What is SEO?

• By getting high ranking and high traffic sites to link to you can help improve how well your pages do in link analysis systems. The key is understanding that link analysis is not about "popularity." In other words, it's not an issue of getting lots of links from anywhere. Instead, you want websites to link to that are genuine and related to the topics you want to be found for.
• Using links effectively: you don't need millions of links from just any site to gain a better rank in Google. You need good quality links. Here is one good method to do this:
• Look for sites that have a Google Page Rank rank of "4" or higher. How do you know what the page rank is? Download Goole Toolbar and install it on your computer. Get it here: http://toolbar.Google.com/  This will allow you to see how a website you are on is ranked by Google. The Adobe web site for example is 10 out of 10, where as a site that has just been made is 0.   
• Go to Google Search Engine and type in a relevant keyword to your niche site. When the results come up, go to each site (including the Google Ads that may come along with it). Upon arriving at each site the first thing to check for its Google Rank that shows up on your Google Toolbar.
• Aim for a Google rank of 4 or more. Anything less than 4, leave the site and look for another one.
• Now here comes the challenging part. You have to convince this site to link to you, but you have to offer something else aside from linking back. The reason why you cannot link back is because Google can recognise that you have traded links and will not see this as a good thing. This is because so many people do it that it has become harder to distinguish between the sites that are worth linking to, and the sites that have swapped links with anyone and everyone. Therefore, the link has to be one way so that Google will know that your site is worth linking to.

• Resubmit your site any time you make significant changes.
• Submit your site to all the major search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Excite, AOL Search, National Directory, Jump1, Infoseek/Go, Netscape, LookSmart, AH-HA, Lycos, Snap, WhatUSeek, Open Directory, Alexa, MSN, Alta Vista, NerdWorld, Magellan, Start Point, HotBot, Direct Hit, Northern Light, FastSearch, and WebCrawler.

• Remember that while search engines are a primary way people look for web sites, but they are not the only way. People also find sites through word-of-mouth, traditional advertising, the traditional media, newsgroup postings, web directories and links from other sites. Sometimes, these alternative forms are far more effective draws than are search engines.
• Some non – internet promotions and advertising ideas:
  include your web site and e-mail address on ALL print material: Business Cards, Letterhead, Envelopes, Invoices, Sales Receipts, Stationary, Telephone Messages, Postal Mail, Yellow Page Ads, Newspapers, Magazines, Radio, Television, and Press Releases.

• It is not always necessary to focus on the most competitive term in the copy. By focusing on the less frequently used keywords, it is possible to gain a significant amount of traffic overall from several longer, lower search volume phrases.
• Ask yourself the questions: Who is your target audience? Which search engines are they likely to use? What are the keywords they are likely to use?
  There are tools that tell you the average number of times a certain words or phrase was searched in one month eg http://inventory.overture.com/. The google keyword popularity tool is also very useful.
  

• Try to increase the varity of words you use within your site, where appropriate. For example, a surfing page might include the words "surfers" and "surfing". Expanding these references to "surfing" and "surfers" reinforces your strategic keywords in a legitimate and natural manner. Your page really is about stamp surfing, but you may have reduced its relevancy unintentionally.
• Some studies say that people who type in general terms when searching, only visit the home page and stay for a short amount of time. On the other hand, people who type specific or obscure terms when searching, tend to stay for a much longer time, went deeper into the site and were more likely to shop online.
• Metatags with keywords may help, although they are not a guarantee and spamming has to be avoided. Make the keywords in the metatags work with the keywords in the body.
• Target keywords should be at least 2 or more words long.

• Determine what your users are looking for by combing through your server logs, paying attention to the most popular paths through the site. Expand sections of the website according to user interest.
• Look through the internal site search tools to see what keywords web-users are typing once they reach our site. These words may trigger ideas that may lead to new content.
• Monitor how long people are spending in each section and expand sections of the website according to user interest.

• Keep in mind that tables can push your text further down the page, making keywords less relevant because they appear lower on the page.
• If you use javascript, if possible place it lower on the page otherwise it will push keywords under it.
  

• You could also include any of the following items on your website which could provide useful content for both search engines and end users: Press Releases, FAQs, Articles, Blogs, Directory Listings, a Glossary, a section where the user can rate the site, so you can get feedback, and they may report some errors for you.
• Monitor industry message boards to see find content ideas.
• Good search engine listings may see a dramatic increase in traffic. Paid inclusion such as Google and overture may help.
• Register more than one domain.
• Contribute to Discussion Groups.
• Create e-mail lists and send out newsletters. This reminds people that your website exists and gives you the opportunity to get them back to you site again.
• Buy some Newsgroups ads, e-zine ads, classified ads, or banner advertising.  
• Partake in a banner exchange, sponsorships, or associate programs.  
• You can track the success of our site using ranking software such as webpositiongold, and topdog and traffic analysis tools such as webtrends, hitbox, and Urchin. For specific pages you can use PositionTech.

Other SEO information you may be interested in:
SEO For Small Business, Increase Website Traffic, Increasing Website Visitors, Cheap SEO