Web Page Optimization: What you need to be sure of when making any web page search engine friendly.
When a search engine user enters a keyword in the search box, all search engines run through an evaluation process in nano seconds and if your pages do not meet certain criteria, they will pass you by just as fast.
The process of making a web page search engine friendly can include a lot of detail but there are basic elements that will help you get some initial momentum and help you compete, especiallay for the "lower hanging fruit" or what is also known as "long-tail keywords".
If you are a subscriber to this blog, you may have a better sense of the inbound marketing concept, formula and active components, so now we can now focus on the area of web page optimization. The idea here is to configure any given web page to be as search engine friendly as possible or to be sure the work you paid an SEO professional meets these basic requirements.
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Each search engine uses a different set of algorithms to evaluate a web page and produce search results based on a keyword or key-phrase entered by a search engine user. Even though Google, Yahoo, MSN and the other search engines evaluate differently, they are close enough so it’s possible (at this level) to develop one set of guidelines for all. As part of a more sophisticated strategy, you will ultimately develop these formulas to match each search engine and keyword with more concentration.
Below is a table we developed for you to use as your web page optimization checklist. These are the basic components that need attention when competing for both, targeted or more general keywords. There are two assumptions we need to make before you begin applying these principles:
- A detailed keyword analysis and selection has been executed.
- We are targeting 1 to 3 keywords per page.
- You are able to make these updates to your web page through an HTML editor or your CMS (content management system). Ex. Wordpress, Contribute, Dreamweaver, Front Page.
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Item |
Description |
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1 |
Page Title |
The title tags on each page are very important and should reflect the 1-3 keywords you selected. |
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2 |
Page Description |
Although some feel this part of your page code is not use as part of a search engine results evaluation, we feel it still warrants attention and should be aligned with your page title and other page optimization elements. |
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3 |
Page URL |
When possible, include one of your keywords in the actual page URL. Ex. www.abc.com/free-guide |
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4 |
Meta Keywords |
Some may say that this part of your page coding is not used and obsolete, it only takes a minute and should reflect at least your 3 relevant keywords. |
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5 |
H1, H2 & H3 Header Tags |
Your page should include headers similar to the header and sub-headers in a newspaper article. Just be sure it is formatted as a header so the search engine see as such. |
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6 |
Images |
The number of images on any single web page needs to be balanced with load time and what we call easy “scanibility”. Too many will hurt your search engine ranking. |
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7 |
Image Tags |
Each image or graphic placed on your page needs a relevant “ALT” tag. This tells the search engine what each image is about. The tag should have your 1-3 page keywords. |
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8 |
Domain Registration |
Many times overlooked by website owners, the longevity and expiration status of your domain name is important. If your domain name is set to expire in less than 1 year, the search engines will view this as an element of instability. It’s an easy fix to renew for 2 or more years. |
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9 |
Page Content |
Your page content or copy maybe the most critical element of all. Be sure your main keywords are represented but in a common sense and methodical manner. Remember that the primary function of a search engine is to find the most relevant information for the search engine user. |
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10 |
Inbound Links |
This item is considered an “off-page” optimization component but needs mentioning. The more websites that include a link to your web page, the better. They build your :authority” in the eyes of the major search engines. |
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11 |
Social Bookmarks |
When your pages start to gain traffic, you will benefit further from the traffic that bookmarks your pages on sites like StumbleUpon, Digg, delicious, etc. |
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12 |
These Elements Can Not Be Evaluated By Search Engines: |
Frames |
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Flash |
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Splash Page |
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13 |
Regular Blog Posts |
Regular blog posts can accomplish many of the above items. |
Remember that these are the main elements of a well-optimized page and have been outlined for the user who isn’t ready to hire an inbound marketing or SEO consultant. As the process evolves, there are other components that require attention and will ultimately benefit your efforts. Here is a partial list:
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Creation of Robots.txt |
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Page Rank Sculpting |
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Updating Pages for Local Search & hCard Integration |
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Image Alt Text Optimization |
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Hyperlink Title Attribute Optimization |
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Creation of Themed Link Pages |
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Submission to Search Engines & Directories (Local) |
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W3c Validation of Homepage (HTML Code) |
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Creation of Simple & XHTML Sitemaps |
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