SEO Strategy

What would be a good SEO strategy?

Before you write one line of code:

  • Do keyword research to determine what keywords you want to target. You can start by signing-up for WordTracker.
While constructing your website you should do the following:
  • Use markup to indicate the content of your site
    • Optimize your <title> tag on each page to contain 1 - 3 keywords
    • Create unique Meta Tags for each page
    • Use header tags appropriately (H1 > H2 > H3)
    • Use <b> and <i> tags if appropriate

  • Optimize your URLs
    • Use Search Engine Friendly URLs
    • Use keywords in your domain
      • http://www.keyword1.com
    • Use keywords in your URL
      • http://www.example.com/keyword2/keyword3.html
    • Use dashes or underscores to separate words in your URLs
      • keyword2-keyword3.html

  • Optimize your content
    • Use keywords liberally yet appropriately throughout each page
    • Have unique content
    • Have quality content

  • Use search engine friendly design
    • Create a human sitemap
    • Do not use inaccessible site navigation (JavaScript or Flash menus)
    • Minimize outbound links
    • Keep your pages under 100K in size

  • Design the navigational structure of the site to channel PR to main pages (especially the homepage)

  • Create a page that encourages webmasters to link to your site
    • Provide them the relevant HTML to create their link to you (make sure the anchor text contains keywords)
    • Provide them with any images you may want them to use (although text links are better)

  • Make sure your website is complete before launching it
Immediately after launching your site you should do the following:
  • Submit your site to all major search engines

  • Submit your site to search engine friendly directories.

    PackagesPriceTime to
    Deliver
    500 Directories$99.9518 Days
    250 Directories of PR 3+$74.9514 Days
    250 Directories$64.9514 Days
    150 Directories of PR 4+$49.958 Days
    Guaranteed inclusion
    in Google index
    $9.9510 Days

  • Begin a link building campaign (attempting to get keywords in the link anchor text)
    • Put a link to your website in your forum signatures
    • Reply to relevant blog posts (Don't spam please)
Finally, as part of an ongoing strategy:
  • Continually update your website with quality, unique content
  • Continually seek free links preferably from sites in your genre
Do NOT do the following:
  • Make an all Flash website (without an HTML alternative)
  • Use JavaScript or Flash for navigation
  • Spam other websites for incoming links
  • Launch your site before it is done
  • Use duplicate content
    • Do not point several domains to one site without using a 301 redirect
    • Do not make a site of duplicated content from other websites
  • Use markup inappropriately
    • Style <H>eader tags to look like regular text
    • Hide content using 'display: hidden' (for the sake of hiding text)
  • Use other "black hat" techniques (unless you accept the risk - Banning)
    • Doorway/Landing pages
    • Cloaking
    • Hidden text
Additional Tips:
  • Usable and accessible sites tend to be search engine friendly by their very nature
  • Be patient! High rankings don't happen overnight
  • Don't obsess with any one search engine. They are all worth your attention.