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Introduction To Search Engine Optimisation SEO Essentials
e have written this keywords they would use, ask
analysis to provide the colleagues and compile a list of
reader with a brief guide phrases that you think will be
to Search Engine Optimisation used. Then check it out using
(SEO) essentials. If you have a keyword research tools such as
website that is not bringing you Wordtracker and Overture which
as much traffic as you would will provide you with data on
wish, or you are planning a new what people actually searched
website, you need to consider the for. This is a useful exercise as
following SEO essentials to you may find that a minor
ensure that you have the best difference in search term can
chance of being ranked well in produce significantly more
the search engines. traffic!
Keyword Research Try to identify one primary
Keywords or key phrases are the search term per page and several
words that people type into secondary terms that would
search engines to find the compliment the primary term. You
results they want. If an initial can now apply your optimisation
search does not produce the kind to individual pages.
of results that people are
looking for they will refine Title Tag
their search so there will be a This appears between these two
good number of phrases that tags. It should start with your
people could use to find your primary phrase and be about 5-7
website. words. This title will appear in
the blue bar at the top of your
Brainstorm as much as possible to web page and will also provide
consider your target audience. the clickable link fro the search
Ask potential customers what engine rankings.
Alt tag
Description Tag If you have images or pictures on
This appears between these two your site use the alt tag to
tags. Your primary phrase should provide information that
appear as soon as possible in the describes the picture. Search
description but make sure it engines cannot read pictures but
describes the page because there they can read alt tags, in
is nothing more frustrating for a addition specialist software can
visitor to your site if they get read alt tags if disabilities
there and find that your prevent a user from viewing the
description was not accurate. pictures.
Often, but not always, the
description will for part of the CONTENT IS KING!!
wording that is presented in the Write your web page copy for your
search engine rankings that will human visitors first while also
persuade a visitor to click on keeping search engine spiders in
your link. mind. Keyword density and
prominence are measurements that
Keywords Tag are most efficiently considered
This appears between these two in relation to competitors for
tags. Commas or no commas - specific rankings. Search
whichever you choose be sure to engines also like to detect
be consistent. Don't spam the regular updates as this is an
keyword tag i.e. don't repeat indication that sites are being
keywords over and over. Provide a maintained.
list of relevant and
complimentary keyphrases for Anchor text
those algorithms that give them Anchor text is the text that you
a value. define as a hyperlink to another
page. The anchor text is expected
to describe the theme of the identify every page on your site
page you would be jumping to by and also ensure that updates are
clicking on the link therefore notified to Google quicker than
anchor text has been given more would happen without a Google
value in search engine sitemap.
algorithms. If you use something
like ‘click here' as hypertext Inbound links
rather than something more Inbound links or links from other
descriptive (and keyword rich) websites into your site provide
such as, for example, ‘SEO Case credibility and emphasis the
Studies' then you are missing an relative importance or authority
opportunity. that your site has over another
site that has fewer links with
Site Map relatively lesser importance.
Add a site map to your site and Inbound links have always been
link it from the home page so important but as search engines
that spiders can crawl the site refine their algorithms in order
map quickly and from it crawl to provide better and more
every important page on your relevant results they give more
site. weight to ‘quality' links that
are considered relevant to the
Google Site Map theme of the site or page.
Add a Google sitemap to your site Irrelevant links or links from
- this is an xml file which link farms are increasingly
visitors do not see and it is undesirable and may even incur a
specifically for Google. By diminishing affect.
creating a Google sitemap,
locating it in the root file and Site Structure and Navigation
submitting it to Google you are The structure of your site can
ensuring that Google can easily affect how efficiently search
engines are able to spider your Conclusion
site - hence the use of site The elements discussed above are
maps. It can also affect how considered to be the basics of
efficiently a human visitor will search engine optimisation.
be able to interact with your Addressing these elements may be
site and whether or not you are sufficient for some sites but
able to persuade them to complete more advanced SEO may be
the action you desire - whether necessary to get rankings for
it be to place an order, make an other sites. If you have the time
enquiry or gather the knowledge available to learn, research,
they need. test, adjust and test again then
you have a good chance of being
If possible steer clear of framed able to produce the kind of
sites and flash sites as these results in the search engines
may cause problems for the that you are looking for.
effective spidering of a site.
There is however much more to
Black Hat vs Ethical SEO search engine optimisation than
Black hat SEO uses methods to has been covered in these basic
trick the search engines into elements but this is an
awarding higher rankings and as excellent starting point. Other
these tricks are considered elements to consider would
unethical you run the risk of include more advanced elements
having your site banned if you such as competitor research,
employ them. Duplicate sites, keyword density and prominence,
spamming, hidden text and deep linking, ensuring clean code
cloaking are just a few black hat (W3C compatible), optimal site
techniques. We would recommend structure and navigation. You
ethical SEO every time. may also wish to consider
blogging and RSS feed which can
also be very effective methods to just about achieving rankings, it
increase traffic. is about increasing traffic to
your site and converting that
As a final word.... Remember that traffic to profit. Best of luck!
search engine optimisation is not
About the Author:
Kathryn Dawson, BSc (Hons), MBA, is the general manager of Strategy Consulting (http://www.strategyconsultinglimited.co.uk). She is an experienced consultant, former head of Strategic Business Analysis and International Client Administration with multinational corporations in both the UK and US.
Read more articles by: John Courtney
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
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