Equally important as understanding the basic mechanics behind search engines, is realizing who the players are in the game?
The list below provides the most used search engines as reflected on Alexa.com as of June 13, 2013.
- Google (listed #2 on Alexa.com) Enables users to search the world's information, including web-pages, images, and videos. Offers... More unique features and search technology.
- Yahoo (listed #4 on Alexa.com) A major Internet portal and service provider offering search results, customizable content, free e-mail, and clubs.
- Windows Live (listed #8 on Alexa.com) Search engine from Microsoft.
- MSN (listed#21 on Alexa.com) Portal for shopping, news and money, e-mail, search, and chat.
- Bing (listed#16 on Alexa.com) Search engine developed by Microsoft. Features web, image, video, local, news, and product search.
SEO Search Engine Optimization Secrets:
Search Engine Secret #5: There is no single SEO secret, SEO is a multifaceted approach!
Search engine optimization is often about making small modifications to parts of your website. When viewed individually, these changes might seem like incremental improvements, but when combined with other optimizations, they could have a noticeable impact on your site's user experience and performance in organic search results.
In closing search engine secret #5, the bottom line is to make sure your site is built in an easy to use content management system that will allow keeping the site fresh and up to date.
Search Engine Secret #4: Make sure you implement the fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization.
The fundamentals of SEO must be thought out and implemented into the core structure of your website. This means mapping out your site's menu structure. It is very important to SEO, that this is done within the development stage. Below is a list of the fundamentals that relate to the structure of your site.
- Create unique, accurate page titles
- Keep menu titles that are telling of your most valuable content close to the root. For example, if I where a web designer (as I am) I would have a menu structure that would result in a URL such as http://advergroup.com/web-design/search-engine-optimization
- Make use of the "description meta tag" (As this appears on Google as snap shot text)
- Make use of the "description" meta tag
- Think out the structure of your URLs for the sake of SEO as well as for allowing easy navigation for front end users and crawls. This relates to menu structure For example, on the AdverGroup website I structured the Web Design Page as the homepage with children existing in that menu such as ADA Compliant Web Design, Web Design Services, Web Design Portfolio, E Commerce Web design etc.....
Early versions of search algorithms relied on webmaster provided information such as the keyword meta tag, or index files in engines. Meta tags provide a guide to each page's content. Though Meta data is still relevant today, using meta data as the sole criteria for indexing pages was found to be less than reliable, because savvy web content providers and web designers have exploited it using black hat techniques to rank well in search engines. Being that keyword density is exclusively within a webmaster's control, early search engines suffered from abuse and ranking manipulation. As a result of such, in addition to this young and evolving technology, one should realize that each search engine possesses and implements their own set of search algorithms that are continuously changing.
Search Engine Secret #3: Content Quality | Writing Copy for Search Engine Optimization Holds Great Value
One of the most heavily weighed criteria by all search engines is your actual page content. Your site content must be written so that it relates to your page title, meta description and keywords. Most importantly your sites content must be prepared in format that allows it to be read easily by humans as well as by search engines. What I mean by this is, when writing copy for a search engine it is important to hit all the keywords as frequent as possible, while maintaining an easy read for your human viewers. Repeating the same keywords or phrases over and over again will certainly turn off any human users. The trick is creating website content that achieves both!
*Here is a juicy tidbit: Do not guess if your "website copy" is accurate in relating to your page title, meta description and keywords. You can check your current sites content by using various tools that check your text content against your page titles, meta descriptions and keywords. The below sites will actually provide a grade for each of criteria, while also providing insights as to the frequency of words provided in your articles content.
Analyzing your sites content using these tools allows you to add certain keywords or phrases into your meta data that is revealed specifically from your articles content. For more about copy write for SEO read my article "Website Copywrite | How it Impacts Search Engine Optimization"
Search Engine Secret #2: Read Google's Guide on SEO
Google provides a Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide to help assist web developers understand exactly what google desires in regards to SEO. This document first began as an effort to help teams within Google, but Google thought it'd be just as useful to webmasters that are new to the topic of search engine optimization and wish to improve their sites' interaction with both users and search engines. Although this guide won't tell you any secrets that'll automatically rank your site first for queries in Google (sorry!), following the best practices outlined with in Google's SEO Guide will make it easier for search engines to crawl, index and understand your content.
Search Engine Secret #1: Hire a Web Designer who has verifiable proof of Experience.
The most important secret to search engine optimization is hiring a web designer that truly understands SEO! In reading this article it may become clear to most readers that there is much to consider when addressing Search Engine Optimization for your website. Hiring a professional who is privy to the constantly changing search engine algorithms is recommended.
Though budget is often a concern when it comes to redeveloping or building your website, it is important to realize that going with a least expensive web designer, or a "do it yourself" web building solution may actually cost you more money in the long run due to lost revenue. Many business owners ask, “Why do I need to pay a web designer to create a web site, when there are so many Free Solutions?” The answer is very simple. You get what you pay for. A free web site may be quick and easy (cutting many corners in regards to SEO), while a professional web designer will not only provide a professional design, they would also ensure your site has been SEO Optimized. This includes more than just adding keywords and meta-tag descriptions. A site that is optimized for SEO, has many other facets that only a professional web designer is privy to.
In closing, implementing the five secrets of SEO that are provided in this article will certainly give you an upperhand in conquering Search Engine result pages organically. Many of these secrets can be implemented on your own and/or must be implemented in the continous maintenance of your sites content.
AdverGroup Web Design provides various web development packages that result in a professional website built in a Content Management System with Search Engine Optimization included! Contact us today to discuss how we can assist you in the building a website that will make your phone ring!
