Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of building a Web site so that it ranks high in search engines, such as Google and Yahoo. The better research and the more effort put into SEO, the more likely your Web site will rank higher in various search engines. By learning some of the basics of search engine optimization and SEO practices, you can build a Web site and start increasing your traffic sooner than you think.

Search Engine Submission

Once your Web site is live on the Internet, it is exposed to Internet spiders, automated programs that patrol the Internet for new resources. As these spiders find new content, they collect links and URL addresses and submit them to search engines. However, while spiders can get your Web site into search engines, you may also want to directly submit your Web site to premier search engines to speed up the process.

Getting your Web site in search engines, such as Yahoo, Google or DogPile, will help increase traffic to your site, allowing you to connect with your client base.

However, before submitting your site, check first to see if search engines are already picking your site up. If so, you don't need to go through the process of submitting your site. If not, try:

  • abiding by search engine guidelines (Different search engines have specific rules that their spiders use to pick up sites. Conforming to these can help get your site picked up sooner.)
  • checking your search engine status every six to eight weeks
  • keeping records of the search engines you submitted to.
Also, be sure that you understand all the legal guidelines before submitting your site to a search engine.

The Importance of Keywords

A keyword is a word (or phrase) used to search for content in search engines. For example, if you are searching for an article on "removing popcorn ceilings" in a search engine, that phrase is the keyword phrase.

Picking the right keywords for your Web site is essential to good SEO practices, as search engine spiders use these keywords to determine the content of your Web pages. The more accurate and useful your keywords are, the more likely that spiders and search engines will pick up your Web site. Similarly, using a variation of keywords and keyword phrases gives your site a greater breadth, which also puts you in a better position with visitors and search engines.

Here are some guidelines for how to choose appropriate keywords for your Web site:

  • Enter keywords that fit the content of your web site.
  • Input misspelled keywords only in the search engine submission, not in the text that users will see.
  • Use a thesaurus to find similar terms to increase the number and variety of your keyword entries.
  • Use all keywords you list (except for the misspellings) in the content of your Web site.

Web Site Content

Just as your choice of keywords can affect your ranking in search engines, so too can your use of them in the content of your pages. Search engine spiders, for example, read text not graphics. Consequently, inputting your keywords and phrases into your content will help spiders and search engines locate you.

Here are some other ideas to help with creating Web content:

  • Include compelling, accessible writing that incorporates keywords in your content.
  • Keep short sentences to make your pages more scanable.
  • Keep your content fresh and updated.
  • Keep your graphics small, as large ones can deter spiders and search engines.
  • Make the navigation simple and use standard frames.
  • Proofread your written text.
  • Use meta tags on each web site page.

While fully optimizing your Web site according to SEO practices may take some time and patience, it isn't difficult. Remember, being in the top ten of a search engine result is not going to happen immediately. Like anything, good things take time.

Resources

Boswell, Wendy (n.d.). Site Submission Defined. Retrieved February 29, 2008, from the WebSearch.About.Com Web site: http://websearch.about.com/od/searchenginesubmission/
a/sitesubmistakes.htm.
 
Boswell, Wendy (n.d.). Search Engine Optimization 101. Retrieved February 29, 2008, from WebSearch.About.Com Web site: http://websearch.about.com/od/keywordsandphrases/a/
search_engine.htm.
 
Kabir, Nowshade (n.d.).How to Get Top Search Engine Ranking with Keywords Optimization. Retrieved February 29, 2008, from the Ezine.Rusbiz.Com Web site: http://ezine.rusbiz.com/article/
How_to_get_Top_Search_Engine_Ranking_with_Keywords_
Optimization.html.