7 Things all Webmasters Need to Know about SEO

[asianbeautytalk]

by Megan McDermott

Webmasters come to the forums with a lot of of misconceptions about SEO. They ask all kinds of questions about PageRank, or how to get the most out of their meta tags. It's time to set the record straight with five basic things all webmasters need to know about SEO.

1. SEO is not simple or easy
SEO is not just about what your PageRank is or getting reciprocal links. It is not just about the text on your page, your meta tags, or the structure of your HTML. In fact, many of the things I just mentioned aren't important at all anymore!

Google has over 100 ranking factors work together to produce search results. Experts have created many detailed lists of ranking factors to consider. Study carefully.

2. Search Engine algorythms change often
Search Engine algorythms and the knowledge of the expert community are constantly changing. What works today is not the same as what worked a year ago and may not be the same as what works even a few months from now. If you want to be successful in search you have to pay attention. I recommend the SEOmoz blog, but others are just as good. In fact, you should probably subscribe to a few of them.

Also make sure that you check the dates on any search-related articles you read. Anything more than 2 years old is probably obsolete. There is also a lot of false information posted on blogs and forums about SEO. Looks for recent, trusted sources.

3. SEO is not an exact science
In fact, much of what SEO experts know is based on experimentation, trial and error, and speculation. If the search engines publicized their methods, they would lose any advantage they have over the competition. In many cases, the best thing we can do is guess about what they might do and use our experience to learn about their behaviour. There are few "truths". You will hear the words "may", "could", and "might" a lot.
4. Google has tools and information to help you
Google's Webmaster Central has lots of great information including basic guidelines, questions and answers, and a blog. This is coming straight from the source, so pay attention! Matt Cutts, head of the Google's Webspam team also has a blog.

You should also have an account with Google Webmaster Tools. Their tools can tell you a lot about your site including any crawling errors they might be experiencing some good details on your linkbacks. This is also where you submit your sitemap to tell Google how to crawl your site.

5. Search Engines don't like being tricked
When refining their algorythms, search engines are usually weeding out things that aren't real. This could be things like fake keywords (hidden in the HTML code) or fake linkbacks (reciprocals, or anything you may have created yourself). You have two options here: you can continue to try to trick the search engines in to thinking that your page is better than it is, or you can just give up the trickery and give the search engines what they want.

6. SEO alone is not enough
All the SEO in the world means nothing if your site isn't up to the task. I see many webmasters spending a lot of time on their SEO efforts and almost none on the design, content, and usability of their site. Putting a lot of effort into SEO is pointless if people are going to turn around and leave as soon as they land on your site.

7. Search Engines are looking for good content for people
A search engine's primary purpose is serving human visitors. When people use their engine they want to find the best results. Therefore, search engines are continually working to find the best content for people. If they didn't, users would switch to one of their competitors. If your site has good content for people, then most of the work is done!

Those are my basic tips. I'd love to see others - especially people who actually know about SEO - pick up where I've left off.

[toronto-seo]

Well said, that is all what SEO about but you still need a lot of experience to believe in these 7 points .. many people still thing that SEO is all about tricking search engines.

[Digitoko]

These are very common thing you wrote here. Have to add some thing special those read your details.

[AS-9]

These are very common thing you wrote here. Have to add some thing special those read your details.

Yes, can you add something special I'm interested.

[green8659]

Thanks for the info. Its all pretty basic SEO principles but sometimes its nice to see them in one spot to refresh your memory.

[seolady]

This is a nice post. Thanks for the info.

[JamesAddison]

Nice post..Still i am wondering which activity or algorithm is the best for search engine raking factor.If any one know then just share with us..

Thanx for post..

[stevewaganer]

Yes, you are right search engines are looking for nice content for people. thats why website should have unique content and keyword should be placed it wisely so that site will get ranking as well as visitors.

[guinanie]

3. SEO is not an exact science
In fact, much of what SEO experts know is based on experimentation, trial and error, and speculation.

You are right, SEO is not exact science nor an art because it is based on experimentation and you need to be creative on how you generate revenue.

[artificialturf]

I agree 100%, SEO is not a science. It is an art, an as everybody knows about art, it is in the eye of the beholder... in our cases the beholder is usually called Google.

[artificialturf]

I agree 100%, SEO is not a science. It is an art, an as everybody knows about art, it is in the eye of the beholder... in our cases the beholder is usually called Google.

[startupsalesmentor]

My focus is clear. I have 150+ posts and over 100k words on sales and sales training for startups.

Recently I started honing my site and crafting my links to get organic movement up the charts. Additionally, I started writing valid content in do follow forums and blogs.

I used SEO elite and WEB CEO to get backlinks from sales sites that want to exchange and submit to 100's of directories

I added my feed to the RSS directories, and am writing about other sales sites with trackbacks.

Is any of this a waste of time? Am I "cheating" the search engines? I have great relevant content and people enjoy reading it.

What are your thoughts?

[guruananth]

Now Google Changed its algorithm recently so everybody lost their rank.So now good thing is Forum Posting and Article Submission only.

Also follow the off page optimization

_______________________________________
http://www.cannyinfotech.com
http://letterheads.imagination.vg/
http://kiladi.blogspot.com

[AlexStone]

Yes, it's my basic tips too. I agree 100%, thank's for sharing

[homeexec]

Great Post!

I particularly like the fact people are talking about quality...something that is often forgotten these days. There's no point promoting a site that doesn't give the searcher what they are looking for, kind of defeats the point!

I firmly believe that seo should be factored in to websites as they are built...and seen as good practice instead of some holy grail of trickery. If people follow se guidelines and provide a great site, with a little promotion high ranks should follow naturally.

Many optimizers forget people are needed to perform a search and they are just that...erm...people! Quality and content is definitely key in my book...links should hopefully be a result of a great site, not an initiator.