Search Engine Optimization

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On-Page Text

This is where most people want to start. Can't I just put on these meta-tags and get on the first page on Google? Sorry, it's just not that easy. You have to have the first two steps working to rank well for competitive keywords. But, how you code the page and what text is on it is important. Here is the short list of how to design your web pages to rank well.

• Use keywords in the page title bar. It's that bar at the top of your browser.
  
  This title is VERY important and your main keywords for this page should be in the title. For example, the pottery store may have a title of "Denver Pottery Store - Hand made pottery by artists in Denver, Colorado". Your main keywords should be at or near the beginning of the text. This title tag would work for keywords "denver pottery", "hand made pottery", "pottery artists denver", "pottery store colorado" and other variations. The main thing is to have your keywords in this title. Not every keyword — just the main ones for this page. Remember, you have lots of pages to use different keywords on.
• Use your main keywords near the top of the page. Ideally your keywords are the first text on the page and they are repeated two or three times on the page. Some people might advise you to use your keywords exactly four times or you need to have a certain ratio of keywords to regular text. I don't advise you get too concerned about this. Mainly because this is a distant third in the priorities for ranking well. If it's a choice of getting links, adding pages, or calculating keyword density - please get the links or add the new page to your site.
• Use keywords to link between your pages if it makes sense. For example, "We also offer custom pottery classes."
• Your home page is especially important so be sure and have your most important two or three keywords on the home page. If you can, use them as links to other pages.

Remember: Your ranking is determined by Links, Site Content, and Page Text — in that order. This is an ongoing process for most sites. You start with a few pages of good content. Get some links. Add more pages and get more links. Of course it is good to use the On Page guidelines above when making your web pages. Just don't count on that alone to give you good results.

You now know more about search engine optimization than most people. (Don't let it go to your head, OK?) So get out there and make some web pages and get some links!

Some Advise:
Do not base your entire marketing on your search engine ranking.

If you need help with this process and how to implement it for your site, please contact me for a consultation or a web site redesign.

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