Search engine optimization, also known as the inevitable cat and mouse game between search engine algorithms and those finding ways to increase their search engine rankings, has been responsible for the creation of a multi-million dollar niche industry. At one time, it was relatively easy to increase your rank by exploiting obvious vulnerabilities in the methodologies employed by the search engines. Now, following the advent of Google PageRank and similar “intelligent” search algorithms, it has evolved into a highly sophisticated, expensive affair.

It’s true that there is a large and diverse market for the services offered by search engine optimizers. Many of the world’s largest brands depend on them to increase search engine clicks, as being the first result for a popular query can have a very noticeable impact on revenue. If you are a popular hotel chain with a Hawaiian resort, then you would certainly want to be the first result for “hawaii hotel” on Google. It makes good business sense.

It’s also true that there are good (if you’re reading this, Erik, you’re one of them) and bad (black hat) search engine optimizers. Good search engine optimizers use the tips in this list as part of their overall strategy, while bad search engine optimizers try to “game” the system — in this case, search engines like Google — to provide fast results. If anyone tells you that they can produce results in a week or two, forget about them. Legitimate search engine optimization often takes months to produce results, and the use of poor judgment can cause your site to disappear from the search engines altogether. Look no further than BMW for a shining example of that.

While these tips aren’t for everybody, they might very well save you some time and money. If you already have a search engine optimizer, see how many of these they have implemented. The items in this list are all things that a good search engine optimization firm should know and put to work for their clients on a regular basis.

1. Whenever you can, use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to separate content from presentation.

This tip addresses one of the largest mistakes made in Web development today. Google and many other search engines reward “clean sites,” or those whose owners continuously make an effort to meet accessibility guidelines. In some cases, you can seriously undermine your own efforts by using a heavy table-based layout, as search engines will have a hard time determining what is part of your content, and what is part of your design.

2. Don’t Flash your audience.

While Adobe Flash is often useful for delivering rich multimedia presentations, that content is extremely difficult for most search engines to decipher. Sometimes, it can’t be deciphered at all, and won’t do anything to increase your visibility on the Web. If your navigation is part of a Flash movie, search engines might not even know some parts of your site exist. In other words, when Flash isn’t kept on a tight leash, it will work against you. For a good example of how to work with Flash and degrade gracefully for search engines, look no further than Mercedes-Benz.

3. Long, unmemorable URLs don’t work in your favor.

This is especially true in the case of complex dynamic Web applications. Fortunately, these types of URLs are becoming less necessary, as more Web developers are now ditching them with the assistance of server-side solutions like mod_rewrite. Shorter URLs also result in a more usable site. In the case of auction giant eBay, for example, http://www.ebay.com/login would represent a vast improvement on the current login URL, http://signin.ebay.com/ws2/eBayISAPI.dll?
SignIn&ssPageName=h:h:sin:US&ru=http%3A//www.ebay.com/.

4. If you can’t navigate your site, neither can the search engines.

Each of your pages should have a clean, clear menu. If you use a JavaScript-based drop down solution, make sure it is not actually rendered by the script. You should be able to navigate your site with JavaScript completely disabled in your browser. Son of Suckerfish represents an outstanding way to have your cake and eat it, too.

5. Search engines still appreciate a little direction.

While meta tags are less relevant than they used to be, it’s still good to publish a meta description for each page, which can contain keywords and key phrases that your audience members are likely to search for.

6. Give everything some meaning.

You should always have a title tag for each page, as title is arguably the most important tag of them all. Your title tag should include some phrases that are very relevant to the content of the page, and those phrases should be lightly interspersed throughout the page content. Also, it’s not a bad idea to make the most important keywords and key phrases part of your actual URL. In the case of this article, for example, it’s search-engine-optimization. Finally, don’t forget to organize the structure of your content with header (e.g., h1, h2, h3) tags.

7. Start a blog.

Search engines love bloggers, and there is no easier way to generate both revenue and traffic. It’s also a great way to build interest in any products you might be selling, as well as to establish yourself as an authority in your field. If you’re familiar with a subject, tell others what you know!

(Read my article, Six Tips for Successful Blogging, for a little more information about it.)

8. Start building links.

Sometimes, it’s as easy as e-mailing the Webmaster of a particular site. Other times, you might need to pay a directory. The number of quality sites that link to yours is often the largest metric by which your site is judged. If you have Mozilla Firefox, consider installing the Search Status extension. It will provide you with Alexa and Google PageRank information as you browse a site. As a general rule, you should spend the most time pursuing sites with high PageRank values. Links from sites on established (i.e., old) and educational (i.e., .edu) domain names usually result in a greater benefit.

9. Most SEO software hurts more than it helps.

There are a number of companies that produce software designed to increase your ranking and automate the overall search engine optimization process. However, most of these applications do very little to increase your ranking, and can actually have a negative effect if you’re caught using them. Some things are best done manually, and search engine optimization has been known to fall in that category.

10. Update regularly.

The better search engine bots monitor your site for updates, and frequently updated sites are often considered to be more relevant. After all, few people turn to the Web for outdated material, and the search engines are designed to produce relevant results. The search engine designers know that newer content is usually up-to-date, and therefore more relevant. See #7 for a good way to continuously produce up-to-date content.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 14th, 2007 at 11:31 am and is filed under Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.