Search engine optimization, otherwise known as SEO, can be used in blogging and in other online marketing techniques to drive traffic to any web page of your choice, whether it is a blog, Squidoo lens or a traditional website page.
There are specific ways to ensure that each of these three different types of web presence is optimized to the extent that they will be picked up and listed by the top search engines. The biggest by far is Google with 65 , followed by Yahoo and then MSN, so it makes sense to optimize your web page for the Google algorithms.
Algorithms
An algorithm is a sequence of procedures for carrying out a statistical mathematical computation that ends up, in the case of Google and other search engines, with a list of web pages indexed in order of relevance to specific keywords, or search terms, used by search engine users to find out information.
All search engine listings for specific keywords are based upon these algorithms, that take many different aspects of the web page into account, and although only a few Google employees on a need to know basis understand the factors involved, and the weightings that are given to each, we can work out some of the more important of them, although there are believed to be over 200 aspects of a web page that contribute to its listing position.
Important SEO Factors
1. Title Tag
The title tag is generally regarded as the one most important factor in determining your listing position. A simple change in the use of keywords in your title tag can dramatically change your listing position. You MUST use your main keyword for the page in your title tag, but the other text used within it can make a lot of difference.
The Title tag appears with in the HEAD tags of the page HTML, and therefore doesn t actually appear on the page. It is visible to spiders only, and is a means of you telling the search engine spiders what your page is about. You must then use the keywords contained in the title tag in the body of your text, and in any headings and subheadings. Basically the title tag sets the theme that you must continue in the text that your readers actually see.
2. H1 Heading Tags
The H1 heading tag conveys a lot of weighting to the text within the tag. The heading of your page should be within H1 tags, but do not make your heading exactly the same as the page title. Make it close, but not as extensive.
For example, if your web page is dedicated to the use of articles as a marketing technique, your page Title tag (visible only to spiders) could be Article Marketing and Article Writing Techniques while your main page heading (visible to spiders and readers) could be Article Writing Techniques , contained with H1 HTML tags, and in Bold and underlined. You could then have another heading using the keyword Article Marketing .
3. Use of Keywords
You have set the keyword theme with your Title and H1 heading tags. You must now continue that theme with the text on your page. Good SEO books such as SEOcious and websites such as SEO 2020 explain in detail how best to use keywords and how to structure your entire website to attract the attention of search engine spiders and of human visitors, and an article such as this cannot do the topic justice.
It is enough to say that the three major ways for you to inform search engine spiders of the theme of your web page is by means of your Title tag, H1 heading tags and your use of keywords on your page. All three of these should focus on one or two keyword, and if done properly will go a long way towards securing you a top 10 listing for your keyword on Google.
For more detailed information on the use of keywords on your website visit http://www.improved-search-engine-rank.com where you will find many other important factors involved in getting your web page in the top 10 listings on Google. SEOcious will show how to get listed within 2 days.
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