Search Engine Optimization Techniques

Search engine optimization techniques are hard to nail down on the internet. A lot of information that is circulating out here is very old and very dated material. A lot of talk still prevails concerning meta-tags. While meta-tags are still important to "some" engines, most of the prominent engines are minimally using meta information, if at all. It is still part of the regular optimization techniques to fully meta-tag pages, however, it does not carry the weight with the engines that it once did.

What about automated software? Well, my response is, "What about it?". If you look at the true spectrum of dynamics going on with all search engines, you would intelligently conclude that no automated software would produce significant results across the board. That takes human application of the latest techniques that evolve daily. We at Cyberfieds do use WebPostion Gold for tracking reports, but the rest of our SEO tactics are hand-administered. I think that WebPosition Gold is a fine outfit, but for our tailored approaches that achieve real results, we use only the reporting section of that program. You can get a free, 30-Day trial and have some great fun with it. We LOVE the reporter. What used to take 6 hours to document 12 search engines based on 5 keywords for a web site now takes 15 minutes or less. Like I said, we love it. If you are depending upon software to generate meta-tags and optimization for you, you are better off saving your money for something else, particularly if your web site is service or product oriented in a highly competitive industry.

Search Engine Optimization Techniques that are Required

I would say that the most important aspect of your web site is the level of content that is on your web pages. It is not enough just to have sound bites or small snippets of marketing jargon. Stay away from print media marketing "buzz words". Not only does it make your content sound like "hype", it does nothing to describe your actual product or service to the search engines or directories. Search engines want relevant material that describes the product or service in a very "matter-of-fact" way. You do have to use some mild adjectives to increase the appeal of your product, but tell more about the product or service itself instead of telling people how "extensible, scalable, proactive, etc." what you have is.

Alt tags have been overlooked by most sites. Make use of them! When tagging your pages, forget what the designer did if they used the alt tags at all and put your keyword phrases in the alt tags along with what type of graphic the alt tag is on. Now, I don't mean that you should put ALL of your key words and phrases in each alt tag, I mean just one. For example, if you sell brown Fraymen shoes, instead of having just "home" in the home button alt tag you should put "brown Frayment shoes - Home button" in the tag.

Use the Heading settings. A good deal of people overlook this technique since they do not know how to control the font size of the heading setting. Heading <h1> generated by a basic WYSIWYG editor can be phenomenally big. When I have time, I will add information concerning controlling the font size while allowing you to use the <h1>, <h2> etc. designations.

Do Nots

Do NOT put 1x1 pixel images with links within your site. This does not help. Use the standard text navigation bar with your keywords as the link text. Text links are readily accepted and preferred.

Another "do not" is using text in the same color as the background color. This gets you a one-way ticket to Banned City.

Do not use your keywords over and over in a nonsensical manner. Directories definitely will not use your site and search engines have algorithms that weigh word use within certain word count specifications.

Do not use a search engine submission service that submits your site to hundreds or thousands of engines. Most people only use the top engines and most traffic is generated by the top 10 engines and directories. The second point to submission services is that the submission process is usually handled by automated software which is another ticket to Banned City. Search engines seek to block those companies using automated software submissions and are regularly successful at doing so. Submission companies are viewed as search engine spammers because they use the software to send in monthly, weekly, and even daily URL submissions that are not necessary - thus using precious resources and bandwidth. Bottom line - don't use automated software for submissions nor pay a submission company to do this for you.

CYBERFIEDS.com
25 Groves Hall Court
Columbia, SC 29212

803.407.8733

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