Website Design, Search Engine Optimization

Adding text and content to a website should be broken up with headlines and sub-headlines just like you may see in the newspaper. These headlines not only break up the content into logical chunks of information and act as teasers but they also pull the reader into different sections of the story. They also serve as great sources of SEO or search engine optimization.

Header Tags and Search Engine Optimization

The html code used for headlines are “header tags” and they wrap around specific text like this, <H1>Header Tags</H1>.  When headers, headlines and header tags are used they alert the search engines, like Google, that this is important information and have something to do with what the page is about and how it should be indexed. Not only should your most important content be at the top of the page but also the most important headers. These phrases (headlines) should include your most important keywords.

You always want to write for the user not for the search engines. Make your content readable and if it works for the user it will work well for search optimization and the search engines.

Use of HTML Header Tags

There are roughly 6 header tags, the most important tags are:

<H1>First Level – Highest Priority</H1>

<H2>Second Level – Below First Priority </H2>

<H3>Third Level – Below Second Priority </H3>

Each of these tags are preformatted and are read differently by each browser but  may be modified using a style sheet (CSS). The H1 tag is usually at the top of the page or the main title and has the most important keywords. Then break down the next levels of header tags in the  content or text on the page.

Here is an example of how the headlines and header tags,  in a perfect world, may be implemented on this blog post. (For clarification this blog template is not set up this way and I don’t want to take the time to change it.) :

<H1>SEO Value of Headers, Headlines and Heading Tags</H1> –
Note: On this site the title is an H2 tag with formatting. The blog title at the top of the page “Website Design and Search Engine Optimization” is an H1 tag. Most WordPress sites are set up this way.

<H2>Header Tags and Search Engine Optimization</H2>

<H3>Use of HTML Header Tags</H3>

Google’s Search Ranking Factors and Time Spent on Site

Adding the headers and taking the time to customize the header tags takes additional energy and thought but in the end may well be worth it. Another SEO  issue is “time spent on site” this has become  a major factor for Google rankings and I have heard that if people don’t stay on a site for roughly 60 seconds (which is said to be the national average), your site could be penalized. Of course a lot depends on the type of website that you have. Therefore the overall user experience is important along with the aesthetics of your page. The intent is not to drive people away but the stickiness of your information. This will help your readers spend more quality time on the website and in  turn take the extra time to read the content you have so expertly provided. The end goal is site conversions of new and returning customers.

Additional information:
This may be the best Google search for writing headlines: How to write headines

Yesterday I attended SMX West 2009, SMX stands for Search Marketing Expo. I try to attend a few of these conferences every year for the networking benefits and to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to search marketing. I always return to my office with a few new tricks and insights.

Here is a list from one of the sessions that discussed the 12 most common strategic mistakes that companies or businesses make in their SEO and paid search initiatives. I am going to list them not go into detail.

1. Set measurable goals for a campaign
2. Failing to assign a dollar value to every “conversion action” available on your site.
3. Assessing the success of Search Marketing using solely a Direct Marketing model.
4. Treating SEO as a project NOT as an ongoing process.
5. Making a #1 ranking as your most important objective when it maybe costing you business.
6. Focusing on the big keywords and forgetting about the long-tail keywords.
7. Engaging in Paid or Natural (Organic) Search Engine Marketing but not both.
8. Using YOUR language for search terms and not that of your customers.
9. Optimizing only your web pages and not your other digital assets.
10. Treating your search marketing and other channels of marketing separately.
11. Failing to bid on the search terms that your site ranks highly with in the organic search results
12. Bidding solely on the “branded terms” and ignoring “non-branded terms”.

Let me know if you have questions or experience with any of these. If you are new to search and interested in search engine optimization (SEO) for your website, you may want to attend one of these conferences. The expo is usually free if you pre-register. Session passes are much more expensive.