8 Ways to be Friendly to Search Engines

Search Engines and Directories average more than 300 million searches a day and are the main way Internet users discover web sites. Estimates vary, but roughly 42% - 86% of Internet users rely each day on search engines and directories to find the web sites they seek.

More important in the title tag (the words in a browser’s title bar) than a business name such as “Cameron, Wilson AND Boone” would be the words “intellectual property law” or “handmade leather goods”. The reason: that is what most search engines look for in selecting placements in their listings.

1. Company names do have a place

 – in logos, footers and the “about us” section of a web site. That way, most companies won’t lose a small number of people who actually type in a company name in a search query.

2. Use keywords that match what users are typing into search queries

 – if your business sells help-desk software, say “help-desk software” on your home page. Flash sites and graphics-only sites do not perform as well on search engines as HTML sites. Don’t know what keywords are being used to reach your site? Do keyword research through various search engines, like Google and Yahoo.

3. Worry more about getting keywords into title tags and body text than in meta tags

 – Meta tags have two components: a brief summary description of your site and a series of keywords that you'd want people to use to find your site. Together, they provide a framework for search engines to know where to list your site. The title tag is far more important than the meta tag. The meta tag is important, but for different reasons.

4. Put your most important keywords on the first part of your Web site.

People shouldn't have to scroll very far to find the keywords they're seeking on your web site. Many users won't have the patience. You want them to land on a page that provides what they are seeking, but also offers a representative view of what your site is all about. The most important information goes at the top of every story, with more details and secondary information as you descend further into the story.

5. Submit your site to human-based directories first, then to spider-based engines.

First thing to know is the difference between "human-based" directories and "spider-based" engines. Search directories such as Yahoo!, Open Directory Project and LookSmart are edited by humans. Search engines such as Google, AltaVista, Fast Search and Teoma employ high-tech "spiders" that crawl across the Web to collect keyword matches. All measure link popularity -- meaning the number of search engines, directories and sites linking to yours -- in determining rankings. But getting your site listed first on reputable directories (such as Google, MSN and Yahoo!) can boost your chances for quality links and stronger overall search rankings.

6. Design pages that provide search engine "spiders" easy access to your keywords.

 This is where a "search engine-friendly" site design comes in. A search engine-friendly Web site design has at least one navigation scheme that search engines can follow. It's not that hard to do. Nine out of 10 times just adding text links at the bottom of all the pages on your site is all it takes.

7. Do your directory submission right the first time -- you usually don't get a second chance.

Don't file your submission at 3 a.m., when you're half-asleep. You need a factually accurate site description that contains as many keywords as possible. If your description contains little or no keywords, the editors aren't likely to change it -- in other words, they usually won't go back and change a description just so a site owner can add more keywords.

8. Constantly monitor your site statistics, to see what your visitors prefer.

 For example, if you find your "Human Resources" pages are among the most popular, you might want to consider adding more of those pages. Or if you spell "healthcare" throughout your site as one word, but your users' queries are consistently "health care" as two words, you might consider making the switch. You need to update your site constantly, based on what your audience prefers and which of your pages delivers the best return on investment. Focus your efforts on those pages.

Like this article? See the Translating the Language of Search article on ClickZ.