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Search Engine Optimization: 11 Basic SEO Strategies for Beginners
By Donna Gunter (c) 2008 

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process getting
your website ready to be found in organic web searches.
By organic searches, I'm referring to web searches that
appear naturally as the result of a search for a particular
keyword or phrase, rather than appearing in the sponsored
links (pay-per-click advertising) section of a search page.

Frankly, for the first few years I was online, the thought
of doing my own SEO made my eyes cross, and I was
overwhelmed at where to start. I even toyed with the idea
of hiring a specialist to do this for me, but never got
around to it. However, over time, I slowly began to see a
pattern emerging, and started to optimize some of my sites
accordingly. One of the best days of my business was when
I recently ranked #1 for a particularly competitive search
term.

I'm not a search engine optimization (SEO) specialist, nor
do I play one on TV. However, even a new business owner
who creates and updates her own websites can implement some
very basic SEO strategies to make her website appear higher
in the organic rankings on certain keyword searches.

Here are the 11 strategies that I regularly implement on my
sites for better SEO positioning:

1.  Page title tags. This is the page information that you
see in the blue bar of your browser in the upper left-hand
corner when you visit a website. For best SEO, use your top
2 keywords in your title tag. The best way to do that is
separated with a bar, as illustrated in this example:
Internet Marketing |  Web Marketing.

2.  Domain name:  If at all possible, use one primary
keyword in your domain name. You will have a slight edge
over your competition by doing so. If you already have a
domain that you have used for some time, include a keyword
in the name of files for your website pages. Example:
http://www.yoursite.com/internet-marketing.htm if your
keyword is Internet marketing.

3.  Meta tags. These are descriptions on a web page that
are not seen by most visitors except when looking at the
page source code in their browser. While the keyword and
description metatags used to be the primary way that search
engines indexed sites, that is no longer the case.
However, you shouldn't ignore them entirely, as it is still
worthwhile to include them as a part of your page
description. For optimal SEO, your meta description and
keyword tags should be no more than 150 characters each.

4.  Header tags. Header tags are the HTML code that
indicate a headline, like H1, H2 and H3 and show up as
bolded headlines in your page content. The first 3 header
tags are the only ones you need to be concerned about, and
the primary header tag, H1, is the most important. Use
your primary keyword one time in the H1 tag, 2-3 times in
your H2 tags, and multiple times in your H3 tags.

5.  Alt image tag: The alt tag typically describes an
image in a floating text window when you put your mouse
over the image if the image isn't able to be displayed.
The best use of any  tag is to use your keywords in
your image descriptions.

6.  Content formatting. Search engines pay attention to
formatted content, as in when text is bolded, italicized,
and underlined. Make sure that you are bolding your
keywords in the content of your website.

7.  Keyword density. Keyword density refers to the number
of times a keyword or keyword phrase appears on a web page.
Rather than trying to focus on the number of times a
keyword appears in the content of your page, aim for a more
natural density by keeping your keyword phrases in mind as
you write the copy for your page. Optimally, keyword
density should be between 2% - 7%. There are a number of
keyword density checkers available online to assist you
with determining the keyword density of a page.

8.  Anchor text. Anchor text refer to links on a page that
connect your visitor to other pages. So, rather than
telling someone to "click here" in the content of your
page, include a keyword in your anchor text, as in "click
here for dog training tips."

9..  Inbound links. Reciprocal link exchange (you link to
my site and I'll link to yours) used to be a great way to
attract the attention of search engines to your site. Now,
search engines pay attention only to the quality and
popularity of the site providing you with an inbound link
that is not a reciprocal link. One of the best ways to get
quality inbound links back to your site is to submit
articles to high traffic article directories and submit
press releases to paid press release services.

A second way to gain high quality inbound links is by
listing your site in search engine-friendly directories in
which humans review the listings. Google and other search
engines place more credibility in the directories in which
the listings are reviewed by real people than they do other
kinds of directories. Consequently, these links are
weighted more heavily and favorably in the inbound link
evaluation process.

10.  New content. Content is still king, so one way to
increase your page rank for a search term is to write high
quality articles containing one or two of your keywords in
the title and posting those regularly (weekly is best) to
your site. Search engines are always seeking good, fresh,
content, so your goal should be to make your site into an
information-rich resource for your industry.

11.  Site maps. There are sitemaps that help a visitor
navigate a site, and sitemaps that are expressly designed
for the search engines. The two are not the same. To
enhance your site, submit an xml sitemap to Google
Webmaster Central and Yahoo Site Explorer. I use XML
Sitemaps, http://www.xml-sitemaps.com/, to build search
engine-friendly sitemaps on my sites.

Search engine optimization strategy is not as difficult as
it appears. Take some time to do some keyword research for
your site, and then spend another 15 minutes a day
employing a few of these strategies until you have a
well-optimized site. Why pay for visitors through
pay-per-click advertising if you don't have to?
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Online Business Manager and Online Business Coach Donna
Gunter helps independent service professionals learn how to
automate their businesses, leverage their expertise on the
Internet, and get more clients online. To claim your FREE
gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, visit her
site at http://www.OnlineBizU.com . Ask Donna an Internet
Marketing question at http://www.AskDonnaGunter.com
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