1. SearchEngineOptimization

2. Search Engines give high rankings to sites that are: Accessible and Navigable Focused and Comprehensive Long term SEO goals can only be achieved by meeting Search Engine Criteria. Direct and Informative Recognized and Relevant

3. What is ? earch S E O ngine • Effective SEO determines the visibility of your website to Search Engines, or SEs • Currently, the three leading search providers are Google, Yahoo!, and MSN. • How can your website proactively prepare for the ‘next big search engine,’ too? ptimization

4. SEO: A Brief History In the beginning, high rankings in search engines (SEs) were easily manipulated and search engine result pages (SERPs) became littered with revenue focused campaigning, severely compromising and significantly damaging the overall quality of SE services. Quality guidelines were instituted and, although minimal, a certain level of ‘standardization’ began to develop. Although techniques to meet those standards change, the goals of enhancing user experience remain static. Website Visibility Design (WVD) is born.

5. What WVD means now… • Site Visibility is the art of designing your website so SEs can crawl, categorize, and index the information on your site. • The best website visibility project is long-term focused. • Comprehensive visibility policies target all SEs, not just one. • Search engine policies and technology dictate the structure of effective website visibility.

6. The Nine Guides of Site Visibility Your site and its pages should be: ––Specific ––Relevant ––Original ––Resourceful ––Referential ––Authoritative ––Interactive ––Present ––Dynamic

7. ––Specific ––Relevant ––Original • The specifics of a page’s content should be reflected in the three following elements: • URL • <title> • <meta="descrption"> ––Resourceful ––Referential ––Authoritative ––Interactive ––Present ––Dynamic

8. ––Relevant ––Original • Relevance to a page’s specific topic is demonstrated, primarily, in two ways: • <h1> and other body tags • Linking: internal and external ––Resourceful ––Referential ––Authoritative ––Interactive ––Present ––Dynamic

9. ––Original • Original <p> and body content: • Original in context, composition, and grammar • Quoting several unique, relevant references gives a 'directory' authority • Direct commentary specifically citing opposing viewpoints develops 'editorial' authority ––Resourceful ––Referential ––Authoritative ––Interactive ––Present ––Dynamic

10. Be Resourceful by offering usable information. • Collect and display current information and statistics • Offer a variety of data sources • Other alternative tactics to distribute hard facts and figures. ––Resourceful ––Referential ––Authoritative ––Interactive ––Present ––Dynamic

11. Reference is the root of all authority • One common element to every successful site, across-the-board, is effective internal and external linking. Don’t be stingy with the link-lovin’! Whether citing your own domain or another, be sure to reference source information and/or extending discussion with direct, open links. ––Referential ––Authoritative ––Interactive ––Present ––Dynamic

12. Authority is a measurement of originality and relevance. • Establishing authority is the most time consuming aspect of visibility • Solid, long-term authority develops naturally, when done correctly • Linking is a primary driver of authority ––Authoritative ––Interactive ––Present ––Dynamic

13. Offer visitors the ability to directly interact with your company and website. • Search functions • Social Bookmarking • Form Submission • Company Contact Info • User Registration/Profile ––Interactive ––Present ––Dynamic

14. Have an active virtual presence. • Direct public commentary • Forum participation • News generation ––Present ––Dynamic

15. Dynamics: Avoid staleness. • Auto-generating News Pages • Static links to result pages on offered search functions • Auto-generating content such as tickers, feeds (format correctly!), forums, blogs, and similar techniques ––Dynamic

16. Visibility is inter-dependent • No one factor stands alone Visibility is an investment in time • Effects may take up to six months Visibility is on-going • SEs evolve, grow, and change