Search Engine Optimization Ranking

The goal of any website is to achieve a top-ten or front page ranking, however, for many it hardly seems worth the effort to push their web pages to the top because the apparent odds of achieving such a search engine optimization ranking are something like those of the lotto. Well, that's not the case at all. In fact, when you have a good strategy and you execute that strategy well, a front page position is quite attainable. There are three major things you must do to achieve and keep a top ten ranking: Keyword Strategy, Page Content and Backlinking Strategy.

Keyword Strategy

An effective keyword strategy is built on a solid, three-point foundation. It is, perhaps, the most important thing you do when optimizing your site.

Keyword Research: Research begins by making a list of potential keywords. This step is the brainstorming piece of your keyword strategy. The list is broad and inclusive. Write down everything you can think of. Look at your competitors' choices of keywords as a guide. See how books are organized into content chapters about your topic. You now have a list to work with, to dig down and find the most effective words to use to get a strong rank.

Keyword Efficiency Index (KEI): The KEI is a measure of popularity over competition. The higher the number the more likely it is to place your pages on the front page of a keyword search. The formula considers popularity in terms of the number of global searches per month (p) and the competition or number of sites that use that keyword in their Meta-keyword tag (c). The formula for calculating the KEI is KEI=p²/c.

Keyword Selection: Once the KEI is calculated, create a spreadsheet. Make sure you include at least these three categories:

1. The keyword or phrase itself

2. The content category you place the keyword in

3. The KEI score

Sort your keywords by category and then by KEI score in descending order. Choose the keywords for your site's pages that rank number one in each category. You now have a set of keywords that you can work with that will rank high if you are willing to do the work to get them there.

Page Content Strategy

In its latest revision of its algorithm, Google clarified its position on content. The Google spider now recognizes unique, quality content on web pages that appear within your site's URL. Providing content is king. While Google refuses to tell us exactly what they mean by quality content, the rules appear to be quite straightforward. Good writing, attention paid to spelling and grammar, and a positive response to this question, "If you were searching on Google for the targeted keyword, would you click on your link?" If you cannot honestly and objectively answer yes, then you need to work on the content of that page until you can.

Backlinking Strategy

Backlinking, or having links pointing to your web pages from external, unconnected websites is important. Backlinking is more of an art than anything else. There are many ways to create backlinks to your site. I discuss two that I use effectively, however, there are many more. A warning is in order here. Backlinking provides the greatest danger for Google to uncover Black Hat (underhanded) techniques which will get your site banned from Google's index, a fatal blow for sure. Keep your efforts within the rules and your pages will climb to the top in no time at all.

Article Marketing: Writing articles that relate to your on-page content and then creating links back to the page you wish to rank is a powerful way to create backlinks to your content pages. It has another advantage, that of the possibility of viral exposure as people re-publish your content article along with your backlinking information thereby creating additional backlinks. Make sure your content is unique and meets the same standards you aim for on your web pages. Writing an article of from 430 to 750 words is ideal.

Blog and Forum Comments: Commenting on blogs and forums is another powerful way to create links back to site pages. It takes some time to do this but it is definitely worth the effort. Comments must be on point, useful to the blog or forum, well-written and brief. Two to three comments a week makes for an ideal, natural distribution.

Search engine optimization ranking strategies require a good deal of effort but it is effort that translates into conversions and sales over time.

Roger Fischel is a partner at RNS Online Solutions, a firm specializing in search engine optimization marketing and CMS Website Development. He works with clients to help them achieve impressive results building search engine optimization ranking to increase their online visibility and sales.

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