Optimizing your Website

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via "natural" ("organic" or "algorithmic") search results. Usually, the earlier a site is presented in the search results, or the higher it "ranks", the more searchers will visit that site. SEO can also target different kinds of search, including image search, local search, and industry-specific vertical search engines.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Optimizing for the Search Engines

If you are not listed in any of the search engines no one will be able to find you unless they type your web address (i.e. domain) into their web browser. Once you understand how to optimize your website for the search engines your site will be easier to find and the number of visitors to your website will increase over time.

Positioning your Website

By optimizing your website you can exercise some control over your position and where your site shows up in the search results of the search engines. You should try to optimize your website to rank somewhere in the top ten results. To do this will require long hours of hard work and you must learn how to optimize your website to make this happen.

Optimization of web page keywords and content

Once you have nailed down your content then utilize the meta tags keywords, description and title. Use your keywords when naming your pages and also for paragraph headings. Not all search engines operate exactly the same. But, if you follow the optimization tips outlined below you will do just fine on most of them.

Best keyword positions

1. In the filename - Include keywords in the filename of each page that best describes the content of the web page.
   
   
2. The page title - It is important to have a page title (i.e. header) that includes your keywords. Again, be sure to emphasize the content of your web page.
   
   
3. First paragraph of your web page - Be sure to include your keywords in the first paragraph of each web page. Some webmasters say that you should include your keywords into the last paragraph as well.

Optimization tips

• Are your keywords in your title tags?

• Are your keywords in your content?

• Do your keywords accurately describe the theme or subject of your page?

• What words will users type into search engines to find your website?

• Does the page contain JavaScript? If so, how much of it precedes content? (CSS and JavaScript is nice, but engine robots don't have a clue as to what to do with it and often give up if there's no content nearby.)

• If your website is a business, have you made sure your business address and other information is easily available on each page? (Directories look for this when reviewing business sites.)

• Did you optimize several pages of your site for certain targeted keywords? Be sure that your page titles reflect your keywords and be sure to repeat them in the body text of the page.

• Are there plenty of text links on your pages for robots to follow? (They don't follow image map links or options in drop down menus.)

• Did you read each engine FAQ to make sure you avoid SPAMMING their database before you submitted your URL? (FAQ's change often, so you need to keep checking back.)

• Do you have any web sites linking to your website? Links from other web sites similar to your own will increase the relevancy of your website in search engine results.

Links from other websites

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