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- Trevor
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I get asked so many times to explain how to get a website onto page one of Google, I thought I might share some tips on this forum.
There is much more to SEO than adding keywords to your web pages, but it would take much longer than this post to cover all the techniques, so I will just focus on the use of keywords. If anyone is interested in more tips then I may add a new post.
Choosing the appropriate keywords
Anyone that is searching for a wedding photographer in Bristol (for example) will not simply enter "wedding photographer" as their search term. This would result in millions of results from everywhere. People these days are much more 'search savy' than they used to be, so they will enter "wedding photogapher in Bristol" (or something very similar) giving a more focussed result.
This means that if you are a wedding photographer in Bristol and you don't have that keyphrase on your home page, then you are unlikely to come anywhere in the results.
Tip 1: Make sure your website home page includes the most important keyphrase once in your title and twice in the body text.
You should optimise each of your web pages using different keyphrases, so if you create another page covering your portrait services, then make sure you include the keyphrase 'portrait photography in Bristol' (or wherever you are located). ie: don't try to add all the keywords and phrases on one page.
Meta Tags
These are the hidden html tags that can't be seen by visitors but are very important for search engines. If you have a website that allows you to edit these tags then you are at a distinct advantage, so make sure that these also include the important keyphrase for each page.
The most important meta tags are 'title' (this appears on the browser top bar) and 'description' (this appears in the search results summary text). The keywords meta tag is not so important as Google does not use it.
Tip 2: Make sure that each of your pages Meta Tags include the appropriate keyphrase for that page.
Image Filenames, Alt & Title Tags
Google indexes images using the image filename and alt tag (the mouseover text) so make sure that your images are named using keywords rather than just DSC1234.jpg etc. For example, include images on your weddings services page such as wedding-photography-bristol.jpg ..etc
Also make sure that all your images have alt tags with the same keywords.
Tip 3: Rename your website images and alt tags with appropriate keywords.
Page Links
If you can, use the appropriate keywords in your menu page links. So have a page called 'Wedding Photography' or Wedding Services' etc, rather than just 'Photo Services'.
Also add internal page links, where possible, to each of your main services pages within the body text. Google uses internal page links to find and index all your pages, so make it easy for Google to find them, and use keywords and phrases as the link text.
Tip 4: Make sure your menu links and internal page links include the keywords and phrases.
Back Links
These are links on other websites that link direct to your site, and they are very important to Google as this increases your 'Page Rank' which is an indication of the importance of your website. ie: if you have lots of back links then you must be a very important website, so Google will place you higher in the search rankings.
The value of your back link is also based on the quality of the website it sits on, and how many other links there are on the page, so don't just add your site to tons of web directories because that won't work. Get in touch with your local suppliers and ask them to add a link to your site. This will generate a more positive result than directory sites.
Tip 5: Get a link to your site on as many good quality related websites as possible, and use a text link (not a banner) that includes your main keyphrase.
OK, thats enough for now. I hope that this is of use to members. At least it will get you started in the right direction.
Remember that your website is the cheapest form of advertising available anywhere (compared to print advertising) so it is well worth spending a few minutes on optimising it to get a better listing on Google.
There is much more to SEO than adding keywords to your web pages, but it would take much longer than this post to cover all the techniques, so I will just focus on the use of keywords. If anyone is interested in more tips then I may add a new post.
Choosing the appropriate keywords
Anyone that is searching for a wedding photographer in Bristol (for example) will not simply enter "wedding photographer" as their search term. This would result in millions of results from everywhere. People these days are much more 'search savy' than they used to be, so they will enter "wedding photogapher in Bristol" (or something very similar) giving a more focussed result.
This means that if you are a wedding photographer in Bristol and you don't have that keyphrase on your home page, then you are unlikely to come anywhere in the results.
Tip 1: Make sure your website home page includes the most important keyphrase once in your title and twice in the body text.
You should optimise each of your web pages using different keyphrases, so if you create another page covering your portrait services, then make sure you include the keyphrase 'portrait photography in Bristol' (or wherever you are located). ie: don't try to add all the keywords and phrases on one page.
Meta Tags
These are the hidden html tags that can't be seen by visitors but are very important for search engines. If you have a website that allows you to edit these tags then you are at a distinct advantage, so make sure that these also include the important keyphrase for each page.
The most important meta tags are 'title' (this appears on the browser top bar) and 'description' (this appears in the search results summary text). The keywords meta tag is not so important as Google does not use it.
Tip 2: Make sure that each of your pages Meta Tags include the appropriate keyphrase for that page.
Image Filenames, Alt & Title Tags
Google indexes images using the image filename and alt tag (the mouseover text) so make sure that your images are named using keywords rather than just DSC1234.jpg etc. For example, include images on your weddings services page such as wedding-photography-bristol.jpg ..etc
Also make sure that all your images have alt tags with the same keywords.
Tip 3: Rename your website images and alt tags with appropriate keywords.
Page Links
If you can, use the appropriate keywords in your menu page links. So have a page called 'Wedding Photography' or Wedding Services' etc, rather than just 'Photo Services'.
Also add internal page links, where possible, to each of your main services pages within the body text. Google uses internal page links to find and index all your pages, so make it easy for Google to find them, and use keywords and phrases as the link text.
Tip 4: Make sure your menu links and internal page links include the keywords and phrases.
Back Links
These are links on other websites that link direct to your site, and they are very important to Google as this increases your 'Page Rank' which is an indication of the importance of your website. ie: if you have lots of back links then you must be a very important website, so Google will place you higher in the search rankings.
The value of your back link is also based on the quality of the website it sits on, and how many other links there are on the page, so don't just add your site to tons of web directories because that won't work. Get in touch with your local suppliers and ask them to add a link to your site. This will generate a more positive result than directory sites.
Tip 5: Get a link to your site on as many good quality related websites as possible, and use a text link (not a banner) that includes your main keyphrase.
OK, thats enough for now. I hope that this is of use to members. At least it will get you started in the right direction.
Remember that your website is the cheapest form of advertising available anywhere (compared to print advertising) so it is well worth spending a few minutes on optimising it to get a better listing on Google.
