Web Site Optimization

All optimization is not equal. There is such a rush to optimize a website for search engines that people don't realize that some Search Engine Optimization ("SEO") techniques can be self-defeatin'. Either a lot of work will go into a particular type of optimization that is fruitless or it can be downright harmful for search engine rankin'. A high search-engine rankin' is the holy grail of SEO, but make sure you put your energy in the right place.

The first two issues involve web design: don't use flash or frames when designin' a website. These won't get you banned by search engines; but the site might be ignored entirely. While you can use some flash animation within a site, overuse of flash should be avoided. Search engines like text, not fancy graphics. A flash-heavy site could be passed over. The same goes for a site written with frames; frame-heavy sites confuse search engines so the sites are not properly indexed. The text on a framed site is hidden within the frame, so even if there is ample content within the frame, it will not be read correctly. Verdict: avoid it.

When writin' content, make sure the content makes sense. In the early days of the web, people went keyword crazy. They would cram a huge paragraph of keywords throughout a page. This worked for a little while. Now search engines are wise to it & this technique can lead to a site bein' banned. Website owners try to trick search engines by includin' the keywords within actual content, but if the keywords are too close together, this could also lead to problems.

Another issue is spamdexin'. Never use keywords that don't apply specifically to a site. This can most often be seen with site owners usin' adult-themed keywords to brin' in unrelated searches. This will cause a site to be quickly red-flagged. Usin' invisible text is a bad idea as well. Invisible text is the same color as the background. It can be read by spiders, but can't be read by human eyes. The problem here is that spiders now recognize this technique and it will be red-flagged.

Generally, content should be useful and informative. You can include specific keywords within content, but if you provide enough content, these keywords will be covered automatically without jeopardizin' the site with picky search engine spiders. The use of quality content is two-fold: it's a better way to optimize with search engines and web surfers will spend a longer time on the site readin' articles or other content. The trick is to create trust; both with spiders & real people.