Top Five Search Engine Optimization Factors

Factor #1

By Guest Author Bev Mapes, Top Of The List

Optimizing your website so users can find it by querying appropriate search engines takes time, work, and strategy. The search engines give hints at how their algorithms work for organic search, but the real value comes from experienced search engine optimization (SEO) experts. SEO experts have numerous clients, and thus have their finger on the pulse of what is working and what is not working when it comes to achieving top search engine placement.

A recent nationwide survey conducted by SEOmoz that was sent to SEO experts revealed the top five search engine factors in achieving high placement. This article focuses on the number one factor, while each of our next articles will address the other four factors.

According to 73 percent of the experts surveyed, the number one factor that influences search engine optimization is (drum roll please):

Keyword focused anchor text from external links. Keyword focused anchor text is what the words say that form the link(s) to your website. For example, if a restaurant called "Swordfish Grill" has another site linking to it, does the user click on:

a. Swordfish Grill
b. For the best seafood in town, click here, or
c. Try Swordfish Grill, the best seafood restaurant in town!

Obviously if you were a seafood restaurant business, example c would help your site the most in search engine placement for "best seafood restaurant."

While almost all links to your site that come from external sources help your site, obtaining links that have keywords in the anchor text is one of the top factors that can influence your site's search engine placement for those terms.

Top Of The List Search Engine Marketing, a Grand Rapids-based firm working with Micro Visions, Inc. Information Technology Services, offers SEO packages which focus heavily on this number one optimization factor. The results help clients achieve top organic search engine placement on highly competitive terms, and drive target market traffic to their websites like never before.

Read the next article for the second most important search engine optimization factor, or contact Top Of The List at 616-460-6778 if you can’t wait to get started optimizing your website.

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