What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) copywriting is the technique of writing viewable text on a web page in such a way that it reads well for the surfer, and also targets specific search terms. The purpose of Search Engine Optimization is to rank a website highly in the search engines for the targeted keywords.
Search engine Rank?
A page rank is the position of web pages displayed in the search engine results. This determines whether your website or blog ranks gets ranked on the first page of the search engine results.
What is On-Page and Off-Page SEO?
On-Page Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
This involves providing high quality and unique content, good keywords selection and proper positioning of the keywords. The titles should be selected carefully to make sure they reflect the content of the webpage.
Off-Page Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
The Off-Page SEO involves link building, increasing link popularity by submitting open directories, search engines and link exchange among other approved actions.
TACTICS AND METHODS
The Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques are classified into two broad categories:
- White Hat Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – This is a technique that search engines recommend as part of a good design.
- Black Hat Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – This is a technique that search engines do not approve and attempt to minimize the effect of. The technique is also known as spamdexing.
White Hat Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
The technique complies with the search engine’s set guidelines. The following features are important in Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
- No deception involved
- Content indexed by the search engine is the one seen by the users
- Web content is created for the users and not the search engines
- It promotes high quality web page content
It is always advisable to maintain White Hat SEO techniques and never try to trick your site visitors. Honesty is the keyword here!
Black Hat Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Spamdexing
The following are the features of spamdexing:
- Redirecting users to a different page other than the one that was ranked by the search engine.
- Using rank improvements techniques which are not approved by search engines
- Low quality content displayed on the webpages. These pages are referred to as Gateway pages.
- Redirecting users to a human friendly webpage from one build for the search engines
- Using mirror websites. These websites have different URLs but similar content.
- Clocking Search Engine Optimization (SEO) technique. Submission of one page staffed with keywords to the engine spiders while visitors are directed to a different web page.
- Hiding content in the background using tiny font size or using HTML code.
- Using keywords which have no relationship with the website content.
- Planned placing of keywords within a web page to raise the density, count and variety. This is known as metatag stuffing.
- Creating a vague copy of a popular website but direct the website visitors to another website. This is commonly referred to as page hijacking.
At Kerosi Technologies Limited, we never engage in the use of Black Hat techniques in our Search Engine Optimization (SEO) practice.
The use of keywords in your website gives you a great competitive advantage over your competitors in the industry.
Make sure you are on the right path by avoiding buying confusing and long domain names. Choose a domain that you will be able to easily say once over the telephone. People should be able to know what you sell by looking at the domain name.
DESIGN AND LAYOUT
The recommended keyword density stands at 10%.
Optimized Keywords
Make sure that your keywords are descriptive and highly specific.
Keyword frequency
There are numerous phrases that are used to refer to keyword frequency. These are as listed below:
- Keyword weight – The keyword weight can be increased through minimizing the overall word count in a webpage.
- Keyword Proximity – This refers to how the keywords are placed in a webpage in reference to each other. Normally, the keywords are placed in the title of the page and heading tags to make them more relevant.
- Keyword Prominence- This is a measure of high on a given webpage, first heading as well as first paragraph the keywords appear. There should be a keyword in the first 20 words in a webpage.
Best Placement of Keywords
Keywords should be placed:
- In the <title> tag(s).
- In the <meta name =”description ”>
- In the <meta name=”keyword”>.
- In <h1> or other headline tags.
- In the <a href=”http://yourcompanyname.com”>
- In the body content.
- In alt tags.
- In the comments tags.
- In the website address.
FINDING KEYWORDS
- Potential phrases or words which people may use to find your product/service.
- Identify the problems that your customers may try to solve with your product.
- Keyword tags on competitor’s websites.
- Visible webpage content on competitor’s websites
- Get search suggestions from top search engines
- Use of an online tool such as Google Keyword Tool
- Brainstorming on prospective keywords for your website
OPTIMIZED METATAGS
Title Optimization
It is important to use the right titles of every page of your website. Google uses this keywords to ranks your webpages.
- Titles should not exceed nine (9) words
- Place keywords at the beginning of each title
- Don’t include the name of your company unless your company name is very popular.
Improper use of keywords in a webpage is a sure way of keeping websites out of the top ranks of the search engines. Always ensure you have high quality links from websites with high reputation.
How to create great Titles
- Create a unique title
- If possible include keywords on the title on every page
- Start the homepage content with primary keyword phase followed by the best keyword phrases.
- You can use variations of the primary keyword in the titles or webpage contents
- Make sure the company name appears at the end of the webpage titles
- Make sure the titles have proper forms i.e. singular or plural based on what WordTracker recommends.
- Avoid overusing the keywords on the titles. Never repeat keywords more than two or three times in any title.
Optimized Anchor
Make good use of descriptive anchor text for all links created. Always refer often and practice it in your work.
Content is Key
Create high quality text, graphics and links to other websites. Avoid use of a lot of graphics because they are not search engine friendly. Heavy graphics discourage users especially when they are downloaded over slow networks.
Always make sure that content is original, unique and high-quality. This means that content is the King.
The superior quality content promotes the ranking by search engines. This will generate high traffic to your website.
You might be wondering how you can get high quality content. This content has to be timely, relevant and fresh.
Website Verification
Always make sure that your website is w3c compliant.
Keyword Research
It is important to build a list of key phrases which are relevant to your business operations.
Off-Page Optimization:
This involves writing content and managing blogs, press releases and submitting articles to popular directories.
Link Building
Link building is the practice of getting links from other websites to your own webpages. This improves the generation of direct referrals and improves search engine ranking.
Increasing Link Popularity
Make sure your site is manually submitted to popular search engines. Avoid automating this process. Examples of open directories are yahoo.com and dmog.org. Make sure you have high quality content so that people naturally link to your website. Feature information or data that people want.
Create personal relationships with other webmasters. Ask them to put your website link on their site. Be part of the Link Exchange Programs. You can achieve this by contacting the top 20 websites for reciprocal links.
Participate in forums where if possible you can post your website link as a signature. That is if there are no restrictions. This can help increase your website popularity.
Next, submit your website to bookmarking sites for instance, Slashdot and DIGG among others. Write high quality content for blogging sites and provide a few references of those links to your website.
Maintain a regular editorial schedule to keep your website visitors busy. Always keep your visitors busy while they are on your website. If it is possible create blogs, forums and newsletters.
If you have a budget subscribe for Google’s Adwords program in order to drive traffic to your site.
Mobile Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
These days billions of people access the internet through use of mobile devices. These devices run on iOS, Android and Windows Operating Systems.
What is Mobile SEO?
A website is considered to be mobile friendly if it has the following characteristics:
- It should show up on the search engine results
- It should be easier to navigate the website on the mobile device
- Easy to read content on the mobile devices without zooming the screen.
Optimize Site for Mobile
- Always select mobile configuration
- Submit the mobile content to the search engine
- Avoid the most common mistakes
Mobile Configuration
- Choose the responsive web design
- Alternative have separate URLs for your business. One for mobile and the other for viewing on laptops and desktops.
- Ensure there is dynamic serving
Google always recommends responsive website design, however it supports all the three existing configurations.
| Mobile Configuration | URL | HTML |
| Responsive Web Design | URL remains the same | Remains the same |
| Dynamic Serving | Remains the same | Uses different HTMLs |
| Separate URLs | Separate URLs is required | Requires different HTML |
Common Mistakes to Avoid when Handling Responsive Web Design
Avoid slow Mobile Pages:
It is important to pay close attention to how fast your mobile webpages load. This is a critical Google ranking factor.
Do not Block CSS, JavaScript or Image Files: Never hide your JavaScript, CSS, or image files.
Also avoid use of plug-ins and pop-ups
Useful Tools
Mobile Emulator: It lets you see how your site appears on a wide variety of mobile devices.
Moz Local: Use this tool to ensure your local Search Engine (SEO) is in order.
Responsive Web Design Testing Tool: Use this tool to see how your responsive sites look like on different mobile devices using different standard screen sizes.
Screaming Frog: This is a useful tool that allows you to analyze your site and double-check all the redirects.
Don’t Do List:
- Don’t keep hidden text on your webpages
To Do List
- Create logs of pages and each page should however contain a minimum of about 200 visible words of text to maximize relevance with Google.
- Create a Sitemap, Help, FAQ, About Us, Copyright, Disclaimer and Privacy Policy Pages on mandatory basis.
- Create a homepage link to each and every webpage and provide easy navigation through all the pages.
- Pay attention to your dynamic page URLs.
- Check your complete site for broken links. Broken links will reduce your other pages rank as well.
