Search Engine Optimisation Checklist

The following is a broad guide to some of the techniques used to optimise a website; a checklist of the basic steps. However, the algorithms used by search engines to determine your ranking are constantly evolving. For more up-to-date information, you should either seek the latest information online, or consult a search engine marketing agency.

Content
There is nothing search engines like to see more than good old-fashioned html text. And the more pages of html text in your site, the better. If your site doesn't actually need to contain more than a few pages, consider producing additional content that may help your customers and improve your search engine visibility. The page you are reading now is an example. If you've arrived at it from a search engine, we hope you'll find it useful AND that you'll click the link in the obvious purple box on the left!

Website structure
Search engine spiders follow links through your site in search of content. So make sure your menu system is on every page, and that pages link backwards and sideways, as well as forwards.

URLs
Ideally, your domain name will itself include a key search term. But regardless of whether it does or doesn't, include key search terms in the names of the folders and pages that make up your site. For example: http:www.optimisedsite.com/search_term/search_term.html

Page Titles
The title displayed in the blue stripe across the top of your browser is widely thought to be one of the most important considerations. Don't waste the opportunity by having it display the words ‘Home Page', from which noone will ever find you. Instead use your selected search terms.

Meta Tags
Meta tags are small pieces of simple html code incorporated into your website to help search engines index your content. Since they were first introduced, they've been widely abused, and search engines are increasingly starting to ignore these tags. At the time of writing, the <meta description> tag is more important than the <meta keyword> tag (the latter is often ignored completely).

Content
On your web pages, include keyword-rich html text. Use html heading (<h1>) and <strong> tags to highlight keyword-rich headings. If you have images, name the image file with a keyword. Use keyword-rich <alt> tags (the text that appears when you mouse over an image).

Content 'do nots'
Don't try and pull a fast one by including hidden content for search engines that ordinary viewers can't see. There are various ways of doing this, but an example would be if we put the text: "marketing ideas, marketing ideas, marketing ideas", in white, on a white background. Search engines are becoming increasingly sophisticated at detecting these techniques and you risk your site being banned.

Last updated: February 2007

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• Consulttheguru for content ideas for your website