Search Engine Optimization and Web Design

In a word, search engine optimization is dizzying. It has it’s own language – even acronyms that mandate a Phd to understand. So where does one begin when they know “nothing” about optimization other than it must added to their Web site?

If you had about 2 years of time to devote to learning, you would know only the basics of optimization due to the “if”, “when”, or “depending” factors. Do NOT be fooled by those who cite you can learn from the many books, programs (free or otherwise) available on the Internet. Every one of them provides a great deal of information, but only information that will confuse you more than knowing nothing.

There is really only one lesson that is simple to understand, yet is complex in applying – make your pages/site relevant. What does that mean? If you look in the dictionary you’ll find: “a : having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand b : affording evidence tending to prove or disprove the matter at issue or under discussion <relevant testimony> c : having social relevance.”

“But my site is relevant…”, you say?! If you don’t find it in the first 2 pages of either Google or Yahoo search results for the terms “relevant” to your subject, then the answer is “No.”, your site is not relevant. But here is where it becomes more complicated.

Let’s say you are selling car tires in Tuscon, Arizona. How many times on the “home” page does your site have the words “car tires in Tuscon, Arizona”, or “car tires Tuscon”? Once? Twice? How many times does the competition have the term in their site “home” page?

It’s not considered “relevant” if there are pictures of the tires to indicate that the site is all about tires. It’s also not considered relevant that the address for the business appears in the page at the bottom – one time. If the content (NOTE: content is “King” in optimization) does not have the term(s) several times, then the page is not relevant.

The opposite is also true. If you have the term too many times in the site, you’ll be penalized, or found as “spamming” the search engines. This means you are being overly obvious about trying to tell the search engines about the content of your page.

If you write good, quality content, the type that simply comes out of your mouth when you are talking to someone about a subject you know a great deal, then the content will be found as very relevant – high quality. So remember when you are writing the content for the pages of your site, just write like you are talking to someone who is very interested in your product or service. The search engines are very, very smart. They don’t even look at your images and they read the content like a visitor would read the content. If it just says “blah, blah” and repeats your keywords (relevant terms about your product or service) again and again, the page(s) will be found as non-relevant.

There are millions of people with hundreds of questions each about optimization. Help others understand more about how to create a better Web site by asking questions here in our site. All you need to do is create an account and post a comment. If that comment is legitimate, you’ll be approved and your comment will appear. See you inside.