Search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, MSN and Live Search, all use different criteria to determine your placement in search results. And to make it even more difficult, they generally won’t tell you what that criteria is. But there are a few things that you MUST do to have a chance at getting listed in a good position in the search results. By using these techniques, I have gotten several of my client’s websites listed on the first page of Google search results for their desired keyword phrase.

Keyword Selection

A keyword is a word or phrase that is used to describe your web page and that you want the search engines to find you with. This is the most important decision you will make regarding your search engine strategy. If you choose a phrase that is too popular/competitive in your market, you will have a poor chance of getting good results. Don’t choose a keyword that 5 billion other websites are using. Choose something unique, but in demand. Try the Google AdWords Keyword Tool to find ideas that have plenty of searches and lower keyword competition.

For example, on HeavenlyCrosses.com, I recommended a keyword phrase of “Disciple’s Cross Necklaces”. Why? Because no one was going to search on “Heavenly Crosses” unless they already knew about the website. “Disciple’s Cross” was way too competitive and so was “cross necklaces”. But combining them together gave the website a better chance of being found. And it worked! Google it and see!

Title Tag

The title is the information that shows up at the top of your website browser when you are viewing a website and on the page tabs if you have more than one window open. This is also the title line and link at the top of the individual search results. You MUST put your keywords in the title! The title is created by using the “title” tag in your web page’s HTML code. I recommend limiting your title to a maximum of 64 characters.

Using this web page as an example, the title tag would look like this:
<title>First Page of Google Search Results</title>

Description Meta Tag

The description is just that; a description of your web page. This is placed in your HTML code in a “meta” tag, but does not show up anywhere on your actual website. It shows up as the website description in the search engine results. You MUST put your keywords in the description! I recommend limiting your description to a maximum of 160 characters.

Using this web page as an example, the description tag might look like this:
<meta content=”What you need to have on your page and in your website code to help boost your placement in Google search results and other search engines.” name=”description” />

Keyword Meta Tag

It is debatable whether or not the search engines still use the keyword meta tag, but I say, when in doubt, include it. It certainly can’t hurt.

The keyword meta tag is HTML code that gets inserted into your web page. It doesn’t show up anywhere, but the search engine spiders might read it. So put your keywords in that code just for safe measure. I recommend limiting your keywords to a maximum of 20 words.

Here is an example keyword meta tag:
<meta content=”Google search results, first page of Google, search engine optimization, keyword meta tag, keyword meta tag, title tag” name=”keywords” />

Keyword Relevancy: Content is King

Your selected keywords should be what your web page is about. Therefore you must have your keywords in your web page content. Put them in headings (using H1 and H2 tags). Put them in picture descriptions. Put them in your paragraphs. If your keywords are relevant to your web page, this should come naturally. Just don’t over-do it or the search engines might get upset with you for trying to manipulate them.

Domain Name/URL

Putting your keywords in your website’s domain name and/or URL is another one of those debatable search engines techniques. Some say it isn’t used, but I say it is. After all, if you search on something and the words you searched on are in the URL, they are highlighted in the Google search results. That says to me that it is being noticed and counted. If you already have your domain name, don’t worry. It’s just another suggestion. No one thing will make or break your search engine results.

Incoming Links

The more links you have coming to your website from other quality, related websites, the better your search result placement will be. Make sure you ask those linking to you to use your keywords in the link text whenever possible. For example, use a link like affordable website solutions instead of using the website URL or your company name.

Getting incoming links to your website is part of what is called “off-page search engine optimization”. The code that links to your website is on someone else’s website, not yours, thus “off-page”.

Hopefully these tips will help you get better placement in the search engines! Good luck with your quest to reach the first page of Google search results.

I’m here to help if you need me!

But did you know that most blogging software (like WordPress) automatically prevents your comment links from being followed by search engines? The software puts a tag rel=”nofollow” on your link telling the search engines not to count your link. NO comment link love!

I don’t know about you, but I like getting some link love for commenting on other blogs. And since I try not to be a hypocrite, I want to make sure that I am giving you plenty of comment link love when you comment here.

Therefore, I have activated two WordPress plugins on this blog:

1. The DoFollow WordPress plugin disables the automatic nofollow. Now all comment links on this blog will be followed by search engines and given incoming link credit.

2. The CommentLuv WordPress plugin gives bloggers double comment link love! This plugin will check your comment link for an RSS feed and, if it finds one, will add a automatically add a link to your latest blog post. Now you not only get a link to your website, but you get an internal page link to an individual blog post too!

Want to give some comment link love to your blog readers? Here are the links to the WordPress plugins mentioned above: DoFollow and CommentLuv. If you need any help installing these plugins, just let me know.