Here are some tips on how web pages are best optimized for Google and other search engines:
Web programming that tells the search engines what pages to record in their databases, how often to visit and what not to include
Your site’s TITLE (that’s the description you see in the blue bar on top of the window when you open a website.)
Your site’s DESCRIPTION (this is a descriptive sentence that is in your web programming code but not visible to your audience). It will appear below your site title on a search engine results page.
Your site’s KEYWORDS. Keywords used to be the “end–all and be-all of search engine marketing, but not these days. Too many pseudo-SEO companies tried all sorts of keyword stuffing schemes and the big guys got wise to it and now keywords help, but don’t kill yourself trying to come up with a huge list.
Your Link Partners. There are two types of links: outbound you link to them and inbound: they link to you. (Of course, you know a link is that piece of text that sometimes is underlined, and when you click it, you go somewhere else). Link partners are important for two reasons: first, the engine spiders follow the links on your site to another site, like a roadmap. The more sites that link to you, the better chance you have of being found. Second, links tell the engines that you are an established, popular web site and they’ll want to include you so they present the best sites via their service. That’s what keeps their customers coming back.
Your site’s “body copy.” This your story, the verbiage you use to describe your company, your products and services and all the good stuff you want to tell your visitors. Experienced writers understand writing for the internet means a well-organized and concise page limited to about one page of written copy. Yes, that’s only one page! Your readers won’t stick around much longer, so don’t overwhelm them.
Hope this helps you understand better how search engine optimization works on your website.
Some other do’s and don’ts:
- Don’t try to fool the engines with repetitive keyword stuff like: “We produce silver bullets that are used in guns needing silver bullets for the silver bullet market.” You don’t talk like that, so don’t write like that.
- Do use ALT tags with your images. Your web developer can explain that.
- Don’t try to fool the engines with “mirrored site” or “doorway” pages that are just duplicates of the your main site. If your SEO consultant suggests this, ask he or she to leave immediately.
- Don’t listen if an SEO consultant “guarantees” top placement. No such guarantee exists.