A significant amount of web site traffic originates from the
major Search Engines. A Search Engine is a web site that
indexes web pages. These sites run software programs called
"Spiders" or "Robots" that continuously crawl the Internet
in search of new web pages to index.

When you visit a Search Engine and you're looking for
something in particular, you type in a few words that best
describe what you're looking for. These words are known as
keywords. The Search Engine will return a list of web sites
that are most relevant to your keywords.

When a Search Engine indexes a web page, it scans the page
in search of specific keywords. The pages that rank high
when a search is returned are the pages that are most
relevant to the search query. 

If your page doesn't rank in the top 10 or 20 results when
doing a keyword search at the Search Engines, your target
audience won't be able to find you.

When designing your web pages, you must specifically
optimize each page of your web site. Each page should target
one specific subject and be optimized with keywords that
best describe the subject.

When designing your web pages, you must specifically
optimize each page of your web site. Each page should target
one specific subject and be optimized with keywords that
best describe the subject. 

Optimizing your web pages will include all of the following:

• Selecting the most relevant keywords for each page
• Placing the META keyword and description tags within the 
head section of each page
• Using your primary keywords as your page title
• Placing keywords within your image ALT tags
• Placing your primary keywords within heading tags
• Using your primary keywords as image names
• Using your primary keywords as page names for hyperlinks
• Using keywords within your body text

Keywords/Keyword Phrases

A keyword is a word that best describes your web page. For
example, if your web page is focusing on dogs, your best
keyword will be "dogs." 

A keyword phrase is two or more words that best describe
your web page. If your web page is focusing on grooming a
dog, your best keyword phrase will be "dog grooming." 

When optimizing your web pages, you should concentrate on
just a few keyword phrases for each page. These keyword
phrases should directly relate to your subject. Avoid using
general one-word keywords, as you definitely won't rank high
in the Search Engines.

When you begin optimizing your web pages, each page should
be optimized for a different primary keyword phrase. For
example, if you're selling dog grooming products, your main
page would of course be optimized for dog grooming products.
However, you might have another page that targets dog
grooming tables. And, another that targets dog grooming kit.
And, another that targets dog grooming scissors. See how
that works? A highly targeted keyword phrase will attract
highly targeted traffic.

The key to ranking high in the Search Engines and driving
highly targeted traffic to your site is to select highly
targeted, product specific keyword phrases that are less
competitive and less generalized. You don't want to target
every little possible keyword; you want to focus on your
primary keyword phrases for each page. 

Your first step towards optimizing your web pages will be to
download a great little tool called Good Keywords
http://www.goodkeywords.com. This is a free software program
that will enable you to type in a specific keyword and it
will return a list of keyword phrases.

As the competition for highly popular keywords is fierce,
you will significantly increase your chances of receiving a
high ranking in the Search Engines by targeting the less
popular keyword phrases. And in turn, significantly increase
your traffic.

For example, if your web page focuses on grooming a dog, you
would type the general keywords "dog grooming" into the Good
Keywords search box. The search would return a variety of
more targeted keyword phrases. The keyword phrases that
should be selected are those that are a little less popular,
yet much more targeted.

Selecting the right keyword phrases is the first step
towards ranking high in the Search Engines.

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Copyright © Shelley Lowery 2003.

About the Author:

Shelley Lowery is the author of the highly acclaimed ebook
series, Web Design Mastery -- An eight volume (500+ pages)
in-depth guide to professional web design. Web Design
Mastery is being hailed as the "Bible" for professional web
design. http://www.webdesignmastery.com