Search Engine Optimisation Tips

As more and more net users rely on search engines, it is important that your small business is rank highly. A highly ranked website can expect unlimited source of targeted customers. A correctly targeted search engine campaign may even allow your small business to compete with the big guns.

Below are 5 search engine optimization tips to help you in your quest for greater rankings.

Ask relevant sites to link to your site

One of the most important differences between first and second generation search engines is the relevancy of having your website linked by other sites. Getting relevant sites to link to you site will help with your ranking, especially with Google.

Another reason why this search optimization technique is important is that getting links from relevant websites will also get you targeted visitors. So this technique will help you two folds and is a must if you are to get ranked highly.

If you find it difficult getting people to link to your site it may be worth paying to advertise on that particular site. A small link from a relevant website may set you back $50 a month, however it can make a big different to your rankings. Well worth the investment if done correctly.

Meta Tags

Although search engines don’t weigh them as much as they used to, I believe Meta Tags still has its place in the search engine world. This optimization technique is easy to do and is still used by search engines when they compile your website.

Meta Tags are descriptive keywords in your HTML document that is hidden from the user but seen by search engine robots or Bots. The 3 main Meta Tags used are the Title tag, Description tag and the Keyword tag, all are placed within the <Head> HTML tag.

When writing your copy for your meta tags it is important that you use your keywords in it. However do not stuff the meta tags with keywords, ie key word spamming, as search engines frown on this type of tactic and you may even find your website getting ban for doing it.

Title Tag

<Title>Title of you website</title>

Description Tag

Keyword Tag

Create keyword-rich information pages

Remember that a search engine is a ‘robot’ and unlike human they can’t guess what you are writing.

For example, consider the following passage

“Welcome to Jims digital camera website. We stock the all the latest cameras at discounted prices. We also stock the latest accessories”

Now consider the following,

“Welcome to Jims digital camera website. We stock the all the latest cameras from Nokia, Sony Ericcson and Pentax at discounted prices. We also stock the latest digital camera accessories including flash memory cards, cases, batteries and lenses.”

As you can see the second paragraph includes significantly more keywords than the first. It also offers more details to the search engines as to what your website is about. One thing you shouls never do though is to write in such a way that it is hard for your users to understand, in another words dont keyword spam!

Image Description

Search engines cannot read images so help them out with ALT and TITLE tags.

Search Engine Submissions: online directories & Search Engines

You should submit your website with as many search engines as possible, especially niche directories. There are literally tens of thousands of directories and search engines.

So should you go about your search engine submissions? You have a couple of options:

Submit to only the important few. At the minimum you should submit your website to the most popular few, including

Google (http://www.google.com)
Yahoo! (http://www.yahoo.com)
MSN (http://www.msn.com)
ODP (http://www.dmoz.org).

If your content is Australian, then consider

Webwombat (http://www.webwombat.com.au)
Sensis (http://www.sensis.com.au)
Ninemsn (http://www.ninemsn.com.au)

Get a specialist to do it for you. If you do not think you have the time to submit you website to search engines because you have your hands full on other aspect of you business then you may consider a Search Engine Optimisation expert (SEO).

SEO specialists have better understanding of the directories and search engines unavailable that your business website should link to.

They may also work with you on an advertising campaign for your website which may include, pay per click advertising, link exchanges, email campaigns and more.

When choosing a search engine optimization firm it is vitally important that you check out their credentials first. Go to a search engine and type in “Search Engine Optimisation”, are they listed on top? Also look at their prior work and if you can talk to some of their clients.

	Internet & Technology / Search Engine Marketing / Search Engine Optimisation
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Ask relevant sites to link to your site One of the most important differences between first and second generation search engines is the relevancy of having your website linked by other sites. Getting relevant sites to link to you site will help with your ranking, especially with Google. Another reason why this search optimization technique is important is that getting links from relevant websites will also get you targeted visitors. So this technique will help you two folds and is a must if you are to get ranked highly. If you find it difficult getting people to link to your site it may be worth paying to advertise on that particular site. A small link from a relevant website may set you back $50 a month, however it can make a big different to your rankings. Well worth the investment if done correctly. Meta Tags Although search engines don’t weigh them as much as they used to, I believe Meta Tags still has its place in the search engine world. This optimization technique is easy to do and is still used by search engines when they compile your website. Meta Tags are descriptive keywords in your HTML document that is hidden from the user but seen by search engine robots or Bots. The 3 main Meta Tags used are the Title tag, Description tag and the Keyword tag, all are placed within the <Head> HTML tag. When writing your copy for your meta tags it is important that you use your keywords in it. However do not stuff the meta tags with keywords, ie key word spamming, as search engines frown on this type of tactic and you may even find your website getting ban for doing it. Title Tag <Title>Title of you website</title> Description Tag <meta name="description" content="Your description here."> Keyword Tag <meta name="keywords" content="keyword1,keyword2,keyword3,…"> Create keyword-rich information pages Remember that a search engine is a ‘robot’ and unlike human they can’t guess what you are writing. For example, consider the following passage “Welcome to Jims digital camera website. We stock the all the latest cameras at discounted prices. We also stock the latest accessories” Now consider the following, “Welcome to Jims digital camera website. We stock the all the latest cameras from Nokia, Sony Ericcson and Pentax at discounted prices. We also stock the latest digital camera accessories including flash memory cards, cases, batteries and lenses.” As you can see the second paragraph includes significantly more keywords than the first. It also offers more details to the search engines as to what your website is about. One thing you shouls never do though is to write in such a way that it is hard for your users to understand, in another words dont keyword spam! Image Description Search engines cannot read images so help them out with ALT and TITLE tags. <img src="/image.gif" alt="travel pictures" title="picture of great barrier reef"> Search Engine Submissions: online directories & Search Engines You should submit your website with as many search engines as possible, especially niche directories. There are literally tens of thousands of directories and search engines. So should you go about your search engine submissions? You have a couple of options: Submit to only the important few. At the minimum you should submit your website to the most popular few, including Google (http://www.google.com) Yahoo! (http://www.yahoo.com) MSN (http://www.msn.com) ODP (http://www.dmoz.org). If your content is Australian, then consider Webwombat (http://www.webwombat.com.au) Sensis (http://www.sensis.com.au) Ninemsn (http://www.ninemsn.com.au) Get a specialist to do it for you. If you do not think you have the time to submit you website to search engines because you have your hands full on other aspect of you business then you may consider a Search Engine Optimisation expert (SEO). SEO specialists have better understanding of the directories and search engines unavailable that your business website should link to. They may also work with you on an advertising campaign for your website which may include, pay per click advertising, link exchanges, email campaigns and more. When choosing a search engine optimization firm it is vitally important that you check out their credentials first. Go to a search engine and type in “Search Engine Optimisation”, are they listed on top? Also look at their prior work and if you can talk to some of their clients.


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