6 Essential WordPress SEO Plugins

WordPress is one of the most powerful web design tools anyone can use when building their websites. No longer just a blogging platform, it has been developed into a fully functional CMS that is far more flexible, user-friendly than most other Content Management Systems.

The reason I love WordPress so much is because it is highly customizable. There are hundreds of thousands of plugins and themes available that allow me to create a website with any features I could ever want. Through the use of plugins and themes I cannot only build simple blogs, I can also develop fully functional websites with shopping carts to sell products and services or even create membership sites and community portals.

The biggest advantage to using WordPress is being able to automate almost all of the on-page SEO tasks and even some of the off-page tasks. Through the use of plugins, I am able to get my websites indexed in Google quickly, often within minutes.

Because most of the SEO process is set up to run automatically, every page of my websites are fully optimized to get the best possible placements in the search engines. No other CMS makes it this easy.

Since I have used WordPress so extensively over the past 5 years, I have tested out many of the plugins that are out there, and believe me, there are literally thousands. Over the years, I have compiled a list of essential plugins that I begin with for every site build I do. I have a few premium professional plugins I sometimes add, but the bulk of the load is managed with the following 6 free plugins.

1. SEO Ultimate

I used to use the All in One SEO plugin, but have found that this one is not only better; it also has a ton more features. This plugin not only allows you to manage your Meta tags for all of your pages, posts and site-wide titles, keywords and descriptions, it also eliminates duplicate content by implementing canonical URLs.

SEO Ultimate also allows you to set a noindex/nofollow tag for individual pages or posts - very useful if you want to republish an article or have any pages that you do not want to get indexed by search engines. Another cool feature is adding a text box with your link details at the bottom of your posts and pages to encourage natural link building from your visitors. There are more features to this WordPress plugin, but the ones I have covered are the most important to me.

2. PubSubHubBub

This is a plugin created by Google and it can be responsible for getting your site content indexed really fast. Its publish and subscribe protocol is an extension to the standard Atom and RSS. Some of the hubs currently using this protocol are Google Reader, Google Alerts, FriendFeed, and many more. The main function is real-time pinging of your new content to various hubs throughout the internet where users can subscribe to your feeds. Because it is done in real-time, your new content can be indexed within minutes. Although WordPress has a built-in ping feature, PubSubHubBub will complement that function and make it unnecessary for you to spend money on pinging or bookmarking services.

3. Google XML Sitemaps

This plugin will build a XML-Sitemap for your site and automatically send it to the séarch engines. Then every time you add new content or make changes to your existing content, it will re-submit the updated Sitemap. Think of it as sending the search engines a written invitation to send their robots to your website to crawl through the new content and index it.

Although the use of XML-Sitemaps was originally adopted by Google in 2005, Ask.com, Yahoo and Bing now also use this format. You will need to input your Yahoo API in the plugin settings. You can get a Yahoo APP Key at http://developer.yahoo.com/wsregapp. Once you have this plugin installed and configured, it will run automatically in the background without you having to worry about it again.

4. W3 Total Cache

Since page speed and load times affect your search engine placement, it is a good idea to improve your website performance as much as possible. This is a basic cache plugin that allows many elements of your website to be stored in cache files so they do not need to download with each page your traffic visits within your website. This improves the load time of all of your pages.

There are many different cache plugins available including WP Super Cache that is included with the latest WordPress installation, but I have found that this one works best. Be sure to deactivate the WP Super Cache if you choose to use this plugin.

5. WP No Category Base

The closer to the domain names you can get your keywords, the more weight they will carry. This plugin will delete the mandatory category base from your category permalinks for better SEO. The plugin has a built in 301 redirect for all of your old posts so you do not need to worry about broken links when installing this plugin on an established blog.

6. SEO Smart Links

Internal links are crucial to good on-page SEO. By setting up anchor text links to your keywords and pointing them to important pages within your webpage content, you can get better SERP for those pages. It is a way to tell the search engines what keywords you want those pages to rank for.

***

By Cathy Henry (c) 2011

SEO News [seo@seo-news.com]

SEO for Mobile Websites

Mobile Web usage is growing stronger every day. The popularity of this service is one of the main reasons behind the smartphone's dominance of the mobile communications market. On-the-go Web access is also proving to be one of the most sought-after conveniences of Web users today. 

The mobile-friendly versions of popular social media sites and search engines have long enjoyed high visitor traffic. Blogs and business websites are starting to benefit from the trend, acknowledging how the population of mobile Web users can significantly change site traffic and possibly contribute to revenue. Many SEO experts recognize the quickly-rising percentage of users who access the Web through their mobile phones.

Basic mobile SEO

There is a notion that mobile SEO is a separate branch of SEO. While there are slight differences between both concepts, the two processes have a similar goal: to help websites rank in search engine results and dominate their respective niches. 

The first thing you should keep in mind when doing mobile SEO is that the process is still based on traditional SEO principles. The proper usage of keywords, tags, and anchor links is as important for mobile websites as it is for regular websites. However, you should remember that mobile search engines often consider a site's speed and its ability to be rendered well on a particular phone. 

Creating a mobile version of your site and venturing into mobile SEO can help you capitalize on the growing mobile Web user population. Businesses and companies are at risk of losing revenue when they take mobile SEO for granted. With smartphones and tablets selling like hotcakes these days, there's no reason for you not to take advantage of the trend and enjoy success for your business. 

Of course, it's understandable if you're a little skeptical about mobile SEO's abilities in making your business more successful. The Web provides a lot of articles on how mobile SEO can benefit small business, especially those that cater to localized markets. You can use these articles as resources for the basics of mobile SEO. You can also contact a professional SEO provider, in case you're interested in the method. 

Mobile SEO Keywords

Web designers usually overlook keywords even if they are aware that they are designing a mobile website. If you can't design a mobile website, make sure to hire a designer who is knowledgeable about SEO. Your working relationship with your web designer is a critical part of your mobile SEO strategies.

If you're thinking of optimizing your mobile website using the keywords for your regular website, think again. Smartphones and tablets are structurally different from laptops and desktop computers. Typing on a mobile phone or dealing with an onscreen keyboard is said to be a big factor for users to choose shorter keywords. These users may search for keywords that are more concise. Experts call it the "rush search".

Before consulting your Google Mobile Keyword tool, keyword analysis must be completed. First, you have to revisit and restudy your target market and niche. You have to think from a different perspective and put yourself in a mobile Web user's shoes. List down all the possible keywords, regardless of competition, length, and strength, then get some recommendations from your customers, friends, and colleagues. Then, jump into AdWords and use they Mobile Keyword tool. Look for keywords Web users are actually searching for. Just like typical keyword research, you have to know the strength of every keyword you are going to use.

What's the point of researching keywords without consulting Adwords and the Mobile Keyword tool first? This helps you re-associate yourself with your business and market. Some SEO experts forget the essence of knowing their market because of the vast availability of keyword tools. They always end up choosing high-ranking keywords without even considering major factors that may affect their business. For example, if you're selling secondhand or used Chanel and Hermes items, you would not want to mistakenly choose the keyword 'brand new designer bags', just because you were distracted by the long green bar that indicates its rank. 

Basically, you should have a mobile version of your website if you want to jump into the mobile SEO bandwagon. However, if you've already established a strong domain authority, creating a new domain may affect your site negatively. Instead, use a sub-domain to retain your current domain authority and link juice. The mobile version of your website should always be in XHTML or Basic XHTML format. This is where you can use your new mobile keywords.

Have a mobile search self-test and analysis

If you're not familiar with mobile searching, you can do a self-test of how it works. Knowing the search engine is like studying your battlefield. You have to recognize the competition, the competitors, the rankings, and the current situation. Accessing some mobile websites can give you ideas on what you can do for your website. 

Investing in mobile SEO

Some think that mobile SEO is only for businesses that have secure markets. There are business owners who opt to do mobile SEO to show success, because the process often requires more financial resources. On the other hand, some business owners choose to venture into mobile SEO to strengthen their promotíon strategies, because they know the importance of having a mobile presence today.

***

By Warner Carter (c) 2011

SEO News [seo@seo-news.com]

How To Write For Search Engines

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) writing, as a distinct style, was born in the Internet era and has matured before our very eyes in a relatively short span of time. Although it is evolving and maturing still, and will continuously do so, we can define some of the tried and tested steps of content optimization to help unique pages place at or near the top of search engine rankings.

Some experts go on to say that the goal of SEO is two-fold, with the first objective to put out the appropriate "bait" for search engine spiders and the second to serve up useful information to people who want and need it. Debates about priorities continue among SEO professionals, but it is not a good idea to devalue the human factors in any success formula. The singular goal, then, would be to develop, position and refine content in such a way as to satisfy all visitors to the page and/or site, both human and bot alike.

Rethinking Search Engine Content Terms

"Content is king," goes the old saying - and not only is good content king, it is becoming more important with every passing day. But the term content is best taken in its broadest sense. Content is not simply the written copy placed in a document, assembled on a page, or aggregated at a site. It includes all this, of course, but content actually comprises titles, headings, tags, intra-site links and external links, as well.

All of these components need to work together and form an interconnected whole so that both search engines and humans find the right things, come to the right conclusions and, most importantly, make the right decisions. Good writing is always targeted to the audience, and you are writing for an audience of two readers, human and software. Remember these two components of the audience and find creative ways to reach both of them at the same time.

First Things First

Titles are critically important - they are usually the first thing read by both real and virtual visitors. A title is the "primary topical identifier" and, as such, has an invaluable function - again, a dual-purpose one. It must contain keyword targets at the individual word level while stoking interest in potential readers at the phrase level.

When a person performs a search, the title is both their first indication of your relevance to their needs and your first chance to compel them to click through. Search engines, more clinical and objective, give the title importance because they see it as an indicator of the page's main idea.

Yet many pages on the Internet have no title at all, or share "Home" and "Untitled" with several million others. There is no excuse for this oversight. The ignorant cousin of these mistakes, making the company name by itself the title of every page, is just as bad. Keywords relevant to the page should be part of every page's title.

Heading tags carry some importance too. Simply put, heading tags define the headings and subheadings of your article to both readers and spiders. By default they appear larger than normal text and are bolded. While not a magic ranking bullet, they are looked at with more importance than average text and are a chance to show spiders the themes of your content and what keywords you wish to rank for.

The H1 tag is the main heading of your article and carries the most importance, like a headline in a newspaper article. It should clearly convey the article's topic to the reader and main keywords to the search engines. H2 tags are one level down in importance and structure. Use them to define subtopics under your main topic, and again use keywords where descriptive and useful. If you needed to break down your article to sub-sub-headings, you would use the H3 tags, and so forth.

For both human and robotic readers, it is vital to keep page content focused. The "one topic per page" rule is an unwritten one, certainly, and it's followed by most professional content developers. This has less to do with the intelligence of the readers (either kind) than it does with several other considerations. For one thing, search engine "crawlers" have algorithms that tend to work best on one concept at a time, and most humans work best this way, too. 

In addition, limiting the focus eases the task of placing keywords in the meta descriptions, page title, body copy, tags and links. Finally, dealing with more than one topic necessarily means using more verbiage, which dilutes the potency of a site-wide SEO program and may negatively impact ranking. Better to give these other topics their own content, strengthening your site's overall informational authority.

SEO Copywriting Balance

Much ink has been spilled and many pixels propagated in discussing SEO techniques, analyzing strategies, teaching "web content" writing, and chasing changing algorithms. Mentioned less but encompassing everything is that SEO copywriting, like all SEO, is about balance.

While articles such as this one can be helpful, it is important to understand that SEO will always evolve, change, adapt and improve. Study and implement tested techniques, but remain flexible and nimble. Writing for search engines and people at the same time is tricky and challenging at best, and can be frustrating and time-consuming, too. Approach the challenges in a businesslike fashion.

SEO content writing at its best balances art with science, blending the craft of engaging the reader with the dispassionate analysis of keywords on a page. Follow best practices, but fill each article to the brim with information useful to your demographic.

In simultaneously targeting a subject, an audience, and an algorithm, a great deal of creativity must take place to get effective SEO results. And, of course, it all has to happen in an environment that encourages short attention spans and constantly tries to lure people elsewhere. It is a major challenge to craft article titles and copy so compelling as to make people stop and read - or, better yet, stop and then clíck where you want them to.

Basics, Opportunities, and Consistency

The basic approach to writing for such a dynamic, ever-changing environment is to get to the point quickly. The "USA Today" news style - which relies on short headlines, descriptive sub-headlines and a few concise paragraphs - is perhaps the best analogy for good SEO writing. The important points (keywords) should appear early and often, and within a short period of time the human readers should know what they are supposed to do, while the search engines should be able to tell what the page is about from a consistency between your page structure and your body copy.

In the eyes of the search engines, everything that it can possibly see counts. That is, using image alt-text not only helps blind readers and people using phone- or text-based browsers, it also gives you another chance to add more descriptive strength to the overall page for the search engines. Do not miss any opportunity to further empower and refine your content.

And always remember when writing for search engines - keep writing. Write write write. Search engine bots gorge on new information, and if you consistently update your site with fresh content they will come around more often. While this gives you more opportunities to display your value, more importantly it builds the foundation of information that obviates it.

There's a lot to do, and it all needs to be done well. Use your numbers, metrics and analytics to point you in the right direction for creating more content. That's some science. Your creativity and amount of useful information, on the other hand, will point site visitors and search engines in the right direction. That's a touch of art. When both aspects of your SEO program are firing on all cylinders, you should soon be marching up the search engine rankings.

***

By Matt Tuens (c) 2009

SEO News [seo@seo-news.com]

Effective SEO No Walk in the Theme Park

I was recently contacted by another SEO practitioner who was chagrined by all the folks who question the cost of search engine optimization vs. building a website. Her comment: "Some clients say "If it costs $6,000 to build a website, why do I have to pay more than that for SEO?"

Perhaps this example will help: Several years ago, we took our family to Universal Studios in Orlando. Before going there, a relative told me that when we purchase our tickets, we should look into the "Express Pass," which would enable us to go to the head of the line at any attraction at the park. The pass wasn't cheap - it was $20 then and now it's about $40 more than the cost of the entry ticket.

But, we had minimal time to spend there and wanted to get in as many attractions as we could. So we bit the bullet, bought the pass and bypassed the hundreds of people standing in line for the same attractions we were walking into. We had a terrific experience at the park and the extra cost was worth it.

Your website is your company's entry ticket to the Internet. For the price of a standard website, your company gets the privilege of hanging out its cyber-shingle. The problem is that all the people who could purchase from you don't necessarily know you're out there. Your current customers will find you because they know your name and can type that in, but for new customer acquisition, things get a little more tricky. People typing in your type of products or services are more likely to find competitor sites who have already gone to the extra length of positioning their sites through SEO. 

Without SEO, your site stands in a very long, long line to get attention from potential prospects who use search engines to locate products and services. For instance, type the term "plastic bags" into Google. If you're a manufacturer of plastic bags, your company would be interested in prospects who are searching on this term. There are 28.1 million results for that term, and only the top 30 websites really will get any chance at all of being viewed (since 90% of people won't go past the third page on a search). Without SEO, your site could be number 27,194,545 out of 28.1 million. How productive do you think your site will be in generating new leads and business? 

Competing with 28 million page results for the coveted first page on Google takes time and effort to accomplish. There are no magic tricks, automated tools or "Express Passes" that make it simple. On top of that, Google does its best to make it as complicated as they can because if it were easy to optimize for the most competitive terms, no one would purchase their advertising. SEO requires human effort to work with your site content, coding and inbound links, and the amount of effort required is in direct proportion to the competitiveness of the keyword you're targeting. 

At the same time, the potential payout also is in direct proportion to the popularity of the term. Google says there are 246,000 searches each month for the term "plastic bags." Research shows that 70% of the click-thrus to websites will occur on the first page of search results. So, 172,200 click-thrus will occur on the first page of results, divided among the top 10 sites.

Research indicates that for competitive terms, websites can generate up to 10% click-thru rates on the first page of Google. We also know that sites performing at the top of the first page of results generate many more click-thrus than those at the bottom of the page. For purposes of this example, let's say our fictional plastic bag manufacturer attains the No. 10 spot on the first page of results and is generating 2% click-thru on the term "plastic bags". 

That would be 3,444 new prospects per month. If you were able to close 0.5% of them as new business, with an average order of $5,000, that would be $86,000 in new business per month or $1.03 million for the year.

How much would you be willing to spend to generate $1 million in new business for the year? 

Back to the original question: Why does it cost so much more to do SEO than to build a website? After all, in the original Universal Studios example, we would pay $40 for an Express Pass on top of a $112 ticket, not more than the original ticket price to get the pass.

Here's where SEO diverges from the Universal Studios example: Websites are easy to build. For those wanting a very basic site, there are automated tools that can be used to create a site. Additionally, most web design firms rely on the client to provide the content, with little input from them on what will work in terms of site positioning and customer conversion. They're not invested in your site's ability to sell to customers. They're just promising to put a website together that can be accessed. They're not promising that anyone will access it with the effort they're putting in.

Reputable SEO firms are invested in your website's success in generating new leads and sales through better search engine positioning. But, SEO skill is harder to find. The ideal practitioner is a skilled technical writer with a public relations mind. Colleges churn out website designers, but good SEO practitioners develop over years of experience.

Customer conversion means that your website must be as compelling to human prospects as your SEO firm makes it to search engines. That requires technical skill and salesmanship when it comes to creating or revising the content on your website. 

Combine that with the obstacles that the search engines intentionally build in to make it difficult to perform and the business value of having a No. 1 site, and you realize that SEO is pretty inexpensive after all.

***

A SEO-News Exclusive Article By Angela Charles (c) 2010

SEO News [seo@seo-news.com]

How Can Twitter Improve Your SEO?

What do you do when you come across a social media site with over 190 million users and 65 million daily posts? Turn it into a website promotion tool, that's what. 

Twitter links are nofollow, but that doesn't mean that you can't use the social network for website promotion. On the one hand, many SEO experts say that Twitter isn't a ranking factor. However, Twitter pages directly influence Google's SERPs and thus may be a major force in search engine visibility.

Whether or not Twitter directly affects the SERPs, here are Twitter SEO tactics that are worth checking out. 

The Twitter Website Traffic Benefit

After creating new posts on your blog or site, it only makes sense to tweet about it. You'll be surprised to find how many users search Twitter for useful information or tips. Moreover, you can't expect to receive millions of site visitors simply by posting a link to your site. Choose interesting text for better website promotion. A boring title won't get you anywhere. Something like "10 Tips to Increase Twitter Followers" may generate more clicks. 

This doesn't really affect your search engine rankings, but it's an effective Twitter website traffic strategy. 

Using Twitter for Link Building

By having a large group of Twitter followers, more will see your new posts and announcements. Here's how to do your Twitter SEO. 

First off, for effective website promotion it's imperative that you have a large group of followers. Follow people who share the same interests as you and those within your niche. Some 30% of the users you follow will follow back. Those who are convinced that you should be followed on Twitter are surely interested in your latest updates. Yes, Twitter is really a great PR and website promotion tool. 

Furthermore, it's highly likely that your followers will write about your new content in their blogs. This translates to link building. Plus, did you know that Google doesn't index shortened URLs? Instead, they index the actual URLs. Thus, you get even more website promotion opportunities. 

There's this useful Twitter SEO tool/website called TweetMeme that lets you check the number of users that have posted tweets with a link to your site. TweetMeme can also tell which of your posts have been picked up and retweeted by the general public.

Important Things to Remember

When doing your Twitter SEO strategies, remember that all your tweets shouldn't be about your website and content. This is bad for your website promotion and would turn people off. No one wants to follow a conceited, I'm-so-great prima donna. Besides, if your tweets would be all about your products and services, they would look spammy. Post engaging and useful information, answer and ask questions, tweet interesting facts, and send messages that your followers will find valuable.

Optimize Your Twitter Page

This is another Twitter SEO tactic that'll help boost your followers and improve your brand reputation. The major search engines all include Twitter account pages on their SERPs. Here are website promotion tips on how to get your profile on the front page of search engine results.

1. Consider a username that's relevant to your niche or your business. Your username can affect your website promotion since its part of your page's URL and title tag. 

2. Choose a relevant account name. This will further boost your Twitter website traffic, since the account name is also part of the page title. The account name should be different from the username. 

3. Promote your Twitter profile page by building links to it. To boost Twitter website traffic, paste a link to your account on your site's footer or other prominent areas. 

4. Since your bio serves as the meta description tag, choose your text wisely and keep website promotion in mind. 

More importantly, Twitter provides benefits that are far different from the advantages of search engine optimization. So, before building your SEO campaign via this social network, make sure to achieve Twitter SEO benefits first. 

Tweet Optimization

Optimizing your tweets also helps in website promotion. Your tweets help your profile, content and brand gain more exposure. A tweet's title tag is made up of the username of the account sending out the tweet and the first 30 characters. Another Twitter SEO tip is to place the keywords in the post's first few words.

When retweeting, there are Twitter SEO techniques you can follow. For instance, it's better to place the "RT@username" at the end of the tweet so that you'll have plenty of room to place the keywords in the tweet. Also, limit your tweets to 120 characters so that there will be space when other users add the RT@username. Otherwise, some parts of your post might get chopped off. 

Twitter SEO tactics can be easy to implement. This social media website has a lot of potential for search engine optimization. Explore its website promotion benefits, discover new website promotion methods, and run experiments.

***

By Matt Hodgson (c) 2010

SEO News [seo@seo-news.com]

6 Tips to Improved Facebook Marketing

When it comes to social networking there's little doubt that Facebook is the largest and most influential of the social networks online. It has more than 500 million registered user and, at the time of writing this, the average user is connected to 80 community pages, groups and events. For businesses this means that a Facebook page or other piece of Facebook real estate is a serious way to generate social and viral traffic, but only if it is done well.

There are 900 million objects that people interact with which means, first and foremost, yours needs to stand out. It either needs to provide something that others don't (unlikely given the amount of competition) or it needs to do what it does better than the competition. One of the most common mistakes by small businesses is believing that Facebook traffic is a quick hit; it can take months to build up a decent sized list of fans that avidly read your content, but there are some steps you can take to help attract greater numbers.

The Facebook Platform

Fortunately, there is an extensive platform on which you can build unique Facebook pages and interact with existing and potential readers and your business needs to make the most of these in order to generate the best possible results.

1. Be Unique Not Generic - There is a lot of competition on Facebook, regardless of the type and topic of content that you're providing. Ensure your Facebook page really stands out by creating a unique design. You don't have to have the standard Facebook page design and you can implement all sorts of features that help your visitors recognize you as a leader in your field.

You can also serve different landing pages to different visitors. For example, fans and first time visitors to your page do not need to see the same thing and Facebook offers the functionality to change these settings. Show a page that encourages non-followers to fan your page, and show the main content to those that have already done so. Provide incentives such as coupons for your products or services, or free resources like Ebooks and other giveaways, to members that have not yet clicked to follow your page.

2 . Use Giveaways - Giveaways have long been and continue to be one of the most effective branding and promotional techniques there is. Ebooks, gift items, and coupons are just some of the Facebook-specific items you can provide to those that are willing to sign up for your Facebook fan page. You can provide regular giveaways to members to ensure that people follow you over time and as an extra incentive for becoming what is essentially a subscribed member of your fan page.

3. Use Competitions - Competitions can generate even more buzz than a giveaway. If you place a financial value on each of your fans, then you can calculate a decent prize to give away. It could be one of your products or services or something relating to one of your partners. Make sure that it is related to the content you provide as well as the products or services that you promote. Competitions can go viral too, so encourage your readers to spread the word with their friends - you can even build this into the competition by offering extra prize draw entries for each friend referred to your page.

4. Get Personal - Facebook is first and foremost a social network. The fact that it can also be used to help promote your business is an added benefit, but users are predominantly on the site because it allows them to connect with others and hunt down content that they are interested in. It is, therefore, a personal experience and your readers will for the most part want to believe that they are dealing with real people. Add a large photo to your Facebook page.

If you organize events or can take photos of your visitors some other way then do so, and tag the people in those photos. It is possible to let readers upload their own photos and tag themselves (I would of course watch this carefully, but it can be a great way to get people involved).

5. Say Thanks - A little "thank you" can go a LONG way. As soon as somebody becomes a fan send them an unobtrusive message thanking them for becoming a fan and welcoming them to the fold. The message doesn't need to be long and it can be automated, but remember, people buy people, so a little personal touch will go a long way!

6. Don't Give Up - Don't be surprised if your Mom and your Sister are your only fans after a few days of adding content and personalizing your page. It does take effort to develop a high quality Facebook fan page. Keep posting, keep updating, keep testing, keep evolving, and keep trying - don't' give up!

Facebook Marketing

Facebook is the largest social network online having surpassed half a billion users. While competition is fierce, if you can master the art of creating a popular and beneficial Facebook page then you can also master the art of generating social traffic and your marketing message can go viral producing massive returns in the long run.

Happy status updates!

***

 By Lindsay Dicks (c) 2011

SEO News [seo@seo-news.com]

SEO Best Practice How to Promote a New Website

Search engine algorithms have become very advanced particularly in their ability to analyze the interlinking structures of the web and to determine unnatural linking practices (or 'link schemes' as they are often referred to). Techniques like reciprocal link building which worked well a few years ago, now fail to significantly improve ranking and can in fact cause serious problems if undertaken on a large scale or free-for-all uncontrolled manner. 

The latest search engine algorithms place significant emphasis on determining the trust and authority of a site by analyzing who links to it. Get links from reputable sources relevant to your particular field and you will be rewarded with higher search engine ranking.

Because the search engines possess a finely honed ability to determine the quality and relevance of links there's little doubt that SEO is becoming much more difficult. Higher quality one-way links are now required and not just to the website homepage, but to every category and service the website offers through a process called deep linking (acquiring links to internal pages or your site). These links should ideally be placed on relevant content-rich pages in the body content of the page, not on content-devoid pages that consist solely of lists of links or are used for 'link exchange' purposes. 

If you want to avoid search engine penalties, it has been shown time after time that the most successful web design and SEO strategies take into account Google Webmaster Guidelines. Taking this into account, here are some best practice SEO tips to help promote any new website: 

1. Test Website Accessibility Thoroughly

Before spending hours optimizing your website content, check that search engines can actually find it. JavaScript Navigation Systems can be inaccessible to search engines, as can links inside Macromedia Flash content. Search Google for 'search engine simulator' and use one of the free tools to check that all pages on your site are accessible. If not, re-design your website navigation system using text links or CSS drop-down menus. 

2. Check Cross-Browser Compatibility

A site which doesn't work in one or more web browsers will result in lost business as visitors turn away in the hundreds. Before embarking on SEO, check your website renders properly in all current browser versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and Google Chrome. 

3. Each Page Should Have a Unique Purpose

No two pages should be optimized for the same keyword and the site's structure should have a sensible hierarchy where main services and categories receive links from all website pages in what is called the persistent navigation. Less important pages should be linked from inside these sections or categories rather than in the main website navigation. 

4. Research Keywords Buyers' Use

Spend time doing thorough keyword research and always consider terms potential buyers would use when looking for the products or services you sell. Use a tool like the Google Adwords Keyword Tool to check local volumes and competition for keywords and build rich content around these identified terms using unique keywords on each page.

5. Write Semantic Copy

When writing copy consider the fact that search engines now attempt to extract meaning from your content by analysing the mixture of keywords you have used. For this reason a page will achieve higher relevance if it covers a topic from all angles and contains many different complementary keywords relevant to that topic rather than repeating the same phrase time and time again. Start by assigning a page an H1 heading (the main page heading) and then breaking the topic down into four or five sub-topics each of which should have an H2 or H3 sub-heading. Each sub-topic will then have its own sub-set of keywords around the main topic. This technique can significantly improve the semantic meaning extracted from any content. 

6. Build Website Value

Write compelling original content that is in-depth, topical and relevant. Don't be tempted to copy content from elsewhere on the web as search engines employ advanced duplicate content detection. Write about topics which aren't covered extensively elsewhere and provide valuable content which is helpful to your readers. Websites with unique content and value consistently sustain higher readership and acquire more quality links which in turn lead to higher ranking and readership.

7. Use a Unique Title Tag for Each Page

Each page on your website should have a unique page Meta Title Tag. Just to clarify, this is the TITLE tag inside the HEAD area of the HTML code. The Meta Title remains one of the most important aspects of SEO and is one of the top five Google ranking factors even after the latest search engine algorithm changes. Title tags should be less than 70 characters including spaces and should contain the page's main target keyword along with a secondary keyword alongside your brand (if needed). Avoid repeating the same keyword more than once and place the most important keyword at the beginning of the title. 

8. Write Unique Meta Descriptions for Each Page

While the Meta Description Tag now has little overall ranking influence, it is still frequently used by the search engines in the search results when listing your site's pages. For this reason it is important. Having well written, unique Meta Description tags can significantly improve click through and result in more website traffic. Meta Descriptions should be around 160 characters long including spaces and comprise an accurate description of the page with a compelling reason to visit it. A few of the main target keywords should be incorporated towards the beginning of the description. The Meta Description can be found inside the HEAD area of a web page.

***

By Steve Larkins (c) 2011

SEO News [seo@seo-news.com]

How to Build Winning Web Portals

The successful online portals and marketplaces today are well-known; the failures aren't but are multiples of the winners. Here's a snapshot look at what it takes to build winníng web portals based on real-life lessons.

Ten years ago I was immersed in a meeting of Information Technology professionals and business leaders from the Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center Network. They were trying to come up with new ways to serve their base constituents, Pennsylvania manufacturers, and get them into the world of e-Business. Lo and behold, one rather entrepreneurial center director brought up the idea of an online business web portal site, targeted to this market. On it a company could showcase itself to the world, access new quoting opportunities and resources such as suppliers and information. The argument was compelling, and the people seated around the table cautiously threw their hats into the ring of support, one by one. So just what were the best methods of how to build web portals?

Nutrition Tips for Ramadhan Fasts

Although I realize that Ramadan fasting is primarily for spiritual purposes, there may actually be some health benefits as well! Research shows that short fasts, lasting anywhere from 20 to 36 hours can in fact reduce some risks for heart disease and diabetes–and maybe even cancer.  See also my article on Benefits of Fasting.

But to maximize the potential benefits of fasting, it is important to eat as healthfully as possible when you break your fast.  I realize that can be challenging when the nightly Ramadan feasts feature so many less-than-healthful holiday treats!

How to Stay Physically Fit in Ramadan

The month of Ramadan can often become an excuse to not exercise and to overindulge in food. But this month is not meant to be used as a crutch for laziness or a reason to eat whatever we want. We forget that keeping our bodies healthy can be an act of worship and in turn, make us realize our goal of becoming even closer to Allah (swt) during this month.

Insha Allah with just a few easy steps (literally), you can stay healthy while gaining the spiritual benefit that comes with exercise this Ramadan.

10 Tips Menggunakan Twitter Dengan Baik dan Benar

Twitter merupakan situs mikroblog yang berfungsi sebagai jejaring sosial. Twitter berguna untuk melakukan update berita, untuk mengetahui hal-hal terbaru dari sesuatu atau seseorang yang ingin kita ikuti sehari-hari.

Namun, di luar itu, Twitter bisa menjadi musuh bagi hidup kita. Contohnya, ada karyawan yang dipecat hanya karena tweet-nya di Twitter. Ada pula kasus phising yang merugikan, juga pemblokiran dari pemerintah.

Berikut ini adalah tips untuk menjaga akun Twitter, agar terhindar dari penyalahgunaan, virus, spam, phising, dan juga pemblokiran.

TIPS: Mengenal Ciri-ciri Keaslian Uang Rupiah

Sudahkah Anda tahu ciri-ciri Uang Rupiah yang asli? Perlu Anda ketahui bahwa Bank Indonesia senantiasa melakukan evaluasi dan peningkatan kualitas uang sehingga mudah dikenali ciri-ciri keasliannya dan aman dari upaya pemalsuan.

Agar lebih mudah mengenali keaslian Uang Rupiah, maka pahami Panduan Ciri-Ciri Keaslian Uang Rupiah sehingga Anda dapat dengan mudah mengenali Uang Rupiah asli dari Unsur Pengaman yang terdapat pada Uang Rupiah tersebut.

TIPS: Cara Sehat Makan Junk Food

Siang ini berencana makan junk food? Makanan berkalori dan berlemak tinggi ini banyak digemari orang. Karena rasanya yang gurih, renyah dan enak. Di balik ancaman resiko terkena obesitas, junk food masih bisa disiasati agar tetap bernutrisi dan sehat.

Makanan siap saji memang menawarkan menu yang sangat menggugah selera. Rasa gurih enak dan praktis membuat orang menyukai menu junk food. Makanan ini tak perlu dihindari, sekali-sekali bisa tetap Anda nikmati. Ada beberapa tips yang bisa Anda coba untuk menyiasati agar junk food tetap jadi sehat dan enak.

Salad

Sebagian besar restoran cepat saji menawarkan menu lain selain burger dan kentang goreng. Ada pilihan menu dengan campuran sayuran yang bisa menjadi pilihan sehat. Misalnya garden salad, coleslaw atau burger dengan selipan sayuran segar. Menu ini bisa Anda pilih karena berbahan segar.

Saus Pelengkap

Jika memesan burger, usahakan untuk menghindari atau mengurangi keju, saus tomat, mayonise dan mustard serta mentega. Karena jenis produk ini akan menambah kalori ekstra. Pilihlah tambahan selada atau tomat untuk menambah kubutuhan nutrisi pada tubuh.

Coba tempat baru

Makan junkfood hampir setiap hari? Cobalah untuk beberapa hari mencoba menu berbeda di beberapa gerai makanan lainnya. Pasti Anda akan menemukan tempat makan yang lebih enak dan juga lebih sehat.

Produk biji-bijian

Kini banyak restoran siap saji yang menawarkan produk olahan dari biji-bijian. Misalnya roti gandum, atau muffin gandum. Ini bisa jadi salah satu pilihan tepat sebagai makanan sehat.

Panggang

Hindari memesan makanan yang digoreng, karena identik dengan lemak, dan kalori serta jumlah minyak yang banyak. Pilihlah menu yang dipanggang, seperti sandwich ayam panggang, tanpa mayo, keju dan daging asap. Selain berprotein juga tetap sehat.

Dessert

Terbiasa selalu pesan menu penutup seperti brownies atau es krim? Untuk menghindari jumlah kalori yang tak diperlukan, pilihlah es krim dengan porsi kecil atau brownies polos dengan tambahan irisan buah segar.

***

sumber: detikfood.com