Gain good page ranking on major search engines
- by Pat Quinn
- Published on 11/9/06
- Article views: 569
What is the secret for gaining a high page ranking in the major search engines? In essence, it's nothing more complicated than doing what the search engines want you to do. In other words, it's making things easy for the robots when they come crawling around your site.
Let's talk first principles.
One. The search engines don't operate for the benefit of webmasters. Their main function is to provide good information to the public at large. This means that any website you submit to them must reach their 'good content' criteria. Therefore, to achieve a high ranking, it is imperative that your website has better, more illuminating content than your competitors.
Two. Search engine robots are pretty rigid in their approach to sites. The robot crawls your HTML from top to bottom. Given this, it is important that the first stick of body copy it comes across (the stuff your readers also see) contains copy which is relevant to, and reflects: (a) the Title of your web page and, (b) the meta keywords and meta description phrases contained in the 'Head-tag' of your HTML.
To put it simply, the first few lines of copy will often be grabbed by the bots and used as a description of your site in their listing. So, if this copy says nothing in particular about your products or services, then you'll be banished to page 97.
Three. Some webmasters are obsessed by keywords. They drive themselves nuts attempting to coin exactly the right set of words with which to describe their site. This approach is essentially flawed. It's not keywords you want, but key phrases.
Allow me to explain. Let's say that you are in the market for a good book on copywriting. You open Google search and you type in....what? Copywriting? Not really, because that will result in approximately one-and-a-half million entries from copywriters looking for work. Thus, the obvious thing is to type the phrase Books on Copywriting, which will cut the list to about half. But this list will largely be relevant to what you are looking for.
Research shows that people generally use phrases in their search requests - they rarely employ a single word. It makes sense, then, to populate your meta keywords with phrases you feel people will employ in their search for products or services.
And the easiest way to figure out what key phrases are optimal for your products, is to ask yourself what phrases people would use to find you, then try them out on the search engines.
One other point worth mentioning about keywords and phrases is that some search engines - Google, for instance - no longer take them into account at all! On the other hand, many others do. So it is generally better to incorporate them.
Four. The 'title tag' in your website HTML is the phrase you choose to name your site. The general rule in framing your title is: 'what's right for people is generally wrong for search engines'. Essentially, you should try to incorporate your major key phrases into the 'title tag'. Just make a list of them and try to incorporate them in the title.
The fact is it really doesn't matter whether your site title is a million miles away from your own name, or the actual name of your business. It's simply a device for gaining the attention of the bots.
A title tag can contain up to twenty words; but more doesn't mean better. Eight to twelve well chosen words is more than sufficient. For best results, the first (short) phrase of the title tag should be geared towards the human reader, while the remainder can be key words aimed at the bot. Bear in mind that the search engine will display only the first few words of the title tag anyway (whatever suits their house-style).
Five. It's a terrible old cliche, but with robots, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. As mentioned above, the crawler will grab the first thing it comes across and then use it to describe your site. Good enough reason to make the very first paragraph on your site as key-phrase rich as you can. Indeed, the first para should recap and enlarge upon all the material in your title and meta tags.
All right, this first paragraph also has to be read by your visitors, so it has to make sense. Writing this para so that it is acceptable to both robot and human is an art in itself. But perseverance can pay large dividends insofar as search engine placement is concerned.
In addition, your opening para should be designated by an H1 paragraph tag so that its importance is obvious to the bot. If you hand-flog your HTML, just drop in 'H1-tag' and 'H1 end-tag' at front and back of the paragraph.
Six. Now a word or two about how often you should post your site to search engines. Some authorities believe that if you post too often, your efforts may be seen as spam by the engines and you'll be banned. On the other hand, it seems to be the consensus that you should post every time you make changes to pages or add pages.
Generally speaking, whenever you tweak your site - particularly the index page, you should post straight away. The search engines seem to like changes and they react accordingly by shoving you farther to the front of the listings. The more you do, the better they like it.
If all of this leaves you somewhat cold, not to mention baffled, you may be wiser to employ a professional Search Engine Optimizer. Somebody who knows what they are doing. The modest cost could save you a lot of heartache.
And that's that. If this has been useful, maybe you'll let me know. But if it seems that I've been teaching you to suck eggs, perhaps you'll let me know that also.
Pat Quinn is an award-winning UK copywriter who also operates a search engine optimisation service. Here:
http://www.search-engine-mechanics.co.uk.
More Articles
-
-
-
» Latest articles
-
» Highest rated articles
- Top 10 SEO secrets
Today everyone wants to have better search engine result pages ranks. However only one can have the rank 1. Therefore you need to optimize constantly your websites and to have an edge over others you need to do something different and unique. Following are 10 rare tips/secrets which can help you get high search engine ranks.
- SEO For Beginners
Since the beginning of the understanding of Search Engine Optimization - SEO - there has been tons of different theories developed about how to do it 'right'. The truth is, however, that there is no one single method that is one hundred percent known to be better than the rest.
- SEO Merits of Interlinking
Many webmasters spend a lot of time optimizing their home page only. That's fine and is something you should definitely do, but you should also take some time to optimize all of your inner web pages as well.
- How can Your SEO Keywords make Money?
As you likely know by now, there is a big difference between effective, quality website content, and search engine optimized (SEO) website content that will obtain the highest ranks in search engines and directories such as Google, Yahoo!, and MSN.
- The Mysteries of SEO
SEO, or search engine optimization, is the most important element in building a successful website. Most people online have heard the term SEO and have some idea of what is involved yet it remains a mysterious process to many.
- Top 10 SEO secrets
Today everyone wants to have better search engine result pages ranks. However only one can have the rank 1. Therefore you need to optimize constantly your websites and to have an edge over others you need to do something different and unique. Following are 10 rare tips/secrets which can help you get high search engine ranks.
- Google Sitemaps: The New Features
The Google Sitemap program has brought a high level of assistance to web developers, web designers and business owners who want to optimize how their websites web pages are seen by the Google search engine.
- Search Engine Optimization Basics
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Search Engine Optimization is an ongoing process of getting high placement in search engines at search phrases, relevant to the web content.
- Use of Search Engine Optimization
For a website owner the only way to get potential customers is to have them visit your site and there are only three ways a customer can reach your site. By typing the web address, a link of another website and through search engines.
- As Search Engines Grow Smarter, Will You?
As search gets smarter, tricks get cheaper and we get nearer to coming full circle to an original goal of Internet search: that content is, indeed, king. It cuts across the grain of some notions we've held in the industry for some time, that there are shortcuts aplenty in the hunt for better search rankings.
- How to Straighten Out Your Tax Affairs in 2010
Utter the word 'taxes' in front of people and you are sure hear a loud groan. Frankly, there are valid reasons behind this response: First of all, paying your taxes annually can be a financial burden, especially with the economic hard times which we are going through these days.
- Benefits of Yoga - Redefining Life, Meditation and Exercise
Yoga is a complete exercise for the mind, body and soul and it can give a person a change to know himself in a new light. Regular practice of Yoga has been known to reduce stress, increase concentration and also benefit one's overall health.
- The Best Floral Perfumes
Floral perfumes are considered the best perfumes all over the world. In fact the history of perfumes says that floral perfumes are the first perfume category of the world and thus popular also. Floral perfumes represent the essence of love and romance.
- Coffee Gift Baskets
Even a Coffee Bean or San Francisco Coffee outlet frequenter will not be able to master the art of appreciating true gourmet coffee unless they know the history and information about gourmet coffee.
- Rent a car in Israel
If you are already in Israel and wish to rent a car, then you can make a booking and tell the service to pick you up from wherever you are. The best part about car rental in Israel is that they are extremely flexible.
- Jogging - Health Benefits and How to Do it
Jogging gives joy, has positive effects on health and improves the physical condition. In the beginning, your jogging program must consist of short sessions on a plain ground, and with a moderate speed. Gradually you can lengthen the route and add intervals with higher speeds to your sessions.
- How Exercise Affects Your Cholesterol Levels
Everyone already knows that exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle even if certain people choose not to exercise at all. The fact that only around 10% of American adults exercise at least three times a week however may indicate that many people are not aware of just how beneficial exercise really can be.
- Symptoms, Causes and Treatment of Depression
The main symptom of depression is sadness or low mood level, but many other mental and physical symptoms also occur. Here are symptoms, causes and treatment options explained.
- Top 7 Benefits of Massage Therapy
Massage is a remedial procedure that is highly beneficial for the entire system of the body. Massage has several health benefits. Few of them are listed in this article.
- A History of Vintage Automobiles - From 1916 to 1924
Before cars were around, people usually traveled distances using horse-drawn carriages. But as early as 1335 several bright minds have been trying to come up with a 'horseless carriage'.
