Search Engine Search Engine OptimizationOptimization

ByByTom FallensteinTom Fallenstein

IntroductionIntroduction

Why you want high rankingsWhy you want high rankings KeywordsKeywords Tools to help choose keywordsTools to help choose keywords Cost, Types of Search EnginesCost, Types of Search Engines Ways to Improve RankingWays to Improve Ranking

1. Titles1. Titles2. Meta Tags2. Meta Tags3. Alt Tags3. Alt Tags4. Body Text4. Body Text5. Keyword Density5. Keyword Density

Introductions to Search Introductions to Search EnginesEngines

Search engines are one of the best advertising tools Search engines are one of the best advertising tools on the internet and most cost effective, but in on the internet and most cost effective, but in order for them to be useful, a good ranking is order for them to be useful, a good ranking is crucial.crucial.

Close to 90% of internet users find sites through Close to 90% of internet users find sites through search engines, like Yahoo, Google, and MSN, and search engines, like Yahoo, Google, and MSN, and when seraching 92% of people will click on one of when seraching 92% of people will click on one of the top ten results. This is why it is so important the top ten results. This is why it is so important to get a high ranking on search engines.to get a high ranking on search engines.

KeywordsKeywords

Keywords are the first thing to think about when Keywords are the first thing to think about when trying to improve search engine ranking.trying to improve search engine ranking.

Keywords are the words or phrases you think your Keywords are the words or phrases you think your customer will search for.customer will search for.

Example Keywords for my Flapper Costumes.com Example Keywords for my Flapper Costumes.com sitesiteflapper style flappersflapper style flapperscostume halloween costume gangstercostume halloween costume gangstercostumes picture roaring 20scostumes picture roaring 20sflapper dress photo 1920s flapper dress photo 1920s 1920’s era clothing1920’s era clothingfashion roaring 20’sfashion roaring 20’s

There are a couple of sites that help you find related keywords or There are a couple of sites that help you find related keywords or how many people are searching for certain words. how many people are searching for certain words. http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/ and and http://http://www.wordtracker.comwww.wordtracker.com

Types of Search Engines Types of Search Engines Pay Per Clicks (Overture, Find What)Pay Per Clicks (Overture, Find What)Directories (Open Directory Project, DMOZ)Directories (Open Directory Project, DMOZ)Engines (Google, Lycos, Altavista, etc)Engines (Google, Lycos, Altavista, etc)Yahoo, and MSN are a mix of Directories and EnginesYahoo, and MSN are a mix of Directories and Engines

Many Search Engines integrate other engines into their Many Search Engines integrate other engines into their searches.searches.(Ex. Yahoo uses Yahoo, Google and Overture for results)(Ex. Yahoo uses Yahoo, Google and Overture for results)(and Google looks for DMOZ listing for better ranking)(and Google looks for DMOZ listing for better ranking)

This is why it is important to be in as many search engines This is why it is important to be in as many search engines and rank well in all of them.and rank well in all of them.

And while Yahoo and other you have to pay to be included you And while Yahoo and other you have to pay to be included you can cut around that by ranking well in Google.can cut around that by ranking well in Google.

Show how Yahoo uses google and overtureShow how Yahoo uses google and overture

TitlesTitles

The easiest and quickest way to improve listings in The easiest and quickest way to improve listings in a search engine is to have a short descriptive title a search engine is to have a short descriptive title which uses your keywordswhich uses your keywords

Titles are the first thing people see when searching, Titles are the first thing people see when searching, weather it’s a company name or just a brief weather it’s a company name or just a brief description.description.

Make sure to use keywords within the title, and try Make sure to use keywords within the title, and try to keep it around 3-5 words.to keep it around 3-5 words.

Meta TagsMeta Tags

The second thing most search engines look at is the The second thing most search engines look at is the description of the website, this is commonly kept in description of the website, this is commonly kept in what is called a meta tag.what is called a meta tag.

A meta tag is hidden code at the top of a site.A meta tag is hidden code at the top of a site.

Meta tags look like thisMeta tags look like this<meta name=“description” content=“your <meta name=“description” content=“your description”>description”><meta name=“keywords” content=“your keywords”><meta name=“keywords” content=“your keywords”>

Show flapper costumes meta tagsShow flapper costumes meta tags

Alt TagsAlt Tags

Another helpful way to get good rankings is to use Another helpful way to get good rankings is to use alt tags.alt tags.

An alt tag is hidden code that goes after the code to An alt tag is hidden code that goes after the code to an image and looks like this:an image and looks like this:

<img scr=“image.jpg” <img scr=“image.jpg” alt=“flapper costume”alt=“flapper costume”>>

Every image should have an alt tag, because search Every image should have an alt tag, because search engines can only read text, this is a way to engines can only read text, this is a way to describe what an image is to a search engine.describe what an image is to a search engine.

Keywords in body textKeywords in body text

Keywords within the body text of the site Keywords within the body text of the site can be just as important as anywhere else.can be just as important as anywhere else.

Search Engines search from the top left to Search Engines search from the top left to the bottom right. So the most important the bottom right. So the most important keywords should be towards the top of keywords should be towards the top of your page.your page.

Linkable KeywordsLinkable Keywords

Along with keywords in the body of the text, Along with keywords in the body of the text, keywords should also be used in links. Because keywords should also be used in links. Because they are relevant to search engines.they are relevant to search engines.

But try to stick mainly with the links to your other But try to stick mainly with the links to your other pages of your site. After doing all of this work to pages of your site. After doing all of this work to get your customer or person to your site, you get your customer or person to your site, you don’t want to give them an easy link to leave.don’t want to give them an easy link to leave.

Keyword DensityKeyword Density

Search engines look how often a word or phrase is Search engines look how often a word or phrase is repeated within a site, this is called keyword repeated within a site, this is called keyword density.density.

A common keyword density is 3%-7%. That means A common keyword density is 3%-7%. That means around 3% of the words on the example site around 3% of the words on the example site would be the word “flapper”would be the word “flapper”

ConclusionConclusion

Use all of these tips on all of the pages, not just the Use all of these tips on all of the pages, not just the index page. Search engines link to every page of index page. Search engines link to every page of your site, so users can come to any page. your site, so users can come to any page.

Use all or as many of these tips on all of your pages Use all or as many of these tips on all of your pages in your site to improve your search engine rankingin your site to improve your search engine ranking

And don’t forget to submit your site to as many And don’t forget to submit your site to as many search engines as possible, almost all search search engines as possible, almost all search engines have a “submit site” or “add url” page on engines have a “submit site” or “add url” page on there site.there site.

Because I use these tips in the flapper costumes.com Because I use these tips in the flapper costumes.com site, I rank in the top ten in 6 of the biggest search site, I rank in the top ten in 6 of the biggest search engines, and I get over 400 unique visiters per day.engines, and I get over 400 unique visiters per day.