You want your web site to be more visible on the web. You want your site to be on the coveted first page of major search engines like Google and Yahoo. For the purposes of this article, let's assume that you would like people searching for "plumbers in new hampshire" to find your site. Here are a few tips on how to get it done.
Search engines send programs to existing domains and assign points for different aspects of the web pages they find. Sites with higher total scores show up on the top pages of the search engine site.
On the top of the list is your domain name. If your domain is named plumbersinnewhampshire.com or newhampshireplumbers.com or new-hampshire-plumbers.com, you will receive maximum points. Choose your domain name carefully.
In
the head section of the document, you should place a <title>
tag. Within that line are the words that show up on the title bar of the screen
(the blue bar at the top of your browser window). Note the title at the top
of this web page: Improving Search Engine Placement. On the right is a screen
shot of a Dreamweaver window. The default page name is Untitled Document.
Insert Plumbers in New Hampshire in that box. Now, you have
improved your browser score.
Another part of the head section of your document is a <meta> tag that contains keywords. Choose your keywords carefully and keep the number down to 15 or 20. In Dreamweaver, choose the Head tab at the top of the page. Then click on the key immediately below the tabs. Each line of the box that appears becomes a keyword of key phrase. If you view the source of this document, you will see that there is one keyword, the phrase Improving Search Engine Placement.
Search
engines read your heading tags <h1><h2>, etc. The <h1> tag
receives a higher score than <h2>, all the way down to <h6>. Don't
make the mistake of simply changing the font and size of your text. In Dreamweaver,
the Format box on the bottom right of your screen is where
you choose to make text a header. Note the partial screen shot at left. The
word Headings is highlighted and Heading 2
is chosen in the Format box.
Be creative and get your keywords into your headings, particularly your h1 headings.
For every graphic, you need an alt attribute. That tag displays your alternate text when the user rolls the mouse over your image or displays your alternate text instead of the graphic when graphics are turned off on the browser. Roll your mouse over either of the two graphics on this page to see the alt attributes. Note: The rollover does not work with Firefox. Search engines read your alt attributes and add to your score.
Finally, use the File, Check Page function of Dreamweaver (or the code validator of w3c.com). Pages with incorrect code often are rejected completely by the search engines. The code tester will tell you if you have coding problems or missing alt attributes.
Most search engines find your web page when you, or your service provider submit it for inclusion in their database. Most good providers will do this for you. Another way you can be found by search engines is to have other sites link to your page. Different search engines use different algorithms to assign points so don't expect miracles. Professional web site developers are out there trying to figure out search engine points every day. The search engine companies are constantly changing their algorithms to keep the professionals from monopolizing the lists.
Choose your domain name carefully and design your page with all of the elements that tell the search engine what you are about. You will move up the list.