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General SEO Ranking Factors

By on April 10, 2013

When trying to rank a website in the major search engines, follow these guidelines.

On-page SEO Ranking Factors – These are all the factors the website owner is in direct control over.

  • Content Quality – Make sure that you have quality content that is not copied from other websites and is well written.
  • Content Research – Do your research and make sure you are writing content that people are searching for around your local Fort Worth business.
  • Content Words and Phrases – Write content that you want search engines to rank your site for.
  • Engaging Content – Look at your website analytics and determine if you are writing content that people want to read. If you write weak content your visitors will just leave!
  • Fresh Content – How often are you adding new articles? Are they on topics that are new and fresh? Take this into consideration.
  • Website Titles – Your website page and post titles should contain relevant keywords.
  • Website Descriptions – The meta descriptions tags on each page should describe exactly what the page is about.
  • Website Headers – Use keywords in your heading and subheading tags on each page.
  • Website Speed – Your website should load as fast as possible. Use website speed tests to determine what you can tweak.
  • Website URLS – Website URLs should be short, but still contain meaningful keywords on the page topics.

Off-page SEO Ranking Factors – These factors are influenced by other web properties.

  • Quality Links – Links from other websites should be relevant and trusted sources.
  • Link Anchor – The links on other websites should be using keywords that you hope to be ranked for.
  • Number of Links – The more quality links you have pointing to your website, the better.
  • Social – Having respected, influential people on social networks share your website links will help your SEO ranking.
  • Website Age – It’s best if the websites that are linking to you have been around a long time and are established in the niche.
  • Website Relevance – Make sure the websites that link to you are in the same niche and relevant to your website/business.

Violations – Stay away from black-hat techniques and things that will get your website banned.

  • Keyword Stuffing – Don’t put your keywords in every possible position on your page making the content unreadable.
  • Hiding – Don’t try to hide keywords with colors or CSS styles.
  • Paid Links – Don’t buy links from other webmasters to help increase your rankings.
  • Spam – Don’t spam blogs or forums trying to promote your website with links.

Following these guidelines will give your website a solid SEO base.

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