D-I-Y Search Engine Optimization
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It’s clear that Search engine optimization (SEO) is a topic that is near and dear to many a webmaster’s heart. For we all know, the better your website shows up in the search engine listings, the more traffic it will receive. While some companies have the budget to farm out their SEO work, many others choose to take on the task themselves. Consequently, do-it-yourself SEO has long been a hot topic.
While many of the specifics of search engine optimization have changed over the years, many of the basics remain the same. It’s all about bringing the core of your content to the attention of the spiders! I wrote a tiny bit about search engine optimization in Looking Good on the Web, way back in 1997. Much of that basic advice on search engine optimization still holds true …
You’ll have a tough time generating significant traffic if your site can’t be found in the search engines and indexes. Make sure that your site shows up! Pay close attention to the following areas:
- Page Titles–these openers should be thorough, yet concise. Try
not to waste a single word. A well-written, carefully honed page title is
essential for search engine success. - META Tags–Use only relevant keywords and descriptions. Don’t attempt
to pull the wool over the search engines’ eyes. The keywords and descriptions
should accurately describe the content of your site–no more, no less. - Descriptive Text–If possible, the first text content on the page
should provide a snapshot of what the page contains. Think of the first paragraph
in a newspaper story. If you like what you read in the first paragraph, you’ll
read the story. If not, you’ll ditch it and move on to the next.
Truth be told, META tags are nowhere near as important as they once were. While they hold much less relevance to the spiders these days, it’s still a good idea to treat them ethically. Don’t cram them full of a bunch of irrelevant or misleading stuff. Use only the most relevant META keywords and accurate descriptions, if you use them at all.
If you’re looking for more info on search engine optimization, you don’t have to look far. Two of my favorite resources are webmasterworld.com and searchenginewatch.com.