SEO Tips and Strategy

Before you write one line of code:

* Do keyword research to determine what keywords you want to target.

While constructing your website you should do the following:

* Use markup to indicate the content of your site

1) Optimize your title tags on each page to contain 1 - 3 keywords
2) Create unique Meta Tags for each page
3) Use header tags appropriately (H1 > H2 > H3)
4) Use (b) and (i) tags if appropriate

* Optimize your URLs

1) Use Search Engine Friendly URLs
2) Use keywords in your domain (www.keyword1.com)
3) Use keywords in your URL (www.example.com/keyword2/keyword3.html)
4) Use dashes or underscores to separate words in your URLs (keyword2-keyword3.html)

* Optimize your content

1) Use keywords liberally yet appropriately throughout each page
2) Have unique content
3) Have quality content

* Use search engine friendly design

1) Create a human sitemap
2) Do not use inaccessible site navigation (JavaScript or Flash menus)
3) Minimize outbound links
4) Kept your pages under 100K in size

* Design the navigational structure of the site to channel PR to main pages (especially the homepage)

* Create a page that encourages webmasters to link to your site

1) Provide them the relevant HTML to create their link to you (make sure the anchor text contains keywords)
2) Provide them with any images you may want them to use (although text links are better)

* Make sure your website is complete before launching it

Immediately after launching your site you should do the following:

* Create Webmaster Accounts

1) Google Webmaster Tools
2) Yahoo! Site Explorer

* Submit your site to all major search engines

1) Google (Use a Google SiteMap)
2) Yahoo (Use the page list option)
3) MSN
4) Ask (Finds your site via incoming links)

* Create an XML sitemap

* Submit your site to all free directories

1) DMOZ (also powers Google Directory)
2) JoeAnt

* Submit your site to relevant directories

1) Find more at ISEDB

* Begin a link building campaign (attempting to get keywords in the link anchor text)

1) Put a link to your website in your forum signatures (hint hint)
2) Reply to relevant blog posts (Don't spam please)

If you will pay to promote your website:

* Submit your site to pay directories

1) Yahoo
2) GoGuides

Finally, as part of an ongoing strategy:

* Continually update your website with quality, unique content
* Continually seek free links preferably from sites in your genre

Do NOT do the following:

* Make an all Flash website (without an HTML alternative)
* Use JavaScript or Flash for navigation
* Spam other websites for incoming links
* Launch your site before it is done
* Use duplicate content

1) Do not point several domains to one site without using a 301 redirect
2) Do not make a site of duplicated content from other websites

* Use markup inappropriately

1) Style eader tags to look like regular text
2) Hide content using 'display: hidden' (for the sake of hiding text)

* Use other "black hat" techniques (unless you accept the risk - Banning)

1) Doorway/Landing pages
2) Cloaking
3) Hidden text

Additional Tips:

* Usable and accessible sites tend to be search engine friendly by their very nature
* Be patient! High rankings don't happen overnight
* Don't obsess with any one search engine. They are all worth your attention.