SEARCH ENGINES AND DIRECTORIES

When you type a search term into a search engine, it returns a listing of hits for that term. The listing often contains thousands of entries. Most people only look through the first few pages. If your website shows up at the end of the listing, no one will find your site. The goal is to make sure that your site gets listed in the first page or so. Top ten ranking is excellent. Getting high ranking is what search engine positioning is all about.

Good search engine positioning is critical to your business' success on the Internet. No matter how good you website is, no matter how well it is designed, it is useless if no one ever sees it. You have to work closely with your designer to optimize your website to get the best search engine positioning.

HOW SEARCH ENGINES WORK

Each page of your website has a title, a description, a keyword list, and content. The description and keyword list are hidden from the casual user in the page code. When a site is submitted to a search engine, the engine looks at the title, the description, the keyword list, and the page contents to create a ranking for the page. The ranking is based on keyword density (how often certain words are used), keyword positioning (where the words appear) and keyword emphasis (how important the keywords are in the text).

Every search engine uses a slightly different method to evaluate pages. Some look only at page content. Others look at the title and the page content. Still others look at everything in the page and assign relative weights to each word depending in its location and use. As a result, it is extremely difficult to design a web page that gets top ranking in every search engine. Techniques that will help you gain good ranking in one search engine will lower your ranking with others.

And there's more…

Search engines are constantly changing the way they evaluate and rank web pages, making it nearly impossible to achieve top ranking with all search engines all the time. The real goal is to create a site that will rank well with most search engines most of the time.

HOW DIRECTORIES WORK

Along with the search engines, there are directories. Search engines are actually computer programs that patrol the Internet looking for sites to index.

Directories are different. In a directory, a human being reviews each site. Sites are grouped by category and are ranked within that category. The rules for ranking in directories are different than those used by search engines. To rank highly in a directory, you need to have useful content in your site. Well-placed keywords just won't do the job.

The reason for this is that directories want to provide highly relevant search results for their users. They maintain quality in their results by manually screening each submission to strict standards. Sites that are poorly designed or do not offer useful content are usually not listed. Yahoo, the most popular directory, provides the following list of common reasons for rejection. Most directories have similar criteria.

• The site has broken links or graphics.
• There is no new information or content (e.g., it is merely a set of links).
• It is difficult to understand what the site represents or what it offers.
• The site is no more than a business card listing (e.g., it contains nothing but a few sentences, an address, and a phone number).
• The site offers content readily available from other sources (no unique content).
• The site uses applets or other features that slow functionality and ease of use.
• The site looks amateurish.
• The site is unfinished.

There is no secret to getting listed by directories. If you have a well-designed site that is easy to navigate, provides useful and timely information to its users, and does not suffer from poor design problems or technical errors, it will probably get listed.

GETTING GOOD SEARCH ENGINE AND DIRECTORY POSITIONING

How the search engines and directories rank your site has a real effect on how many visitors you will get. If you site is ranked in the top five, it will pull many more visitors than if it is ranked in the next five. If it is ranked below 50, you will get little or no search engine traffic.

Again, the keys to getting high ranking are to target your customer market carefully, define relevant keywords, and provide clear and useful content for your users. This all goes back to the marketing aspect of your website. Developing keyword-rich copy that effectively promotes your organization is the secret to a successful website.

There are also features in the layout of your site that can improve your search engine ranking. Keywords, how they are emphasized, and where they are located on your web pages, can make a tremendous difference in your search engine positioning. Designing for search engine ranking is one of the things a good designer will do for you.

KEYWORD SELECTION

With the growth in the number of websites, getting high search engine rankings with single keywords is very difficult. You are much better off targeting keyword phrases. Keyword phrases are two or three word phrases that your target market is likely to use to search for your site. "Home Business" is better than "Business" and "Home Business Software" is better still.

The more targeted your keyword phrases are, the less competition you will face in search engines, the higher your ranking is likely to be, and the more effective your site will be in attracting its target market. Careful keyword selection is one of the secrets to a great website. Your site designer will work with you to select keyword phrases and will help you work these into your site effectively.

SUBMITTING TO SEARCH ENGINES

Once your site is online, the first thing to do is to submit your site to the search engines. Some will list your site for free. Others charge an annual fee.

Most free search engines have a "Submit New Site" link. Once you submit your site, they will index your site. This process can take anywhere from 24 hours to several weeks.

Some search engines charge to list websites and charge an annual fee to remain listed.

Other search engines don't have "Submit New Site" links anywhere on their site. This is because they search databases provided by other search engines. The relationship between search engines and database owners is complex and is constantly changing. Your designer should be aware of the best (and worst) places to submit your website so that you can get the best value for your money. You should expect to pay an annual renewal fee to keep your site listed in the search engine's database.

Be aware that paying to be listed by a search engine does not guarantee your website good ranking. The site will still be evaluated on its own merit.

SUBMITTING TO DIRECTORIES

Most directories charge to review your website. Unlike most paid search engines that will list your site once you have paid, paying a directory only guarantees a review. It does not guarantee that your site will be listed.

Most sites are accepted with no trouble, but if your site does not meet their requirements, they will not list it, nor will they refund your money. They will typically send you an email describing what they feel is wrong with your site and give you 30 days to revise and resubmit it. Once your site is listed, you will be charged an annual fee to remain in the directory.