Seven SEO Tips

This may not solve all your web site's problems, but it's a place to start.

Every little bit helps, eh? SEO Tips are all over the Internet. These are some very basic things you can do in a DIY situation to help solve a few internal problems. It helps to begin at the beginning...

01 - Choose the right URL. (This is your web address)
Yes, you may or may not have an URL that is conducive to SEO. It's not an absolute must, but if you don't already have one, choose one that includes a keyword you have researched. Use your company name only if it contains a primary keyword.

02 - Choose WORDS carefully. (Your web sites textual content)
You may think just because we seem to have slap hazard thrown our content onto these pages that you can do that and it will work for you too. It won't, so don't try it. Do as we say and not as we do. Use YOUR keywords as they would be used in speech and not to distraction. Think keyword density as "second thoughts." Important words should be in titles and close to the top of the page.

03 - Build a structure using your keywords. (Directory names etc.)
When you can manage it, use your keywords as directory names, in file names and as links to pages. Don't overdo it though. Be sure it all makes sense to the reader as well as being useful for your own navigation purposes.

04 - Use the correct code tags.
Don't try to fool the search engine robots into thinking that all the words on your web site are KEY to the indexing process. Use the proper tags. Not every line is a heading or sub-heading. Plain text is just plain text. It is important all on it's own. Use "h" (heading) tags appropriately.

05 - Use keyword and description Meta tags.
Not all search engines use them but some do. At this point in time it does not hurt to use them and will help with some search engines.

06 - Naming Conventions.
Name things for what they are or what they represent. Don't try to be sly about interjecting a lot of keywords unless they make sense. If they do make sense, go ahead, kneed those seeds right into the dough.

07 - Use alt tags. (Image descriptions or image notes behind your images.)
Don't forget to use alt tags. This is one place you CAN add a keyword here and there and it will make sense to the reader AND the robot, usually. Depends on what your are pushing, at the time.

SEO is really not a great big mystery but it does take some time to learn what works and what does not work. YOUR marketplace analysis should help you determine how much is too much and how much is enough.

If you have a great big website with hundreds or thousands of products there are a whole other set of rules to be added to the above basic stuff.
If your business is professional (doctors, lawyers, Indian chief's) then there are some things to know about those marketplaces that are not a good fit for other businesses.
DON'T let anyone tell you that the marketplace their business is in does not matter. If they are not aware of the fact that marketplace research results will effect SEO efforts DO NOT HIRE THEM.

Keep it all in your pocket, for now.

DO NOT hire before you kick the tires!

Tall stack of money.