Search Engine Algorithms
Hawaii Search Engine Optimization

Search engine algorithms are the subject of constant change. As soon as you think you have the formula, it changes.  If it isn't enough that every search engine has it's own criteria, the challenge is increased by SEO practitioners abusing their knowledge which then encourage the search engines to make the process more stringent and secretive. 

The Challenge:
1. Every search engine has its own algorithm.
2. The algorithms keep evolving.

Search Engine Algorithm Basics:
1. Search engines rank pages, not web sites. Optimize the pages.

Page Optimization or On Page Optimization:

On Page
1.  Content - If there is no text, what is there to index?
2,  Pictures - ALT Tag
3.  Font - bold?
4.  Links - internal to web site

Successful websites are a balance. The site must be appealing to the eye, contain pertinent information to the subject of interest, easy navigation, tools to generate leads, and most importantly the right tools to rank well in the search engines.

On page optimization is an essential element of your website. When choosing a website you want to make sure it contains the proper characteristics to rank well in the search engines. Poor programming, improper layouts, over use of flash programming, or I-frames can kill your ranking in the search engines as well as limit the amount of keywords that you come up for in the search engines. To have a successful website it is important that when a search engine “spider” comes to your website, it is able to recognize the content contained within your web pages.

There are over hundred different variables that search engines use to help determine the relevance and importance of a website to different search terms. You want to be sure that you have all the elements of your website working for you to get the best ranking possible. Just a few of the factors involved in this ranking process are Website Content, Meta-Tags, and Web Page Structure.

Hidden - Meta Tags

1. TITLE Tag
2. DESCRIPTION Tag
3. KEYWORDS tag - the keywords are the heart of the process.
4. Heading Tags

Not as relied on as heavily as they used to be, Meta-Tags are still an important part of your on page optimization. This background programming allows web administrators to place “tags” to help tell search engines what the webpage is about. Some search engines rely heavily upon these tags and some search engines place very little bearing of what is placed in the Meta-Tags. Like it was said before, It is important that you have all the elements of your website working for you.

Webpage Structure

The Layout of a website has a lot to do with how well it ranks in the search engine. Search engine programs have to make determinations of what a website is about. It does this by analyzing the content that was collected from the website. A higher importance on placed on different words depending on where they are positioned on the page, their font sizes, boldness, whether the text is linked, and other factors. Typically the first few words on the page and the first few words in each section of the website are considered to be “more important” than the rest of the text on the site. You must ask yourself when analyzing web providers- What is the first Text on the page? Is the Website title an image? Is my home page a flash intro? Navigational structure is an important aspect of your website as well. Did you know search engines also use links to determine what the pages of a website are about as well? Each Navigational button is a “link” to another webpage. Search engine take into account what text is attached to the link. If your navigational button is written in text format and it links to your “Contact Us” page, then search engines believe that that page is about “Contact Us”. Many web design companies like to use images for their navigation or Java Script, though sometimes visually appealing, it can actually be detrimental to the rank of your website. Site Maps are a good way to offset design downfalls such as these, but we believe every design element should work to your advantage.

On Site
1. Domain name
2. robots.txt
3. Website Map
4. Google - sitemap.xml
5. Navigation - can the spiders find your pages?
6. Frames
7. Flash
8. Dynamic pages

Off Page Optimization:

Link Popularity

Link popularity is the total number of web sites that link to your site.

Because good link popularity can dramatically increase traffic to your web site. Well placed links are an excellent source of consistent and targeted traffic. And due to recent developments, they can even generate additional search engine traffic to your site.

Most of the major search engines now factor Link Popularity into their relevancy algorithms. As a result, increasing the number of quality, relevant sites which link to your site can actually improve your search engine rankings. There is still no one "secret trick" to getting good rankings, but boosting your site's popularity may give it the edge it needs.

Knowing who links to your site and increasing the number of quality links is an important part of any web site promotion effort.

Traffic

Things to remember in effectively getting your website ranked well:

• Use SEO to grow your website as organically and naturally as possible.
• Carry on with link exchanges but consider each website carefully and slow down in your gathering of them.
• Vary your anchor text.
• Add small amounts of good quality content to your website regularly.
• Check your search engine listings and edit meta descriptions of your website to include a call to action in them if possible.
• Make your website more 'sticky' to encourage visitors to stay a while.
• Encourage visitors to bookmark your website.
• Register new domain names for at least two years. 
• Before you do anything, remember to reference the above information first! It may just save you months of misery as your website gets banned and 'Sand boxed'.
• Overall keep it ethical and you can't go far wrong. Do not be tempted to spam.
• Stick to the guidelines above and you are much more likely to outlast and out rank your competition.

Hawaii Search Engine Optimization