Design + Coding > Need Input on SEO for SQ
Sib,
Here are a few general guidelines, some maybe more obvious than others, to start the ball rolling:
1. Figure out the keywords for which you want to optimize your content.
2. Use the Google Webmaster tools to see which keywords are most common in your content, and adjust your content to raise the frequency of the keywords you are targeting.
3. Use those keywords in page cross-reference links, like sidebar links and sitemap links. Because these appear on multiple pages, every keyword you add to these elements has a greater impact on your overall keyword distribution.
4. Use those keywords in phrases that you place in the title attributes of links and images, especially if those images contain text (which a search engine will not see).
5. Use those keywords in page descriptions. Create distinct page descriptions for each page -- do NOT use identical descriptions on each page, even though SQ gives you this option under WebSite Settings > Search/Indexing.
6. If you have a sidebar links widget, do complete the description fields, even if you then hide them using CSS on most pages. For example, code like this CSS will make the description text in a link group visible to editors and search engines, but not to the general public:#linkGroup123456 .description {display: none;}.content-editable #linkGroup123456 .description,.structure-editable #linkGroup123456 .description {display: inline;}
I'm sure I've left lots of room for Bonnie to add some of her wisdom here!
--Chris
Chris Loosley
Chris this is awesome! thanks so very much. I think Bonnie would concurr and she's a real wiz on the SEO so any thoughts she shares are very welcomed as well. I have a question - when you refer to "sitemap" links - are you speaking about making a google sitemap? I have seen others mention using Google for a sitemap and admittedly (knowing zippo on the subject)-- I really don't know what that means! Thanks so much - big hugs!
sib
Sib,
No, by "sitemap links" I meant links like those in the footer of this page, or The Language of Leading. If you look at the source code for that page, you will see examples of the guidelines I listed above.
For the other kind of sitemap, see this Google page
Other useful links are:
Google Webmaster tools
Google page on SEO
--Chris
Chris Loosley
I'm back from a mini-break but don't have time to post right now. Looks like Chris has covered it, though. I'll see if I have anything to add later.
Bonnie
Hi - anyone here have some simple basic suggestions regarding SEO and SQ? I have zero knowledge on the subject but was recently asked about this by a possible new SQ customer - I know some here (like Bonnie!) are wizards--- I am just looking for some basic input such as any suggest on what NOT to do or any special fields in SQ folks should definitely be mindful of to make their SQ site more compatible for seo / google or other search engine concerns. Really appreciate it - and thanks in advance to anyone that can respond with some thoughts.