Watch for our ezine SOON! (Anybody selling Time-To-Do-Stuff? :-)
|
|
SEO 101... These Tags Really Do Matter. Author: Ron Hutton
Website: http://www.gothrive.com Added: Fri, 09 Sep 2005 14:06:17 -0400
Category: SEO & Web Traffic
|
Printable version |
Email |
Bookmark
|
|
|
In search of the coveted search engine traffic? Yes? Then don't ignore your meta tags. If anyone tells you that meta tags are not important, they are seriously misinformed. Follow these simple rules and the clicks will come. Skip them and the high search engine rankings that you work so hard for will never deliver on the true traffic potential.
Imagine that you check your incoming email and there are two messages waiting for you. You look at the summary information for each and they appear as follows:
MESSAGE #1: From: unknownperson@obscuredomain.com Subject: iaviq qiegaie aeiapih
MESSAGE #2: From: your-favorite-guru@gurusite.com Subject: An "insider" shortcut guide to creating sensational ads
If you're interested in how to write killer ads, which message gets opened and which goes in the trash? It's obvious I know, but it's relevant.
Test the search engine results for one of your website pages and here's what you'll find...
The search engine results pages (SERPs) for the big 4 search engines (Google, Yahoo, Altavista and MSN) display information to their users by spidering your web pages and grabbing the text from various areas. When someone conducts a search and sees your web page in the results, here's what you can expect them to see:
GOOGLE: Your title tag Your description meta tag
***********
YAHOO!: Your title tag Your description meta tag Text from the upper area of your web page
***********
ALTAVISTA: Your title tag Your description meta tag Text from the upper area of your web page
***********
MSN: Your title tag Text from the upper area of your web page
Do you see the parallel between your web page's title tag and description meta tag in comparison to the "from" address and subject line in our email analogy above? The copy that you use in these tags becomes your advertisement to the world when your pages are displayed in search results.
Since each of the top 4 search engines display your title tag first, take some time and think through what you want people to see. Offer benefits. Offer a solution. And when you write the copy for your title tag, use your targeted keyword / phrase at the beginning of the title statement. Search engines place a high value on the title tag.
Your description tag (used by Google, Yahoo and Altavista) should serve as your call to action. Write your description in such a way that it compliments the title tag and motivates the searcher to click through to your site for the answers to their specific problem or need. Your targeted keyword phrase should be included once but not at the very beginning of the description.
How important is it that your website name be included in the title tag or description meta tag? You can draw your own conclusions, but in my view it's not important. The link to your website will show people where they're going from the SERPs, and after landing on your site the URL in their browser along with your site's branding will help them remember where they've landed.
Don't shortcut or poo-poo your site's title tags and description meta tags. When the day comes that you're ranked number one in your niche (and you will be), make sure that Google, Yahoo, Altavista and MSN display the information that will motivate searchers to click though to your site instead of the site listed just below you. It's your traffic. You earned it.
About the Author:
Ron Hutton is a 20 year sales and marketing veteran with a passion for coaching and training. Go watch a free 3 minute video demonstration that puts this MP3 download trick into action.
http://www.gothrive.com/free-video-library/video-directory.html
While you're there, check out all of Ron's free video tutorials.
|
|
|
 |
|
Search our article database!
|
:- Recent Articles
|
| Medicare, Social Security and Retirement |
|
|
| Digital Camera on Cruise Ship Vacation |
|
|
| Laptop on Cruise Ship Vacation |
|
|
| Spain - Traveling to and within the European country |
|
|
| Starting and Online Business - Affiliate Programs Make it Easy |
|
|
| Toshiba Satellite Laptops – Which One? |
|
|
| Trading Systems - When to Override a System |
|
|
| The UK house market and how to survive it. |
|
|
| How to Write Advertising Headlines |
|
|
| How to keep your child earning top grades in school. |
|
|
| The Secret To Using Skype as a Small Business Marketing Tool |
|
|
| 9 Simple Steps On How To File Bankruptcy |
|
|
| How to Beat the "Black Dog" of Depression and Have Better Sleep |
|
|
| Five appetite control foods that suppress cravings without adding calories |
|
|
| 10 Tips on How to Give Yourself the Best Chance for Success on a First Date- Especially if You Have |
|
|
| Identity Theft and You |
|
|
| HOW TO MAKE ANY DIET EASY |
|
|
| 4 steps to transforming your negative self-talk into an inner coach. |
|
|
| 5 Steps To Your Brighter, Happier Future |
|
|
| Real Estate Investment Clubs: From The Developer’s Perspective |
|
|
|
|