Search engine optimization (SEO) is the art of making your website appear
as high as possible in the rankings of Google,
Bing, Yahoo,
and all other search engines for each
keyword used on your website.
In the old days of the Internet this was easy. You would just put any keywords
you wanted into a metatag and those were the keywords your page was found
under. Unfortunately some websites began to abuse this system and would
simply put keywords into the metatag, which had nothing at all to do with
the webpage. For example they would put Michael Jackson or Madonna as keywords
to lure music lovers onto sex sites.
So search engines began to analyze the actual text that was on the page.
Abusers then started to write text in the same color as the background.
Google emerged with a system which they called page rank. For a while they
were the best search engine with the most relevant search results. Until
the spammers figured out how page rank worked and started to create giant
link farms, having 1000s of pages link to their page and thus tricking google
into believing their webpage is important.
This is why nowdays no search engine discloses how exactly they evaluate
the top ranked pages for each keyword. Almost 100 factors might be taken
into consideration and their weighting is constantly adjusted. Each search
engine uses their own formula, this is why your page can be number 2 with
Bing but ranked only 200 with Google.
We reverse engineer top placed websites on a regular basis, to evaluate
changes in the ranking processs.
But beware: There are “white hat” and “black hat”
methods in search engine optimization. Black hat methods such as write invisble text, use link farms, use different keywords in your metatags than words in your actual text or any other form of cheating might lead to your website being punished in rankings or even banned from search engines.
We only use methods, which are approved by the search engines; we will structure
and code your webpage in a way that it will be found for many years to come.
The hardest part in search engine optimization must be done by you. Write
the text for your pages in a way that it contains the necessary keywords.
We will analyze all texts that you deliver for keywords and keyword density
and will rework them with you if needed.
Let’s say, for example Whodany Inc is looking for local clients to
whom we would like to offer Search Engine Optimization. The text above does
contain all necessary keywords about SEO but it does not mention that we
are based in Miami Beach. So nobody who would google for "SEO Miami Beach"
would get our company listed.
Unless your website consists of only one page, you should use different keywords
on each page and each page will be ranked differently. So your chances of being found for the right product or services increase.
If your page only contains pictures and flash animations, you will only
be found under your domain name. Make sure you design your web presence
with enough html based text to be findable.
Here is a quick checklist for writing text for web pages:
- Does each page actually have the keywords you want to be found under?
- A good practice is to circle all keywords to get a good impression of
the keyword density
- Create new content or update existing content as often as possible. Search
engines are like real people. They do appreciate changes and new information
on your website
You do the writing, we do the coding. With this team effort we will get your page a nice ranking.
If you would like to find out more about search engine optimization please read the very detailed Wikipedia entry.