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Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Optimization, also know as "SEO", is the latest buzz word and if you are not thinking and talking about SEO, then you are already behind. Optimizing your website, marketing white papers and newsletter content and posting these pages on your site can help your site get high-ranking search results. These, in turn, can generate: sales, leads and hits. Is your page search engine optimized?
SEO technically is defined as an Internet based marketing technique that involves the proper preparation, creation, design and development of a website to better enhance the chances that a particular website will receive a higher ranking in the results provided by a search engine when a relevant search is undertaken by a consumer. In more simple terms, SEO means setting up your website the right way (including using appropriate content) to get high search engine rankings, which leads to more eyeballs and hopefully sales.
When it comes to search engine optimization and your website, there are a number of factors that you do need to keep in mind that are of paramount concern when you are building your website:
the content you select for your website
the layout of your website
the manner in which you use HTML Metatags on your website
selecting proper keywords that are relevant to your operations
Content
In the development of the content for your website, you will want to make certain that the content you utilize is keyword enriched. By this we mean that you need to include within your website content keywords and keyword phrases that commonly will be utilized by consumers when using a search engine to find the products or services that you offer. By including an appropriate ratio of keywords and keyword phrases in your copy, you will work to enhance the positioning of your website on search engine results. Also, change the file names and their respective directories with the names of keywords. Major search engines not only look at content in the web page but the file names, directories and directory tree, as well.
Layout
In addition to content, you also need to layout your website with an eye to search engine optimization as well. For example, you will want to make certain that you include important and vital information about your business and its operations on the home or front page of your website. Search engines actually "pay closer attention" to what is included on a home page than what might be included elsewhere on a website.
Metatags & Title
You will want to make absolutely certain that you include important, relevant keywords and keyword phrases in the Metatags that you will be incorporating at your website. As with layout issues, search engines lock onto the information that is included in HTML Metatags. When used correctly, with the proper implementation of keywords and keyword phrases into Metatags, you will be able to enhance the positioning of your website in search engine results. Each page should have a keyword and a description in the meta tag section as shown below. Even though Metatags have lost most of their value in the search algorithm over the years, they are still used to describe your site on a search result, just after the URL. The description is key to ensure a user will actually click on your site after all the hard work you did optimizing your site!
The title of your page is a very important aspect of the optimization. We suggest 5-8 keywords for your site with very specific wording.The title choice should flow naturally and incorporate the main points of the page. Eliminate the fluff and keep it targeted. Want an idea of what you need? Do a search for your targeted keyword. For example, search for "bowling alley." You'll see the top search results incorporate the keywords in the title section. The very first search result returns a page with the following in the meta and title section:
<SiteMap
Lastly, create a sitemap in XML format using one of the many sitemap creators online. The sitemap dictates the directory structure and link tree for search engines and is used by Google, Yahoo, Ask.com and others. Here is one sitemap creator we recommend:
Site Map Creator Place that in the root directory of your site and make sure it is accessible via the browser by going to http://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml Your browser should not give an error when you hit that page but instead display information regarding your site.
The best part is that Starting Gate Solutions keeps SEO in mind right from, well, the starting gate and can employ all the above suggestions - AND MORE - for your website. We can't give you all our secrets now, can we?
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