Search engine optimisation

Search engine marketing is rated as the most effective means of promoting a website, beating banner advertising, email, and off-line promotion. Here are some methods to ensure that your webpages feature in search engine results.

Optimise webpage content

• Your webpages must be well written, specific to a topic, and include targeted keyword phrases
• Remove unnecessary source code from pages i.e. JavaScript and comment tags, as this dilutes the impact of keywords when search engines trawl HTML code
• Check keyword density of competing website HTML code and compare with your website
• Identify keywords that are relevant to your content and those used by people in searches. Include these keywords in page content
• Ask work colleagues for appropriate keywords, review off-line brochures etc, use a keyword research search engine (i.e. Web Wombat) to identify relevant keywords that don't currently find your site
• Aim for maximum 20 keywords for each main category, look for less popular keywords to rank higher, use keywords in titles, introductory paragraphs, link text and throughout content and metadata.

Use metadata

• Most search engines read the HTML <title> tag, and include this text in search engine results. Ensure that the tag accurately describes page content and contains important keywords
• Many search engines read the metadata <Description> tag so it is also important to include relevant keywords. It is common practice for search engines to include the first sentence or two from this tag in search results. Use this text as the introductory paragraph on your webpage.
• The majority of external search engines do not read other metadata tags but the university search engine is configured to read them. Consequently, your pages will rank higher in university search results when you include University metadata elements.

Increase inbound links

Major search engines place a lot of importance on the number and quality of inbound links, i.e. the number of relevant, quality websites with links to your site. Research other relevant organisations and invite them to link to your website. You can also analyse websites already linking to your site, and ensure that their hyperlinks are written effectively, i.e. correct link text - not 'click here', etc.

Submit to directories & search engines

Regularly check that you are included in major search directory and search engine listings, including the university search engine, Ultraseek.

It is also possible to pay search engines to rank your website higher in searches. Contact the Media and Publication Services Office for more information.

Analyse website statistics

Website statistics can be used to measure the success of a search engine optimisation campaign by tracking the following:

• referring search engines
• referring keywords/phrases
• unique monthly visits
• site paths (entry & exit pages)