One of the most useful SEO tools is your server log file.

Here’s a useful technique combining keyword research with on-topic content. The aim is to generate more traffic from search engines, and to create your own personalized keyword research tool.

1. Ensure you’re tracking referral at the keyword level. Most stats packages do this, but if you don’t have this functionality, drop your existing stats package and get one that does. Google Analytics has this functionality, and is available free.
2. Make a list of all the keyword terms people have used to find your site in the past.
3. Take this list and extrapolate using semantic variations of the keyword terms. You can use commercially available research tools like Wordtracker (free section here). You can also use Google’s free Adwords research tool. Also try a Thesaurus.
4. Use this list as a guideline for new topics. Try to create a page for each of the more popular or most relevant terms.
5. Repeat.
6. Watch traffic skyrocket.

This simple strategy helps create your own highly-focused keyword research tool. You’ll also cast a huge net by adding more on-topic content. Lastly, your site content will reflect what keywords your visitors are actually searching for, as opposed to what terms you imagine they’re searching for.

Over the years, I ‘ve received a lot of keyword traffic on this topic. You’d think searches would have dropped off, given that it is now 2007, and I assumed it was common knowledge that submitting to search engines is redundant.

I was wrong.

People still want to know how they can submit their site to search engines.

The answer is, of course, don’t bother.

It hasn’t been necessary for some time. The reason is that search engines find new pages by following links. So, in order to be included in a search engine index, you need to get a link from a page that already appears in a search engine index. Ask a friend or associate to link to you, post to a forum or blog (nicely), issue a press release, or submit your site to a directory.

Ensure the link is crawlable. Most links are, but search engines sometimes have problems following scripted links, or links that require the browser to execute a function. Here’s a good, basic overview on how search engines work.

How do you check to see if your site appears in a search engine index? Query your domain. For example, in Google type: site:www.yourdomain.com. Google will show you which pages, if any, are currently indexed. Also watch for spider activity in your logs. You may see spider names such as Googlebot, or Slurp, indicating these spiders have visited and crawled you pages.

If you have links to your site, and you still don’t appear in the search engine indexes, then there may be problems with your site. Sign up at Google Webmaster Central to help diagnose these problems. Some good background reading on crawlability problems can be found here. Chances are if Google can find you, then Yahoo, MSN, Ask and others will find you, too.

Keep in mind that your site won’t appear within days, although sometimes it might. If things aren’t happening after a few weeks, use the steps described above.

Following on from Part Five “External Linking“. This is Part Six of a series of posts forming a beginners guide to search engine marketing techniques in 2007.

• Think spelling mistakes are to be avoided? Spelling mistakes still have their uses.
• Social networks, such as Digg, can be useful sources of visitor traffic and links. SEOBlackhat gives a rundown on how to appeal to Diggers. Or you could just pay them.
• Cloaking works, although best avoided if you want to stay on the good side of the search engines. There is on-going debate around cloaking, which won’t be resolved anytime soon.
• Translate your website into other languages - an easy way to add more content.
• Contribute to social media sites, like Squidoo.
• Annoy people.
• Praise people.
• Blogs aren’t a panacea, although they can achieve great (SEO) things if you put the effort in.
• Links. You need them.
• Not as effective for SEO as they once were, but press releases can offer SEO payback if you pitch them right.
• Get large datasets and/or databases. Mashup content. Republish.
• LSI, and other advanced information theory, may offer clues. Keep track of forum poster Orion.

This topic will update, and be added to, over time. This topic forms part of a free SEO course for beginners.

Following on from Part Four “Site Structure and Internal Linking“. This is Part Five of a series of posts forming a beginners guide to search engine marketing techniques in 2007.

• Search engines are based on the principle of evaluating link data in order to help determine ranking. So, the most important aspect of ranking well is external linking. That is, the strength of the links pointing to your page/site.
• “Strength”, in terms of linking, is difficult to define. Generally speaking, a link from a well ranking page in your topic area has more strength than a link from a poorly ranking page outside your topic area.
• When it comes to ranking, quality linking often trumps quantity.
• In order to get links, webmasters often use a combination of strategies. These strategies involve requesting links, buying links, and attracting links.
• One aspect of link acquisition that often isn’t covered in linking guides is a holistic one. Some sites, by virtue of their approach to publishing, are more “linkable” than others. For example, it is unlikely a competitor is going to link their brochure site to your brochure site, as you are in direct competition. However they may link to your site if you provide an authoritative, independent resource - like providing news.
• Link swapping, in 2007, has limited use, mainly because sites that tend to swap links based on link swapping requests tend to be of low quality, so aren’t sharing much in the way of reputation value. It is more desirable to devise a strategy where people want to link to you, without the need to request or reciprocate. You can do this by providing unique value, or as Seth Godin puts it “be remarkable” (i.e. be worth remarking on).
• Get listed in directories and portals relating to your topic area. Not all directories and portals are of equal value, so compare advertising opportunities. Evaluation is difficult to summarize, however here’s a good general guide to evaluating pages, if the value is not otherwise immediately obvious.
• Links need to be crawlable. That is, a search spider needs to be able to follow them. They also need to pass reputation value. It can often be difficult to evaluate if a link is passing reputation value, due to various tricks and traps, however most HTML links will. Remember, all links have value besides ranking value. Generally speaking, any link is a good link, because it indicates the passing of attention from one page to the next. Search engines will always try to evaluate, and attach value to, attention.

Next: Tricks, traps, and other stuff.

Following on from Part Three “Site Content“. This is Part Four of a series of posts forming a beginners guide to search engine marketing techniques in 2007.

• Optimal site structure serves two functions: allows visitors to navigate site content, and allows search engine spiders to navigate site content. Spiders and visitors often have different requirements.
• Unlike most of your visitors, a search engine spider is “blind”. It navigates your site by following links and reading code. It has difficulty reading the contents of image, flash, sound, and other multimedia files.
• To ensure a spider can crawl your site, use HTML markup and text links for navigation. Use W3C HTML Standards as a guide, although you don’t need to conform to all W3C standards in order to be crawled. Spiders are getting better at reading scripted links (i.e. links embedded in executable code, such as Javascript), so it is possible to go beyond WC3 specifications, however the further you stray from basic web page specifications, the more problems you’re likely to encounter. One way to help ensure a spider can read your site is to use a free web spider, like Xenu. If Xenu has problems crawling your site, this may indicate that a web-based search engine will also have difficulties.
• Consider using a site map to point to each page on your site. This will help the spider find each page on your site. Check out Google’s Webmaster Central for help and resolution on crawling issues.
• Links should be used within the body of the text, and for navigation. Search engines often place particular emphasis on links that appear within the main body of text.
• Use keyword terms in your links. Point these links to the pages that cover each keyword topic.
• Generally speaking, the page with the most, or highest quality, inbound links stands the best chance of ranking well in search engines. Pages within your site that have few, or no links pointing to them, have less chance.
• Ensure your important pages are well linked within your site, and keep your architecture reasonably flat. Many people advocate arranging a web site pages into logical, and descriptive, directories. For example, www.cars.com/jaguar/, www.cars.com/bmw/ etc.
• Similarly, you could keep all pages on the top level. For example, www.cars.com/jaguar.html, www.cars.com/bmw.html etc.

Tomorrow: Part Five - External Links

Following on from Part Two “Keyword Research“. This is Part Three of a series of posts covering search engine marketing techniques in 2007. Together, they’ll form an easy-to-follow guide to some of the best up-to-date resources and advice on the topic.

Site Content

• Two core criteria will affect rank and exposure in search engines - the content on your site, and the links pointing to your site (see How Search Engines Work). This part of the course will deal with the aspect most within your control: the content on your site.
• Having decided on your keyword list, write pages based around your keyword terms. One page per term is a good rule of thumb.
• Write with your audience in mind. Stick to the topic. Repeat your keywords in the title tag, headings, and spread your keyword terms, and semantic variations, throughout the copy. Don’t overdo repetition. Read the copy aloud, and if it sounds odd, you’ve probably overdone it.
• Add a meta description tag that will entice users to click. The description tag often shows up in search engine result pages, so make sure it will appeal to your target audience. Use your keyword term within the description tag.
• In the past, SEOs have often talked about keyword density, meta tags, the position of keywords on the page, etc. Much of this information is now redundant, as there are a multitude of other factors that play greater roles in determining rank and exposure. Cover the basics, as outlined in the step above.
• Use HTML text, where possible. Search engine spiders have limited capability when reading the contents of graphics or flash files. Use a spider simulator to get an idea of how a search engine spider “sees” your site.
• Focus on the user. Keep in mind what action you want them to take when they land on your page, and direct them towards taking that action. Keep in mind that readers tend to scan web documents, as opposed to reading word-for-word.

Tomorrow: Site structure and internal linking.

Following on from Part One “What Is Search Marketing“. Part Two of a series of posts covering search engine marketing techniques in 2007. Together, they’ll form an easy-to-follow guide to some of the best up-to-date resources and advice on the topic.

Keyword Research

• Discovering what keyword terms potential visitors are using is critical for search marketing campaign success.
• To discover what terms potential visitors are using, there are a number of methods and tools that have proven effective for search marketers, including online keyword database tools and market research.
• Databases: There are keyword research software tools available. Some of the most popular currently include Wordtracker, Keyword Discovery, Google Adwords External, Nichebot and Keyword Intelligence. A good independent review of these, and other, keyword research services can be found at SEOBook.com.
• Market Research: Try to think of as many words as possible that relate to your site topic and make a list. Extrapolate that list using synonyms.
• This list should be made up mostly of term your customers would use to describe a product, service or subject. Be aware that these terms often aren’t the same terms as what you’d use, or your marketing department would use, to describe your product or service. Listen to how your customers talk, and use the same terms they do when making your keyword lists.
• Be specific, and use multiple words. If you sell “Televisions”, then you also want “buy sony widescreen online”, “what television should I buy”, “plasma screen overnight delivery” etc.
• Most search terms are unique. For this reason, search marketers keyword lists often consist of thousands of terms. Tens of thousands. Generally speaking, the wider the keyword net, the more fish you’ll catch.
• Mine your logs for keyword data. Keep a track of search queries under which people have found your site in the past. If a query keeps coming up time and again, and you haven’t got a page that specifically covers this term, write a new page using that term, adding synonyms, and publish the page on your site. Repeat. This is a very powerful technique, often overlooked.
• Watch what terms your competitors are using. Be aware that the meta keywords tag won’t give you much, if any, insight into which keyword terms they are ranking under, as search engines don’t rank sites based on this field. Instead, look at the page content, title tags, paragraph tags, and frequently used terms.

Tomorrow: Part Three - Site Content.

Today, I’ll start of a series of posts covering search engine marketing techniques in 2007. Together, they’ll form an easy-to-follow guide to some of the best up-to-date resources and advice on the topic.

This course is aimed at those new to search marketing, and will hopefully also provide a refresher for intermediate and experienced search marketers.

What Is Search Marketing?

• Search marketing is a methodology aimed at getting web pages and sites more visibility on search engine results pages, or SERPs.
• There are various means of achieving increased visibility in search engines, which include search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC), paid-inclusion and link building/viral marketing techniques.
• The end result of a search marketing methodology should be increased traffic from search engines and/or exposure in search engine listings. In order to achieve this, search marketing campaigns are usually focused on a users search query as a starting point. For example, if a user types “buy cheap soundcards online”, and you sell cheap soundcards online, you’d want that user to find your site, or pages, ahead of other vendors of the same product. “Buy cheap soundcards online” is an example of a keyword term.
• Keyword terms make search marketing a powerful channel. Danny Sullivan, a leading search industry commentator, likens search marketing to a reverse broadcasting network . “In a broadcast system, advertisers spend lots of money to reach a mass audience, hoping to build desire for a product or service. But most of the audience is not interested in their pitches. Search is the reverse. Each search is an expressed desire, something that someone at a particular time actually wants. Advertisers can tune in to the “desire-cast” that’s going on”.
• Once a user arrives on your page, or site, having searched on a keyword term, you can then funnel that visitor to a desired action, such as filling out a form, creating an account or making a purchase. The trick is to get as many qualified users to your site as possible, to take the most number of desired actions, at the least cost per user.
• Discovering what keyword terms users are searching for is a key concept in search marketing.

Tomorrow Part Two: Keyword Research.