Tips for Increased Search Engine Optimization Results

Quick SEO Tip #1

Find blogs that your target market frequents, read their posts and leave genuine keyword rich comments about their post. First, be sure to keep you comment on topic. Second, make sure you also include a tip, strategy, or insight direct from you, to help position yourself as an expert. Third, add your signature with your name, business name, tagline and website address.

Because search engines view blog comments as content and search engines love and look for fresh content, blog comments are often featured highly in search engine results and can help with the search engine optimization of your website by seriously improving your ranking.

Your comment will always be tied to that blog post, and you will benefit from their keywords and optimization of writer’s original post and all of the other comments! Likewise, if you have a blog, make sure you reply to comments left on your posts. Your reply should also use keywords and long-tail key phrases when appropriate, increasing the optimization of your post as a whole.

Recommendation: Subscribe via RSS to get alerted to new blog posts on your favorite blogs. Personally, I use iGoogle and have my RSS feeds populate my Google home page. That way I only have to check one place for all the latest posts. If you read a blog post, commit to leave a comment about the post and with an added tip. Include your name, biz name and website in your signature.

Quick SEO Tip #2

Some of my favorite resources for learning about search engine optimization are:

• www.SEOBook.com for great tips on search engine optimization
• www.webpronews.com for news on all thing web related
• www.stompernet.com for all you need to know to stomp the search engines
• www.hubspot.com experts on website marketing and tracking

Quick SEO Tip #3

Did you know this shocking fact about Google? Incredibly, sites can actually have different positions in Google depending on who is searching for them!

“Several things can account for differences in search engine position results,” says my SEO guru Ed Taylor. “One factor is the Google server (data center) that is accessed. Google has many data centers around the world and they often have slightly different rankings.” Another factor affecting the results you see in the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) is the location of your PC. According to Ed, this is especially evident on searches that Google deems of a local nature (i.e. a dentist). In the case of local searches, very often the Google Map setting will appear with a group of listings specific to the local area. Ranking differences can also result from the searcher’s computer settings. Computers that are logged into a Google account often display different ranking results that than those that are not. These results are influenced by the Web sites the searcher has visited in the past.

Recommendation: The best way to view core Google indexes — the rankings uninfluenced by your browsing history and location — is to log out of your Google account, clear out your browser’s cookies and cache, and then perform a search on your keyword. Source: Ed Taylor, www.edtaylor.com

Quick SEO Tip #4

Post your content everywhere you can and always link it back to your site with keyword-rich text HTML links. Take advantage of posting photos on Flickr, get a page for your business on Facebook. Grab a Twitter account for your business. Post in depth information about you, your business and your expertise on Linked In. You also could setup a profile on Fastpitch, Plaxo, ZoomInfo, and other profile sharing sites. You may not be as active on the second tier networks, but your profile will posted with links back to your website and your top tier networks. For example, I will be launching a duplicate copy of my portfolio on Flickr very soon! Also, make sure you setup and populate your Google Profile – It will not only get high ranking in the results, but you can add all different types of content, including links to your articles, blog posts, and more!

Recommendation: Take advantage of every FREE opportunity you can to drive traffic and add links back to your website. The more places that help people find you, the better.