HTML, consider optimizing your PDF documents for better search engine visibility. Search engine optimization tips for achieving higher search engine rankings for your alternative-file-format documents.

z More Articles About File Formats - Check the Search Engine News Archives for

articles about File Formats. The articles are arranged by date with the newest articles first. This will allow you to get the most up to date information and then do further research on older articles.

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Recommended Forum Threads: z pdf optimization

11. Framed Sites & Pages

Although they are used less often, there are still times when framed pages can be handy. Understanding how the search engines deal with these pages is important. The recommended articles will discuss frames, the drawbacks, and how to optimize them for the search engines.

To learn more about Framed Sites & Pages:

z Optimizing Frames for Search Engines - Because of the way framed web pages

are created, search engine robots have a difficult time spidering sites built in frames. The best way to make a website accessible to the robots is to take it out of frames, but what can be done if the site absolutely must remain in frames?

z Self-Referencing Framesets - Frames offer added flexibility to the Web designer,

such as the ability to ensure that branding and navigation are always on screen. Frames are therefore often seen as a "good thing" in the Web design

community. However, without careful forethought frames present several problems, chiefly in the Web marketing arena.

z More Articles About Framed Sites & Pages - Check the Search Engine News

Archives for articles about Framed Sites & Pages. The articles are arranged by date with the newest articles first. This will allow you to get the most up to date information and then do further research on older articles.

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z Frames Site - practical suggestions for visibility

12. JavaScript

JavaScript can create problems when trying to get a page properly indexed. The solution can be as simple as offloading the JavaScript to external text files to make your pages more easily indexed by the search engines.

To learn more about JavaScript:

z Optimizing Pages with JavaScript and Style Sheets for Search Engines -

Optimizing pages with JavaScript and Style Sheets for search engines. Step by step tutorial on how to successfully offload JavaScript and CSS (Style Sheets) to external text files for optimum indexing by the search engine spiders.

z More Articles About JavaScript - Check the Search Engine News Archives for

articles about JavaScript. The articles are arranged by date with the newest articles first. This will allow you to get the most up to date information and then do further research on older articles.

z How do you handle non-jscript and W3C DOM clients

13. What To Avoid

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Some Webmasters try to trick the search engines into believing their page is relevant by using methods that the search engines discourage. It is important to understand what the search engines advise you not do.

To learn more about What To Avoid:

z Are Your Search Engine Rankings At Risk? - While most search engines are

becoming more and more adept at detecting 'spam' pages and penalizing or removing them, there is an unfortunate side effect to this efficiency - some companies that are innocent of intentional wrongdoing unknowingly have sites that fall into the 'spam' category.

z Search Engine Damage Control - Google and other search engines will boot

anyone using spam tactics to get high rankings. If you inadvertently spam Google or others and wish you could clean-up your act, Paul has some good news for you.

z Why Not Call 'Em Zebras - Quite frankly, I'm tired of people making up new

names for things just so they won't sound dodgy. You can call a doorway page a 'zebra' if you want, but if it's not fully integrated into your site through visible links, it's still a doorway page.

z The Doorway to Optimization Disaster - Using doorway pages to enhance the

search engine ranking of your website will not benefit your company in the long-term. While it is tempting to use doorways to gain quick results, inevitably the search engines discover the pages and ban them from their index.

z More Articles About What To Avoid - Check the Search Engine News Archives for

articles about What To Avoid. The articles are arranged by date with the newest articles first. This will allow you to get the most up to date information and then do further research on older articles.

Recommended Forum Threads: z How to avoid spamdexing

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14. Getting Professional SEO Help

If you have the budget for it, hiring a professional to perform, or help you with, your search engine optimization is highly recommended. A professional can help you learn more about improving your site and can save the time of having to learn everything on your own.

The services of a quality SEO are not going to be cheap. You get what you pay for in this field. Don't expect someone offering a $19.95 service to be of any value at all. A professional SEO will bring an incredible amount of knowledge to your project. You should expect to pay for this knowledge.

To find a SEO professional, you can start with the companies that advertise on Search Engine Guide and the contributing authors. These companies are the reason Search Engine Guide is able to provide so much free information.

Also, you can check one of the SEO provider directories. Two I particularly like are:

z SEO Consultants Directory - Locate professional search engine optimization

consultants from around the world who have proven track records with search engines, directories and ppc pay per click bid management programs.

z SeoPros.org - SeoPros.org is an organization of search engine optimization

consultants, and internet marketers developing and implementing a set of "best practices" for the search engine optimization industry.

To learn more about Getting Professional SEO Help:

z Selecting a Search Engine Optimization Company - There are many factors to

consider when selecting a search engine optimization company. Unfortunately, many businesses that haven?t previously used search engine optimization to promote themselves are unsure how to evaluate potential vendors, and many are intimidated by the entire concept. This article is intended to help in the selection process.

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z What SEOs Expect From Their Clients - Once you've located a top performing

SEO, don't expect to call the shots. Search engine optimizers have certain expectations of their clients. Let me run through a few of them.

z Working Well With Your Search Engine Optimization Firm - A successful SEO

enriched marketing campaign will require a few simple but crucial elements: timing, organization, and commitment. Understanding these elements and having realistic expectations is critical to the success of your search engine marketing efforts.

z Let Your Trusted SEO Do Their Job - If you're going to hire an expert to do

something for you, whether it be search engine optimization or building a house, you've got to trust them to do their job correctly.

z Ten Considerations when Hiring a Search Engine Optimization Company - If

you're wanting to hire a professional search engine optimization firm to boost your rankings in the major engines, consider these important considerations.

z More Articles About Getting Professional SEO Help - Check the Search Engine

News Archives for articles about Getting Professional SEO Help. The articles are arranged by date with the newest articles first. This will allow you to get the most up to date information and then do further research on older articles.

z What SEOs Expect From Their Clients

z Selling SEO services

z Google SEO Guidelines and Webmaster Guidelines

z Check the archives for more related forum threads... Books and Reports:

z Buyers' Guide to Search Engine Optimization Firms

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15. Getting Free Help

Many in the search engine optimization industry devote a great deal of their time providing free advice and information on the search engine forums. If you have a specific question, don't be afraid to visit one of the following forums to seek help. Before you get started, take the time to become familiar with the forum you are visiting and read the rules on posting. Each forum has its own personality. Some are more laid back than others. For example, some forums will allow you to post your Web site address with your question, others don't.

Next, spend some time searching past posts to see if your question has already been answered. It is likely that you will find many others have already had the same question and had it answered.

When you are ready to post a question, be sure to provide as much relevant detail as possible. This will help others to fully understand your question.

While you are there, consider looking for questions from others that you may be able to answer. The forums rely on the free exchange of ideas and the help of participants with various levels of experience.

z ihelpyou Forums z Webmaster World z Cre8asite Forums z Search Engine Forums z SearchGuild

z Open Directory Forums z SitePoint Forums

To learn more about Getting Free Help:

z Search Engine Forums - Not only are forums an excellent way to stay up to date

on the latest industry trends and news, they're also a source of priceless information from some of the most well known industry experts out there.

Search Engine Optimization