Search Engine Optimization For Beginners - On Page Optimization
When people start out online, there rarely if ever give considerable thought to search engine optimization. In fact, the first time SEO crosses someone's mind is when they look for their website by doing a Google search. It's amazing to me that people anticipate number one rankings for their website just minutes after they've uploaded their files and access their site online.
Unfortunately for many, they've missed the boat on search engine optimization. Why do you ask? The reason is because the most effective SEO is done before you even build your web site. There are a number of factors that directly influence your search engine results. Here are some the most important optimization factors to consider before you get too far along in the development of your website.
1. Web site theme. You can't be an expert in everything. Likewise, your website can't achieve number one rankings for every keyword phrase known to man. The best place to begin is by deciding on a particular theme or focus for your website. By having a singular theme, you will be able to focus your search engine optimization efforts more effectively and see results more quickly.
2. Competition in your theme. Once you have decided on a them or target market, you should research the competition in your niche. How long have you competitors been online? Do they have well established sites with high Google PR? Are they fully optimized with listing in DMOZ, Wikipedia, and other authority websites? If there are a number of strong competitors, you may wan to look at a different aspect of your niche or even consider changing your focus.
3. Linking partners. Continuing with the theme of competition, take a look at the sites linking in to your competitors. Are the what I would consider authority websites? These are sites that have a high Google PR and have been linking to your competitors for a long time. To outrank competitive sites, you will need to attract links from high Google PR websites as well.
4. Consider your time horizon. Must you have instant #1 rankings? Most people immediately respond with a yes but truthfully, you don't necessarily need a number one ranking right out of the gate. Google isn't going to give it to you. So, you have to decide on how much time you have to achieve the best ranking possible. Depending on your time line, you may need to adjust the keyword phrases you are trying to optimize for.
5. Optimization plan. Just as you put planning into building your website, you also need to plan your search engine optimization efforts. By putting together a plan, you can work towards you goal day after day and month after month until you've achieved your desired outcome. Search engine optimization takes work. You can always use search engine optimization tools to automate some of the effort, but you still need a plan.
By focusing your efforts on the market you are facing, the competition, and other factors related to search engine optimization, you can achieve improved search engine rankings quickly. One of the biggest issues I often deal with is with individuals who want top rankings but have to first undo much of the work related to building their website. Additionally, much of the search engine optimization they've done is inadequate and needs additional focus because it's not targeted enough.
Focus on your theme and build all of your seo efforts around it. Meta tags, in-bound links, etc. should all be targeted. The more content you build up in a particular theme, the stronger your search engine results will become. Get started today - but not until you've defined your niche.
Michael Fleischner is an Internet marketing expert with more than 13 years of marketing experience. Access hundreds of helpful marketing articles at MarketingScoop.com and read our latest SEO Elite software review online.
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