Best 3 Search Engine Optimization Tips of 2008

Hi,

In the recent SitePro newsletter I got these tips in email. I liked them so wanted to share. Some of you may already know about it but could be a refresher course for every body.


SEO Tip #1: Make Google Alerts Your Personal Online Spy

Google Alerts is a great way to let the world's biggest search engine be your personal online investigator. This takes search engine optimization insider info to a whole new level. Here's an excerpt straight from Google....

"Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic."
You Don't Have to Study for 5 Years to be an SEO Pro!


Some handy uses of Google Alerts include:

* monitoring a developing news story
* keeping current on a competitor or industry
* getting the latest on a celebrity or event
* keeping tabs on your favorite sports teams"

As you probably guessed, it's the second one we care about most, "keeping current on a competitor or industry."

Here's how it works... Each time Google finds a reference to the query or topic you request you will be sent an email with the details. This is like having an online agent to make sure competitors are not using your protected keywords (trademarked names, company names, etc.) It's also an instant identifier to know when your site or product is mentioned in a news story or even when a topic is hot so you can take advantage of the situation. It's the easiest way in the world to stop competitors' dirty tricks and identify trends that you can take instant advantage of.

It's fast, free and works every minute of every day. Let Google Alerts do your most time consuming legwork while you reap the rewards!

SEO Tip #2: Optimize Your 404 Page and Always Be Found

"Error 404: Page Not Found" is a blessing that most Webmasters curse. Why? Getting a visitor on any page of your site is fantastic! Don't blow the opportuníty. Not only can you make your "404" page a valuable sales tool, you can use the following search engine optimization techniques to attract customers in droves.

A.) Use your main keyword in your title, add a "pipe" (usually above the Enter key) and then use your secondary keyword. Here's an example for an SEO site "SEO | Search Engine Optimization Tips"

B.) Add some keyword rich content using one to two keywords for the page. If you have less than 250 words on the page, just use one keyword and use it no more than three times total. Bold the first use and italicize the second or third use. Keep in mind this is an "inactive" page so simply tell the visitor what your site is about and whet their appetite with a good description. Something like this works well... "Thank you for visiting SEO (bold) Group, Inc. We're sorry you seem to have found a missing page but rest assured, if you are looking for the world's best search engine optimization tips (bold or italic), you are at the right place..." This will go on for a couple paragraphs or as long as you'd like then end it with something to the effect of "Please Clíck Here (link) to visit our site map or click any link to the left."

C.) Add your site's standard navigation system (bar, column, etc.) as mentioned above.

D.) Make the look and feel of the customized 404 page match your main site as closely as possible with a template, matched palette, cascading style sheets, etc.

E.) Create a link to the site map page if available, and make the link easy to find. You want your visitor off the 404 page and into your main content as quickly as possible.

Setting up a custom 404 page link usually takes less than five minutes on most major Web hosting companies like Godaddy.com. But whatever it takes, it's worth the effort.


SEO Tip #3: Get (Even More) Serious About Linking

I saved the most important for last. If you want to do well on any search engine, especially Google, linking is THE single MOST important thing you can do. It's that simple.

Here are the five things you MUST do to make your site #1 on Google:

A.) Find the highest page rank sites linking to your site AND your competitors' sites.

B.) Run monthly link campaigns and snatch up the best of the above identified Web sites.

C.) Run regular checks on what pages are still linking back to your site. Also make sure they did not move you from a high page rank page to a lower one (don't get cheated!)

D.) Eliminate any penalized sites you link to; ASAP!

E.) Check your search engine ranking AND your competitor's for each of your keywords every week. Do this for Google, Yahoo, MSN and Alta Vista at the minimum.

 

Thanks! Nice tips for 404 page.

 

I repped you, this is some good advice and has current information we havent seen very much of before. Perfect post to throw some green reps at.

 

Regarding 404 you can just 301 redirect all non-active web pages to your main domain name, which will actually have a much better effect.

 

Thanks for these tips!

 

Nice tip about Google Alert.

 

Thank you aliweb, you teach me a lot

 

Thank you every one. I also liked these tips very much and didn't know about them earlier. In fact I am a newbie when it comes to SEO.

 

Thanks i'll give this a read through later. I'm relatively new to all this seo stuff.

 

Nice post! bookmarked

 

Really love the tips mention in "

" step 3

 

"C.) Run regular checks on what pages are still linking back to your site. Also make sure they did not move you from a high page rank page to a lower one (don't get cheated!)"

I suggest we get one way back links instead of reciprocal links.

 

Thanks for sharing. It is useful.

 

Thank You Very Much Aliweb.

for Wonderful Tips.

Nice meeting you.

Best Regards

John

 

ssandeki,

would i get penalised by google for using the 301 method instead of the 404 method?

 

great tips thanks for sharing

 

This doesn't have anything to do with SEO, but it can be useful as an aid when conducting keyword research. I still recommend doing it though, just be careful that you don't get inundated with alerts when working on mulitple sites (having your alerts go to your Gmail account and having them filtered ino the appropriate folders - er, labels - will go a long way toward preventing that).

This isn't SEO - that's accessibility.

Using a 404 page as a sales tool (or a place to put ads) is a VERY bad idea. The 404 page has three purposes.

1. To inform the user that the file or page could not be found.
2. To inform the user that the error was NOT their fault.
3. To help the user find what they're looking for.

That's it. Nothing else.

The 404 page should have a title that is relevant to the page and also include the name of your site. A much better example of a good 404 title tag would be "Unable to find page at <Web site name>" (where <Web site name> is the name of your Web site).

You do understand that the search engines aren't going to read the page contents if they're notified (properly) that the page doesn't exist via the correct HTTP headers? Here's an example of a FAR MORE USEFUL 404 error page:

DEFINATELY do this. But make sure that if you have a global site search form to put it inside the main content area for the 404 page, and not in its usual location (unless it's an essential navigational aid - see below for an example of a "necessary navigational aid").

And if you don't have one, MAKE ONE. And I don't mean an XML sitemap either. If you're running a blog, then make sure you also add some links to your categories and archives as well. See www.problogger.net/404/ for an example of how additional information can be useful. (Note that the search menu appears next to the menu and in the main page area - this is what I mean by "an essential navigational aid".)

That it most definately is.

More like Google, Yahoo and MSN nowadays. AltaVista has been largley rendered irrelevant, as has Ask.com

Not really - don't forget that people rely on the 404 page. Just redirecting your inactive pages to your home page will confuse the hell out of them, making them far less likely to use the site (they'll probably leave and never come back).

Not by Google, but as I said, people won't find your site nearly as easy to use, and you'll also lose the golden chance to convert a weary traveler into a loyal visitor/user/customer.

 

Very useful tips for SEO! thanks for this information.. I keep on reading on the topic related to Optimizing the 404 page. thanks by the way.!

 

There might be some defect in the post,
But i appreciate your efforts.
Thanks for it.

 

yes John,
Aliweb done a great job.
members should welcome these kind of efforts, with out finding defect in each and every line, he wrote.