How to Optimize Your Website for Free

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By NJMommy
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Getting traffic to your website depends on how well you are ranked on search engines. The higher you are ranked for your preferred keywords, the more traffic you will receive. Which in turn can translate into more sales, more subscribers or whatever you are trying to achieve

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Knowledge of HTML
Patience

Step 1

Optimizing your website to rank well on search engines isn't difficult be is tedious. There are no quick ways to get to #1 stop on any search engine. It takes lots of work and patience.
Step 2

Keywords
We must first determine what the best keywords for you are. I don't recommend using broad or general terms like gift baskets or Clothing. The competition for these terms are too great and you are setting yourself up for a long and almost pointless SEO battle. Instead try using very specific terms like baby shower gifts baskets or graphic tees. If you are having difficulty finding keywords that are saturated by competitors, try using wordtracker.com. This site offers relevant keyword suggestions with the least competition.
Step 3

Meta Tags and Title
Now that you have determined proper keywords, include them in your title and meta tags of your pages. Search engines have restrictions when it comes to the amount of characters you can use in your meta keywords and descriptions. I would keep it to no more than 125-150 for descriptions and no more than 10-15 keywords.

The title should be exactly what your page is showcasing. If you have Metallica graphic tees being sold on that page, that is what your title page should state. Do not use the same title for every page. Be as specific as possible for every page title.
Step 4

Alt Attributes For Pictures or Photos
Search engine spiders can not read photos, so its imperative that every photo/picture have an alt description in the html. If you ever gone to a website and a photo is missing you will sometimes see a small red x. That is a wasted opportunity to show viewers what that photo is. If you have a picture of a black cat sitting on a pumpkin during Halloween, your alt description should read black cat sitting on a pumpkin during Halloween. When you add the alt description, that will appear as opposed to the little red x. Search engines will now have text in which they can read and relate to your site.
Step 5

Backlinks
You may have seen Resource or Links pages on websites. You may have even asked or have been asked for a link exchange. Getting sites to link to your website is important, however there is a right way of doing it. While link exchange is good there are a few things you must do for it to be beneficial. You MUST exchange links with content that is similar to yours. Do not waste energy and time exchanging links with a car site if you sell flowers. You wouldn't recommend someone to a car show if they are looking for flowers would you? Relevant link exchange is crucial. While link exchange is ok, one way linkbacks are better. Search engines, like Google, would rather see links that point to your site that are not part of you exchanging with someone else? One way link backs are genuine and not coerced or biased. Google prides itself in giving the most relevant results.

If you are wondering how to generate one way links its not that hard.

Submit your site to directories. Most do not require a link back and you can submit your site to the category in which your site is relevant.
Step 6

Writing Articles
Whenever I suggest writing articles, people have a fear that overtakes them. Relax. The thought of writing articles is intimidating, but not difficult. You do not need to be a professional writer to create a great article. A few thought out, grammatically correct paragraphs is all it takes.

Write about something you know. If you love to garden and have a website about gardening, writing articles should be easy for you. A few articles about proper techniques and plating tips works great.

What do you do, now that you have a written an article? Submit it to as many article directories as possible. Be sure to include your website address in the Author or Bio box. This creates one way backlinks. Articles that are relevant to your site's content and offer a one way link back are sure to increase your traffic and ranking.
Step 7

Search Engines can take months to index your site. Thats just the way it works. Don't fall for promises of getting you ranked on the Top page quickly, because there is no guarantee.