Search Engine Optimization – Step 2 – On Site Optimization

In step 1 we discussed keyword research, now we’ll dive into step 2 – Planning and on site optimization

Planning can be as complicated or as simple as you desire, but if you don’t have a plan, chances are you will fail.

The structure of your site and how easy it is for Google, Yahoo and Bing to traverse is extremely important. Luckily if you followed my advice and built your small business web site on WordPress you already have the basics of a well made site. Simply by adding the all in one SEO pack and a few other pluggins you can start with the real work and not waste your time arguing with developers who don’t know jack about SEO.

On-Site optimization is the easiest part of search engine optimization. Do you know why? We’ll I’ll tell you. It is because you have control over it. Really it’s the only part of optimization that is all you. It’s success or failure is your fault. Not Google’s, not Yahoo’s, not Bing’s.

So let’s do an easy check list for your on site optimization. For some more reading you can check out my Google is stupid post.

1. Unique meta title on every page.
2. Unique meta description on every page (this is the text that shows up to search engine users)
3. Good content written for the human (it’s important that you write for human readers and then update to be search engine friendly. Do not write for search engines only)
4. include alt text on images
5. include title tags on links
6. use h1 for important items, h2 for secondary (if you are using wordpress it mostly does this already)
7. use the footer to link back to your home page
8. link to yourself. where applicable link to yourself from other pages, besides just your navigation
9. www or not www. Don’t use both. personally I prefer www because when people type your url or copy and paste it will automatically be a link in their email client or facebook.
10. Stay on topic – one topic per page
11. check your keyword density
12. test your site. (you’d be surprised how many people have 1/2 functioning web sites out there)

If you want more details on anything I’ve written be sure to ask.

I also do training seminars if you’d like to be able to handle search engine optimization in house.