Search Engine Optimization  

Overview

 

1. Search Engine Optimization(SEO)

Search engine optimization (also known as search engine marketing) is designing, writing, and coding (in HTML) a web site or some of its pages so that there is a good chance that these web pages will appear at the top of search engine results for selected keywords and key phrases. Factors that affect search engine rankings include keyword concentration, keyword placement and link popularity.

 

2. Search Engine vs. Search Directory

A search engine uses an automated program called a “spider”, “crawler”, or “robot” to browse the internet, gathering links to add to their index. Examples include Google, Anzwers and AltaVista. A directory is made up of human editors who review the potential web site and then decide whether or not it should be included. Examples include Yahoo!, LookSmart and The Open Directory.

 

3. Getting Results

While specific rank can never be guaranteed, with an intelligent strategy, high placement can surely be achieved. Described below are many of the guidelines we keep in mind when strategising optimization for our website's. Once a site has been optimized and submitted, it generally takes 4 to 8 weeks before results are seen. You should see the full results of your optimization campaign within 3 to 6 months. Keep in mind, search engine optimization is an ongoing process. To ensure your rankings remain high, they must be continually monitored and your strategy adapted to reflect changes in search engine technology and the rankings of your competition.

 

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Writing the Copy 

In order to deliver more accurate search results, search engines such as Google examine the body copy on a web page to determine the subject matter of that page. This means it’s now increasingly the responsibility of web copywriters to ensure high search engine placement. If you are writing the body copy for your web site, we suggest you keep these following guidelines in mind:

 

 

1. Identify your Keywords

The search engines are going to do their best to relate keyword searches to the text on your web page. Notice how most of the results in your own searches will include an automatically selected blurb from the site, with the keywords it contains highlighted. What will yours show? This is why it’s important to identify your keywords ahead of time, and use them as the basis for your copy writing.

 

What are the five keywords or phrases people are most likely to enter when searching for the service you offer? Identify and priorities these for each of your pages. Then work them into your copy. Ideally, you should be able to fit them in up to three times each – but remember, this must be done without damaging the information your website offers – it must remain concise and interesting to read!

 

Also keep in mind, search engines take measures to guard against cheating. Keyword density is important, but abuse will lower your rankings. Including your keywords multiple times in the same sentence is going to lower your rankings and annoy those people who do click through. If you can maintain this balance, increasing your copy relevancy without annoying your visitors, you will definitely increase your ranking!

 

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Developing the Site 

Search Engine Optimization also relies greatly upon the way the interactive features of the site are arranged and developed. Tips we use:

 

1. Deep linking

Make sure you have links coming in to as many pages as possible. What does it tell a search engine when other web sites are linking to different pages on your site? That you obviously have lots of worthwhile content. What does it tell a search engine when all of your links are coming in to the home page? That you have a shallow site of little value, or that your links were generated by automation rather than by the value of your site.

 

2. Meaningful links

The links directing search engines to your site should also reflect the actual content if your web site. “More info” says very little about what is on the hyper linked page, and is rarely going to be typed in as part of a Google keyword search. It also helps if the text surrounding these link words is relevant to the search terms you want your site associated with.

 

3. Newsletters

Offer articles to e-zine publishers that archive their e-zines. The links stay live often for many years in their archives.

 

4. First come, first served

If you must have image links in your navigation bar, include also text links. However, make sure the text links show up first in the source code, because search engine robots will follow the first link they find to any particular page. They won't follow additional links to the same page.If you have several topics that could each support their own website, it might be worth having multiple domains.

 

5. Multiple domains

Why? First, search engines usually list only one or two pages per domain for any given search, and you might warrant several. Second, directories usually accept only home pages, so you can get more directory listings this way. Thirdly, you have more control over how search engines will interpret cross-site links: many companies will create micro-sites under different domains, containing keyword rich content with links to the main site.

 

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Paid Advertising

 

In addition to optimizing your site for automatic placement, there are other highly effective methods to consider as key features of your search engine strategy. All of these methods provide something optimization cannot – an absolute guarantee. But to be effective, these must be handled correctly to outweigh the cost!

 

1. Paid Inclusion

Search engines can be incredibly slow in crawling pages that have been submitted for free – even then, there is no easy way to guarantee that you will be listed. One way to ensure this is through paid inclusion. Note, however, that this does not guarantee ranking, and your site will still need to be optimized.

 

2. Paid Placement

Many search engines allow you to pay to guarantee your placement in the top results, based upon keywords chosen by you. Your exact position will vary, but generally your site will appear in the top or in a sidebar next to the results.

 

3. Pay-Per-Click

One other highly effective method to consider is paid placement – most search engines will offer a pay-per-click service. You identify keywords for which you want your site to be guaranteed exposure, and after an initial deposit, you only pay when someone clicks through. The frequency of your listing depends on how much you are willing to pay per click. It can be costly, but if handled correctly, the exposure will be invaluable.

 

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