What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimisation is a branch of Web development that focuses on bringing traffic onto a webpage from search engine results. When a website first comes on to the web, it only exists in isolation from the actual network of connected pages. SEO is about casting the nets of the new website so as to catch as many potential visitors as possible. This is the process of making the webpage more visible, more attractive and more convincing in the eyes of browsers, search engines, and visitors.
SEO Strategies
The basic strategies work at two different levels. Firstly, web developers can use good mark-up, quality content, targeted keywords, good site architecture and Search engines-friendly URLs. Ideally, a website should have clean code, original content, good keyword density. It should also load quickly and be responsive. It is advantageous to register the website under creative commons licensing to establish copyrights. Visitors are likely to trust webpages that have been endorsed by a recognised institution.
Secondly, web developers can work on building links, personalisation, social media presence and security. A website that has a strong standing in certain communities is easier to share on social networks and more popular on SERP. An online advertising campaign can also boost the visibility of a website beyond its brand enthusiasts. This is because visitors who use search engines don't often have a clear idea of what they are looking for. Therefore, a website that is suggested by search algorithms has a stronger competitive edge.
SEO tools and SEO Pitfalls
There are as many tools available as there are strategies. Some tools are software and application-based, while others rely on specific procedures. The essential tools are: W3C and WCAG validators, domain registration, sitemaps, robots.txt, 404 Error pages and 301 redirect pages. Other tools contribute to the optimisation of webpages for generic purposes. These are microformats, rich snippets, SSL certificates, Creative commons licensing, blogs, communities registrations and social media sharing plugins. Finally, there are specific tools available for further refining the SEO process. These are: keyword checkers, traffic analysis applications, Pay-Per-Click advertising and email marketing.
Whatever tools a web developer chooses, it is important to avoid common SEO pitfalls. Problems usually arise when the web developer attempts to manipulate the search engines algorithms. The most common practices involve producing shallow content, cloaking, keyword stuffing, hidden text, paid links and link spamming. More than discrediting a website on a search engine, these violations can lead to harsh penalties. Undermining search engine algorithms is the surest way to destroy the findability potential of a website.
