Search Engine Submission
By: Aaron B. Copyright AaronOutpost.com

Back to Web Design Tutorials

What makes your website so special?
There are billions of web sites!

So the main key is, to be one of the first ones to be listed on the search page right!? Since, 98% of all internet surfers use search engines and the other 2% are too afraid to admit it. Someone is actually going to search for something you have, what's going to make them come to your corner of the internet? 


Page Title
This is very important. This is the banner, highlight, the eye catcher, your last hope for someone to click on your site! Ok, so maybe it's not that dramatic but would you click on a link that said Untitled Document or had no name.

Examples of Bad Titles:

1. The Page

2. Untitled

3. My Site

4. I'm a Loser with a terrible title. HAHA

Tip: Put the title of your site, then add some information about the site similar to the description.

Example: Aaron Outpost.com, A site dedicated to ASP and Outdoor Recreation in the State of West Virginia, United States of America.

More info on Titles in the Meta Tags Tutorial.
 

Meta Tags
This is the most important part of your search engine submission. This is what search bots look for when they visit your site!

View the Meta Tags Tutorial.

Page Content
Some search engines index the first lines of your web page, so make a the first lines as descriptive as possible and use keywords.

Some search engines will even index your entire page.

Do's :

• Includes lots of key words

• Includes lots of links to other sections of the site using those keywords

• Create subfolder with a jumble of information using the key words and links. You don't have to make these pages accessible to the users. But including all the miscellaneous keywords and links, the search engine will pick it up and list your domain. Be smart and include script to have the page forward them to your main domain.

Don'ts :

• Enter keywords into the bottom of the page but in the same color as the background. This is spamming. Search engines will actually put your site lower in the listings or black list it altogether.

• Over link and confuse your users though. Using tons of keywords and links can confuse them if you make your site depth too deep. Keep things simple and easy.
  
  

Hyperlinks
This refers to previous content. Includes lots of links to other sections of the site using keywords and descriptions.

Images
Search engines don't index images... So where possible include text. Also include ALT text for each image you do use incase the image fails to load or an impaired person who may visit your site can know what image was there.

Example: <img border="0" src="Image.gif" alt="Here is the Alt Message If image fails to load or for impaired users.">

Links to Your Site
Get your links on other sites! Get you site link on any and every site you can. Many search engines set your ranking by how many other places you link is listed. Plus, if the site your link is found on is in high rankings, will help you even more as well.

Frames or No Frames?
Frames have been replaced with include files. Frames was originally used as navigational tools for large websites. If you can, avoid using frames. Learn about Include Files. If you use frames, include a no frames version. Search engines have a hard time recognizing documents inside frames.

What happens if someone clicks onto a link which takes them into only one frame on your site, they may not be able to view any navigation controls and so will not be able to go to other parts of your site. Easy decision. To Frame or not to Frame!

There are also potential form errors that can occur when using frames.