15 Search Engine Optimization Tips for Beginners

Search engines don't read your web pages like humans do. So when you are creating a page you have to remember to not only optimize for humans but for the search engines as well.

Search engine optimization need to be done for each page of your website not just your homepage. These tips will explain step by step on how to optimize each page.

Once your pages get indexed in the search engines, each page will become a landing page.

For a beginner, this may sound difficult, but once you do a couple of pages it is easy to get the hang of it.

Basics of SEO

1. Optimize Your URL

Your domain name tells people what your site is about. Try to register a name that is easy to remember but still tells future visitors what the site is about.

You may not be able to use your exact keywords in the name and that is ok.

But if you register "janedoe.com" and build the site about large dog clothing, the name doesn't let people know WHAT the site is about and you may spend more time explaining to people what the site is about then if you call it "xldogclothing.com".

2. Optimize Page Title, h1 and h2 Headers

Create a short relevant sentence (60 characters max) and have the keywords appear towards the beginning.

Adding homepage in the title tag explains nothing to your visitors or Google and could decrease Google ranking.

The headline at the beginning of your page should use the H1 HTML header. A sub-headline should use the H2 header. Include your seach engine optimized keywords in the headline and sub-headline.

3. Optimize Description and Keyword Meta Tag

Add SEO keywords to the meta tag description.

The description should be a maximum of 200 characters. When you view the source code on any page, it usually looks like this

The description of the page is what people see on the search engine results page. So try to make it sound interesting enough that people will chose your page out of the other thousands.

Note: I realize some SEO experts say the meta tags are not used by some of the search engines but adding them is so easy and I feel it's better to be safe than sorry.

4. Name Web Page

Use your keywords or keyword phrase to name your page. Try to name it so it sounds like a title to the article.

Most web design software allow you to add the page title, web page name, and meta tags all at one time. It is usually under page properties.

5. Optimize keyword density

Creating a keyword rich content page is a MUST DO. Be creative, write good content and weave the keywords you are optimizing for through your content.

However, make sure your keyword density never exceeds 5% for pages with long copy and 10% for pages with short copy.

If they do, you might get penalized by the search engines and your ranking will go down.

To find out what the keyword density is on your page use this free Keyword Density Tool.

6. Move up and Spice up SEO keywords 

Be sure to have your keywords appear at least once in bold, italics, and underlined in the copy but don't over do it!

Text towards the top of the page, such as in the first paragraph, counts for more than text further down the page.

7. Optimize text links

The anchor text in your text links is a VERY important aspects of SEO.

It should always include keywords you are optimizing for.

Here is an example for the keyword phrase "beginner fishing lessons." 

Incorrect: Click Here for more information on beginner fishing lessons

The hyperlink (URL) is not optimized because the anchor text says "Click here."

Correct: More information on beginner fishing lessons

Excellent! Now both your URL and anchor text are optimized.

8. Use keyword stemming

Make sure to include all the variations of the keyword you are optimizing for. Here is an example of keyword stemming.

The keyword "create" has variations such as "creating," "created," and "creator." Using the keyword stems help your engine ranking as the search engine spiders get a better understanding of your page.

See Part Two of Beginners Tips for Search Engine Optimization