How to Better Understand SEO

Learn how to get better positioning within Google search results by using these SEO techniques.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Topical knowledge
• Research techniques
• Perseverance
• Luck

1. The goal of search engine optimization (SEO) is to improve your article's position within the search engine's results listing - thereby anticipating that more people will see your article and read it. There are several ways that you can improve your SEO, but none are guaranteed, as the mechanics underlying SEO are highly complex and the algorithms used to rank pages is rarely disclosed. Therefore, it will be in your best interest to write about what you know.

2. Next, brainstorm four keyword phrases. These will help your page get noticed by the search engine. The better the keyword phrases, the better the ranking.

3. Include one (or two key word phrases) within the body of the text.

4. Include one key word phrase within the description of the article.

5. Include one key word phrase within the title.

Tips & Warnings

• Write about what you know
• Keep the keyword phrases simple
• Make sure your keyword phrases are organic. DO NOT stuff keyword phrases, just for the sake of trying to cover your bases. This is why you need to write about what you know. It will be easier to subconsciously insert these keyword phrases within your writing, if you know the subject matter well.
• Think like a web surfer - if you were searching for information included in your article, what would you type into the Google search box?
• Avoid "black hat" SEO, which refers to keyword stuffing. Keyword stuffing compromises the integrity of the search engine design. If it is determined that you are using "black hat" methods, it is possible for your page to be EXCLUDED from the results.
• Avoid one-word keyword phrases, which will likely have lots of competition. Try to come up with unique, but effective keyword phrases that people want to search for.

[davida8575]

on 10/29/2009 I will keep this in mind. Thanks for helping me out here.

[dustind33]

on 10/27/2009 Ive been going to school here recently for web design/programming and am constantly hearing about SEO when we do class discussions. Another big thing about SEO is to link out to quality sites and have as many link back to you as well. The absolute best thing you'll ever do to improve search engine ranking that you will find out by anyone who knows what there doing is very simple and very hard at the same time. CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT. Your keywords do absolutely no good when you've only got 3 pages and 1 paragraph on each and you have another site that covers the same type of content but has 100 FULL pages. Sorry, they'll be ahead of you. Great article