Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
You've created great instructional online content. Now, how will people find it? The following information pertains to Search Engine Optimization, methods aimed at iimproving the ranking of a website in search engine listings.
There are some basic techniques that will help increase your Web site's visibility and most of them will cost you nothing except time. It's important to note that SEO is something to consider before and during the design process, as many of the methods will guide the kinds of elements used.
The first thing you must consider in optimizing your Web site is your target audience. Different users will use different terms to find the same information, service, or product. Here are a few resources to get you started:
SEO Tips
- Richard Jenkins' Top Ten
Useful list of some basic guidelines for search engine optimization - Search Engine Ranking Factors
SEOmoz.org's list of the top ten ranking factors for search engines and in-document factors affecting rankings - Search Engine Relationship Chart
Bruce Clay's interactive visual representation of the relationship between search engines (show's how submitting to a few will extend to many) - Use Old Words When Writing for Findability
Jakob Nielsen's August 2006 alertbox encouraging the use of keywords and phrases familiar to the target audience for search engine optimizations - Web Spiders
HowStuffWorks.com describes how search engine spiders work
SEO Tools
There are many free tools to assist with search engine optimization. Here are some of my top picks:
- Page Strength Tool
Submit a URL to this SEOmoz.org tool and receive results for several factors of page strength - SEO ToolSet
Examines keywords, code, links, etc. - We Build Pages SEO Tools
Over a dozen useful SEO tools, including backlink, deeplink analyzer, page report, and spider viewer - MarketLeap Search Engine Marketing Tools
Link popularity, search engine saturation, and keyword verification - Toolbar - Google
Highlight search terms in pages (helpful for identifying keyword usage) and more - Toolbar - Yahoo!
Highlight search terms in pages (helpful for identifying keyword usage) and more
Other Helpful Search Links
- Google Webmaster Center
Information about Google search, statistics and diagnostics, and Google sitemap - Search Engine Cheatsheet - Yahoo
Key to searching with Yahoo from About.com - Search Engine Cheatsheet - Google
Key to searching with Google from About.com
