Search engines are what makes the web useable. When you want to find
information about something you go to your favourite search engine and type in a
few words (keywords) and you get a list of Web sites to choose from.
You read the short description of the Web sites on the list, and click, off
you go to look at that Website. If the search engine has done its job correctly
you find what you are looking for. If not you go back try a few other sites on
the list or do another search using different keywords.
Notice something very important - People don't search for a particular
website - They search for a product or information to solve their current
problem
When making you own Website you need to bear this process in mind. You make
your website to solve a particular problem and you make it so the search engines
recognise that it solves that problem.
A whole industry has grown up around search engines. A quick search on Google
for SEO gives over 15million results. These companies all offer to get your
Website to rank high in the search engines (see website ranking).
They will optimise
your site for this engine and then for that engine, these keywords etc etc
etc…
Its not surprising that anyone making their first Website feels a little
overwhelmed when it comes to submitting their website to the scrutiny of the
search engines.
After reading some of the Search engine articles which talk about offsite and
onsite optimisation, keyword stuffing doorway pages, white hat and black hat.
You either give up completely or just hand over the money to the experts.
Getting your site ready for the search engines is actually a very simply two
step process:
They will, with time, give you what you
want you want- Traffic.
Now in order to do that you don't need to be a search engine
expert!
Does all this sound a little too simple? Well, its because it
actually is! Am I saying that SEO is not important? Well no- I'm going to talk a
little more about that later.
What I am saying is that it isn't rocket science and doesn't need years of
practise and study to rank well at any search engine providing you follow a few
basic steps.
The first step is your website content. So lets find out how
your website content affects search engine rankings and how to choose content to rank
well at the search engines.
About the Author
Stephen Cope is a freelance trainer and the Webmaster at -
making a website and The Niche Website Guide.