Metatags:
If you view the source of many web pages
you will find what are called metatags appearing in the head of the HTML
code.. These tags help some search engines index your pages.
The use of metatags is passing but most web designers still include
them. The two used most often are the meta keyword tag and the meta
description tag.
Keyword Tag
The keyword tag is formatted as follows:
<meta name="keywords"
content="keyword phrase 1, keyword phrase 2, keyword phrase 3">
Note the keyword phrases are separated by commas. Don't go
overboard listing keyword phrases. Three or four should be
adequate. Some advocate using page title as one on your keyword phrases.
Don't be a lazy keyword writer. Don't use same keywords on all
pages. Make keywords specific to page
The more important of the tags is the description tag.
Description Tag
<meta name="description"
content="page description goes here">
It is recommended that the
description tag contain no more than 25 words and adequately describe
the page.
Back to top.
Title Tag
An extremely important off screen element is the page title. It is
formatted as follows
<title>Title of page goes
here</title>
Many WYSIWYG editors let you
automatically add the title in a fill in the blank fashion at the time
you save your page. This together with your description tag are
extremely important for indexing purposes. Writing good descriptive
titles is a must. The page title should be no more than 8 words.
Back to top.
Alt Tag for Images
The alt tag for images allows you to describe the image
for the visually impaired or for viewers using text only browsers.
This tag has been misused as a means to add keywords to a web
page. Currently use this tag carefully to accurately describe
images on page.
<img border="0" src="images/banner2.jpg"
alt="description of image" width="799" height="99">
Back to top.
Title Tag for Links
The title tag for links allows you to input the the title of the page to
which you are linking. It is formatted as follows.
<a href="portfolio.htm"
title="title of
page goes here">
There is debate whether or not this tag is useful for SEO.
Back to top.
Obtaining meaningful links from
reputable sites
Once your page is online it is time to to
find meaningful links to your site. Start by listing your site with the
open directory and any other directories that are appropriate. If
your site publicizes a bed and breakfast seek links from the chamber of
commerce in the town or area in which you are located. There are
many potential sites that have a reasonably link to you. Avoid
reciprocal linking schemes and link farms. They may result in your
site being penalized by search engines.
Unscrupulous linking scams abound.
Some sites hide their links from search engines using their robots.txt
files. Others use javascript links which some search engines can
not follow. Others bury them so deep search engines do not
normally spider.
Back to top.
Use of Heading Tags and
Terms in Bold
Search engines scan a page much as we
visually scan a page looking for the main ideas presented. The main
ideas are normally noted in the headings and in bold type face.
These tags help identify the main points on the page both to search
engines and the viewer.
Back to top.
Keyword Phrases
Accepted SEO practice has been to repeat each keyword
phrase three or four times in the text on 250 word page and target no
more than three keyword phrases per page. In
my experience if you design a site to meet the needs of your client the
site will rank well for the keyword phrases you are targeting
Back to top.
Link Text
One of the more recent SEO techniques
involves the use of meaningful link text (usually main keyword phrase) to describe the site to which
you are liking. Example: Typically the link text used to link to a site has been
the URL of that site. If I wanted to link to the Prospectus for
Midland Arts Association's Spring Show meaningful link text I might is Midland
Arts Association's Spring Prospectus. Since a complete
page description is not aesthetically
pleasing for header or footer links, use of
the title tag to help better describe the link.
Back to top.
Site Maps
Always include a site map which is liked
from your homepage. This feature is not as much for viewers but for search
engines. A site map makes it easy for search engines to find your
interior pages.
Back to top.
PDF Files
PDF files are useful for certain purposes such as sharing patterns etc.
Since PDF files load so slowly and scroll so slowly make sure that they
are used judiciously.
Back to top.
SEO Research
SEO is a constantly changing field.
From time to time Smyrl.Biz participates in research projects. Our
last research project was an attempt to assist in Celaic Disease
Research and further knowledge regarding SEO.
The team headed by Alek, did a job in their last two contests and
brought in $6141.50 for the University of Maryland to use in Celiac
research.
Signature Link Test
The current SEO research project went live May 15th. It consisted
of placing a signature link with meaningless phrase on a popular forum.
This signature link links to a page with the test phrase for the title.
The page was uploaded to server at 8:49
p.m., May 15.. By 9:24 a.m., May 18th test
phrase was indexed in Yahoo.and MSN but not Google. MSN shows a
cache date of May 17th. Yahoo yet to show a cache date. Update 1: By 10:00 a.m.,
May 19th, Yahoo has the page cached. but Google still has not picked up
the page. Update 2: On may 20th found signature listing when
searching Google but yet to find page indexed.
| |
Indexed |
Cached |
Disappeared from index |
Disappeared from cache |
| Google |
|
|
|
|
| MSN |
9:24 a.m., May 18 |
9:24 a.m., May 18 |
5:00 p.m., May 22 |
|
| Yahoo |
9:24 a.m., May 18 |
10:00 a.m., May 19 |
|
5:00 p.m, May 22 |
With MSN it disappeared from index May 22 but was back in by May 24th.
With Yahoo it disappears and reappears in cache. It was cached on
23, absent on 24th.
Back to top.
By all means avoid shady SEO techniques. These include keyword spamming,
invisible text and links, and clocking.
