Search Engine Submission Tips

Step 2: Optimize your site for search engines.

Everyone and their pet monkey is offering search engine optimizing services these days. For some, that simply means sticking in meta-tags that include the most popular key words. They're wrong. There's so much more to it. Besides, there is usually a tremendous amount of competition among sites using the most popular key words, so you're much more likely to get lost in the shuffle.

Do these things:

• Find out what appropriate key phrases (as opposed to key words) are used in searches but not built into as many sites. An online tool like WordTracker can help you figure this out. Pay for the service; it's worth it.
   
• Make all the searchable pages on your site "search friendly" (making sure they have a title and short description), but only truly optimize those pages that best present a unique idea, product or service you're offering. Optimize each of these pages differently, focusing on the 1 strongest aspect of that page and building your search strategy around it.
   
• Make sure your page title, description, keywords (phrases), headings, text content, and image alt tags ALL work together to support the focus of that page's optimization. Your top 1-3 key phrases should be repeated using all these elements.
   
• If they're not already part of your site's design, consider creating new pages that focus in on 1 particular service or product or event that you want to promote. That page can be optimized for a much narrower search focus and get better results!
   
• Generally, what you want to focus on is creating a web site that users want to use. Search engines try to present quality results, so work to create a quality site!

For more information about web site optimization, read the article Effectively Promoting Your Site on Search Engines.

Step 3: Build Incoming Links »

_____________________
Click here for a printable version of this article.