Tutorial – SEO Intranet – Your One-Stop Resource Prepared by: Murali Venkatesh http://www.prestiva.com/seo/ http://blog.prestiva.com Search Engine Optimization: 7 Steps to Top Ranking

Know the Difference Search Engines and Directories are different Optimization generally refers to the work you can do for Search Engines Directories, like Yahoo operate under very different guidelines

Search Engines and Directories are different

Optimization generally refers to the work you can do for Search Engines

Directories, like Yahoo operate under very different guidelines

Separating the Two: Directories: Yahoo (likes high quality description, sites that load fast, link popularity and unique functionality) ODP (Open Directory Project) www.dmoz.org LookSmart Search Engines: (slow to register) Google Alta Vista Inktomi AOL Excite

Directories:

Yahoo (likes high quality description, sites that load fast, link popularity and unique functionality)

ODP (Open Directory Project) www.dmoz.org

LookSmart

Search Engines:

(slow to register)

Google

Alta Vista

Inktomi

AOL

Excite

What Directories Like: Doorway pages or GIPs will not help Meta tags will not help All sites reviewed by actual people (do not forget to add comments-be polite) Pick the right category to submit to (dig deep into category) Fill in the application carefully (write a good description that is keyword rich and relevant) Make sure your site is “perfect”

Doorway pages or GIPs will not help

Meta tags will not help

All sites reviewed by actual people (do not forget to add comments-be polite)

Pick the right category to submit to (dig deep into category)

Fill in the application carefully (write a good description that is keyword rich and relevant)

Make sure your site is “perfect”

Optimizing For Search Engines Step One Keyword Research: Single most important step in the process Use tools available ( GoTo free or paid options like www.wordtracker.com ) Start very generic (example: furniture) Only optimize for keywords that are applicable and worth your time and effort See “The Art of Keyword Analysis” article on SEO

Keyword Research:

Single most important step in the process

Use tools available ( GoTo free or paid options like www.wordtracker.com )

Start very generic (example: furniture)

Only optimize for keywords that are applicable and worth your time and effort

See “The Art of Keyword Analysis” article on SEO

Optimizing For Search Engines Step Two Research Your Competition: If you’ve selected your keywords you know who your competitors for the top spots are Go over their pages to see what they’re doing right Use existing tools like KDA if possible (Keyword Density Analysis) If you can’t figure out how they did it, they’re likely cloaking (more about that later…)

Research Your Competition:

If you’ve selected your keywords you know who your competitors for the top spots are

Go over their pages to see what they’re doing right

Use existing tools like KDA if possible (Keyword Density Analysis)

If you can’t figure out how they did it, they’re likely cloaking (more about that later…)

Optimizing For Search Engines Step Three Content is Everything: Every page must have a carefully written title Every keyword should get it’s own page of content One or two paragraphs will not cut it Use FAQs or article style to develop keyword rich text Make it compelling – motivate the surfer to do something

Content is Everything:

Every page must have a carefully written title

Every keyword should get it’s own page of content

One or two paragraphs will not cut it

Use FAQs or article style to develop keyword rich text

Make it compelling – motivate the surfer to do something

Optimizing For Search Engines Step Four Developing the Actual Strategies: Most clients will not sacrifice aesthetics for positioning Search engines cannot “read” Flash, java, and other advanced technologies They also penalize tables, intensive graphics, etc If your client’s site uses these you will likely have to use a “work-around” like doorway pages or GIPs

Developing the Actual Strategies:

Most clients will not sacrifice aesthetics for positioning

Search engines cannot “read” Flash, java, and other advanced technologies

They also penalize tables, intensive graphics, etc

If your client’s site uses these you will likely have to use a “work-around” like doorway pages or GIPs

Optimizing For Search Engines Step Four Doorway Pages “ Orphan” pages designed to rank well in search engines Each page optimized for it’s own keyword, and in some cases, it’s own search engine Use invisible links from the site so they are not part of the site Be very careful to use different layouts for each doorway page

Doorway Pages

“ Orphan” pages designed to rank well in search engines

Each page optimized for it’s own keyword, and in some cases, it’s own search engine

Use invisible links from the site so they are not part of the site

Be very careful to use different layouts for each doorway page

Optimizing For Search Engines Step Four GIPs Pages designed as part of a site, visible through navigation Each page has keyword rich content that adds to the users experience Each page is still optimized for only one main keyword Takes more effort but worth it – search engines much prefer GIPs

GIPs

Pages designed as part of a site, visible through navigation

Each page has keyword rich content that adds to the users experience

Each page is still optimized for only one main keyword

Takes more effort but worth it – search engines much prefer GIPs

Optimizing For Search Engines Step Four Submitting GIPs for Development: Remember you are responsible for developing the strategy on each page – production centres only create what you tell them to Consider using an SEO, who will do this for you Search engines read more than just the text on the page – instruct developer how you would like keywords incorporated into headline tags, ALT tags, comment tags, style tags, text links, etc Use the Search Engine Spreadsheet in the SEO Intranet for more ideas on how to incorporate keywords into the different tags Won’t have huge impact, but certainly doesn’t hurt

Submitting GIPs for Development:

Remember you are responsible for developing the strategy on each page – production centres only create what you tell them to

Consider using an SEO, who will do this for you

Search engines read more than just the text on the page – instruct developer how you would like keywords incorporated into headline tags, ALT tags, comment tags, style tags, text links, etc

Use the Search Engine Spreadsheet in the SEO Intranet for more ideas on how to incorporate keywords into the different tags

Won’t have huge impact, but certainly doesn’t hurt

Optimizing For Search Engines Step Five Do Your Submissions Manually Don’t rely on automated software Search engines have “spam trappers” for this Pay attention to how often and how many you submit Note: Submit 1 page per URL a day. Pay attention to which engines will allow you to submit more than one page per site Use the Search Engine Spreadsheet in the SEO Intranet to map out your strategy

Do Your Submissions Manually

Don’t rely on automated software

Search engines have “spam trappers” for this

Pay attention to how often and how many you submit

Note: Submit 1 page per URL a day.

Pay attention to which engines will allow you to submit more than one page per site

Use the Search Engine Spreadsheet in the SEO Intranet to map out your strategy

Optimizing For Search Engines Step Five Submission Order (Personal Recommendations) Yahoo (40%) ODP (free) LookSmart Inktomi** Google (16%) MSN (12%) AOL (9%) Excite (2.8%) Lycos (2.1%) All other majors including Alta Vista, HotBot, etc

Submission Order (Personal Recommendations)

Yahoo (40%)

ODP (free)

LookSmart

Inktomi**

Google (16%)

MSN (12%)

AOL (9%)

Excite (2.8%)

Lycos (2.1%)

All other majors including Alta Vista, HotBot, etc

Optimizing For Search Engines Step Six Monthly Monitoring: Positioning Reports (WebPosition Pro) Traffic Reports (Urchin) Analyse results Be prepared to tweak your strategy Up-sell based on trends and results

Monthly Monitoring:

Positioning Reports (WebPosition Pro)

Traffic Reports (Urchin)

Analyse results

Be prepared to tweak your strategy

Up-sell based on trends and results

Optimizing For Search Engines Step Seven Link Popularity: Search engines placing more importance on the popularity of sites based on their links Links must be relevant in order to help Use link request tools in SEO Intranet

Link Popularity:

Search engines placing more importance on the popularity of sites based on their links

Links must be relevant in order to help

Use link request tools in SEO Intranet

Don’t Forget The Costs: Keep mandatory costs in mind (like Yahoo) Consider optional costs (like Express services) Make sure you charge for your time Up front fee Monthly maintenance fees

Keep mandatory costs in mind (like Yahoo)

Consider optional costs (like Express services)

Make sure you charge for your time

Up front fee

Monthly maintenance fees

Buying the Top Spots: Clients with larger budgets, who need quick results should consider paid placement Paid placement allows you to pay for special placement Almost all search engines offer different paid options Recommended: GoTo, Yahoo Sponsored Link, Google AdWords

Clients with larger budgets, who need quick results should consider paid placement

Paid placement allows you to pay for special placement

Almost all search engines offer different paid options

Recommended: GoTo, Yahoo Sponsored Link, Google AdWords

Final Thoughts: Don’t do anything questionable – it’s just not worth it Phantom Scripting/Cloaking – what it is and what are the dangers Things will continue to change – be prepared to dedicate time to self learning

Don’t do anything questionable – it’s just not worth it

Phantom Scripting/Cloaking – what it is and what are the dangers

Things will continue to change – be prepared to dedicate time to self learning

“ Buying a website without search engine optimization is like spending your entire budget on a commercial without buying any air time to show it to the world”

Questions? Contact : http://blog.prestiva.com http://www.prestiva.com/seo/