Search Engine Optimisation – H is for Hard Work

Nothing works better when it comes to Search Engine Optimisation than hard work. Diligent analysis of the keywords that visitors search for combined with professionally produced highly structured websites and the creation of interesting content takes time and effort. SEO means hard work.

Search Engine Optimisation – G is for Google

Google has changed the landscape for the internet over the past few years. It’s adword tools, visitor analytics and webmaster tools provide a rich environment in which Search Engine Optimisation experts can experiment and develop ideas.

Search Engine Optimisation – F is for Firefox

Firefox increases in popularity every day and for web designers it provides a good test for their html coding. Firefox also uses tags slightly differently from Internet Explorer – some would say accurately. For instance don’t expect the Image “alt” tag to behave the same way it does in IE. The “alt” tag in Firefox is used to mark the position of a missing image – it is not used by default as the “title” tag unlike IE.

So if you are carrying out Search Engine Optimisation activities make sure you know how Firefox and IE differ.

Search Engine Optimisation – E is for Engine

The Search Engines now boil down to three main players – Yahoo, Google and MSN Live Search. Get listed on one and you’ll get listed on them all. Each has its own method of using the information on your carefully crafted Search Engine Optimised site and some experimentation is required to see what works on each.

Search Engine Optimisation – D is for Description

Behind the scenes your web page includes an area for a description to summarise what the web page is all about. The Search Engines use this as a way to influence what they think about your website and what it is all about.

Search Engine Optimised sites ensure that the description on each page is specific to the page and also reflects the keywords and key phrases related to that page.

Search Engine Optimisation – C is for Content

Above all else it’s the content that matters on a website. Without interesting content with a strong sales message you might as well not have bothered.

A well designed website featuring top class Search Engine Optimisation techniques will feature content that ensures that the Search Engines find your site and the specific page of interest quickly and easily.

Search Engine Optimisation – B is for Browser

Your visitors use all different sorts of browsers and all ages of browsers to view your website – some you wont even have heard of. By far the most popular ones are Safari (Apple Mac world), Firefox (we don’t like IE) and Internet Explorer (it came with the PC).

Make sure your website displays correctly in each and also bear in mind subtle SEO differences. Search Engine Optimisation uses elements like the “title” tag and “alt” tag associated with Images to explain what the image or web page is all about. But in IE you can get away by just using the “alt” tag so be careful not to get into lazy habits because you use one browser more than most.

Search Engine Optimisation – A is for Advert

The reason that you’ve went to all the trouble to get your website Search Engine Optimised is to advertise your website so make sure your site and the message that the Search Engine displays promotes what you do professionally and clearly.

Search Engine Optimisation is simply a technique to ensure you gain Search Engine Advertising exposure. So bear in mind why your doing it and make sure the advert is clear.

Search Engine Optimisation - The URL

To maximise the Search Engine Optimisation of your website make sure that the url (address) of the website page makes sense. Hopefully, your website URL already reflects what you do but if it does not then it is even more important to ensure that the internal pages emphasise what you do by including some form of description in the url - for example....

mywebsite.com\toysfor5yearolds.html

This helps the Search Engines understand that you sell Toys For 5 Year Olds even though your website name does not really explain that you are a toy shop.

Search Engine Optimisation - The Copy

The most important thing about a web site is what it says or does. So if your website has poor copy or content then it won't be much use to the visitor. However, it is important to make sure the content is optimied on the page so that it reflects the keywords you believe will attract the cirrect type of visitor.

A Search Engine Optimised website has copy or content which reflects the keywords that you think matters - so make sure The Copy, The Title bar and The Description are all related in the way they refer to the SEO keywords.

Search Engine Optimisation - The Keywords

Most people who have looked at Search Engine Optimisation have heard the term Keywords. But normally they think that that is how you SEO a web site. But simply listing Keywords in the Keyword section of a web page is not enough.

Keywords have to be reflected through the Title, Description and Content - not just the Keyword metadata area. To see the keywords on a page right click and view source and search for keywords. Then check to see if they are actually being used in the page.

Search Engine Optimisation - The Description

The Description of a webpage is hidden from the normall visitor to your site but the Search Engines love it so you have to use it. To see what is in a Description you can right click on the page of a website displayed using Internet Explorer. Then click on view source.

Once the code is displayed look for "description" - the text contained within that tag is the description of the page. If there is not a description then the page has not been optimised for search engine purposes. If there is a description then compare it to the text on the displayed page. If it agrees with the content on the page then the chances are that the site has been SEO'd at least to some extent.

Search Engine Optimisation - The Title Bar

Lets start at the top of the page or in this case the browswer.

Along the top of the Browser is the Title Bar. Make sure when you are search engine optimising your website that the Title Bar says something that agrees with the page. Most websites simple say "Company X - About" or "Company X - Products" but for SEO purposes this does not have much effect.

Instead your Title Bar should pick out the key things that your page is talking about and in many cases its not even worth mentioning that you are "Company X".

SEO Keywords - what works? Benefits!

When choosing your keywords for Search Engine Optimisation don't forget the benefits of the product or service - that's why people buy!

So if you are selling Apples then your keywords will be along the lines of "Healthy Apple" or "Filling Apple" - make sense?

SEO Keywords - what works? Features!

Just as in any marketing or advertising campaign your keywords are likely to include the features that the product has. So during your Search Engine Optimisation activities make sure you think about the features. If you are selling Apples make sure your keywords include things like "Red Apple", "Fresh Apple" and so on. Don't rely on saying Apple alone - that will be a very competitive search term so be specific about your product.

SEO Keywords - what works? Price point!

As you get used to researching your keywords for your Search Engine Optimsation you will find that poeple tend to look for "cheap" or "cost effective" products. So if you sell Apples then using those types of terms on your Apple page will be helpful to attract traffic. However, don't say something if it isn't true or if it isn't what you want to say - we dont think what we do is "cheap" we think it's good value.

So don't use descriptions just to get traffic to your site - the chances are they are the wrong type of visitor.

SEO Keywords - what works? Geography!

When choosing the keywords to help your Search Engine Optimisation activities tools like wordtraker help, but don't become a slave, the tool is not perfect.

For instance if you sell Apples then the chances are that people are looking for an Apple in your area - even if wordtracker does not report that. So if you are based in Stamford and sell Apples make sure the page with the Apples includes the fact that you are based in Stamford, near Peterborough. Although the web can help you sell internationally don't forget that it will also help you sell locally.

Search Engine Optimisation - golden rule 3

The third golden rule and the one that involves the most work for good Search Engine Optimisation is:

Ensure the Title Bar, Description and Content for each page reflects your researched Keywords.

The title bar along the top of your browser should state clearly what the page is all about using your keywords found from golden rule 2. The description should succinctly explain using the keywords what the page is promoting. And the Content should extend the conversation again featuring the keywords in a natural and engaging manner.

And it goes without saying - so we'll say it - that the researched keywords should be put in the Keyword area of the page/

Search Engine Optimisation - golden rule 2

Our second golden rule for Search Engine Optimsation is:

Research what your customers are looking for on the web.

Finding out what your customers are looking for may sound daunting but it's easier than you think. We use a relatively priced online tool from http://www.wordtracker.com/ . This lets you see what people search for when the search for the term say "Apple". The results include things like "red apple" or "apple computer" you get the idea.

It also shows you how many pages on the web feature that keyword. So it gives you an idea of how hard it will be to get visitors if you are buiding a web page that needs to sell Apples.

Search Engine Optimisation - golden rule 1

Golden Rule 1 for Search Engine Optimisation:

Make sure you optimise each page on your site individually.

It's a common mistake to talk about optimising a website but in effect you optimise each page on the site. So ensure your site is structured so that each page is focussed on one thing (or two at the most).

So if you sell Apples then a page that concentrated on the benefits of selling Apples makes a lot of sense to the customer and the search engines.

The Search Engines like things to be simple (and so do your human readers) so a page for each of your core products or services is an essential first step in a highly optimised website.

Search Engine Optimisation - 3 easy rules to remember

So to recap there are three realy simple rules when it comes to ensuring your website is search engine optimised...

1. Make sure you optimise each page on your site individually.
2. Research what your customers are looking for on the web.
3. Ensure the Title Bar, Description and Content for each page reflects your researched Keywords.

Letting Agent in East Kilbride gets SEO'd

We're very pleased with the SEO work we have done for East Kilbride Property Letting Agent Property Store EK.

The site is easy to update and also ensures that the corrent Search Engine Optimisation data is revised automatically.

Google will no doubt soon realise that the site has something new to offer and will begin to rank th site appropriately but in the meantime if you are renting in the East Kilbride area of Scotland why not visit Property Store EK and check them out.

SEO - three little letters, SEO rule 3 of 3

And our third golden rule for Search Engine Optimisation...

3. Ensure the Title Bar, Description and Content for each page reflects your researched Keywords.

SEO - three little letters, SEO rule 2 of 3

Rule 2 of our golden rules for Search Engine Optimisation...

2. Research what your customers are looking for on the web.

SEO - three little letters, SEO rule 1 of 3

Search Engine Optimisation is relatively simple - though at times frustrating here is rule 1 of our three golden rules....

1. Make sure you optimise each page on your site individually.

Think about you website first - before thinking about SEO

This may seem rather unhelpful.... think about what your site is all about or your site won't appear in the Search Engines for the terms you need. Split your site up into focussed pages about specific products, services and case studies. Don't mix a page up with the numerous things you do - the reader may get confused but the Search Engines definitely will.

Splitting the site up into focussed pages will help your SEO or Search Engine Optimisation.