Search Engine Optimization Tips for Dummies

Knowing how to get website traffic is vital for the webmaster hoping to earn money at home from writing, but a well-written and researched webpage is only part of the story. The other, more vital component is getting it seen by many. This involves the effective use of keywords and phrases, and also the appearance and design of the website.

Mistakes to Avoid in SEO

Knowing what to avoid is as important as what to include. The following Google ranking tips will help:

• Get to know Google’s Adwords Keyword Tool. This is vital. By putting in a search phrase the webmaster thinks a searcher might use when finding information, the tool will throw back actual phrases used by searchers, including synonyms, and variations. The data reveals the search volume of that term and the monetary value of ads generated on the page
• When conceiving the title to a webpage, avoid vague terms and those that have high competition, such as “holidays in America.” A specific and descriptive title is much better and will make it easier to index in search engines
• Avoid idiosyncratic or slang terms which are meaningless to most people
• Avoid keyword stuffing, a practice used by spammers to try to get website traffic artificially. The search engines always wisen up to this practice in the end and penalise the website by delegating it to lower search ranking
• Similarly, not using enough keywords will make it difficult for the search engines to index the page, because it is unclear what it is about. A keyword density of around 2% to 10% within the text is ideal.

A Great Website Design

The following mistakes in website design could deter visitors from sticking around and in turn cause loss in Adsense revenue.

• Using a complimentary colour palette is easier on the eye. Avoid garish colour schemes, such as contrasting colours which cause the text appear to shimmer
• Ensure all images are in context with the content
• Too many images or too much unbroken text is off putting. A balance between the two is best
• Avoid dynamic content that makes pages take ages to load
• Avoid nuisance factors, such as gadgets that pop up, or weird effects. Most visitors are simply looking for information and do not like surprises

How to Get Web Site Traffic

A website will be more visible if it has a strong identity and concentrates upon a niche market that few others are writing about. This will make the site stand out from the crowd. Despite the web being such a huge market place, there are still opportunities to be found for niche marketing.

But quality is the most important factor. This in turn will turn into recommendation and backlinks from other websites. This will enhance Google’s ranking of the website further.

Improving the Website

Imagine visiting the website from a visitor’ viewpoint, or better still ask someone else to do this. Make a list of peeves that are highlighted with the view to resolve them
Create an attractive homepage that promises a website that is rich in relevant information
The website must be easy to navigate around, which means that it must be user friendly for the visitor
Avoid dynamic content that makes pages take ages to load

Google Ranking Tips

Ensure that the sitemap is uploaded into Google’s search engine by the Webmaster Tools function, and keep it updated by resubmitting the sitemap every time new pages have been added or alterations have been made
Look out for deep pages that Google cannot find, for instance, those that are on a lower level domain within the website. Consider moving it to a more prominent position, or dispensing with the lower level altogether
Submit the website to the most prominent search engines. Time can be saved from submitting it to the smaller ones for they will find it by referral in time.

Web Site Search Optimization

The webmaster must have some knowledge of website marketing when having a subject to write about. Sound knowledge of how to use Google Adwords Keywords tool is vital for finding the best keywords to include within the website, but it does not end there. Quality content is valued by search engines and in time will be rewarded.

A website that concentrates upon a niche subject matter written by few others will attract the right sort of audience, but it must also be well-written and a pleasant experience for the visitor. Good quality is more likely to earn the website backlinks from other sites and help it move up the Google’s rankings.