Getting SEO right is an art and its based on theory and best practice. The search engines dont publish their algorithms so getting it right is like finding the exact formula for Coca Cola.
SEO is about getting free TARGETED traffic. That is folks who are looking for what youve got and finding your site (or eBay store) high in the SE listings, ideally in the top 10.
Here are some basic principles that apply today (they might not apply tomorrow because the SEs dont announce what algorithm they are currently using).
TARGET
Choose it wisely. Think this through before doing anything else. There are 4.7 million results delivered by Google for the word scrapbook but only 1.7 million for scrapbooking so the latter term has less competition. Its tempting to try to optimise for the big one, scrapbook but there are two good reasons not to. Firstly, if you do work hard on that word against fierce competition for some years you might get to the top (might). But how many customers do you want You might create a monster that you cant handle. Secondly all those currently targeting that word havent done their homework. Scrapbooking has fewer results (less competition) but is searched on more than scrapbook. The smart operators are targeting scrapbooking.
Thats just an example. Consider too that many people search with phrases, not just single words, so you might target scrapbooking tutorials. You might get into the top 10 for such a phrase and get solid, targeted traffic that wants what youve got. How about getting to the top for the term post extenders or Sue Dreamer Your traffic will be buyers and you want sales, not just traffic for the sake of traffic. So where to get the best keyword data. Thankfully there is one simple answer, www.wordtracker.com. Best in the world and a must when choosing keywords.
PAGES NOT SITES
Search engines index web pages, not web sites. You might like to think that your visitors will all come through your home page. This is not the case. Every single page of your site is an SEO opportunity. You can, and should, therefore have a different title, description, keywords and target content for every page to maximise your traffic. Optimise every page of your site where possible. Some dynamic sites make it impossible so if this is the case add standard pages that you can optimise.
SEARCH ENGINE SPAMMING
Dont. You can get penalised or banned by the SEs. Things like keyword stuffing, white on white text, doorway pages etc., otherwise known as Black Hat techniques are for the highly skilled and dodgy operators only. Some make it work short term and usually have multiple sites so when one gets dropped they have others. Unless you want to build and run 10 or 20 sites and work 25 hours a day on them stay away from black hat techniques. All the search engines want to do is deliver the best and most relevant sites to their users. Be the best and most relevant and youll crack it.
META TAGS
If you dont know what meta tags are click view >> source on any site and youll see the meta tags near the top of the site code.
TITLE
The most important thing you do is the page title. Similar principle to titles when selling on eBay, your title is critical to your search relevance. It must also be attractive to your audience. It should be between 6 and 12 words. Dont simply repeat your keyword 12 times, it doesnt work and can get you penalised.
DESCRIPTION
I believe this is almost as important as you title. Google uses it. It must contain your keyword(s) or phrases and it must read well and be attractive to users. Optimum length is between 12 and 24 words. It should contain the keyword or phrase that you have targeted in the title.
KEYWORDS
Of little use these days but do it anyway. There should be 7 to 48 words and again included the keyword(s) or phrases that you have in title and description.
HEADER TAGS
In page content coding tags are used to create larger, bolder headings. These are in the form
CONTENT
This should be good, honest, relevant content, well written. There are many theories about keyword density percentages etc. but the fact is if you write good relevant content about say, post extenders then you will be using those words and phrases and if you are writing well for the human user that will be good enough. Make sure that there is plenty of it too. For content pages around 500 to 600 words is good. If you have more than that break it down into more pages and more SE opportunities.
VALID CODE
Search engines like well built sites that are easy to navigate. The SE spiders will be using your internal links to get around your site so simple and easy navigation is important. Also check your code is good by going here http://validator.w3.org/ and here http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/
BACKLINKS
I wish this wasnt important but it is. Ive seen some very poor sites do very, very well by virtue of the number of backlinks that they have. So, what is a backlink, what makes a good one and how do you get them A backlink is when another site links to you. Google sees this as a vote for your site, it counts these votes and this figure forms an important part of your search engine ranking.
A link for the sake of a link is of little value. A link from a relevant and highly ranked site however is gold dust. A link from www.ampalian.com to a scrapbooking site is of little value but a link from www.scrapbookstashers.com to a scrapbooking site is fantastic. A good reason to be a sponsor on such a site!
Getting links from relevant sites is often a case of just asking nicely. If youre serious about seo you need to be asking 5 or 10 relevant sites per day to link to you. Theyll no doubt want a link from you in return, thats OK. I cant emphasise too much how important this is. Backlinks are a must. In addition you need to be listed in as many directories as you can find. Then you must submit your site to the open directory project. Follow the instructions to the letter, submit and forget it. It can take many months to get approved and listed. http://dmoz.org/
There are lots of other directories to submit your site to. Heres another:
http://www.greatstuff.co.uk
Submit articles and tutorials etc. containing your web address to sites that will take them. Lots of content hungry sites will. Start off with these:
http://ezinearticles.com/
http://www.buzzle.com/
And remember. Ask other relevant sites to exchange links with you. ITS CRITICAL.
If you dont already use the Google Toolbar you should. This will tell you how many backlinks Google sees to you. There may well be more than it says at any given time because it only updates every six weeks or so but it is an essential guide to how you are doing with your linking campaign. Click the I button on the toolbar. Make sure the page rank indicator is enabled too. This will give you some idea who you want to get links from, the longer the green bar shows on relevant sites the better. Its not perfect and its always way out of date so just use as an indication.
http://toolbar.google.com/
DOMAIN
When choosing a domain its worth trying to get your main keyword in it. Its not the be all and end all but it helps a little so you may as well if you can.
For domain purchase I strongly recommend
http://www.123-reg.co.uk/affiliate.cgiid=AF109422
If you have an eBay shop you can buy a nice and simple domain name here and direct it to your eBay store. This will make link building and directory submission easier as well as passing the name around verbally and in advertising and on stationery.
Dont submit your site to the search engines, its a pointless waste of time. If you do everything else here theyll all find you very quickly anyway.
Do however use Google Site Maps here https://www.google.com/webmasters/sitemaps/login and do use Froogle: https://www.google.com/froogle/merchants/uk/
PATIENCE
Keep doing all of the above. Its a continuous process. Then apply the one element of SEO that cant be influenced. PATIENCE. It will all take time and it will take longer than you want it to but it will work. Just keep at it.
TOOLS
http://www.instantposition.com/seodoctor/home.cfm
http://sitereportcard.com/
I hope this all help and wish you success.
Malcolm Cooper is a UK web designer based in Gloucestershire. Malcolm also owns and operates one of the largest online jewellry stores in the UK and applies that knowledge and experience in providing web services to other small and medium sized businesses.
A recent Search Engine Experiment Demonstrates how by combining Key Word Rich Web Pages and Blog Entries (for a Highly Targeted Keyword Phrases) with Article Submissions to Top Ranked Article Directories anyone can Dominant the First Page of the Search Results in the Big 3 Search Engines.
Recently I did a search engine Experiment where I decided to Brand Myself the Coolest guy in the Universe. A few interesting facts about this experiment Follow.
In Less then 24 Hours Yahoo had Ranked Me #1 for the Phrase Coolest Guy in the Universe. A Few hours later a Yahoo search on Coolest Guy in the Universe and I was Nowhere in Sight.
Really wanting that Top Spot I decided to Kick it up a Notch so I created a few more Key word Rich web pages and a few More blog entries Pointing to these web Pages. Success at last a #1 Spot in Yahoo and a #2 Spot in MSN was secured and maintained.
Google was not as cooperative. Google having a Slightly tougher Page Rank Algorithm was just not cooperating and a doing a Search on Coolest Guy in the Universe turned up a Big Blank for Mike Makler. He was no where to be seen in the first 5 Pages on Google.
Being a Head strong Person and really wanting a Top Ranking in Google, I Decided to kick it up yet another Notch. I submitted an Article detailing My search engine strategy to a few Article Directories. Within a Day or so of doing this I had a Top Spot in Google for the Keyword Phrase The Coolest Guy in the Universe. (Actually it was My Article on a Popular Article Submission Directory that had the Top Spot)
Success at last, Now if you type in Coolest Guy in the Universe in the Big 3 Search Engines (Google, MSN and Yahoo) Not only am I #1, But I have a Majority of the Links on the First Page of results for these Search Engines.
I am Not Rejoicing just yet their appears to be a Lone Holdout. Ask Jeeves (http://ask.com) doesnt seem to be cooperating with Me. At the time of this Writing I am only #3 in Ask Jeeves. According to Many Sources Ask Jeeves is the 4th Largest Independent Search Engines (That dont use the Big 3 For their Results). It seems that Ask Jeeves is using a Tougher Algorithm to crack (at least for Me) then the others.
The results of this experiment seem to point out that one of the Fastest ways to achieve and maintain a top Search engine Placement in the Big 3 is to combine Keyword Rich web pages with Targeted Article Submissions to High Page rank Article Sites.
About The Author:
Mike Makler has been Marketing Online Since 2001 When he Built an Organization of over 100,000 Members using Permission Based E_Mail Marketing Methods
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