A: Choose the best and most effective keywords for each page of your site. Optimize each page for 1 or 2 keyword phrases only.

1. Write captivating titles and descriptions
2. Try not to utilize frames, dynamic content, or lengthy JavaScript
3. Create content-rich information pages (doorways into your site)
4. Submit all the pages of your site to the search engines for those engines that allow you to do so
5. Get new links to your site, and add related outgoing links as well.
6. Add hidden links on the main page of your site to all important pages in your site, including your doorway pages.
7. Use a site map, again with visible or hidden links to all of your important pages. (The idea here is to put your pages in front of the engines in every way that you can!)
8. Make sure that your important keyword-containing tags and text are toward the top of the page. Any technique that pushes the keyword-containing tags or text further down on the page is detrimental to search engine rankings.

Monitor what your competition is doing

Some people believe that frequent submission of your site to the search engines can improve your rankings. . . What is your take on this?

A: With some engines, that’s okay. With others, it isn’t. With AltaVista and GO/InfoSeek, I wouldn’t recommend resubmitting the pages unless you absolutely have to. Both of those engines tend to place more relevancy on pages that have been in their index for a while and for pages that the spiders find, versus pages that have been submitted. Submitting too frequently to those engines can actually hurt your rankings. With other engines, like Excite, it’s a good idea to submit every two weeks.

Who Are The Big Dogs
Q: There are so many search engines. Which ones do you consider the BIG ones that people should focus on?

A:

• Yahoo! (which is a directory, not a search engine)
• Open Directory Project (again, this is a directory, not a search engine)
• HotBot
• Excite
• AltaVista
• Lycos
• GO/InfoSeek
• Google
• Northern Light
• Snap
• Ask Jeeves is gaining in popularity, and so is LookSmart.