Ten Tips for Top Search Engine Rankings in Google

Article Posted 2003 May 03, Saturday
by Jill Whalen - High Rankings | Ashland, Massachusetts | United States

Having a web site that gets found in Google isn't hard to do, but it can be difficult to know where to begin. Here are ten tips to get you started towards top ten search engine rankings in Google and other search engines.

  1. Start out slowly
    If possible, begin with a new site that has never been submitted to the search engines or directories. Choose an appropriate domain name, and start out by optimizing just the home page.
  2. Learn basic html
    Many search engine optimization techniques involve editing the behind the scenes html code. Your top search engine rankings can depend on knowing which html code is necessary, and which isn't.
  3. Choose keywords wisely
    The keywords you think might be perfect for your site may not be what people are actually searching for. To find the optimal keywords for your site, use tools such as Wordtracker (http://www.wordtracker.com/). Choose two or three highly targeted keyword phrases for each page of your site. Never shoot for general keywords such as travel or vacation.
  4. Visible text
    Write at least 200 to 250 words of visible text copy based on your targeted keywords. This is a crucial component to top search engine rankings and a successful web site. The search engines need to read keyword rich copy on your pages so they can successfully classify your site. Use each keyword phrase numerous times within your copy for best results.
  5. Create a killer title tag
    Title tags or title elements are critical because they're given a lot of weight with all of the search engines. You must put your keywords into this tag and not waste space with extra words. Do not use the title tag to display your company name or to say Home Page. Think of it more as a Title Keyword Tag and create it accordingly. Add your company name to the end of this tag, if you must use it.
  6. Create meaty meta tags
    Meta tags can be valuable, but they are not a magic bullet. Create a Meta Description Tag that uses your keywords and also describes your site. The information in this tag often appears under your title in the search engine results pages. The Meta Keyword Tag isn't quite as important as the Meta Description Tag. Contrary to popular belief, what you place in the keyword tag will have little bearing on what keywords your site is actually found under. Use this tag, but do not obsess over it.
  7. Use extra goodies to boost rankings
    Things like headlines, image alt tags, heading tags (<h1>, <h2>, etc.), links from other pages, keywords in file names, and keywords in hyperlinks can cumulatively boost your search engine rankings. Use any or all of these where they make sense for your site.
  8. Submitting to directories
    Be careful when submitting to directories such as Yahoo and DMOZ. Having directory listings are a key component to getting your site spidered and listed by Google. Therefore it's important to read each directory's FAQ and follow it precisely. Making mistakes in the submission process could cost you dearly as directory listings are difficult to change later in the game.
  9. Don't expect quick results
    Getting top search engine rankings takes time; there's no getting around that fact. Once your site is added to a search engine or directory, its ranking may start out low and then slowly work its way up the ladder. Some search engines measure click through popularity, i.e., the more people that click on a particular site, the higher its ranking will go. Be patient and give your site time to mature.
  10. Don't constantly tweak your site for better results
    It's best not to make changes to your search engine optimization for at least three to six months after submission. It often takes the search engines at least that long to add your optimized pages to their databases. Submit it, and then forget about it for a while!

If you've followed these tips for top ten search engine rankings and still can't find your site in the search engines, the first place to tweak would be your page copy. If you added less than 250 words of visible text to your pages, this is probably the culprit. Also, double check your keyword density, and make sure that you only targeted two or three keyword phrases per page. Eventually, you'll see the fruits of your labor with many top ten search engine rankings in Google and the rest of the search engines!

Jill Whalen - Visit the High Rankings Consultants Profile
©Copyright 2003 High Rankings. All Rights Reserved.

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