Basic SEO Tips, Every Website Owner Should Know

Written by Helen
August 17th, 2010

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Q: What are the basic SEO (Search Engine Optimization) things that I need to know as a website owner?

A: (Part 1)

Search Engine Optimization is a long and tedious process and you, as a website owner will, most likely need a team of people to help you with several SEO aspects of your business. However, there are a lot of basic SEO things that you should know and could do yourself to help us, your hardworking SEO team. ;)

1) Your Domain Name

As we wrote in our previous blog post about domain names, it’s always encouraged to think about SEO even when you are only starting your business and before you even have a website setup. Lot’s of companies in our day and age will first look up domain name availability BEFORE even registering their Company Name. Making sure you have a unique domain name that is search engine friendly is very important, so choosy wisely.

2) Your Design

Depending on the nature of your business, you will be designing a site that reflects your personality and work style. This is a crucial part of your SEO process. Make sure you find a programmer who understands SEO. Or better yet, hire an SEO consultant who will oversee your overall website design project, and will make sure that you follow all best practices and your site is search engine friendly.

3) On-Page Optimization

Most business owners don’t like when we tell them that they do not have enough html copy on their homepage. This is one of the most common mistakes in SEO, and the one that you could fix easily. There are lots of creative ways to expand your homepage copy without sacrificing the design and usability of your site. You want to have at least 200 words of clean html (search engine optimized) copy on your homepage.

4) Java vs Flash

Do you want your site to be a little more interactive? Choose Java Scripts instead of Flash (mention this to your web designer, as he/she might not think about it). Flash is not visible on devices like the iPad and iPhone, so don’t miss out on this important target segment.

5) Title Tag

Title Tag is what you see in the top of your browser when you open a page. This is one of the most important on-page SEO optimization factors. Make sure to keep it clean and very targeted. Do not include too many keywords, or keyword phrases in a title. Keep it to 2-3 targeted phrases and use them throughout the copy on that page.

To be continued…

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for Part 2!

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