Web Content and SEO: Where to Begin – and What to Do Next

For an organization looking to boost its search engine rankings, small content upgrades often generate significant improvements – and deeper analysis can make an even bigger impact.

If you’re unsure where to begin, consider this week’s USA Today article with Google guru Matt Cutts. Search engine specialists won’t find any new information here, but it’s full of rock-solid content basics that are often overlooked:

• Make sure your targeted keywords are actually on the page.
• Optimize your title tags and description tags.
• Look for linking opportunities.
• Consider a blog to build traffic, credibility and links.
• Avoid keyword stuffing.

Even if your optimization efforts end with Cutts’ list, you’ll have a foundation for improved rankings.

Once those fundamentals are covered, your efforts might shift to in-depth keyword analysis and research.  A good overview was posted today over at Search Engine Watch. As Chris Boggs nicely outlines, effective keywords must be relevant and popular – and a structured process will ensure your keywords meet those criteria.

Fortunately, several online tools – many of them free – can make keyword selection easier.  The process is certainly more intense and time-consuming, but it provides valuable insights into search behavior.