As most people with websites know by now, getting a webpage up and running is only the first step in getting customers through the door. In a previous post I discussed how the domain name, meta title, and meta description all work to drive traffic to your site. To briefly refresh, including your product or service in the domain is more important from an SEO standpoint than your company name. Using the keywords in the meta title will help Google find your page when your product or service is searched. Meta descriptions can not be ignored. Although descriptions don't have an impact on SEO, they are the gate through which your client/prospect will enter. The description must be captivating and informing, with contact information included.
Let's continue now with three other things you need to know.
1. Domain Name: Make sure your domain name is not set to expire within the next year. Search engines like Google often penalize sites with domain names that will expire soon. The search engines want to know the site they are directing visitors to is legitimate, and plans to be around for a while. If you must purchase a domain that was previously used, check the backlinks. Often times a business owner will want a domain that is already taken, usually a derivative of her business name. When the domain becomes available, the owner buys the rights to the domain. If you choose to do this, make sure the old backlinks are no longer associated with the domain. This effort can save you a lot of work later correcting misdirected hits to your site.
2. Research your keywords. When doing your research keep in mind what your client/prospect is looking for. It is most often the product or service you offer that they are looking for, not your company. You want the attention of people who may not know who you are, but need or desire what you have to offer. Do your research carefully. What type of client/prospect are you trying to appeal to? Do you know their needs? Do they buy online or at a store? Try to be specific in defining their product or service requirements. Once you know who your prospect is, and what they're looking for, you can use online tools to help you choose the right keywords. The most popular is Google's keyword tool. Google search "keyword tool" and it will be the first thing that pops up. Test words or phrases to see which ones work the best.
3. Keep your copy fresh and engaging. This is very important. Your page must be keyword loaded to ensure the search engines know what the information the page contains. There is no set limit for how many times a keyword appears, but Google is very cognizant of sites that try to get good rankings by piling keywords onto useless pages. You will pay a large penalty for this practice. It is best to use your keywords when it is appropriate to do so, and makes sense to the reader. Don't plug keywords in just anywhere. It won't help you get a better ranking, and it will annoy the reader.