| When it comes to search engine optimization and | | | | with keywords (again, stay away from keyword |
| search engine marketing, every SEO expert has their | | | | spamming). Your description should start off with your |
| own way of trying to get a site on the first page of | | | | primary keyword within the first couple words and |
| Google. There are so many different tips and tricks | | | | then try and add a few other minor keywords within |
| that people use because there are no absolute set | | | | the sentence while making sure it still sounds like an |
| guidelines for how to optimize a website. However, | | | | actual sentence. Keep the description to less than or |
| there is one section of code that contains vital tags | | | | around 160 characters because that is all that is |
| that should be found on any website that is being | | | | displayed by most search engines. |
| optimized and that is the head code (code located | | | | Meta Robots Tag |
| between opening and closing head tags). This section | | | | This meta tag is for specifying what the search engine |
| should contain your title tag and your meta tags | | | | robots can and cannot do when they reach your site. |
| because this is code that is specifically for the search | | | | There are five terms that can be applied to the robots |
| engines. SEO expert Matt Cutts from Google gave an | | | | tag to tell the search-bots what to do when they get |
| interview with USA Today and he mentions a few tips | | | | to the site: none, noindex, nofollow, all, index and follow. |
| about this section of code. He mentions that there are | | | | These terms need to be separated by commas if |
| multiple meta tags that you should use but does not | | | | more than one is being used in the robots tag. |
| say exactly which ones. Below is a list and description | | | | - None - robots are to ignore the page completely |
| of the best tags to use in this head code. | | | | - Noindex - page may not be indexed by the search |
| The Title Tag | | | | engine |
| According to Cutts, the title tag is one of the most | | | | - Nofollow - robots should not follow any links within |
| important key tags to include in your website. This tag | | | | the current page |
| is what is usually displayed in the search results as well | | | | - All - robots are free to index the page and follow all |
| as at the top of your browser when you open a site. | | | | links on the page |
| This tag should be the first piece of code after your | | | | - Index - robots can include the page in their search |
| opening head tag and it should have the name of your | | | | results |
| company and should include your keyword/keywords. | | | | - Follow - robots are welcome to follow links contained |
| You also have to keep in mind that Google hates | | | | within the page |
| keyword spamming so don't just list off your | | | | There is also a robots.txt file that can be placed inside |
| keywords in the title tag; make it look natural. Search | | | | your root folder that can specify sections of your site |
| engines also only give weight to the first few words or | | | | to ignore and you can specify this for each search |
| so; so don't make a title tag that is a full length | | | | engine (robotstxt.org). |
| sentence. | | | | Meta Googlebot Tag |
| Meta keywords Tag | | | | The Googlebot follows the same terms as the robots |
| This tag is used to list the keywords that you want to | | | | tag and an additional noarchive term. It is good to use |
| be optimized for and what your site is about. A lot of | | | | this tag if you are applying the noindex, nofollow or |
| people will fill this tag with a ridiculous amount of | | | | noarchive terms to the robots tag because this can |
| keywords, thinking that they are increasing the amount | | | | cause the Googlebot to not index, not follow and/or |
| of words they will appear on. WRONG! This tag | | | | not archive the page. In the other sense you can tell |
| should only display the keywords that show up multiple | | | | the Googlebot to index and follow to guarantee that |
| times throughout that specific page of your website. | | | | the Googlebot will index the page and follow the links |
| This usually means around 3-5 keywords but definitely | | | | on the page. |
| no more than 10 should be listed here. This tag is | | | | Meta MSNbot Tag |
| basically just preparing the search engine spider for | | | | The MSNbot follows the same terms as the robots |
| what it is going to find throughout the page so there is | | | | tag so using these in the robots tag can cause the |
| no sense in using keywords that you do not have | | | | MSNbot to not index the page or not follow the links. |
| anywhere on that page. "Don't worry that much about | | | | You can also use the "all" term to ensure that the |
| the keywords tag," states Matt, "but there are a lot of | | | | MSNbot indexes the page and follows the links. |
| other tags that you can use." | | | | There are quite a few other meta tags that are out |
| Meta Description Tag | | | | there that may be used for your specific application |
| This is another very important key tag that you | | | | but for SEO purposes these are the best meta tags |
| definitely want to include in your head code. Your | | | | to use. Also keep in mind, just using the meta tag does |
| description is what usually shows up right under the | | | | not mean anything; it is the way you use it and how it |
| name of your company in the search results. Keep this | | | | accurately represents the actual content on your |
| description short and sweet and make sure it is rich | | | | website that matters. |