Website Promotion: 10 Search Engine Optimization Blunders to Avoid |
If you want to develop a successful search engine optimization (SEO) strategy, go out of your way to avoid blunders that limit rankings. Here are 10 to keep in mind: 1. Don't use frames.
Why would you want to use frames if SEO is important? Don't risk confusing the search engine spiders. Sure, you might write some scripts or adjust the content to work with frames, but you have better things to do with that energy. 2. Don't use Flash.
Flash looks awesome, but is slows down the user experience and it makes it tough to get ranked. The Flash future is bright for search engines ability to read some keywords, but what good will that do if pages lack visible text? 3. Don't skimp on titles.
Why would you possibly call a page About Us in the title since it's prime SEO real estate? Include search phrases that reflect the content. 4. Don't overstuff titles.
Limit titles to 70 characters with commas between phrases on EVERY page; use fewer characters on pages with limited content. 5. Don't bury text.
Design often gets in the way of text. Make sure your visible text appears high on the page. 6. Don't use graphics as page headers.
Graphic headers are a waste of time. Use text page headers and support them with strategic keywords - in the header, after the header or below the header. 7. Don't use the wrong words.
Website owners love one-word search terms because they seem to get a lot of traffic. The reality is that only a fraction of Internet users entering a broad search word want what you offer. Go for search terms with two, three or four words that help visitors qualify their interests. 8. Don't ignore link building.
Hunt down links from other websites that have content and categories that relate to what you offer. If you sell sweaters, find a specialty guide about sweaters or a portal about clothing. 9. Don't overwhelm your pages with keywords.
You might not write the same keyword in succession 10 times, but you can make the mistake of too much repetition. Mention your strategic search term several times throughout the page; promise yourself not to force it in too much. 10. Don't use long URLs.
If you use a database to maintain the website, you may end up with long URLs with several session IDs and parameters that produce many question marks and equal signs. They can hinder search engines from properly indexing pages. Work with your developer to limit them or remove them as much as possible.
Any questions?
Michael Murray
Fathom SEO
216.861.5951 ext. 111 Michael Murray is vice president of Fathom SEO, an Ohio-based SEO firm. A member of Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO), he also authored the white paper, "Search Engine Marketing: Get in the Game."
SEO Expert Guide - Black Hat SEO - Activities to avoid (part 8/10)
In parts 1 - 7, you learnt how to develop your proposition, identify your key words and optimize and promote (for free) your site and pages on the world's search engines. You were also introduced to our mythical Doug (who sells antique doors, door handles, knockers, door bells or pulls and fitting services) in Windsor in the UK.
SEO Expert Guide - Ongoing Monitoring of Results (part 9/10)
In the Guide, you have, so far, learnt how to plan for and execute a search engine optimization and promotion strategy. However, this is not a one-off process, but an ongoing and iterative process, where you tweak and refine towards ever better ranking.
Five FAQ About Google PageRank
Five FAQ about Google PageRank1. What is PageRank and why should I care about it?PageRank is a formula that assigns a value to every page in the Google index.
Pay-per-click ? the Ultimate Tool to Boost Affiliate Sales
The old ways are not always the best ways.The traditional model of making money from affiliate products was simple.
Search Engine Updates vs. SEO
Webmasters always anxiously wait for a search engine update. Those who rank well want to see their sites
get even better.
Diary of a Google Gazumpee
Back in November, when the Google Dance began, Barry Lloyd of makemetop.co.
Optimizing For Visitors Not Search Engines
Most people feel that optimizing is to target the search engines alone. In my opinion, this is not the only case.
Getting Your Site Seen By Search Engines
Is your website listed on search engines? When people search for you, does your site show up on page 1 or page 20 of the search engine results?Optimizing your site to get it ranked highly on the search engines can be a complicated subject. To simplify things, it?s helpful to first understand how search engines add sites to their database.
Internet 2005: The Ten Billions Pages Search Engines
To see each and every page during 10 seconds would take 694 days 24/24.
The leading search engines fight to be the first that oversteps this level.
Press Releases Can Increase Search Engine Positioning
When you write a press release, what is your ultimate goal? No doubt, getting the information to as many publications and on as many Web sites as possible. The focus lies in moving outward? taking the press release to as many *other* sources as possible.
|
