On Page Search Engine Optimization

By Sharon Housley

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has become a fine science. Tweaking, changing,
and measuring is all part of the ongoing optimization process. SEO truly is a
process that requires constant monitoring and attention. In order for a website
to perform well, its managers and webmasters must adapt their SEO techniques as
the search engine algorithms change.

Use the following “on-page” optimization techniques to improve your website’s
search engine ranking…

1. Keywords In Domain Names

Include important keywords in webpage domain names and sub-domain names, which
can improve the page ranking for those specific keywords or phrases.

2. Keywords In Meta Tags

Including keywords in the Title and Description Meta Tags for the webpage will
also help search engine ranking for that specific keyword or phrase.

3. Keywords In Headers On Page

Including keywords in the H1 and H2 Header tags, and using “bold” to emphasize
words deemed important, will also assist search optimization.

4. Quality Of Content

Generating quality content that uses keywords “naturally” in the text will help
search engines contextualize your website.

5. Quantity Of Content

The content on a webpage must be a reasonable length. It is recommended that
articles contain 400-600 words, and standard text on a webpage should contain a
minimum of 250 words.

6. Page Displayed Using HTML

The webpage should use HTML to display the website’s content. This will insure
that the webpages are easily spidered by the search engines. Avoid using complex
scripting or frames, as those features will inhibit the search engine spider’s
ability to follow links and will limit your SEO benefit.

7. Themed

The content of a website, and the pages within the website, should all be
related.

8. No Broken Links

Broken links tell search engines that a website is not current or
well-maintained, so be sure to keep your links up-to-date and valid. Remove any
links that no longer function properly.

9. Outgoing Links To Good Neighborhoods

Be sure that any outgoing links to external sources are linking only to
reputable websites.

10. Domain Extension

When registering a domain name, try to stick with the standard conventions. For
example, .com, .edu, .org, and .net are the most desirable. If you are targeting
a specific region, regional domains can also be helpful in local searches.

11. Age Of Domain

The domain age can influence its “trustworthiness”, and older domains typically
gain more favor with search engines.

12. Navigation

The website’s navigation can also impact search ranking. Create sub-directories
or folders that contain related groupings of pages. This is common with
directory structures, and is an architecture that search engines are familiar
with and tend to favor.

13. Image ALT Tags

Use keywords in the ALT tag attribute to describe the purpose of any image or
graphic located on a webpage.

All “On-Page” optimization factors are under the control of the webmaster.
“Off-Page” optimization, on the other hand, is not nearly as easy to control.
Read “Optimizing Optimization, Part 2: Off-Page Optimization” for additional
details regarding off-page SEO techniques.

About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com
software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition
Sharon manages marketing for RecordForAll http://www.recordforall.com audio
recording and editing software.

• Internet Marketing - Why 2010 Will Be A White Knuckle Ride For Web Marketers. Internet Marketing - Why 2010 Will Be A White Knuckle Ride For Web Marketers  Copyright © 2009 Titus Hoskins Next year may just prove to be one of the most challenging times for pursuing online or Internet marketing on the web. It may just be a watershed moment for many......
• Becoming an Authority site - 101 tips Becoming an Authority site - 101 tips  I am not sure who put this together it was sent to me quite some time ago so I thought I would post it here for all to use. Becoming an authority site is a lofty goal, but with the right amount of dedication......
• Webwatcher, Monitor your children online from anywhere - our review         I have 2 daughters one that is 12 and the other nine. They are both getting at the age (expecially my oldest) that they are starting to do more and more online. I don't want to be the nosy dad watching over my girls shoulders for......
• Using Social Networking Sites to Drive Traffic to Your Site Using Social Networking Sites to Drive Traffic to Your Site Social networking sites seem to be the biggest thing on the Internet right now, and there are no signs that this will change anytime in the near - or far - future. The fact is that social networking sites, such......
• How to Use Proper SEO for Website Indexing How to Use Proper SEO for Website Indexing   Making a website with a beautiful design but without proper SEO is like having a stack of brochures in a drawer. It is fortunately not that hard, even for beginners, to apply a set of SEO rules in order to see......

• Keyword Tool Supercharger The Google AdWords Keyword Tool is a great tool to help you identify popular keywords that can help with search engine optimization. However, it really...
• SEO Tips for Blog Traffic Generation While it may be true to say content is king when it comes to blog publishing, the truth is that writing your blog content is...
• Search Engine Optimization Made Easy Search Engine Optimization (or SEO) means getting your site on the first 3 pages of search engine results, as a result of the keywords being...
• Meta Tag Use for SEO When it comes to search engine optimization for a website, one of the key strategies that you should be using is to make use of...
• The Buzzword Of Success: Search Engine Optimization Stay ahead in the competition by perpetually outdoing your competitors. Using innovative search engine optimization you can currently take the guesswork out of search engine...