SEO TIPS AND TRICKS

Ninety per cent of people who look for information or products on the internet do so via a search engine and when you take into consideration how many millions of users are logged on at any time of the day or night, you will realise the enormity of that figure.  There is such an abundance of information on just about every subject available on the internet that search engines can reveal an almost infinite number of results on virtually every topic searched, particularly the more popular subjects.

Most users, therefore, check down the first page of results and consequently most internet traffic is created by those results closest to the top of the page.  This is why it is so desirable for companies to be among the first few results to appear on the page – and where search engine optimisation comes into play.  It stands to reason that if the majority of users click on the first three or four sites; these are the ones that reap the benefits in terms of traffic.  Search engine optimisation may sound complicated, but there are some fairly straightforward rules to it which, if followed, can radically increase the profile of your business.

High visibility is the key to search engine optimisation as this makes it much easier for the search engine to hit upon it.  The first tip, therefore, is to set up as many external links to your website as possible.   You can do this via other websites, blogs or ezine articles.  Because search engines operate by indexing the contents of websites, the more relevant the content is to what they are searching for, the higher its profile will be.

To increase this visibility, one way is to use specific keywords.  But, sadly, you cannot just fill your page with keywords in the hope they will be picked up by a search engine – it’s rather more subtle than that.  The placement of keywords in the text is as important as the way they are used, so they not only need to be positioned carefully, but also read in a certain way.  For example “Selling unwanted gold” yields different results to “Unwanted gold for sale”.

Another useful tip is to use related words and phrases in the page to increase the keyword density.  If your page is entitled “Finest contemporary furniture designs” you could include phrases like “Furniture designs”; “Choosing contemporary furniture”; or “Where to find the finest contemporary furniture” in the title.  This is helpful since search engines prioritise headers and title pages.  Linking creatively to other pages on your website is another way of increasing your keyword density.

When it comes to search engine optimisation, whilst a proactive approach is important for keeping your website visible, the most important tip is to abide by the codes and rules of the search engines. To violate these could result in your site being rejected by them and sinking into obscurity in the graveyard of other failed websites, who no longer get ‘found’ through a normal internet search.

Thanks to SEO Newcastle for this info.