Search Engine Optimisation

The first step towards getting your site ready for Google's search bots is designing your web site according to a set of basic guidelines; Google's guidelines for indexing your site are available at http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=35769 and further information is available at http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/?hl=en

Basic Guidelines

• Make sure that the links on your pages are accurate -- every page of your site should be reachable from at least one static text link, and you should avoid links which don't work.
• Make your site informative -- use accurate copy, and be sure to include keywords in the copy.
• Make your site easy for users to navigate -- create a sitemap page which details the structure of your site, with links to all pages (note that these sitemaps are not the same as Sitemap files, which will be discussed later). Remember that if there are more than 100 links, you should split the map into 2 pages.
• Keywords -- keywords are words which your site users would use to search for your website. Google searches for keywords in all parts of your site, so remember to include words in your copy which you think users will use to find your site. More about other places to use keywords later.
• Name files accurately -- name the actual files of your website using descriptive words, and not just random identifiers. so a picture of a pair or Acme shoes should be called something like "Red_acme_shoes.jpeg" and not "pic123.jpeg"
• Use correct HTML, and if using PHP, keep the number and length of parameters down.
• Use tags correctly -- Use accurate content for the title tag, such as "Mimi's shoes -- a range of Acme, Generix, and Shinybrand shoes." Use meta tags correctly (meta tags are used in the "head" section of an html file).
• Avoid duplicate content -- more occurrences of your key words all over your site won't produce better result. Rather be clear, informative, unique, and useful.

Using Meta tags

Google recognises the following meta tags which will assist searching and indexing:

meta name="description" content="A description of the page"
meta name="robots" content="..., ..."
meta name="googlebot" content="..., ..."
meta name="verify-v1" content="..."

Further information on other meta tags recognised by Google, and how these tags can be used can be found at http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=79812

Use a robots file

In order for Google and other search engines to know what's on your site, automated programs called "robots" are sent to index or "crawl" your website, adding information to their search engines' databases. You are able to create a file called robots.txt which will control which bots can crawl your site, and which parts they have access to.
Learn more from Google here: http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=40360

Don't be sneaky

While this might sound strange, presenting results which are intended to deceive (either search engines or users) are more likely to harm your search results than help them. Avoid using doorway pages (pages full of nothing but keywords), and don't use cloaking (delivering different results to users and search engines), hidden links or text, or deceptive redirects. Straight-forward DNS pointing, or 301-redirect (which requires hosting a small html file on the hosting server for the domain) are the best way to accomplish redirects. Imaginet offers both services for free.