Search Engine Optimization

Dawn PedersenArt Institute

IntroductionAll your hard design work will suffer in

anonymity if people can't find your site. The most common way people find websites—

unless you've run a costly marketing campaign—is likely to be through search engines.

It pays to understand how search engines respond to various coding practices, and code your site in the most SEO-friendly way possible.

IntroductionHere are some time-tested coding practices

which have a strong positive impact on a website's page ranking in search engines:

Domain NameSelect a domain name which is relevant to

your brand and to the content of your site. If there is a possibility of misspellings of your

domain name, secure the most likely variations as well and have them redirected to your main site.

If you can, also register your domain name with all the common extensions: .com, .net and .org.

File NamesCreate file names which are descriptive and

relevant to the content of the page.Hyphens help separate words. On any given site page, the URL displayed in

the browser's address bar should be in ordinary language which gives a clue about the page content.

Title TagsCraft title tags which are descriptive and

contain key words which are relevant to your branding message and content.

HeadingsUse heading tags

(e.g. <h1>) correctly to indicate the hierarchy of your page and to help users quickly scan your content for what's important to them.

<h1>

<h2><h3>

<h3>

ContentThe actual content of your page should be

well-written, informative, and consistent with the headings.

Write for people, not search engines, and you will find that people will link to your site. Search engines favor sites with well-written, original content.

Update content on a fairly regular basis—fresh content improves page rank as well.

Use proper spelling and grammar.

EmphasisEmphasize keywords and phrases within your

text with text modifiers such as the strong (<strong>) and emphasis (<em>) tags.

ImagesUse an alt attribute for every single image

which describes it succinctly—otherwise search engines have no idea what the image is (not to mention blind people.)

LinksWrite the label for each link within your site so

that it is consistent with the page heading of the destination page.

Link in a hierarchy: the home page should link only to your main site categories, and those categories link to subcategories, etc.

Valid HTMLWriting valid HTML not only improves cross-

browser consistency, it improves the chances of a search engine making the most of your content.

Meta DescriptionWrite a meta description that describes your

company directly and without jargon; it may include vital keywords but should be in a natural tone of voice rather than keyword-packed.

It will likely appear in a search engine result and should compel real people to click the link.

Site StructureFailure to have a properly structured site can

make it difficult for search engines to properly index your site; this can lead to a search engine simply omitting your site from search results because you are not considered an authority on the subject matter of your site.

Keep all your related site content grouped into categories, and keep these categories in descriptive folders within your site structure.

Site MapCreate a site map which illustrates the inner

organization and navigation of your site's content.

About PageA company

information section enhances your credibility.

Include content about your business's history, management team, and notable accomplishments which support your brand positioning.

Privacy PolicyCreate a privacy policy on your site; it adds

credibility and authority in the eyes of both search engines and users.

HostingSelect a web host with near-100% up-time, so

users and search engines are never faced with any errors.

Look for a host which also provides customer service around the clock.

Broken LinksUse software to check for broken links on your

site. You can be penalized

by search engines if too many broken links exist.