SEO has taken the world of copywriting by storm. It is distinguished from its more used cousin, copywriting, by its ability to be picked up and ranked by search engines prowling the internet! The more effective your writing the better will be its ranking. Simple.
SEO writing helps in optimizing the web sites chances of being rated highly by search engines through a combination of keywords, tags, headings etc. Search engines generally give high rankings to pages with original, content rather than those simply filled with the key words. It is a very fine balance between what is too little and what is more. Over-usage of keywords and repeated use of a word simply to get high search engine ranking can completely ruin any chances of being rated as the search engine will block the site and not show it at all.
Presenting the 5 basic mantra of SEO :-
1. Chose your Keywords or Phrases wisely- First and foremost rule of good web copywriting or SEO writing is to select such phrases and words that will automatically get the attention of search spiders. Avoid very difficult, complicated phrases and obscure words.Be simple and realistic.
Once the keywords and phrase has been identified, it is now the time to write the content with the keywords in mind. Do not try to excessively fill in the keywords just for the sake of keyword density, rather go with the flow of the idea and see that the keywords or phrases are there. Generally, the unsaid rule is to have 3% of the text as the keyword or phrase, anything more will debar your site from the search engine ranking completely.
2. Know your target reader - You really can't do justice to the task of SEO copywriting if you are now well aware of whom you are addressing. Therefore, it is very important that you know your target audience before you even commence writing , so that your words are directed at them and are persuasive, compelling and specially meets their requirements.
Knowing your targeted reader makes SEO writing sharp, incisive and effective!
3. Headlines make all the difference - Anybody in the print media knows that if the headlines are catchy the chances are that the article will be read. the sane is true for SEO writing as well. Surfers on the net usually do not spend more than 30 seconds in deciding whether they will stay on the site or not and headlines provide the necessary impetus for him to stay and read on. Catchy, compelling headlines also attract search engines and give high ranking. An insider's tip is that - making bold headlines in tags and catches search spiders faster and brings them to your site.
4. Distribute the keywords evenly through the site - Let the key word be evenly distributed all the rough the site and there are no pockets of high concentration of the keywords. Focus on two or three keywords and let them flow in naturally. Do not try to bring in keywords where not required just to increase SEO word concentration.
5. Beware of writing too many words- Around 240 to 250 words are enough for one page, enchant your visitors not merely by words but the quality of your words, incorporate prominent and attractive sentences and words.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
SEO is Important to Business growth
What is SEO?
Wikipedia.org (SEO) defines SEO as "Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via "natural" ("organic" or "algorithmic") search results for targeted keywords. Usually, the earlier a site is presented in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS) or the higher it "ranks", the more searchers will visit that site. SEO can also target different kinds of searches, including image search, local search, and industry-specificvertical search engines."
Why does this matter to my business?
SEO greatly increases your visibility on the Internet. Google is the #1 undisputed resource for searching for want you want on the Internet. In fact, up to 80% of web searches are originated by Google. Imagine a well optimized website can receive hundreds of thousands of more hits than a website that is not optimized. Now, attach a pair of eyeballs to those google searches and you can see that every "hit" on your site is a potential sale. If they don't buy direct from the website, they will pick up the phone and call your business.
Additionally, SEO is one of the most underutilized tools a business has. SEO can be easy, free, and very effective if done the right way. In certain markets, SEO can be achieved with relative ease as many businesses fail to create websites that are search engine friendly. I've seen countless websites that cost thousands of dollars to produce rank substandard with google in categories they should own. We are no longer living in a local world. Most businesses are able to operate globally for cheap. Your customer base is only as big as your search engine optimization strategy.
Buyers beware, SEO is riddled with countless scams and overvalued products. I suggest you do a google search on SEO and read up thoroughly on the subject before you attempt to implement some strategies, and don't spend any money unless you are absolutely sure of what you are getting.
*****
Friday, April 3, 2009
Better Search Engine Ranking
RSS is the latest craze in online publishing. But what exactly is RSS?
RSS or Rich Site Syndication is a file format similar to XML, and is used by publishers to make their content available to others in a format that can be universally understood.
RSS allows publishers to "syndicate" their content through the distribution of lists of hyperlinks.
It has actually been around for a while, but with the advent of spam filters and online blogging, it is fast becoming the choice of ezine publishers who want to get their message across to their subscribers.
However, not much attention has been given to the advantages RSS provides for search engine optimization.
Why Search Engines Love RSS
Many SEO experts believe that sites optimized around themes,or niches, where all pages correspond to a particular subject or set of keywords, rank better in the search engines.
For example, if your website is designed to sell tennis rackets, your entire site content would be focused around tennis and tennis rackets.
Search engines like Google seem to prefer tightly-themed pages.
But where does RSS figure in all this?
RSS feeds, usually sourced from newsfeeds or blogs, often correspond to a particular theme or niche.
By using highly targeted RSS feeds, you can enhance your site's content without having to write a single line on your own.
It’s like having your own content writer - writing theme-based articles for you - for free!
How can RSS improve my Search Engine Rankings?
There are three powerful reasons why content from RSS Feeds is irresistible bait for search engine spiders.
1. RSS Feeds Provide Instant Themed Content
There are several publishers of RSS feeds that are specific to a particular theme.
Since the feed is highly targeted, it could contain several keywords that you want to rank highly for.
Adding these keywords to your pages helps Google tag your site as one with relevant content.
2. RSS Feeds Provide Fresh, Updated Content
RSS feeds from large publishers are updated at specific intervals. When the publisher adds a new article to the feed, the oldest article is dropped.
These changes are immediately effected on your pages with the RSS feed as well. So you have fresh relevant content for your visitors every hour or day.
3. RSS Feeds Result in More Frequent Spidering
One thing I never anticipated would happen as a result of adding an RSS feed to my site was that the Googlebot visited my site almost daily.
To the Googlebot, my page that had the RSS feed incorporated into it was as good as a page that was being updated daily, and in its judgement, was a page that was worth visiting daily.
What this means to you, is that you will have your site being indexed more frequently by the Googlebot and so any new pages that you add to your site will be picked up much faster than your competitors.
How does this benefit you as a marketer?
Well, for example, let's says a top Internet Marketer comes out with a new product that you review and write up a little article on, and that your competitors do the same.
Google generally tends to index pages at the start of the month and if you miss that update, you will probably need to wait till the next month to even see your entry in.
But, since your site has RSS feeds, it now gets indexed more frequently. So the chances of getting your page indexed quickly are much higher.
This gives you an advantage over the competition, as your review will show up sooner in the search results than theirs.
Imagine what an entire month's advantage could do to your affiliate sales!
Why Javascript Feeds Are Not Effective
Some sites offer javascript code that generates content sourced from RSS feeds for your site.
These are of absolutely no value in terms of search engine rankings, as the googlebot cannot read javascript and the content is not interpreted as part of your page.
What you need is code that parses the RSS feed and renders the feed as html content that's part of your page
RSS or Rich Site Syndication is a file format similar to XML, and is used by publishers to make their content available to others in a format that can be universally understood.
RSS allows publishers to "syndicate" their content through the distribution of lists of hyperlinks.
It has actually been around for a while, but with the advent of spam filters and online blogging, it is fast becoming the choice of ezine publishers who want to get their message across to their subscribers.
However, not much attention has been given to the advantages RSS provides for search engine optimization.
Why Search Engines Love RSS
Many SEO experts believe that sites optimized around themes,or niches, where all pages correspond to a particular subject or set of keywords, rank better in the search engines.
For example, if your website is designed to sell tennis rackets, your entire site content would be focused around tennis and tennis rackets.
Search engines like Google seem to prefer tightly-themed pages.
But where does RSS figure in all this?
RSS feeds, usually sourced from newsfeeds or blogs, often correspond to a particular theme or niche.
By using highly targeted RSS feeds, you can enhance your site's content without having to write a single line on your own.
It’s like having your own content writer - writing theme-based articles for you - for free!
How can RSS improve my Search Engine Rankings?
There are three powerful reasons why content from RSS Feeds is irresistible bait for search engine spiders.
1. RSS Feeds Provide Instant Themed Content
There are several publishers of RSS feeds that are specific to a particular theme.
Since the feed is highly targeted, it could contain several keywords that you want to rank highly for.
Adding these keywords to your pages helps Google tag your site as one with relevant content.
2. RSS Feeds Provide Fresh, Updated Content
RSS feeds from large publishers are updated at specific intervals. When the publisher adds a new article to the feed, the oldest article is dropped.
These changes are immediately effected on your pages with the RSS feed as well. So you have fresh relevant content for your visitors every hour or day.
3. RSS Feeds Result in More Frequent Spidering
One thing I never anticipated would happen as a result of adding an RSS feed to my site was that the Googlebot visited my site almost daily.
To the Googlebot, my page that had the RSS feed incorporated into it was as good as a page that was being updated daily, and in its judgement, was a page that was worth visiting daily.
What this means to you, is that you will have your site being indexed more frequently by the Googlebot and so any new pages that you add to your site will be picked up much faster than your competitors.
How does this benefit you as a marketer?
Well, for example, let's says a top Internet Marketer comes out with a new product that you review and write up a little article on, and that your competitors do the same.
Google generally tends to index pages at the start of the month and if you miss that update, you will probably need to wait till the next month to even see your entry in.
But, since your site has RSS feeds, it now gets indexed more frequently. So the chances of getting your page indexed quickly are much higher.
This gives you an advantage over the competition, as your review will show up sooner in the search results than theirs.
Imagine what an entire month's advantage could do to your affiliate sales!
Why Javascript Feeds Are Not Effective
Some sites offer javascript code that generates content sourced from RSS feeds for your site.
These are of absolutely no value in terms of search engine rankings, as the googlebot cannot read javascript and the content is not interpreted as part of your page.
What you need is code that parses the RSS feed and renders the feed as html content that's part of your page
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