| Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is the process of | | | | building links that all have their merits for certain |
| making your website rank better on Search Engine | | | | industries there is no guaranteed, works for |
| Ranking Pages, SERP's. Over the years search engine | | | | everyone every time strategy (if you find one let |
| algorithm's have become very complex. They are | | | | me know). There is however a few strategies that |
| constantly evolving to "learn" how to weed out spam | | | | are guaranteed to not work. |
| sites. Within this guide you will find a few tips on how | | | | Reciprocal links are when you put a link to someone |
| to set your site apart from these and rank well for | | | | else's page on yours and vice versa. This used work |
| the keywords you want. | | | | but since search engines are constantly changing they |
| Keyword Density - It is a common misconception | | | | have decided to disregard these links. The reason for |
| that having your desired keyword appear over and | | | | this is how search engines treat links now. The |
| over again in your content is the way to rank well | | | | engines see each link as a vote for a site. When |
| for that keyword. This is not true, while search | | | | someone visits a site and they like enough the link to |
| engines crawl your site and determine what terms | | | | it in their blog or on their own site the engines see |
| your site is relevant to having them packed into your | | | | this as people being able to use your site. The |
| content can make your content seem unnatural and | | | | problem with reciprocal links is that people will now |
| spammy. | | | | trade links with anyone in exchange for a link. That's |
| How many times have you come across a site that | | | | how you end up with "Links" pages with hundreds |
| reads like this "Looking for used cars in Atlanta? This | | | | even thousands of links spanning hundreds of |
| the best guide for used cars in Atlanta. Buy used | | | | categories. |
| cars, find used cars and sell used cars here!" Sounds | | | | That being said a small amount (I wouldn't use more |
| kind of redundant doesn't it? Imagine someone talking | | | | than 10 myself but experiment and see what works |
| to you like that. Most search engines will identify this | | | | for you) of reciprocal links can be helpful. Back to our |
| as spammy. It is advisable to include your desired | | | | used car site once again, I noted that it had used |
| keywords throughout your content but in a way that | | | | cars in Atlanta. Trading links with other used car |
| sounds natural and makes sure your content is useful. | | | | dealers outside the Atlanta area will be seen as |
| HTML Tags - These are the areas you will want to | | | | relevant by the engines. One car dealer |
| make sure your keywords are in. Your title and h1 | | | | recommending another car dealer in Florida is |
| tags are good places to start (I'll get to meta tags in | | | | perfectly natural link exchange. Other examples for |
| the next section). For the site trying to sell used cars | | | | our car site could include repair shops, parts stores or |
| in the previous tip they might have gone with the | | | | car washes etc. As long as it a natural link exchange |
| same spammy tactic and made the title tag | | | | between two websites that are relevant to each |
| something like "Used Car, Used Cars, Buy Used Cars, | | | | other it shouldn't raise a problem. |
| Sell Used Cars." Once again this appears spammy to | | | | Paid links are treated the same as reciprocal links. |
| engines and users alike. A better title looks something | | | | Since they are paid for it not seen as a natural "vote" |
| like "Used Cars in Atlanta | Buy and Sell Here." | | | | for that site. Buying links can actually hurt your site |
| In the properly optimized title we still make sure the | | | | more than help it. When an engine sees that you |
| term "used cars" are the first words in the title but | | | | have all the sudden gotten 500 links over night it |
| we don't repeat it to make it more natural sounding. | | | | assumes that they were paid for and will disregard |
| We also include the location to help rank for local | | | | them. If you keep buying links and getting caught |
| searches. "Buy and Sell Here" is included to inform the | | | | Google might even exclude you from their index. |
| user of what the site offers. Other keywords should | | | | Spammer count on the fact that no matter how |
| be included in the h1, h2, h3 tags and so on in | | | | advanced search algorithms are they won't catch all |
| decreasing order of importance. For our car website | | | | of the links. So while you may pay for 500 links |
| the h1 header could be "Buy and Sell Used Cars in | | | | Google or one of the other engines may disregard |
| Atlanta Area" and underneath could be short | | | | 400 of them, meaning you paid for more links then |
| description of the business. The h2 header could be | | | | your actually getting. I also have serious doubts that |
| the specific section for buying cars and so on. | | | | even if Google and the other engines still might count |
| Meta Keywords/Description - The meta keywords | | | | some of the links, the ones they do are probably of |
| tag is another place where some people have | | | | very low quality. It would have much more value to |
| misconceptions. Years ago search engines used to | | | | find 10 - 20 good natural links than 100 low quality |
| use them to see what was on a webpage. As people | | | | links. |
| people became aware of this and began abusing it by | | | | Low-Quality are links that have little to no SEO value. |
| placing irrelevant keywords there the engines now | | | | Placing your link on a page that has hundreds of links |
| place little value on them (Google doesn't even look | | | | will pass little value if any to your site. Many link |
| at them). Some people suggest to keep it as it can't | | | | directories are completely ignored by search engines |
| hurt to have them even if the engines don't look at | | | | as they exhibit little to no editorial control. |
| them. I disagree however, your competitors can | | | | Analytics - I know the title of this article is "SEO |
| easily look at your source code and see what | | | | Guidelines" but analytics are a very important tool in |
| keywords you are trying to rank for and begin their | | | | SEO. By properly monitoring your analytics you can |
| own campaign to rank for those keywords. SEO is a | | | | ensure the steps you are taking are helping. It is very |
| forever advancing effort and you must always be | | | | important to monitor metrics such as conversion rate, |
| trying to improve your site. Giving your competitor an | | | | unique visitors, bounce rate and page views/time on |
| inside look at what your trying accomplish could hurt | | | | site. While your SEO changes may have made you |
| you in the long run. | | | | rank better did they hurt your user experience, are |
| The meta description tag is the place where you | | | | people not staying for long or are they leaving right |
| write a short description (under 200 characters) for | | | | away? Have your page views gone up but your |
| the page. This tag has no bearing on rankings it is | | | | conversion rate stayed the same or worse gone |
| however the small bit of text that appears under the | | | | down? These are a few examples of what could |
| pages title in the SERP. The keywords the user | | | | happen if you don't keep your eye on analytics. |
| searched for will appear in bold in the description. | | | | There is no one metric that will be the say all end all |
| While the description won't help your ranking if the | | | | for your site. You must consider them all before |
| users keywords are in bold in your description this will | | | | deciding to make changes to your site. |
| make your page more visible (not to mention if the | | | | I hope this article helped you to understand the ever |
| keyword is also in your title your page name will be in | | | | changing world that is SEO. This is only a small |
| bold as well). Having a well written description could | | | | glimpse at what SEO is really all about. You will learn a |
| be the difference in being passed over as spam and | | | | lot as you go along, mostly through trial and error. |
| a click. | | | | You should never remain static and always be |
| Reciprocal/Paid/Low-Quality Links - Now we are | | | | experimenting with new ideas to see what works |
| getting to one of the most important aspects of | | | | best for you. |
| SEO, link building. While there are many strategies for | | | | |