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Search Engine Optimization
(cont'd)
Key Phrase
is the keyword or set of keywords someone types into the little
'search' field in Google or Alta Vista or any other search engine.
A URL is the address of one page on your site. Most search
engines display keyword search results and provide a link directly
to the page most relevant to those results, rather than your home
page. It's very, very important to keep that in mind when you build
and optimize your site.
Legitimate Practices is a pet peeve of mine. A true search
engine optimization campaign will not use practices such as page or
content cloaking, redirects, or lists of links (so-called 'link
farms') but relies on good coding practices, well-written content,
steady link popularity work and site features that will be every bit
as valuable for site visitors as for search engine ranking. Anything
less is a short-term fix that will likely reduce your rankings more
often than increase them.
So, the long version of the definition would be:
Search Engine Optimization
Using keyword analysis, good coding practices, well-written
copy, link popularity analysis and careful site organization to
move a web page as close to the number one search results
position as possible for a given key phrase, in both search
engines and directories.
Hey,
that's not so bad after all. But how do you get started? First, you
separate reality from myth...
SEO Urban Legends
There are quite a few SEO myths out there. Here are my favorites:
The Keywords META Tag Matters. Mostly wrong. Only Inktomi
pays any attention to the keywords meta tag. You should do something
basic, but don't bother putting in keywords that aren't supported by
your page content.
Search Engines can read Flash, images and video. Sorry, and
Ford isn't selling a flying car yet, either. Search engines can read
one thing: Text. Anything else, while perfectly legitimate as a
design tool, will not help your ranking. And relying too heavily on
Flash or images may reduce your site's visibility. Google is one
partial exception -- they can read some links in Flash, but still
have very limited ability to read Flash content.
Mirroring my site in multiple locations will improve ranking.
Actually, just the opposite. Duplication of content will generally
have no effect or, worse, reduce your ranking in major search
engines. Most search engines now have rules against this form of 'spam'
and may reduce your ranking or ban your site altogether.
'Doorway' pages improve ranking. Pages that have lots of
keywords but then quickly redirect to the main site will not help
you in major search engines, such as Google. And, if someone catches
you and reports you to Google or the other search engine, you may be
banned altogether. A 'landing' or 'bridge' page, though, that's
designed to be as useful for users as for search engines, and does
not redirect the user, can help by providing keyword-rich content
that's genuinely worthwhile.
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