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Included below are some valuable resources
that have proven to be useful in understanding search engines, search
engine optimization and search engine marketing. Please feel free
to use them for your own research and inspiration.
Tips to Getting Ranked by the Search Engines:
* Have a clear hierarchy to your site and use text links -
a site index can help.
* Make sure that your site is full of informative text and that
the text uses common search terms.
* Use accurate page titles.
* Avoid pages with hundreds of links - this may penalize you.
* View your pages with a text browser to see your site like a search
engine.
* If you use dynamic content or a CMS, make sure that your content
can be crawled.
* Avoid hidden text or links.
* Avoid doorway pages, pages loaded with irrelevant words, or multiple
copies of the same page.
Choosing Keywords for Your SEM Campaign:
* When choosing keywords to target for your website, it's important
to put yourself in your target audiences' shoes. If possible, speak
to your customers, leads, vendors and employees about the terms
they use to find the product/service solution your business offers.
* Use alternate spellings and misspellings (e.g. calendar, calander).
* Include various brand names your site carries.
* Include 2-3 word keyword phrases people might search for.
* If you are interested in targeting a local or regional audience,
be sure to include keyword terms for your city, county and neighboring
cities. The words can appear before of after the keyword phrase,
such as "San Diego hat company" or "hat company in
San Diego".
* Be specific. If you sell hats, rather than trying to compete with
all the big hat companies out there, you'll have a better chance
of placing higher in the search engines by targeting a "niche"
market. For example try: novelty hats, straw hats, felt hats, etc.
* Test your keywords in the search engines. Do competing companies
or related materials come up for those keywords?
* Use a thesaurus to come up with alternative keywords. If you don't
have access to your MS Word thesaurus, use one online at Thesaurus.com
or Google's search term suggestion tool. Review the text and keywords
on your competitors' websites. Do those terms apply to your business?
* Make sure you expand on your keywords. Go beyond words that are
specific to your product or service. For example, if you were a
wedding planner, you would have to remember that people planning
weddings may be conducting keyword searches for things not directly
related to the actual wedding ceremony. They might be looking for:
bachelor parties, bridal veils, engagement rings, etc.
* Think about how these keywords will work together and be incorporated
into the text. Can you write a paragraph of 4 sentences using at
least 5 of these keyword phrases?
Pay-Per-Click Advertising:
PayPerClickSearchEngines.com-
Long-standing guide to paid placement search engines, along with
links to articles and resources about dealing with them. (Updated
Nov. 2002)
PayPerClickAnalyst.com-
Reviews of major pay-per-click search engines, along with news about
changes to them. (Updated Nov. 2002)
Miscellaneous Search Engine Marketing Resources:
SEM Blogs- The best blogs on the net covering topics from marketing and advertising to PR and search marketing.
Google Toolbar- Free
browser utility enables users to search from any page on the web;
new features include pop-up blocker, auto web form filler, blogger
button and calculator.
Search
Engine Tools- this site offers some great search engine tools
including the webpage size analyzer, search engines simulator, html
validator and keyword density analyzer.
ROI
Calculator- calculate your return on investment with this handy
tool.
Top Yahoo
searches- learn the top searches performed on Yahoo.
Top Lycos searches-
learn the top searches performed on Lycos by month, day, etc.
DNS Stuff - tools including
Spam database lookup, reverse DNS lookups, IP routing and more.
WHOIS Source-
IP address search, WHOIS records and alerts for use of related domain
names.
Keyword Research:
Google
search terms suggestions- Plug in your keyword terms and generate
some useful alternatives that your visitors may be using to find
you.
Thesaurus.com-
A simple thesaurus is useful in brain-storming alternative keyword
terms you may want to target for your search engine optimization
campaign.
Internet Analytics and Web Statistics:
Internet traffic, search engine usage
and online marketing statistics.
Glossary:
Learn about the search engine marketing
terminology and concepts here.
Search Engine News and Online Resources:
* Click Z
* SEMPO
* Webmaster
World
* Search
Engine Watch
Personal Links:
All
About Hybrid Cars - a non-biased ebook sharing the pros and
cons of hybrid cars. I recommend reading this before you consider
your next car purchase.
Aplus-College-Degrees-
I'm always on the scout for new opportunities to learn. This site
provides various business degrees and professions.
MySpaceDesigners.com provides resources and matches to professional
interior designers and decorators-
Get inspired, find your individual style, find a decorator and create big designs with ideas, tips, resources and design how-tos at Myspacedesigners.com.
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