Search Engine Optimization

And Then Along Came a Spider
Page 2

4. When writing the text of your web page, make sure each key word phrase is woven into the copy several times. Repetition helps Googlebot focus on the content of your web page. Write about 200 to 250 words and try not to force the use of key words. Your text should be natural and informative for your human readers, as well as for Googlebot.

5. Weave those same key word phrases into your page title, meta description, and keyword tags. Again, repetition helps Googlebot focus on the content of your web page

6. Optimize for no more than three search phrases for each web page. (Too many key words and Googlebot loses focus.)

7. Be aware that Googlebot cannot read any text that’s contained in a graphic. Heavily styled text in a GIF graphic may look great to the human eye, but those words are invisible to the search engine spiders.

8. Repeat this process for all the primary pages of your web site. If you optimize a half-dozen pages — each with three different search terms — you’ll have have a total of 18 search phrases working for you. Just make sure the search terms are relevant to their respective pages.

9. You may even want to add new web pages with content that takes advantage of promising search terms. Just think of each optimized page as a different doorway into your web site.

10. If you’re of the "old school" and you’re still stuffing your keyword meta tags with every key word you can think of, you’re wasting time and energy. One or two search engines still give minor consideration to keyword tags. But most, including Google, completely ignore them because they’re too easily manipulated by crafty webmasters and innocent followers of the "old school" methods.

There’s No Foolin’ Search Engines

And if you’re tempted to "trick" Googlebot with hidden key words, such as tiny type or white type on a white background, be forewarned. When it identifies such deceptive practices, Google has been known to remove the offenders from its database. The way Google sees it, the only bona fide key words are the ones in plain view to the internet user — your text, your title and your meta "description" tag (the paragraph that often shows up on the search engine results page).

What Next?

Follow these optimization tips and your web site will be ready for Googlebot’s visit. Now you’ll want to turn your attention to "link popularity," another major component of internet marketing, and the subject of our article entitled "Popularity is Everything."

Do You Have a New Site? Expect To Be Temporarily "Snubbed" By Google.

Search Engine Optimization should have an immediate effect on your visibility in the MSN, Yahoo and AskJeeves search engines. But if your URL is new, you should not expect to appear on Googles results for at least 9 to 12 months due to Google's "aging delay", a probationary status that Google automatically imposes on all new web sites.

Want To Learn More?

In our opinion, the most comprehensive source for search engine information is SearchEngineWatch.com. Much of their information is free. But if you’re really serious about learning, a $99 membership will give you access to even more helpful information.

Another great source of information is Jill Whalen's High Rankings forum, an active online discussion among professional webmasters.

Of course a Google search for "Search Engine Optimization" will open the door to a wealth of information on internet marketing.

If all this is more than you want to take on, give us a call at Deep Creek Arts. We can help you optimize your present web site or build a new one from the ground up. At Deep Creek Arts, we create web sites with salesmanship. And we deliver those sites to target audiences through effective search engine optimization and promotion.

Deep Creek Arts is a marketing communications company in Whittier, North Carolina. For more information, visit our web site. Or call Ellen and Charles Snodgrass at 800-901-4423. Email EllenCharles@DeepCreekArts.com.

Other Articles:

Internet Marketing
(introduction)

Link Popularity

A Web Site
Checklist

Domain Management

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