Search Engine Optimization Rules

There are many rules to Search Engine Optimization, if we mentioned all the rules here, I think it would easily take over 300 pages. Therefore, we will list the most important Search Engine Optimization Rules. These are all “Must Do” rules and should be the first tasks to complete in an SEO project.

1. On Site Optimization – This was the only way SEO was possible in the 1990s. However, it’s still valid today. The Title of the page is the most important element on the site. “Meta Description” and “Meta Keywords” can still make a difference although some SEOs would disagree.In our experience, an “H1 Tag” and “Image Alt Tags” are essential as well. Of course, the competition should always be analyzed before making these edits or changes. Overall, the page must be relevant to the term which is targeted.
2. Site Maps – You must create a sitemap (ideally a dynamic sitemap – which updates automatically) and submit it to Google, Yahoo and Live. This will ensure that the pages on your site are properly and rapidly indexed. Here are the list of sites where you can submit sitemaps for Google, Yahoo and Live (MSN).Google – http://www.google.com/webmasters/start
   Yahoo – https://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com
   Live – http://webmaster.live.com/
3. RSS – If your site is frequently updated, having an RSS Feed will help syndicate your content. Of course, you want to publish your RSS on different sites. If you want to have built-in RSS, WordPress or Joomla are great solutions. Once you get the RSS setup, you want to submit it and have it automatically ping other directories so your fresh content is always syndicated online. A good site for this is http://www.pingoat.com
4. Google Local – This cannot be overlooked anymore since Google started putting a lot of weight on Local Results in SERP (Search Engine Results Pages). If your business has multiple locations, it would be a good idea to submit these all separately to Google Local. You can submit your business to Google here www.google.com/local/add.
5. Directories – A huge part of SEO is Backlinks. This basically determines how popular your site is and how Google views you on a scale compared to your competition. One of the easiest and quickest ways to boost backlinks is by submitting it to different online directories. These could be general business directories or niche industry specific directories. Either way, it would be a great way to start building backlinks to your site.If you have the budget, Yahoo Directory ($299/year) and Business.Com Directory ($199/year) should be the first directories you submit your site to. There are thousands of free directories you can submit to as well. You can find a list here;
   http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/showthread.php?t=720
   http://www.submitedge.com/directory_list.html

There are literally hundreds of suggestions we can list here, but this should be a good start for any SEO Project. You can contact us for a more detailed list, questions or a free consultation.

May 12, 2009

Written by Duran Inci

Duran Inci is an Internet Marketing Expert with over 10 years experience in E-business, including all forms of lead generation (including Search Engine Optimization) and web promotion. Duran has built and managed all aspects of Internet Marketing & E-commerce operations including, e-business planning, analytics, network integration and strategic partnerships. Duran has a strong history of building revenues through effective e-commerce strategies. The exceptional breadth of Duran’s technical skills ensures that Optimum7 clients have the best, most current tools available to maximize impact of their online marketing campaigns. He leads our entire development team in our Miami office.