tain keywords and phrases. It is not recommended to use more than a brief sentence in the “alt” attribute and it should describe the image that it represents.

Reciprocal linking

One of the most overlooked methods of optimization is reciprocal linking which is the process of compiling external links to your site. So, for instance, if your company is part of an industry, say Physical Therapy, and the Physical Therapy Association of America has a website that contains a page of links to private practices, it would behoove you to get a link to you website on that page. This tells the search engines that your site is important - specially in the physical therapy

When ad agencies ask me how to increase the ranking of a site on search engines, my typical answer is that there's no magic bullet but there are a few techniques you can use to help the cause.

Select the Right Keywords and Phrases

Since the keywords you choose are used in all aspects of the optimization process, it is essential that the right words are chosen.

Due to the fierce amount of competition for general keywords in the search engines, think of specific “keyword phrases” and not necessarily just “keywords”. By limiting yourself to just keywords, it is unlikely that your site will rank well. You have a far greater chance of getting noticed with specific phrases because there is probably less competition.

Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Ask yourself what they would search under. They wouldn’t necessarily use the same keywords and phrases as you would.

Check your competition to see what keywords and phrases they use. Do a search on the keywords you’d suspect your customers would use and see which sites come up. Then, analyze the words that they use and consider adopting those into your website.

Home Page Text

The copy on your home page is very important to achieve better search engine results. It is recommended that your home page have at least 200 words of copy on it. It’s also important that the text be rich with the keywords but should remain readable and logical. Repeating or “stuffing” keywords in this text can be considered a form of spam in the search engines eyes and thereby decrease your ranking.

Your Title Tag

One of the most important factors in getting higher ranking is what’s in the title tag of your home page. Most search engines put a high level of importance on keywords and phrases found in your title tag.

It is recommended that the title tag be no more than 80 characters long including spaces. It is also recommended that you use 1 to 2 of your most important keywords. Don’t, however, just list the keywords. Again, listing keywords could be considered spamming and could hurt your ranking.

Meta Tags

In its inception, meta tags were created to help search engines rank and classify your site. Unfortunately, due to years of “stuffing” meta tags with inappropriate amounts of keyword information, search engines have relied less on meta tags over time. It is still, however, considered part of the optimization mix so it is important to include these tags as part of you optimizartion strategy.

Image Tags

The images on your home page have the ability to increase your ranking as well. With an image tag, there’s an attribute called “alt” that can contain keywords and phrases. It is not recommended to use more than a brief sentence in the “alt” attribute and it should describe the image that it represents.

Reciprocal linking

One of the most overlooked methods of optimization is reciprocal linking which is the process of compiling external links to your site. So, for instance, if your company is part of an industry, say Physical Therapy, and the Physical Therapy Association of America has a website that contains a page of links to private practices, it would behoove you to get a link to you website on that page. This tells the search engines that your site is important - specially in the physical therapy

pecific phrases because there is probably less competition.

Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Ask yourself what they would search under. They wouldn’t necessarily use the same keywords and phrases as you would.

Check your competition to see what keywords and phrases they use. Do a search on the keywords you’d suspect your customers would use and see which sites come up. Then, analyze the words that they use and consider adopting those into your website.

Home Page Text

The copy on your home page is very important to achieve better search engine results. It is recommended that your home page have at least 200 words of copy on it. It’s also important that the text be rich with the keywords but should remain readable and logical. Repeating or “stuffing” keywords in this text can be considered a form of spam in the search engines eyes and thereby decrease your ranking.

Your Title Tag

One of the most important factors in getting higher ranking is what’s in the title tag of your home page. Most search engines put a high level of importance on keywords and phrases found in your title tag.

It is recommended that the title tag be no more than 80 characters long including spaces. It is also recommended that you use 1 to 2 of your most important keywords. Don’t, however, just list the keywords. Again, listing keywords could be considered spamming and could hurt your ranking.

Meta Tags

In its inception, meta tags were created to help search engines rank and classify your site. Unfortunately, due to years of “stuffing” meta tags with inappropriate amounts of keyword information, search engines have relied less on meta tags over time. It is still, however, considered part of the optimization mix so it is important to include these tags as part of you optimizartion strategy.

Image Tags

The images on your home page have the ability to increase your ranking as well. With an image tag, there’s an attribute called “alt” that can contain keywords and phrases. It is not recommended to use more than a brief sentence in the “alt” attribute and it should describe the image that it represents.

Reciprocal linking

One of the most overlooked methods of optimization is reciprocal linking which is the process of compiling external links to your site. So, for instance, if your company is part of an industry, say Physical Therapy, and the Physical Therapy Association of America has a website that contains a page of links to private practices, it would behoove you to get a link to you website on that page. This tells the search engines that your site is important - specially in the physical therapy

ortant that the text be rich with the keywords but should remain readable and logical. Repeating or “stuffing” keywords in this text can be considered a form of spam in the search engines eyes and thereby decrease your ranking.

Your Title Tag

One of the most important factors in getting higher ranking is what’s in the title tag of your home page. Most search engines put a high level of importance on keywords and phrases found in your title tag.

It is recommended that the title tag be no more than 80 characters long including spaces. It is also recommended that you use 1 to 2 of your most important keywords. Don’t, however, just list the keywords. Again, listing keywords could be considered spamming and could hurt your ranking.

Meta Tags

In its inception, meta tags were created to help search engines rank and classify your site. Unfortunately, due to years of “stuffing” meta tags with inappropriate amounts of keyword information, search engines have relied less on meta tags over time. It is still, however, considered part of the optimization mix so it is important to include these tags as part of you optimizartion strategy.

Image Tags

The images on your home page have the ability to increase your ranking as well. With an image tag, there’s an attribute called “alt” that can contain keywords and phrases. It is not recommended to use more than a brief sentence in the “alt” attribute and it should describe the image that it represents.

Reciprocal linking

One of the most overlooked methods of optimization is reciprocal linking which is the process of compiling external links to your site. So, for instance, if your company is part of an industry, say Physical Therapy, and the Physical Therapy Association of America has a website that contains a page of links to private practices, it would behoove you to get a link to you website on that page. This tells the search engines that your site is important - specially in the physical therapy

, listing keywords could be considered spamming and could hurt your ranking.

Meta Tags

In its inception, meta tags were created to help search engines rank and classify your site. Unfortunately, due to years of “stuffing” meta tags with inappropriate amounts of keyword information, search engines have relied less on meta tags over time. It is still, however, considered part of the optimization mix so it is important to include these tags as part of you optimizartion strategy.

Image Tags

The images on your home page have the ability to increase your ranking as well. With an image tag, there’s an attribute called “alt” that can contain keywords and phrases. It is not recommended to use more than a brief sentence in the “alt” attribute and it should describe the image that it represents.

Reciprocal linking

One of the most overlooked methods of optimization is reciprocal linking which is the process of compiling external links to your site. So, for instance, if your company is part of an industry, say Physical Therapy, and the Physical Therapy Association of America has a website that contains a page of links to private practices, it would behoove you to get a link to you website on that page. This tells the search engines that your site is important - specially in the physical therapy

tain keywords and phrases. It is not recommended to use more than a brief sentence in the “alt” attribute and it should describe the image that it represents.

Reciprocal linking

One of the most overlooked methods of optimization is reciprocal linking which is the process of compiling external links to your site. So, for instance, if your company is part of an industry, say Physical Therapy, and the Physical Therapy Association of America has a website that contains a page of links to private practices, it would behoove you to get a link to you website on that page. This tells the search engines that your site is important - specially in the physical therapy industry. Consequently, your ranking may be increased due to your association. The more reciprocal links you get, the more your ranking may improve.