5 Good, Honest, SEO Rules

Trying to know and understand the Search Engines is an impossible task. The way they look and interpret information is constantly changing and evolving. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t be thinking about them however when you edit your site. Try to always think and do the following, when editing or updating content on your site, the Search Engines will appreciate it and it’ll benefit your site in the long run.

Supply Good, High Quality, Information

Over 160.000 new domains are brought a day. It is vital therefore to make the most of your space on the Internet to stand out. With CMS software becoming more and more popular and bloggers increasing by the day you really need to think about what your offering to the user and think….. Do they want this? Are you supplying dull information or something of use? To many companies focus on just using the same keywords in their content and before long users start to think that they’re just reading an advertisement rather than useful information. Hopefully your an expert on what ever your site is about, so you should be able to write good quality articles and pages on it. If not don’t expect traffic and don’t expect inbound links.

Good URLs

Everyone has a love hate relationship with URLs. They know they’re good for SEO but they also know that if they change it, it’ll take two months to really see if it was worth it or not. This can be a long wait if the new URL turns out to be less successful then the last.

When thinking of URLs try to get keywords in them, also if you change a page’s URL make sure you set up a .301 Redirect. If not then the Search Engines won’t realise that the new URL is at all connected with the old URL. Therefore you have to start all the SEO work for that page again and all built up inbound links to the page will be lost. Something you should never do.

Is the Content Linkable?

The key to success at the moment is inbound links. A high number of quality inbound links will benefit your site incredibly, therefore when placing new content up ask yourself the questions:

Is this content worth reading? Is it useful? Is it accurate?

If the answer is “Yes”, then there’s a high chance that people will read it, like it, rate it and link to it.

Don’t Try and Outsmart The Search Engines

Google is extremely clever. Bing is extremely clever. Every search engine is extremely clever.

You can’t outsmart a Search Engine long term. There has been short term successes, but once the Search Engines find out they’re being tricked they do punish severely. Therefore never believe in scams like the following:

• Be top of Google for £10 a month
• Submit your site to 5,000 sites for free!
• Inbound links! 500 for £5!

If you do sign up for an offer, like the above, it is always a scam and will have negative affects to your-site. Many sites offering services like this these are done by tricking the Search Engines. Soon as they figure it out they penalise everyone connected to the scam.

Be Social

Any one who has established a successful blog knows that Social Media is an amazing thing. It allows you to create a high number of quality inbound links, whilst, at the same time getting your name out there. All small companies should seriously consider Social Networking or at least, at the minimum, set up a Bebo, Facebook Group as well as getting a Technorati, Twitter or Digg account. Then publicise your groups on your website and email footers. Best of all, Social Networking is free.