:: Copywriting and Direct Marketing ::

On-page optimization is where you should begin and SEO campaign. What you do on your web site and various web pages has a significant impact on search engine results. Even though off-page optimization is a critical component for higher rankings, on-page techniques are essential for building a strong SEO foundation.

Below are a few helpful search engine optimization strategies you can use right now to make your web site more accessible to search engines and as a result, improve your search engine rankings.

Optimize Your Website URL. If you have not yet picked a domain name for your website, do not try to purchase yourkeyword.com. Rather, pick a name that will be memorable and is something you want to build your company or brand around. You do not want to limit your options too severely. That said do try to include your main broad keyword into your URL.

Optimize Your Page Title and Header Tags Including H1 and H2. Develop a title that is relevant to your website content and which has no more that sixty characters. The reason you want to keep your title to a fixed width is because longer titles wont display fully on search engine results listings. The title is important because it gives you an opportunity to display your keywords and entice browsers to click on your link.

The first headline that appears on your page should include your keywords and be in the form of an H1 tag. The sub text should be presented as an H2 or H3 header. This reinforces the importance of your keywords and indicates prominence oriented around the specific content included on your web page.

Do Not Forget To Optimize Your Meta Tags. Search engine optimization professionals continue to question the true value of meta tags. I know that meta tags are based on a number of core tags but can include many more. The core tags are for a page title, description and keywords. These tags are less important than in years past but should still be included.

Today, meta tags are used as a starting point and a reference point for search engine crawlers. Your meta tags need to be aligned to your page content and also include your keywords. This creates consistency, something that search engine spiders yearn for. So make sure to fully develop your description and keywords. I suggest limiting your keywords to no more than twelve and limiting your description to about 150 words maximum.

Optimize your keyword density for Google. Creating a keyword rich content page is essential but do not get carried away. Your keyword density should be around 3 or 4 percent, no more. Some people believe that you could go as high as six percent for Yahoo! optimization but Google seems to like pages that have a smaller keyword density. From my perspective you are better off focusing on the placement of your keywords and the type of emphasis you provide. Remember to focus on H1 and H2 tags and place keywords at the beginning, middle, and end of your web page. In addition you should have an instance of each keyword phrase in bold, italics, and underlined. This variety again reinforces the value of your links.

Varying Your Keyword Phrase. Each time you list your keyword phrase, change it up a bit. Rather than stuffing your site with the same keyword phrases again and again, use keyword variety. One way to do this is to add a word or two before your keyword phrase and after it. Creating variety is critical because it shows each search engine that your site is really about the core content you are promoting.

The most vital part of any search engine optimization campaign is to create a site that utilizes SEO but doesn’t over due it. Make your web site appear natural, include valuable content, and follow on-page optimization best practices. This will keep your site ranked well among most major search engines.