Search Engine Optimization - The Forgotten Rules

Perhaps it's time to remind everyone of proper search engine optimization techniques

. SEO doesn't have to be complicated, but you need to play by the rules. If you forget or ignore these rules, you risk losing your search rankings. Here is a list of SEO rules that may have been forgotten.

Rule 1: Always include the primary keyword phrase in the page title.

By following this simple rule, you can boost your search rankings by several positions without having to do anything else. This is the most basic rule, but it's also one of the most effective. Fire up your HTML editor, make the change, and see the results for yourself.

Rule 2: Proper link structure.

Have a proper linking structure for your website. Don't expect the search engines to find web pages quickly if they are 10 levels deep. If you really need so many levels, use a site map. A site map can be created within minutes. Include all the pages on your site in the site map so that search engines can index all the pages quickly. Usually, you won't even need a site map if you have a clear linking structure. Try adopting the tree (or top-down) approach.

Rule 3: No keyword stuffing.

Many beginners start by stuffing their content with the same keywords over and over again. Bear in mind that the search engines don't like keyword stuffing and may even penalize your site. When creating content, don't worry about keyword density or anything of that unnatural stuff. Just write as if you are writing for the human reader. You will notice that relevant keywords get into the article every time. Focus on creating high quality content. If you can do that, you will have all the major search engines fighting to index your content.

Rule 4: Use of internal anchor texts.

Everyone talks about acquiring more external back links. There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, you should try to get as many relevant back links as you (with proper anchor texts). But don't forget about internal links as well. You can create links that link to relevant pages within your own site. When doing so, make sure that you use proper anchor texts within the HTML link tags.

Rule 5: META keywords and descriptions.

It's true, search engines still collect information about your web pages from META keywords and descriptions. These are some of the oldest HTML tags in the web design textbook. They don't sound fanciful, but they still work. If these META tags are not found, search engines may go to the Open Directory to collect information about your website.

Rule 6: External links.

Like it or not, you have to promote your website. All the above rules involve making some kind of changes to your website. But rule 6 is about acquiring links from external domains. You want relevant sites to link to you. Links can come from blogs, forums, and other authority sites. Besides working on site content, be sure to spend a portion of your time acquiring back links.

by: Gen Wright

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