Search Engine Optimization

Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization is the lifeblood to many internet marketers. It enables webmasters to drive free and laser targeted traffic to their website. However, search engine optimization is hardly easy. It can take a long time, and since search engine algorithms are always changing, what works one day, might not work the next. Also, rankings can be lost at anytime, and profits greatly affected. For this reason, search engine optimization should be one tool in your internet marketing arsenal, but certainly not the only one. In this article, we will discuss some search engine optimization tips.

1. Use Meta, Title & Description Tags. While some people argue that meta tags are no longer effective as a search engine optimization strategy, I beg to differ. While they are definitely not as important as they once were, they should not be abandoned. In fact, they only take a few seconds to type in and they definitely do not hurt in your quest for higher rankings. Be sure to add the keywords that you are looking to get ranked for in the meta tags. The same goes for title tags. You want to include your keywords here so that the search engines know exactly what your website is about. You also want to make sure that your title tags sound inviting, because this is the first thing that people will see when they see your website in the search engines, along with your description tag. So make them both keyword relevant and enticing.

2. Header Tags. Header tags are also still pretty important. You want to add your most important keyword in an H2 tag, your secondary ones in the H3 tags. Header tags generally range from H1 to H6, with your least important keywords being placed in the H4-H6 tags.

3. Keyword Density. There was once a time when the more targeted keywords you had on your website, the higher it would become ranked in the search engines. Well, the search engines caught on and began to penalize keyword stuffing. The search engines want websites created for people, not to fool or manipulate the search engines. So it pays to be a bit more conservative. There is no total agreement, but a keyword density of about 3%-7% should work just fine.

4. LSI. Latent Semantic Indexing is thought to be used in how Google ranks websites. Instead of just using the keywords in your site to rank it, Google looks for related words. Google wants to be sure that your website is really about the keywords that you are targeting. This means that you should be mindful of using synonyms in your writing. For example if your keyword is "cars," be sure to use words like automobile, Toyota and Nissan, to make your site look rank-worthy to Google

5. Incoming Links. Incoming links are the most important factor to getting your page ranked. However, you can't just get links from anywhere. There was a time that you could, but not anymore. Instead, look for links from authority sites, and sites with high page rank. This includes things like top article directories, social bookmarking and networking sites and blogs. You can also offer to exchange links from other popular websites (but not too many, search engines place a premium on one-way links, links that are coming to your website, but are not going back out). You can also purchase high ranking links, but unless you have money to burn, I wouldn’t suggest you do it, because you no longer have to.

There you have it, five factors that you must consider in order to get your website ranked high in the search engines. The first four shouldn’t take long. After you have built a quality, theme-related site, focus on getting high quality, high ranking links to your website. They are out there, and many times for free, so go out there and get them, and watch yourself be richly rewarded in the search engines. Good luck!

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