Here are 13 ways to ensure you have a search-engine-friendly site and improve your site’s search engine ranking…
1. Site Structure is Key
Sites need to emply CSS, no frames, minimal words within images, limited dynamic pages with keyword rich content, limited use of Flash animation.
2. No Splash Pages
This can cost you dearly as spash pages inhibit a crawler’s ability to index your site.
3. Include Keywords in URLs
Ex: a URL for a bakery site might read: bakery.com/fresh_breads.html.
4. Use a Linkable Footer in HTML Text on each Page
This is extremely helpful to search engines & humans who can navigate to another section without scrolling back to the top.
5. Have a Site Map & Site Index
Site maps should allow access to at least the third tier of internal pages. Search engines use the site map as a path for their robots and allow them to identify dynamically generated pages as well as static ones.
6. Inbound Links Generate Extra Value
Links from related sites with high Google PageRank appear to generate extra value. So do links from .edu, .gov, .org sites, blogs, press releases. Links from link farms diminish PageRank. A good practice is to discipline yourself to request ten new inbound links every quarter.
7. Title & Alt Tags Are Important
The title on each page should employ specific keyword phrases. Each image should have keyword-rich alt tags applied to it.
8. Keyword Rich Content is Important
Use the same four primary keywords you selected for optimization in the first paragraph of text for that page. That’s the only paragraph most search engines scan.
9. Size & Complexity of Your Site Affect PageRank
Information-intensive sites seem to do better.
10. Sites with Newer Content Tend to Have Higher Rankings
Keeping your site content fresh and updated is not only very important for search engine optimization, but, is also very important for your site’s visitors and overall credibility as well.
11. Use Search Terms in Subheads, Navigation, and Links
Use keywords as part of the link text. Don’t use “click here” for links.
12. Use Meta Tags on Each Page
Search engines are using meta tags less and less. However, they can provide an edge. It’s important to add title, page description, and keyword meta tags to each web page.
13. Use Keywords in Headlines & Subheads.
Some search engines use cues from the HTML code to distinguish text that appears in headlines or subheads.
Keyword Tools:
Overture has a free keyword tool at http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion. After you enter a likely search term, Overture returns the estimated frequency the term has been queried in the last month across all Yahoo! properities and suggests related terms. Wordtracker offers a somewhat more sophisticated tool at http://www.wordtracker.com.
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