New information about how Google ranks sites

Search Engine Optimization technology changes all the time as the search engines seek new ways to serve up search results, and as Search Engine Optimization (SEO) specialists we have to keep up with these changes. To do this we are members of various SEO forums, and we monitor the way we get results for our clients and make changes whenever we detect new ways that SE's are ranking web pages.

The search engines use special programs called 'algorithms' and they are constantly 'tweaking' them to ensure better search results. With every new algorithm change we find that search engine technology is getting smarter and wiser about how they analyze pages for the search results. In the past, much time and effort has been spent trying to deconstruct search engine algorithms while neglecting the user. Today's SEO is vastly different than that of yesterday.

Search algorithms are looking more closely at natural language text and usage of additional related words that should accompany the targeted keywords. Optimization is no longer about keyword density or the number of times your keyword falls on the page. It's about building and organizing page content to be utilized in proper context with the targeted keyword phrases. That's important so I'll repeat it: Optimization is about building and organizing. Keeping this in mind, we help our clients by implementing changes to their websites to make them compatible with the algorithms whenever we can. And because each SE uses a different algorithm, we have to ensure that our clients' webpages are always constructed correctly. This is a difficult balancing act. We have to keep the basic design and then make sure that the META tags and content are structured to get the best possible results.

Because we have been doing this work since 1997, we have grown with the technology and we have continued to experiment and learn as we go along. The fact that some of the clients we signed up all those years ago continue to subscribe to our service is testament to our effectiveness. And because you probably found us listed at or near the top of your search you already know we can do the same for your website.

These are some of the questions we have received from clients about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) over the years since 1997. We hope the answers to them will help you understand why it is essential to hire a professional SEO company to help keep your website at or near the top 10 search results......

What is the difference between a search engine and a directory?

Search Engines are similar to a library catalog index. Each search engine categorizes and searches websites based on keyword or concept. Small programs called algorithms do all this, so it's easy to fool them...if you know how.

Some companies will tell you they can easily get your website in the top ten by manipulating the search engine ranking programs. But it isn't worth cheating. If the search engines find out you are cheating they will ban your website, usually for all time. Once you get kicked out of a search engine, it's extremely difficult to get listed again. And other search engines are told too, so you could end up being banned from a large majority of search engines. Honesty is the best policy.

Some cheat methods the search engines banish websites for include:

• "Packing" or Repeating Keywords: This is a surefire way to get banned. You should repeat a keyword no more than twice in the Meta tags. An example of packing keywords is to use something like this: holiday house, holiday house vacation, country holiday house, holiday accommodation, accommodation activity holiday hotel, accommodation golf holiday.....etc.
• Repeating keywords continuously in the text that shows on the visitor's screen, similar to packing keywords in the Meta tags.
• Not formatting keywords correctly. Most search engines require each keyword to be separated by a comma, like this: holiday, house, vacation, country, vacation....etc.

There are plenty of other traps for the unwary. A skilled search engine registrar knows what to avoid and what to do right.

It is also possible to submit websites to search engines using a special submission program designed for the purpose. Many search engines are not accepting submissions from them now. AltaVista.com, for example, now requires manual submissions, and they ensure this by making you fill in a special code. There are no short cuts any more. You need to find a company that will do the job properly for you by hand.

We have been submitting websites successfully to search engines since 1997 and we know that the key to success is sheer hard work.

Directories categorize websites by subject and present them according to relevancy based on what you enter in the search field. Some, like Yahoo!, are manned by real people. If you try and fool them your website will not get listed.

How do the search engines rank websites?

Here's how each of the big six search engines currently act with regard to what they can index (These guidelines may, and probably will, change by the time you read this!):

• Excite: Ignores Meta Tags and has the ability to determine visible areas of a website. Indexes the first 200 visible words.
• Lycos: Uses a combination of Meta Tags, Title, and page text focusing on the first 300 words.
• Alta Vista: Uses a combination of Meta Tags, Title, and page text focusing on the first 200 words. If there are no Meta Tags, it uses the Title and the first 30 words of page text as keywords.
• Yahoo: Searches for keywords based on Meta Tags and what you enter when registering. A human will view your site before you are listed and if they notice that you are overusing unrelated keywords, they may reject your submission.
• Infoseek: Uses a combination of Meta Tags, Title, and page text focusing on the first 200 characters. Allows up to a 200 word Meta description and has the ability to determine any "overabundance" of repetition in Meta Tags and page text. Deletes listings that try to trick the computers.
• Web Crawler: Indexes your entire site and searches keywords for duplication. Focuses on the first 300 words of page text with less weight given to words further down the page.

Why do I need to promote my website to the search engines regularly?

New websites come online every day, and they are all vying for the top listing in the search engines. And established websites are doing the same. Even though your website might appear at or near the top today, you could be knocked down tomorrow. In addition, the search engines change the way they rank websites and if your website is not re-registered regularly it might not qualify for a high ranking.

People will most likely find your website by typing key words into the search engines: These are words that describe your business or service. The more relevant key words you register with the search engines, the better chance people have of finding your website. We may change the key words in your web site once a month. The longer we re-register your website for you the more key words will be available for people trying to find your website.

How soon will my web site show up in the search engines and directories?

It can take up to 6 months or more for some search engine registrations to become active. Others will be active straight away. Once we have finished registering your web site we will send you a report telling you which search engines your web site is registered with. The report will include the URL (address) of each one so that you can visit them any time to check your ranking. We will include the primary key words we used to register your web site so that you can use them to search and see how high your web site is listed. and you will receive confirmations from many of the search engines each time we register your website, so that you know we are doing our job for you. There is no need to send us copies of these confirmations. They are for your information only.

Even if your site does not appear at first, we have registered it but the search engine has not activated your listing yet. It will appear eventually.

When your web site is listed with a directory, we make sure to place it in the appropriate categories. Most directories show your listing immediately, although some will vet the submission before listing your web site. Once your web site is listed it remains in the directory at the same place all the time. There is no need to re-register your web site with a directory once it is listed.

Some directories, like Yahoo!, require a payment for commercial sites before listing them. We will tell you if we think you should pay these directories for a listing. But we usually manage to get our clients' websites listed without paying a fee.

What is a key word?

When you use a search engine to find information on the World Wide Web you enter a word or phrase into the search field. This word or phrase is called a keyword.

For example, if you were looking for law firms in Ohio, you would probably type "lawyers ohio" or "law ohio".

By placing these key words in strategic places in your HTML code and text we increase the chances of your web site appearing at or near the top of the search engine results. But if you type in "para legals" and this phrase is not one of the primary key words, you may have to view hundreds of pages to find your web site listing.

This is why it is important to choose key words that people looking for your product or service are most likely to use in their search. We ask all our clients to work with us and send lists of key words they think people will use to find their website. We also ask 3rd parties for their suggestions.

Each month, we will review your web site visit statistics to see what words visitors used in the search engines to arrive at your site. We use this research to guide us when changing the key words in your web pages.

Do key words work in directories too?

Yes. Most directories have a built in search engine. However, it is possible to find companies listed under a specific topic; for example, you can click on the links to BUSINESS/LAW/LAW FIRMS to arrive at a page listing law firms.

Will my web site always appear in the first 20 search engine results if it is re-registered regularly?

We cannot guarantee you a top place all the time because so many factors are involved, but if we re-register your site regularly it will have a better chance of staying at or near the top.

Search engines continue to change their rating algorithms and new web sites are added to the search engines every day. This can affect your placement. And this is why we re-register your web site regularly, and why we do so much research to keep abreast of the latest developments in search engine placement.

Will people find my web site if it is not in the first 20 or 30 listed in the results?

Obviously, the best place to be listed in the search engine results is in the top 20 or 30 places. That is where the most relevant listings for your keyword search will be. Some people will continue to drill down the results pages if they don't find what they are looking for in the first 2 or 3 pages. But can you afford to take that risk?

My web site uses Frames. Do search engines like them?

No! Most search engines ignore web sites using Frames, especially if the webmaster hasn't given users an alternative to Frames. And if the search engines don't ignore them, they rank them much lower than a non-framed web site.

Search engines look at many factors when ranking a web site. They check to see how many pages there are, and how many key words are used in the opening page. When a search engine encounters the FRAMESET command which sets up a Framed web site, it stops looking; it thinks there are no pages in the web site. Therefore, perhaps only one page will be indexed, if you are lucky. To try and solve this problem, many Framed web sites start with an ordinary page and ask the visitor to click on "Enter". However, this doesn't help either, because the search engine thinks your website is not very important if it consists of only one page. Therefore, it will rank your web site so low it will be almost impossible to find.

In addition, some browsers cannot read Frames. Or they may display the web site incorrectly. Even if the browser does display a Framed web site, if you click to view another web site, it may display that site inside the data section of the framed site instead of showing it full screen. This can even lead to legal action in some cases, because it seems that your web site is legally responsible for what is displayed.

Another problem with using Frames is that they rob you of a lot of valuable usable space on your screen. Parts of your screen remain static and you can only use a part of the screen to display usable content.

As you can see, Frames cause more problems than they are worth. If your web master has designed you a Framed web site, consider getting it redesigned. Choose a web site designer who knows how to design with an eye to getting your web site listed high in the search engine results.

This is what leading website designers say about using FRAMES in a site. The views expressed are a common reaction to Frames:

Question: A client recently asked me to use frames on a site I created for her. She has a few links on a page and doesn't want visitors to leave too easily. If I use Frames, will this make visitors stay in her site longer?

Answer: She might want to consider whether she wants visitors to ever come back.

Answer: I dislike being stuck in frames so much that I regularly avoid one of the best sources of information on my subject of expertise. I only visit that site when I have exhausted my other resources even though I know the information I seek is probably there.

Answer: The only thing worse than being stuck in frames is being stuck in framed sites that offer no escape at all. Having to close down your browser because not even the back button or entering another address works is unforgivable. I do not return to sites that do it. One other problem with frames is that I regularly refer people to specific areas of sites, that I cannot do with frames unless I give them instructions to go here, click this, click that or search for "x". I don't have time to waste holding someone's hand because a website designer didn't do the job properly. I will always link to and recommend sites that can be directly accessed.

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