Step-by-Step Search Engine Optimization

Do It Yourself Search Engine Optimization

By Helen Filatova
2008

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Easy SEO Guide: Step-by-Step

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Introduction
Dear Reader,
Thank you for your interest in my book.
Let me introduce myself.
My name is Helen and Im a web developer with 10 years of Internet experience. I create
websites and promote them to high rank search engine positions. Over the years I have
learned a lot of things about what and what not to do on websites with regards to
website placement on search engine results.
Nowadays, almost everyone has a website because theyre so easy to create. You can
either hire a web designer, create it yourself with html-editor software, use free on-line
site builder programs or use free blog services. The problem is not HOW to create a
website; the problem is how to make the website popular and famous. How do you make
your website come out on top of search engine listings when competition among sites is
so high? If you are not on the first page of search engine results, most Internet users
dont find your website!
Approximately 90% of web users do not navigate past
the first page of Google's search results.
Yes, sometimes its not so easy to grab Googles attention and to get the first page
position in Googles search result, but believe me its possible. Ive made a lot of
websites that take first page ranking and I will explain to you how to get it.
During my research and practices I created this systematized step-by-step guide for
successful website ranking. I use this guide every time I promote each and every one of
my websites to first page position in Google search. My friends and clients use my guide
for their website promotion as well and it works! Of course it works! Ive gathered all my
knowledge and my experience in this guide and now I want to share it with you.
With the right tools and this detailed step-by-step guide anyone can optimize their
website! You can do it yourself!
Id like to warn you that this is not a SEO tutorial explaining WHY you have to follow
these steps. You can read other books if you want to know what is behind the curtain. At
the end of this guide I will list those resources.

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Easy SEO Guide: Step-by-Step

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You dont have to be an Internet pro to succeed. Just follow this easy SEO guide and I
will provide you with all the links and techniques you will need. I have put an
approximate time estimation for each step.
Search site optimization takes time. Usually, it takes up to one year for good promotion.
This cant be done quickly. A good rating is based on good reputation and trust. You need
time to make Google trust your site as a good source of information. You cant add a lot
of back links in at once or your website will be penalized and the rank will be decreased.
However, if you spend a few hours a week promoting your site and following the
approved method You will succeed!

About the book structure

This guide uses a very detailed step-by-step structure.
You can print the book and make/add your own notes:
The Time column marks the time. This is an estimate of how much time the step takes
to be completed.
The Done column is for a simple checklist mark like . You can use it to put a
deadline date for when the step should be completed.

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Easy SEO Guide: Step-by-Step

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Table of Content
Introduction ........................................................................................... 2
Table of Content ..................................................................................... 4
CHAPTER 1 SEO Steps .............................................................................. 7
CHAPTER 2 Keyword Research .................................................................... 8
STEP 1
Choose basic keywords ........................................................... 8
STEP 2
Expand your keywords list ....................................................... 9
CHAPTER 3 Domain Name Registration .........................................................12
STEP 3
Choose your domain extension .................................................12
STEP 4
Brainstorm your domain name .................................................14
STEP 5
Check the availability of potential domain names ..........................15
STEP 6
Register your domain name .....................................................17
CHAPTER 4 Getting Your Site Indexed Before You Launch It ...............................18
STEP 7
Choose a host .....................................................................18
STEP 8
Create a Coming soon web page ............................................19
STEP 9
Get some external links to your website .....................................21
CHAPTER 5 Website Structure ...................................................................22
STEP 10
Website structure ................................................................22
CHAPTER 6 File Structure ........................................................................23
STEP 11
URL ..................................................................................23
STEP 12
CSS and JavaScript ...............................................................25
CHAPTER 7 Page Optimization ...................................................................26
STEP 13
Title tags ...........................................................................26
STEP 14
Meta tags ...........................................................................27
STEP 15
Headers and headlines ...........................................................28
STEP 16
Navigation links ...................................................................29
STEP 17
Content .............................................................................30
STEP 18
Graphics ............................................................................32
STEP 19
Internal links ......................................................................33
STEP 20
External links ......................................................................34
STEP 21
HTML and CSS code validation ..................................................35
STEP 22
Check spelling .....................................................................36
STEP 23
Bookmarking .......................................................................37
STEP 24
Tell-A-Friend ......................................................................38
CHAPTER 8 After Your Launch Your Website ..................................................39
STEP 25
Statistics ...........................................................................39
STEP 26
Google Webmaster Tools ........................................................42
STEP 27
WWW ...............................................................................43
STEP 28
HTML Sitemap .....................................................................44
STEP 29
XML Sitemap .......................................................................45
STEP 30
ROR Sitemap .......................................................................46
STEP 31
Robots.txt ..........................................................................47
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STEP 32
RRS feeds ..........................................................................48
STEP 33
Translate your site ...............................................................49
STEP 34
404 page ...........................................................................50
STEP 35
Thank You Pages ...............................................................52
STEP 36
Favicon .............................................................................53
STEP 37
Email signature ...................................................................54
STEP 38
Blog features ......................................................................55
CHAPTER 9 Website Audit ........................................................................57
STEP 39
Quick checking ....................................................................57
STEP 40
Main pages .........................................................................59
STEP 41
Analyze your meta tags ..........................................................60
STEP 42
Analyze your content ............................................................61
STEP 43
Keyword density ..................................................................62
STEP 44
Google Page Rank.................................................................63
STEP 45
Monitor your search engine positions .........................................64
STEP 46
Link popularity ....................................................................65
STEP 47
Bounce Rate .......................................................................67
STEP 48
Pages Index ........................................................................70
STEP 49
Know your competitors ..........................................................71
STEP 50
Widgets & gadgets ................................................................72
CHAPTER 10 Promote Your Site ..................................................................73
STEP 51
Register your website in main search engines ...............................73
STEP 52
Free Submission Services ........................................................74
STEP 53
Regional Search Engines .........................................................76
STEP 54
Blog and RSS directories .........................................................78
STEP 55
Backlinks rules ....................................................................79
STEP 56
Submit your site to directories .................................................81
STEP 57
Local promotion ..................................................................83
STEP 58
Links from your other websites ................................................84
STEP 59
Links from your friends websites ..............................................85
STEP 60
Social networks ...................................................................86
STEP 61
Link exchange .....................................................................87
STEP 62
Blog and Forum Comments ......................................................88
STEP 63
Submit Articles, Reviews and Press Releases ................................89
STEP 64
Products ............................................................................92
STEP 65
Video content .....................................................................93
STEP 66
Classifieds..........................................................................94
STEP 67
Social bookmarking ...............................................................96
STEP 68
Answers ............................................................................97
STEP 69
Use your competitors ............................................................98
STEP 70
Use keywords .................................................................... 100
STEP 71
Google services ................................................................. 101

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STEP 72
News groups ..................................................................... 103
STEP 73
Newsletters & Mailing Lists ................................................... 107
STEP 74
Use emails ....................................................................... 108
STEP 75
Free stuff ........................................................................ 109
STEP 76
Off-line advertising ............................................................. 110
CHAPTER 11 Maintain Your Site Promotion ................................................... 111
STEP 77
Check & Analyze ................................................................ 111
STEP 78
Search engines resubmit ...................................................... 113
STEP 79
Keywords tune-up .............................................................. 114
STEP 80
Website update ................................................................. 115
STEP 81
Classifieds ads update ......................................................... 116
STEP 82
New back links .................................................................. 117
STEP 83
New newsletter ................................................................. 118
STEP 84
Set new goals .................................................................... 119
Appendix ............................................................................................ 120
APPENDIX 1 Working Sheet: Website step-by-step promotion ........................ 120
APPENDIX 2 SEO Resources ................................................................. 122
APPENDIX 3 SEO Tools ....................................................................... 124

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CHAPTER 1

Easy SEO Guide: Step-by-Step

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SEO Steps

Its easy to create a successful website from scratch, but if you already have an existing
website, it has some benefits as well.
Choose your next step:
You create a brand new website

You promote an existing website

Before your website launch:

Keyword Research
Domain Name Registration
Getting Your Site Indexed
Before You Launch

Create your website:

Website Structure
File Structure
Page Optimization
After Your Launch Your Website

Website Audit

Website Promotion

Maintain Your Website Promotion

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CHAPTER 2

Easy SEO Guide: Step-by-Step

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Keyword Research

Its very important to define your keywords. It should be done BEFORE you start creating
your website. Picking the right keywords and the right key phrases is the ultimate factor
that will determine the success of your website.
Time

STEP 1

Choose basic keywords

Done

20 min

The first step in a search engine optimization campaign is to choose

keywords and key phrases for your future website.
Keywords are typically two-to-five-word phrases. Its these phrases that
you want to be found by search engines.
The right keywords are those that:
Clearly describe the purpose and content of your site.
Allow your site to show up as close to the first results page as
possible.
Try brainstorming: imagine your future ideal visitor. What keywords will
he/she type in Google search to get to your website?
Examples:
If your website will provide local plumbing services in Toronto, the
keywords should be plumber, Toronto
If you are going to create a website about traveling to Mexico, the
keywords should be: travel, tour, Mexico, Caribbean Sea, resort
hotel, last minute deal

WORKSHEET: Keywords

List your keywords and key phrases in the box below:

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Easy SEO Guide: Step-by-Step

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Expand your keywords list

STEP 2

1h

Expand your keyword list with:

synonyms;
popular words like free, cheap, quality, inexpensive,
affordable, competitive if they are relevant to your website;
location (if you have local-oriented website);
prices;
specific description types (running shoes, walking shoes, jogging
shoes, etc);
industry specific words.
Go to free on-line free keyword suggestion services, type your
keywords to get some ideas, synonyms and relevant keywords to
improve your keyword list.

Google Sets - http://labs.google.com/sets

Wordtracker Free Keywords - http://freekeywords.wordtracker.com/
Keyword Discovery - http://www.keyworddiscovery.com/search.html
Free Google Keyword Suggestion Tool http://tools.seobook.com/general/keyword-information/
Quintura - http://www.quintura.com/

Google AdWords Keyword Suggestion Tool https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

Enter a few descriptive words (see the image below, #1), get new
keyword ideas, check the keyword list (2) and add (3) some of them
to your keyword list (4). Add your own keywords you got from some
of the services above (5) and download the text file (6) with your
expanded keyword list.

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If your website will contain international language pages use

option (7) to define keyword popularity with this language.

It is important to choose your keywords wisely, especially keeping in mind

how often those specific keywords are searched for.
Choose keywords and keyword phrases with an average level of
competition but are still popular. Use them to find which keywords to
target and how competitive they are.
If you figure out some keyword phrases that are very popular with low
level competition, think about creating separate web pages relevant to
these keyword phrases for your future website.
Revise the expanded keyword list and choose the key phrases that:
Best describe the topic and content of your website and web
pages
Are popular in search terms;
Generate a relatively small number of results after performing
the Google search.
Examples:
Restaurant is too competitive a keyword. There are 558,000,000
search results in Google. It will be extremely difficult to get good
rank with this keyword.
Italian Restaurant is more specific but still too competitive a key
phrase. There are 9,370,000 search results!

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Italian Restaurant in Toronto is much better and it attracts local

customers. There are 678,000 search results.
Italian Restaurant in Toronto, wine has 267,000 search results. It
can become your primary key phrase.

WORKSHEET:
Expanded keyword list

Your expanded keyword list:

WORKSHEET:
Potential key phrases

Your ideas for new web pages:

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