A number of factors are important when optimizing a website, including content, structure of the website’s copy, page layout, HTML meta-tags, standards used for designing HTML pages and the submission process. While a site is being optimized it includes four main components – Researching Keywords, Adding META Tags, Submitting website on various search engines and Exchanging links with other related websites.
The activities that are performed on the website pages are placed under ‘On Page SEO’ and activities which are not performed on the website pages falls in ‘Off Page SEO’ head. The process of optimizing a website starts with researching keywords, then on page and finally off page, which is an ongoing process.
On Page SEO
1) Keyword Research – It starts with browsing the website in detail, having discussions with the site owner to gather information about business model and target market. Basis this keywords for which the site will be optimized are researched.
2) Google Analytic Account – This tool of Google gives administrator an option to keep viewing the traffic hitting the website on different pages. To use these tools an account is to be created with Google, further to which a code is provided which is to be added in all the pages of the website.
3) On Page Optimization – Once keywords are finalized, we will get started will adding META tags and making any changes to the page required for Search engines to parse. These changes do not have any affect on look & feel or style of the website. Also at the same time code for Google Analytics will be added. This process mainly comprise of adding META tags, chosen keywords, phrases to make them more SEO friendly with respect to the selected keywords, adding H1 tags, ALT tags checking for broken links.
Off Page SEO
1) Search Engines Submission – Once the On Page is done site will then be submitted to all major search engines and this process of submission will again be repeated after 6 months for new pages to get indexed.
2) XML sitemap for Google – An XML based sitemap will be created for Google, this is required to index all the pages in the website and differentiate the relative weight-age of each page.
3) Directory postings – During this the site will be listed on various free directories. This submission will again be done gradually to ensure organic growth of the website. Submitting to all the directories in one time will invoke filters and may adversely affect the site ranking.
4) Link Popularity Activities –
- Improve and analyze link popularity periodically by increasing related quality Inbound links.
- Articles and press releases related to the business will be posted on related websites to have maximum back linking.
- Registering and posting in various related forums.
1:07 am on December 18th, 2008
Just what we need to build our SEO strategy on! Good post… keep it coming.