Introduction
Where do you rank on the World Wide Web? It's not enough to have a website; you have to get ranked on the
first page to get noticed. Otherwise, holding your position at number 28,432 on Google isn't going to do
you much good. Check out some easy ways to improve your page rank and get yourself noticed.
Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) ensures that your website copy is written and structured in a way that
improves chances that your website will be found when someone performs a search. For example, if your
company sells insurance, you'd use words or phrases such as life insurance, insurance quote, insurance
agent, or home insurance.
Content
Write articles that grab the interest of readers right now. Include case studies and whitepapers
on your site that will give your visitors a reason to always come back. Or even check out what's
going on in the news and be there first to report changes that impact your industry. For example,
if you sell mortgages, be the first one to report the drop in mortgage rates. You'll generate a
lot of traffic and increase your ranking. Remember, time is of the essence. If you find out something
new and hot, you should write about it before your competition does!
Search engine spiders are looking for sites that are periodically updated with rich content. Do
not offer content that isn't useful. Some people try to place content that is rich in keywords
but doesn't offer the incoming traffic anything beneficial. Low traffic will equal lower rankings
with top search engines. The idea behind rich content with specific keywords is that because you
keep posting content, soon you will be ranked within the search engines for specific words. So,
when I post articles about the different insurance rates and options, etc.; when an on-line visitor
is searching for this info they will land on your site and may become potential clients.
Content must be used to provide new and interesting information that your reader wants to know
about, offer helpful tips, or solve a problem. This content will get you link-backs which are
excellent for driving traffic. You can also post articles through authentic submission sites,
and that will also generate a lot of traffic. Many companies publish with different online
magazines etc., not only to prove their expertise but also to gain more traffic linking to
their sites.
Offer Resources
Offer resources that will help your reader. For instance, if you are an insurance agent, and
you want to attract new clients, offer a comparison chart of all the insurance agencies in the
area so your user can make an objective decision. At first, it seems like the insurance company
is driving business away that way. Not so. If you offer your users resources that benefit them,
they will come back for more when they are searching again.
Link It Up
Linking to other websites is a great way to increase your page ranking. Linking to other websites
raises credibility in the eyes of the search engines. Who should you link to? Provide links to
websites that offer a similar product or service as you do, or websites that are industry related.
A spa can link to its beauty suppliers, for example. Ask them if they will provide a link to your
website, and remember to offer to link to theirs in return. You can also submit articles to directories
or credible article submission websites to gain links. Good articles and resources will get you
bookmarked and potentially linked to by other users.
Include a Site Map
Generate a site map that links to every page in your site. Search engines like pages that can be
accessed easily, so make sure your important pages remain in the first or second level.
Make Changes
Every month or two go back and update or make changes to your website. If you let it become stale,
the search engines will toss you out like yesterday's news. Update it to generate new interest.
Another great way is to add a daily blog. This will ensure that your content is updated daily and
stays fresh.
Live Bookmarks
Updates happen all the time. A live bookmark keeps track of updates and lets you know that
information has changed, rather than you checking to see if websites have made additions. By
providing live bookmarks, you are increasing your traffic and ranking because people will come
back to you sooner, and more often.
RSS Feeds
Create an RSS Feed. RSS or Rich Site Syndication is a file format used by publishers to make
their content available to others in a format that is universal. RSS is a way to publish
content and update it in real time. This gives the user the opportunity access information
through an RSS reader.
Targeted Headlines
A clear, targeted headline will nudge your ranking a little higher. Use large text and words that
relate to your website. For example, if you are a content developer, you could write a headline
like: "Ten Quick Tips For Killer Copy."
About The Author
Ayat Shukairy is the creative director at INVESP consulting. Ayat leads enterprise implementations to help clients
increase site traffic, improve site conversion rates,
optimize landing pages and establish customer loyalty.
