Search Engine Optimisation

The Right Way to Optimise your Web Site

Search Engine Optimisation is the term used to describe the marketing technique of preparing a web site to enhance its chances of being ranked in the top results of a search engine once a relevant search is undertaken. A number of factors are important when optimizing a web site, including the content and structure of the web site's copy and page layout, the HTML meta-tags and the submission process.

Warning! Never over optimise your site by trying to "deceive" search engine robots. Optimize your site fairly, in moderation and in a way that is relevant to your sites content. Excessive use of some of the following search engine optimisation techniques can be considered as spam and has lead to some sites being disqualified or even removed from some search engines altogether.

Further information in our article "What Search Engines Don't Like"
Further information in our article "How to avoid Search Engine Optimisation Spam"

Alphabetical Priority
Relies on a hierarchy including special characters and numbers as well as letters
Is used by directories and small search engines Should be considered when naming files, creating a title or buying a URL.

Alt Tags
Describe images
Add keywords to site text
Should be used for each image
Make sites accessible to the visually impaired

Comment Tags
Should be placed on every single page
Can be used to boost keyword counts
Shouldn't include more than seven repetitions of a keyword

Keyword Frequency
Include at least 100 words in page text
Ensure relevancy to page content
Use keywords at the beginning of the page
Place keywords close to each other
Repeat keywords 3-7 times for every 100 words

Keyword Url Names
Name files with keywords
Consider alphabetical hierarchy
Look for a URL name containing keywords

Link Popularity
Link popularity is defined by the quality and quantity of inbound and outbound links of your web page. By quality we mean the reputations of the websites that link to you, the titles of the pages that link back to you, the text used to link to your website and a few other factors. By quantity we simply mean the number of links on the internet which point to your website.

Meta Description Tag
Use the meta description tag on all pages
Ensure relevancy to page content
Limit it to 150 characters
Include keywords
Don't repeat keywords more than 7 times

Meta Title Tag
Is the most important part of your page
Should appeal to search engines and people
Needs to interest the reader