Everyone with a website wants to know the answer to this question. So what is it? Well first let me explain how search engines work.
In basic terms search engines are text analysis systems that analyses the text on the page. Search engines use automated programs that ‘spider’ or ‘crawl’ your site (reads the text on the site) and follows any links to other pages on your site. These spiders crawl websites very frequently and any new links or pages it finds get added to their index (database). The index is where we get SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages).
So you have a site, it has been indexed, so why isn’t the site showing up for the keywords you want to be found under?
Let’s look at an example, imagine the text below is a webpage:
Example 1:
Raku |
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Raku is a form of Japanese pottery characterized by low firing temperatures (resulting in a fairly porous body), lead glazes, and the removal of pieces from the kiln while still glowing hot. In the traditional Raku Japanese firing process, the pot is removed from the hot kiln and put directly into water or allowed to cool in the open air. Raku is considered the traditional method for creating bowls for the Japanese tea ceremony. Raku tea bowls are hand-made from earthenware, each with a unique shape and style. Raku techniques have been adopted and modified by contemporary potters worldwide. |
Now a search engine would be easily be able to identify the above text (webpage) is about Raku. Why? Because the title of the page is called Raku and the keywords Raku appear naturally several times within the body of text.
Now look at the text (webpage) below:
Example 2:
Raku |
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Raku is a form of Japanese pottery characterized by low firing temperatures (resulting in a fairly porous body), lead glazes, and the removal of pieces from the kiln while still glowing hot. In the traditional Japanese firing process, the pot is removed from the hot kiln and put directly into water or allowed to cool in the open air. This technique is considered the traditional method for creating bowls for the Japanese tea ceremony. Raku tea bowls are hand-made from earthenware, each with a unique shape and style. These techniques have been adopted and modified by contemporary potters worldwide. |
This is the same text except that there is very little keyword density. There are only 2 occurrences of the work ‘Raku’. The search engines would think the top text is much more relevant and would rank the site higher than the bottom piece of text.
Now there is a bit more to it than this. There is a complicated mathematic algorithm which also plays a part in your websites position. In basic terms every website gets a vote as you get to vote for another site. When I talk about votes I am talking about Links in to your site from another and visa versa.
So say Example 2 had 20 pages linking to it and example 1 only have 5, there is a strong possibility that example 2 would get ranked higher regardless of the better keyword rich content in example 1. However, if the 20 links were not on theme (on pages to do with pottery/cermics/raku etc) then they are not relevant links. If example 1’s 5 links were from strong ceramic sites then that site would get ranked higher regardless of there not being as many.Links also get devalued if there are many other links on a page. A strong page with only 2 or 3 links is much more highly rated than a strong page with 50 links. Confused? It can be. Basically you need to find have links placed on similar themed sites to your own (even your own competitors). Link building is very time consuming and frustrating. A good way to start is to list your website in some reputable website directory sites. Yahoo directory and Best of the Web are 2 of the best.
If this all sounds too confusing then it might be better finding and internet marketing company to work on your site for you. Beware though, like most businesses there are charlatans around. Most good company will have a portfolio and testimonials where you can see for your self the results they can achieve. Ask to speak to one of their customers. No SEO (search engine optimisation) company can guarantee results and if they do they are not worth trusting. The internet marketing business is always changing and trying to keep up is a full time job. SEO or internet marketing is not hard but it is time consuiming so unless you have all the time in the world it’s best to leave it to the professionals.
