Optimize Your Website for Search Engine Traffic

The most essential element of the search engine game is keywords. Viewers use keywords to search for the content they want. Site administrators use keywords in hopes of drawing viewers to their sites. The number of matching keywords that appear in your site when a viewer enters them into a search engine determines your ranking on that search page. Where do keywords come from, and how do you control them? Read on ...

The Meta Keywords

Meta tags are the secret to ensuring your site contains all the relevant keywords that might draw viewers. The meta keywords are part of an "invisible" code that appears only to the search engine. This is where you can let your imagination run wild and try to think of every possible keyword a viewer might enter into a search when looking for the sort of information on your site. The more search items someone enters that appear on your site, the better your search engine ranking may be. It's important to include keywords relevant to your content in order to draw the sort of visitors you want. You can also view the source code on your competition's website in order to learn what keywords they're using to generate traffic.

Your meta keyword tag can contain up to about 870 characters. You should avoid repeating the same keywords more than three times, as this may lower your rankings. If you wish, you can include a few common misspellings of words, but it may be easier to just include as many different keywords as possible. Here's an example of what your code might look like:

Blossom's Blossoms - Florist - Rare Flowers

The Body

In addition to all the keywords found in your meta tags, some search engines may also catalog every word on your site. Normally, the first few sentences of the page receive the most attention from search engines. This is a good place to put an introductory welcome message to visitors on your site, where you greet them and explain what your site is all about. This way, not only do your viewers immediately learn what sort of content you offer, but so do the search engines.

Alt Description Tags

Alt description tags are what allow words to pop up in a box when you hover your mouse over a photo. Inserting "pop-up captions" like this allows you to sneak a few more keywords into your site, as search engines note alt description tags as well. This tag is generally used when an image is used to link to another page. Check out the example:

How Will This Help Me?

By ensuring your site is rich with various keywords relevant to your content, you're taking an active role in making sure search engines notice your site and rank it accordingly. The higher your search engine rankings, the more likely it is visitors looking for the information you provide will be able to find your site.