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Home » Marketing Articles » 7 Search Engine Tips For Non Webmasters

7 Search Engine Tips for Non Webmasters

With all of the changes to the search engines these days, you can drive yourself crazy trying to get your site submitted. Unless you are willing to commit yourself to doing it full time, or you are a search engine expert, you won't rank at the top of the engines. However, this doesn't mean that you should neglect this important means of getting traffic to your site.

Unlike most of the methods for promoting your business, which came from the offline world, this method is different. It's unique, and it is changing and growing at a rapid pace. By at least informing yourself of the basics, you can make this a more effective method for driving traffic to your site.

Below are seven tips you can implement to get started:

1. Understand the Relationships of the Various Search Engines. Before you can know where to submit, you need to understand how all of the various search engines are related so that you don't duplicate your work, or worse, get banned from submission.

Now, mind you, I am no search engine expert. However, I have been watching closely what is happening, and here is what I have seen so far:

Recently, Yahoo, a directory, acquired All the Web, Altavista, Inktomi and Overture. Yahoo is no longer going to be using search results from Google as its backend.

Although it remains to be seen what role All The Web and Altavista will play, Inktomi will only provide limited offerings in Yahoo because Yahoo announced that Inktomi's paid inclusions would not be included in its results.

Overture, the number one pay per click search engine, provides paid results to 80 per cent of the major search engines and will continue to do so. It will also be providing backend results to Yahoo. Overture provides results to major sites like HotBot and MSN.

Yahoo is adding its own search engine and will continue to offer its paid directory at $299 a year.

Currently, MSN and Yahoo, the number two and number one sites respectively on Alexa, are battling for supremacy. Bill Gates is also working on a new model for his search engine, but it remains to be seen what that will be.

Eventhough Google will no longer be providing backend results to Yahoo, Google is still a major player. It is also the number one search engine in the world. Google gets some of its results from the Open Directory Project, a volunteer effort to create a directory of the best sites on the Internet.

Looksmart is still out there, but it appears to have changed its model to a pay per click. You can get started for free, but you'll have to pay for each click. (NOTE: I found this site hard to navigate to answer the most simple questions. Maybe that's why it's the least relevant of the options available.)

Finally, you have Alexa, which is in a class all its own. You definitely want to get your site submitted here because it's a great way to find out who is linking to you, where you rank, and other statistics about your site. Back end results for Alexa are provided by Google.

The easiest way to track your site using Alexa, is to download a copy of the toolbar. You can get it here: http://www.smallbusinesshowto.com/htmlfiles/alexa.html

2. Prepare Your Site for Submission. Now that you know where to submit your site, you want to prepare your site so that it gets accepted.

The best tool to help you is Good Keywords: http://www.goodkeywords.com This free utility will let you search for the best keywords to use on your site.

Key words, however, are only part of the equation.

You will also want to create a good title and description. Take your time when you create these. You want each to be key word rich, and the right length.

Once you've written your title, keywords, and description, then all you need to do is to create the metatags for your web site. You'll find all the tools you need at Evrsoft - http://www.evrsoft.com/, including a link popularity checker, submission to over 100 search engines, search engine analyzer, and a metatag generator.

Once you have used the metatag generator to create your metatags, then all you have to do is paste it into the header of your web page.

You will want to check your metatags first to make sure they aren't too long and are search engine friendly. You'll find a metatag analyzer here: http://www.scrubtheweb.com/abs/meta-check.html

This one is stricter than the one I use, but it works very well.

Let me emphasize here that this step is absolutely crucial to getting your site accepted. You would be amazed at how many professionally done web sites skip this step.

3. Submit Your Site. Now that you have your site ready, you want to start submitting. You will use your title, keywords, and description again here.

Here is your submission list:

Free

Alexa - http://pages.alexa.com/help/webmasters/index.html#crawl_site

Google - http://www.google.com/addurl.html Open Directory

Project - http://dmoz.org/add.html

Fast Submit - http://www.evrsoft.com/fastsubmit/ - Submission to 100 of the top search engines. (Caution here: some of these sites may ignore or ban you if you are a business site).

Paid

Google Ad Words - http://services.google.com/marketing/links/ads_us/adwords/ - Pay

Per Click Inktomi - http://www.inktomi.com - Yearly Fee Per Url

LookSmart - http://www.looksmart.com -

Pay Per Click Overture - http://www.overture.com - Pay Per Click

4. Check to make sure you are listed. After about a month, you want to go back and make sure that your site is listed in the appropriate search engine. The way to do this is to go to the search engine and type in your domain name. You don't have to include the http://www to do this.

If you are not listed, then go to the next step.

5. Resubmit if Necessary. If your site is not in the search engine you have selected to search, then resubmit your information for inclusion. It's important to remember that unless you are using paid inclusions, it is up to the discretion of the search engine whether or not your site is listed.

Your chances of success will increase if you include some quality content on your site that is dense in your key words. You also want to have as many quality links as possible. You can build your links by contacting other webmasters who have sites that complement yours.

6. Reevaluate. If your search engine strategy isn't working, it's time for a change. However, you need to consider that submitting to the search engines is a very long term strategy, and it isn't something that will occur over night. Only if you are using pay per clicks can you see an increase in traffic almost immediately.

For your free inclusions, you just want to make sure that you are included. Quality content and quality links can help here in raising your rankings.

For paid inclusions, you want to make sure that you are getting the click thrus you need. Unlike free inclusions, you should see results immediately. If you aren't getting enough traffic, consider changing your key words. Good Keywords will help you here.

7. Stay Informed.

If you want to continue to use this strategy in your business, then you need to stay abreast of industry happenings because things change so quickly.

The best place to get information on this constantly changing industry is here:

http://searchenginewatch.com/

They offer three different newsletters to cover the industry. At a minimum you should be reading the daily newsletter.

Althought is is only one of the many strategies I use to promote my business, it can be very effective when done correctly. Take your time, be patient, and learn what you need to do before you use this strategy. It will become an effective tool in your marketing arsenal.

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

1000 New Catastrophe Adjusters Needed Right Now in the USA

Yes, it's true...there currently is a need for 1000 trained catastrophe adjusters in the United States. As a consumer advocate I'm always looking for new career opportunities for the people that have been downsized. So I heard about catastrophe adjusting and went to the top expert in the country, Howard Williams, to learn more. Here is my interview.

Recently I had a chance to sit down with Howard and discuss his years as a storm adjuster.

Hugh: "Howard, what exactly is a "storm adjuster" and what do you do?"

Howard: "When a major storm or other catastrophe hits anywhere in the country and the claims load is larger than the local adjusters can handle, the insurance companies turn to a core group of storm adjusters. These adjusters are available to respond to disasters wherever they are and whenever they are needed. Working as an extension of insurance company's claims department, adjusters assist the company's policyholders in evaluating and preparing their claims for damages."

Hugh: "I think that you have created a slogan that pretty well says it: "Going where needed, when needed."

Howard: "Yes, that is true and it has certainly been true in my case. In the past 35 years I have been to almost every natural disaster and even several man-made ones that have made the headlines in the United States. Most recently I spent six months in the Hurricane Katrina ravaged areas of Mississippi and Alabama."

Hugh: "Six months?"

Howard: "Yes, I was there in the area for six months except for coming back home several weekends. That is one of the requirements of this profession. You must be able to go any time and any where they need you. For instance, with Katrina I was on the road heading to Mississippi as soon as the roads were open for rescue trucks to get in there. I arrived there to find no motel rooms available in either Mississippi or Alabama. I finally found a condo that I was able to rent in the panhandle of Florida. Therefore I had to make that long trip daily back and forth. So you have to know how to take care of yourself and I credit a great deal of that ability to my former police training."

Hugh: "Yes, I knew that you had been a police officer in your earlier years. What other training have you found valuable?"

Howard: "As you know I'm also a personal coach and that training has been immensely valuable. For instance, in Florida, when I have worked the big hurricanes like Andrew I have found numerous senior citizens who were in a total state of shock. I would arrive at their homes to find them sitting in living rooms that had no roofs with water soaked carpets. Many had no one to turn to since their neighbors were too busy taking care of their own problems. So the first item of business is for me to get them out of that house. I want to get them into a nice clean, dry motel room if possible.

Hugh, you have to learn to EMPATHIZE with their situation and not get caught up in the drama going on. That's where my personal coach training has been invaluable. Most storm adjusters either are too business like or they get caught up in the drama happening. You want to help but you still have to focus on the situation â€" determining the damage done to their dwelling."

Hugh: "So what do you do to determine that damage?"

Howard: "This is where you have to use your skills of estimating and also having a background in construction certainly does not hurt. I have to begin to look at the overall situation to determine what has been damaged by water and what has been damaged by wind. As you are aware as a consumer investigative reporter, there have been numerous stories in the media regarding this with Hurricane Katrina victims. No one seems to understand that certain damages are not covered by insurance.

Estimating and surveying the damage is where it can get very interesting. You may find yourself climbing up to a roof to explore damage and the next minute find yourself crashing through that roof! It has happen to me. Also usually in areas like Mississippi you are likely to find numerous snakes beginning to take up residence in the houses. Not to mention the heat that usually returns after the storm."

Hugh: "Well with my fear of heights over 10 feet this is certainly not something that I would do well with."

Howard: "That's where a husband/wife team comes in real handy. We find a number of husband/wife teams in storm adjusting. Usually, but not always, the husband will do the climbing and the wife will write down the findings. Both need to know how to estimate and a background in construction is a plus"

Hugh: "Well, I'm sure people reading this interview will want to know: 'How much can one make in this business?'"

Howard: "This can be a very lucrative career especially if you are doing major events like Katrina. I earned in the neighborhood of $120,000 for the six months work."

Hugh: "WOW, $120,000 for six months work?

Howard: "Yes, when you learn the ropes like I will be teaching at my new school in North Carolina, it is possible to eventually be earning that amount for six months work. And both fortunately and unfortunately, this type of work will not have any downsizing in the near future."

Hugh: Yes, as you know I also own an emergency preparedness consulting business. Our reports from Max Mayfield, chief meteorologist for the National Hurricane Center, are that the powerful hurricanes like Katrina will increase in number over the next ten years."

Howard: Yes, and that is just hurricanes. Think of all the earthquakes, tornadoes, wild fires, wind storms, floods, etc. occurring in the United States every year. According to our industry association there will be a need for 1,000 new storm adjusters in 2007 alone."

Hugh: Howard, you mentioned your new school. Tell us more about it and how people reading this interview can learn more."

Howard: "Yes, I have decided to take my 35 years of experience in storm adjusting and offer a two week school for those looking for a new career. Also I will be sharing all the updated information in this field from my recent classes that I have attended. A person taking this course will learn about estimating, construction information that can make their job easier (I want to assure people that you do NOT have to have a background in construction to apply), writing the reports, communicating and working with the insurance companies, etc. For those that would like to learn more they can visit our web site at http://www.stormadjusterschool.com and after reading if interested can contact me at stormboss@earthlink.net."