SEO Information

SEO -Search Engine Optimization

Live graph of Search Engine Activity

Source: StatCounter Global Stats - Search Engine Market Share

Make A Site Map

But, Do these things first!

1. Write a Good <title>

<title>
At the top of the list is the "best" thing you can do to assure a high ranking buy web search engines. The best thing? Write a good <title> for your web pages.

Here it is...

<title>: the most important element of a quality Web page
The <title> element in HTML is designed to provide a short piece of text that should stand for the document in cases such as:
        • window title bars
        • bookmark lists
        • result lists from search services
A good title
So take care to give your page a good title:
not too short
"Section One" won't help much when it shows up in a search results list. Section one of what?. Better: <title>Section
      One of the Modern Music Guide</title> or even better <title>Time Frame (the Modern Music Guide, Section 1)</title>
not too long Because only 60 to 80 characters are displayed in many window titles, menus, etc.; 
you can give a more detailed/pleasant title in the top level heading of your document,

e.g. <h1>Section One: When has the Modern Time Commenced, Musicwise?</h1>
 (with a link to the whole Modern Music Guide for context).

There are more tips, you'll find them here at The W3C Quality Assurance Tips for Webmasters website.

2. Add Meta Data

Meta data information is used by the browser in the client computer or by the server computer to perform a variety of tasks, or to pass additional information back and forth between servers.

The <meta /> element allows you to include additional HTTP header information about the document. This element is placed in the <head> section of the document.

Meta Data Syntax: <meta name="value" content=". . ." />

name
This attribute is used to include other types of non-header information (such as the author, a description of the document, copyright information, keywords, and so on) in the document. Search engines usually look for the following names: author, copyright, description, and keywords. Other possible meta names are: generator, progid, robots, and template. Though not as important as it once used to be, it is vital for web sites that deal with "specialties."

eg: value ="author"

Identifies the author of the document.

eg: value ="copyright"

An unqualified copyright statement.

description
gts The description describes the document in the browser's serach result window.

Eg value ="description"

keywords
A comma-separated list of keywords used by search engines to index the document.

Eg value ="keywords"

Using Dreamweaver to insert Meta tags

metatagmenu

and fill out the editor

3. Use Key words throughout the web page

Key Word Search Tools

Google Key Word Tool

Yahoo Search Marketing
--Follow these steps to get to Yahoo's keyword research tool. When you click on the link, you will get to a page that says: "Start Advertising with Yahoo! Search Marketing in 5 Simple Steps."

On the right side, select your "market" and "time zone," then click on "Get Started."

You will see Yahoo say:
"1. Target Customers by Geographic Location."
Leave everything as is and click on "Next: Keywords." You now have access to Yahoo's keyword tool.
There's no need to register further. Copy your keywords when finished and close the window.

SEO Tools Keyword Search
Web Site devoted to SEO
SEO Chat
More Tools for the Webmaster
Google Webmaster Central

4. Check your Links

Make sure that there are no broken links on your web pages.

Dreamweaver has a tool that will check all the links that are local or external on the web page.

Menu:

File > Check Page > Links

Shift F8

Dreamweaver link checker

There are other link checkers external to Dreamweaver, you can find them here.

W3C Link Checker
Open Source Link Checker PC Only

5. Test, Tidy and Validate

Test

Absolute Rule: Test early and test often.

Ever wonder what your web page looks like in other browsers?
This web site "Browser Shots" makes snapshots of what your web page looks like in other browsers
"Browser Shots" http://browsershots.org/

Adobe has started a new browser testing service called, Browser Labs.
Check the web site out, and sign on!
https://browserlab.adobe.com/index.html#
Browserlabs window

Tidy

Clean up and fix your your web pages with HTML Tidy

If you need to convert a page to Xhtml or you are having trouble getting the page to look the way you want it, Tidy may help you solve your problems

Validate

The Validate tags feature (File > Validate) has been deprecated as of Dreamweaver CS5. However, Dreamweaver still validates XML and ColdFusion documents.

However, you can validate your web pages (make them error free) using the services listed below

W3C Validation Service
http://www.w3schools.com/site/site_validate.asp

Okay, now make a site map!

Free On-line Services

For small web sites a "free" on-line site map generator may be all that you need. Here are some for you to try.

http://www.sitemapdoc.com/Default.aspx
http://www.xml-sitemaps.com/
This may be the best of the on line sitemap generators
http://www.automapit.com/sitemapgenerator.html

Site Map Extensions/Software

Dreamweaver Free Extension: Ordinary Site Map

I modified the CSS to make it appear as a bove...

Coffee Cup offers Sitemapper Sitemapper makes html sitemaps that you can use for your website!

Okay, Now Submit your URL to search engines

To Google
Free and Paid submit URL Sites
Need Hits?
Add Me
Submit Express

Usability -on going Testing

When designing your web pages and browsing...

Always ask yourself these questions...

Where am I?
Where have I been?
Where can I go?

Here's a Checklist of Design Tips from the Web Site "Usability" by Larisa Thomason, Senior Web Analyst, NetMechanic, Inc.

Here's a tip from Steve Krug, author of "Don't Make Me Think"

"If you really want to know if your Web site works, ask your next door neighbor to try using it, while you watch.
(You bring the beer.)" http://www.sensible.com/

Usability First a web site devoted to usability issues

Government usability guides
http://www.usability.gov

Dream Possibilities, Weave Reality