Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

What is Search Engine Optimisation?

Search engine optimisation is about developing websites that are easy for search engines to index. The goal of SEO is to achieve high ranking for the optimised websites.

A search engine uses an algorithm to examine each website it finds. It will classify each webpage according to this algorithm.
Top search engine optimisation is no more than the application of as many of the know parameters of the search engine algorithm.

Naturally the search engines don't broadcast the contents of there algorithms, and there are as many as 100+ parameters used by each engine.

There is no guaranteed search engine optimisation results, as the search engines are always changing their algorithms. After all the known parameters have been implemented the real test of any website comes down to content.

If a website has relevant helpful content to the web searcher then the user will be happy, if they are left with an empty feeling, or worse still a feeling of being conned, then the user is not happy and the website is a failure. Its that simple.

Read simple - not easy!
 
   
Why is it SEO important?
There is an increasing trend for people to start their buying process online. This is not just about buying books or cd's or holidays online.
More and more people are using the web to help them decide about major life investments like cars, financial or investment decisions, buying a new home or changing career.

When people go online to search for their area of interest, they usually start by using one of the major engines, Google, Yahoo or MSN. And when they find information they are sharing it with others in online communities.

So, the first page of results that a search engine throws back is incredibility important in getting your business some visibility.

Increasingly, an online marketing strategy is becoming a necessity , not just a nice to have option.
   
What is good SEO?
Any good SEO company will implement/advises on the following:

1. Pick one or two keyword phrases per webpage
2. Ensure keyword prominence, i.e. ensure that the keyword is displayed near the top of the page, in the title tag and description meta tag

3. Doesn't overdo mentioning the keyword and thus keeps an eye on keyword density

4. Creates appropriate filenames with keywords in mind

5. Keeps a flat directory structure

6. Fills out the keyword meta tag appropriately

7. Uses the alt images tag

8. Is sparring in its use of Flash

9. Is aware of the benefits of CSS vs. <H> tags in terms of creating headers

10. Uses text formatting appropriately

11. Creates well formed links, Internal, Outbound and External

12. Best practice navigation structures

13. The use of Frames

14. The use of dynamic content

15. The use of session ID's
   
What is bad SEO?


 
Naturally, not knowing about the above is a start, but also employing any of the tactics below should set off alarm bells:

1. Keyword Stuffing - this is when web pages contain the same word or term, or maybe several words or terms, repeated over and over again, often in hidden areas of the page.
2. Hiding links - Some website owners/webmasters create links specifically for the search engines to find, but not intended for visitors.

Links can be made to look exactly like all the other text on the page or may even be hidden in punctuation marks! Links may be placed in
transparent images or invisible layers, in small images, or in <NOFRAMES> tags.

3. Duplicating pages and sites - some webmasters/site owners duplicate pages and even entire sites sometimes. Sometimes called, mirror pages or mirror sites, these duplicate pages are intended to help a site gain more than one or two entries in the top positions. If you can create three or four web sites that rank well, you can dominate first page of the search results.

4. Doorway or Information pages - A doorway page is created solely as an entrance from a search engine to a web site. Also known as gateway pages and ghost pages. Similar to a doorway pages is an information page.

The difference between a doorway page and an information page is that the information page is designed for use by the visitor in such a manner that the search engines will rank it well, whereas a doorway page is designed in such a manner that it's utterly useless to the visitor because it's intended purely for the search engine.

5. Redirects and cloaking - These are much the same in as much as they both intend to show the search engine one page but the visitor a completely different one.
   
Who sets the standards?

The search engines naturally own their algorithms and so have the majority of say in what does and does not get highly ranked. But the search engines are only as good as the results they return and the people who use it.

If the people using Google suddenly decide that they are no longer happy with the results they are getting back, or a new better search engine arrives on the scene, then people will vote with their clicks - or lack of. In this equation there is also the Internet marketing community, i.e. those people who interpret the algorithms for website owners.

This group also have an important part to play in providing feedback to the search engines on what works and what doesn't work. A good example of this in action is Google's Matt Cutts and his blog - mattcutts.

He uses this blog to communicate to and receive feedback from the internet marketing community. I am unaware of a similar well represented employee from MSN or Yahoo. May someone could enlighten me?
   
Where can I find more information?

Some of the best information available globally can be found on the following sites:

 SearchEngineWatch
Clickz
Bruce Clay
 A day in the life of a persuasion Architect
 
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