Keyword selection and placement are the most important strategies for a web site's search engine optimization (SEO). There are, however, many other actions you can take, as we'll explain here.
In a previous article I wrote called ‘Search Engine Optimization – Keywords’, it was stressed that the choice of keywords and their placement in your web site will have the most profound effect on where your site appears in an engine search. Once you’ve tweaked your code, though, there are some other things that you can do to improve your rankings.
· Internal links: This was not touched upon in the last article, but once again the use of your primary keywords in the navigation bar (used by site visitors to move between your site’s pages) or other hyperlinks in the body of your site’s pages will help strengthen the site’s search engine rankings.
· Inward links: The more web sites that provide a link back to your web site, the higher the potential traffic and sales. Of course, this has to be a mutually-beneficial arrangement, so be prepared to provide a link back to them. Some free software, such as Web CEO, helps with the task of identifying and contacting appropriate sites to approach, based on your primary keywords.
· Submit your URL to multiple Search Engines: It’s hard enough to move up in the rankings, and impossible if you are not letting the search engines know you exist. You can submit individually, or use a service that submits to all known search engines simultaneously. Not meaning to sound like their spokesperson, but Web CEO also does this function. You might also consider submitting your URL to dmoz.org, a human-edited directory of the web.
· Sitemaps: If you’ve set up a Google™ account, you can submit a sitemap to help ensure Google knows where to find all parts of your site. One quick and free way to generate a sitemap is to use Sitemapspal.com.
· Blogs: It’s a bit of a Catch 22, but search engines will rank you higher if you already have lots of traffic to your site. To get to that point, consider adding a blog page to your site. By posting articles frequently which solicit reader comments, a blog will help raise the traffic to your domain and get the search engines’ attention.
· Articles: By posting helpful articles (like this one!) on sites that provide them for free to other webmasters, people who appreciate your articles will visit your site. Not only could this result in the ‘conversion’ of a visit into sales, but at the very least will increase your traffic numbers.
Getting a reasonable ranking on the popular search engines requires quite a bit of thought and work. If your web site is your primary marketing tool, make it your job to optimize your site as best you can, or hire an SEO specialist to do it for you.
The Evolution of Movie Technologies
Movie presentation has evolved dramatically since its inception, with digital cinema marking the most significant leap forward. This technology has revolutionized the way we experience films, making 3D movies more immersive and visually stunning than ever before.
Is Film Dead?
With digital photography providing instant gratification, is there a place for the old film camera? How long will we be able to buy film and get it processed? Here's a hint - don't sell off that 20 year old camera just yet.
Finding Prospects for the Freelancer
If you're a freelancer or consultant just starting out in business, you may be starting from scratch with no clients. Here are some guidelines for hunting down prospects and turning them into work.
