Search engine optimization
is THE most cost effective way for a company to market
their products and services. Below are 5 extremely
valuable search engine optimization tips:
1. Content is Key
Webmasters are extremely concerned with optimizing
their code and as a result, they often forget about
optimizing the content. As optimization tips go,
this is one you should pay close attention to. The first
200 words of your home page should be loaded with keywords,
this includes your headline. Some search engines, particularly
those that ignore meta tags, will actually use the first
few lines of text (including the headline) as your site
description.
2. Utilize Static HTML
You don't need a dynamic website unless
you have dynamic content, such as airline seat availability
and pricing which needs to be dynamically published
from a database because it constantly changes. You may
store your website in a database but you're better off
publishing it as a static HTML website. It's cheaper,
the pages will download faster, and search engines will
find it easier to comprehensively index your website.
The less HTML code you have, the better, as it makes
it easier and faster for the search engine to index
your page. Aim for a total page weight of 50 KB for
any page (that's including graphics). Certainly, anything
over 100 KB is going to be slow, and some search engines
don't like pages that are over 100 KB
3. The Title Tag is Critical
The title tag is the single most important piece
of content for people who search. Keep it short:
Don't have more than 60 characters (with spaces), which
is roughly 8-10 words. Lead with the most important
keyword for that particular page. Always start off with
what is specific about the page and move to what is
general. Many websites begin their title with their
brand or organization name, and then follow with what
is unique about the page. (This is a very common mistake,
so check out your website.)
4. Optimize Your Images
This is another optimization tip that many people
forget about. However, through use of your "alt" image
attribute tag, you can slip in an extra keyword phrase
or two that describes the picture users are about to
see. The text only shows up when the user has turned
off the 'view images' option in their browser or the
image fails to load. But some search engine robots will
pick it up too and the extra keywords could help your
ranking. So take a few seconds to implement this optimization
tip on your site and you could see improved results
soon.
5. Why You Shouldn't Optimize
Your Own Site
While we have given you some basic optimization
tips to help you quickly boost your search engine ranking,
we still recommend that you hire a Search Engine Optimization
professional for the best results. Search engines change
their guidelines regularly, making it impossible for
any one or two people to stay on top of all the changes
while still running their business. What was a great
optimization tip yesterday, could get your site blacklisted
today. Your SEO professional will watch over your site
as if it was our own, ensuring your site is always running
in peak form. For example, we predicted many of the
guideline changes Google made in November of 2003, saving
many of our customers from the massive fall in rankings
most experienced.
About the Author
Carmen is the VP Client Relations of Ms. SEO Inc. a
Calgary based Search Engine Optimization & Internet Marketing
Company. Ms. Seo Inc. works with their sister company
Ms. Hype Inc., a Calgary
Web Design Company, to offer their clients a powerful
online presence. |
