Search Engine Optimisation and Techniques

Search Engine Optimisation can be defined as the craft of creating, shaping and managing websites for the express purpose of making them as easily findable as possible for people searching in search engines for the products, services and information those websites are presenting. So what are the main techniques being used out there to help web masters build sites that they can be easily found on the Internet? Below we discuss some of the important techniques required to ensure that your web site is built to be ranked higher in search engines:

Ranking of a web site usually depends on a combination of on-page factors some of which include; the page titles, headings, page content, the use of META Tags, and off-page factors such as; inbound links, anchor text content, link context, etc), and competition; how many other pages target your phrases, and how well they are optimized.

Page Titles The page title element is one of the most important factors for ranking highly in the search engines. Page titles are normally 3-9 words (60-80 characters) maximum in length that show at the top of your browser window. These should be well written and to the point and should be relevant to the content on the page. This is what shows up in most search engine results as a link back to your page.

Inbound links give your site "credibility" with the search engines like google, and they also help the spiders find you. They are particularly important for rankings on competitive searches. It is important to ensure that you get quality web sites that have good rankings and have related content as yours to link to your web site, by approaching such web site owners and setting up link exchanges.

Web site Content - A web site selling widgets should always start by providing as much relevant information as possible to the web site visitor. To be successful with optimising mass amounts of content, it needs to be structured well. Search Engines want to promote informative and unique resources that people can put to use, so having good relevant content is very important for your web site.

Web Site Design- XEL Web Design Manchester suggest that the simpler your web site design the better it is for the search engines. As a rule of thumb the text content of your web page should generally outweigh the html content. The pages should be validated and be usable in everything from Lynx to leading edge browsers. Make an effort to arrange your web site in a logical manner ensuring that the web site is kept clean and professional to the best of your ability.

META Tag keywords Use the META keyword Tag (part of the HTML code of a web site) to supply web site keywords Make sure your META Tag Keywords are relevant to the content on the page. A lot of importance used to be given to this part of the optimisation in the past, but recently search engines don't give as much importance to this area any more.

Heading TagsThese are again part of the HTML code of a web site used to display page titles. XEL Web Design Manchester recommends the use of at least one heading tag <h1> to appear at the top of your page and be well written using prime keywords and keyword phrases.

Again as with Meta keywords, you should ensure that your Heading Tags are relevant to the content on the page.