Disclaimer: This article is only intended to be used as an introduction to the world of Search Engine Optimization. Many of the advanced techniques are not discussed. Please don't take this article as the be all and end all of Search Engine Optimization, it is a vast subject that could never be completely covered and explained in one single article.

Welcome to Part 2 of 'The Basics of SEO'! This next set of definitions may be a bit more technical than the ones discussed in Part 1, but even if you aren't technically inclined, having a basic understanding will help you instruct any web developer you work with in what principles to follow. Also, many content management systems (like the one we offer) will allow you to modify all of these SEO factors as easily as you'd edit a Word document.

3. Meta Tags

Meta Tags cover several pieces of code that are placed in the "head" of a page on your website - basically, this means they aren't displayed in the browser window with the rest of your site. They allow you to define keywords and a description for your website. When the Internet was first developed, these tags were one of the important factors in search engine ranking, but their weight has been significantly reduced these days mainly because of webmasters abusing this system.

That being said, there is still value in defining keywords, and especially in including a description on each page. When your site becomes ranked in the search engines, they will often pull a random paragraph of text from your main page to display under your result for the search. Some times they choose the right text, and sometimes they don't... but if you use a meta description on the page, then you can control exactly what's displayed in the search engine when someone finds you.

Having your website on page one of the search engines is only part of the battle. You have 10 other webpages competing for the user's click, and if your description is custom written to entice a user to click on it, you will have a leg up on the competition.

4. Search Engines Read Text Too!

In Part 1, we discussed the importance of placing keywords in your title tags, and this principle applies to the text of your site as well. It's a good idea to incorporate the terms you are trying to rank in the text on the website, but keep in mind that the copy still needs to make sense to your users - and if you overdo it (i.e. the keyword phrase every fourth word) your page will most likely be filtered out of the results.

There are also html codes you can use (that any web developer will know) to emphasize your keywords to search engines. The most important of these are the "Heading Tags". Like anything else, you don't want to overdo it, but you should at least have your main key phrase in a "H1" header tag at the top of your page. These on-page factors don't make a massive difference, but every little edge you can give your site will help.

5. Dynamic Content

Search Engines love websites that are constantly changing and updating. It lets them know that the website is growing and changing to meet users' needs, instead of sitting dormant. Not only do search engines like websites that have new content all the time, but customers do as well. If you are updating your site with information related to your products and services on a weekly or monthly basis, then your customers will keep coming back to your site for the helpful information you provide.

Developing a blog or newsletter can help you maintain communication with your customers and will allow you to ensure you have their changing needs and requirements at the forefront of your business.

If you'd like further advice or consultation on SEO or anything else discussed in the SEO Basics intro, please feel free to contact us!