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    Church Website Best Practices - Entries tagged "Improving Google Search Results"

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    MonMondayFebFebruary13th2012 What Makes a Healthy Online Presence for Churches? [INFOGRAPHIC]
    Posted Monday, February 13 2012 @ 7 AM byDavid Pohlmeier Tagged Church Media Improving Google Search Results Social Media Technology User Experience (UX) 3 comments Add comment

    Over a period of six months we monitored the usage of all of iMinistries websites using Google Analytics. Some results were to be expected. Others surprised us. From these statistics we've come to the conclusion that the convergence of technology, social media, and design/UX create a healthy church web presence.

    Technology

    Definition: The platform your website is built upon, and how you manage website content.

    A church should be using some sort of content management system (CMS). Website content includes, pages, blog entries, sermons, news, and events. This technology should be SEO friendly and easy to update.

    Why?: People come to your website for content (see the astounding numbers below). It is important to present that content in a way that is easy to find and interesting. A CMS is the best tool for completing those tasks because:

    1. A CMS helps you organize your content.
    2. A CMS lets you concentrate on the content, instead of the back-end technology.
    3. A CMS makes your website findable on search engines.

    Social Media

    Definition: Outlets used to engage and connect with users and draw traffic to your website.

    Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, YouTube, and LinkedIn are a few examples. Newcomers are Google+ and Pinterest--both showed good results in the first six months, but not enough to give much thought to them yet. We plan on revisiting this in another six months and are curious to see if that changes.

    Why?: Social media hubs like Facebook give you a level of personal interaction that is usually lacking on your main website. Twitter and video sites can also help your content be shared to audiences who wouldn't normally come into contact with you.

    Design/UX

    Definition: How your website looks and functions.

    Is it easy to navigate and find content. Is your website visually appealing? Is it simple? Your website should look professional. This design should be carried over into the social media outlets to create a uniform online presence.

    Why?: What good is content if your visitors can't find it? Or if interacting with your website is not a positive experience? Your UX leaves a lasting impression to users, most of the time within seconds of their arrival.

    The Infographic

    Put all these things together, and you have a healthy web presence. Here is a visual representation of our data:

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    MonMondayNovNovember28th2011 3 Modern SEO Tips for Church Websites
    Posted Monday, November 28 2011 @ 9 AM byBryan Young Tagged Google Improving Google Search Results 0 comments Add comment
    Search engines are constantly adapting how they compile their results to how people are interacting with the web. Below are three best practices to make sure your church website gets found in modern searches.

    1. Beef up your Google Places profile

    eyetracking heatmap

    Recent studies have shown that people's eyes gravitate to local listings when they come up in Google searches (see SEOmoz's eye-tracking heat maps to the right).

    To optimize your Google Places profile:
    1. Search for your location on Google (if no profile exists, visit google.com/places to create one).
    2. Select the place marker to view the profile.
    3. Click the "Business owner?" link on the profile page.
    4. To edit your profile, follow the steps to validate your ownership.
    5. Make sure your address, contact information, website, and marker placement are correct.
    6. Add a description of your church or ministry, briefly stating who you are and your mission.
    7. Add categories ("Lutheran Church," "Religious Organization," etc.) to help searchers find you.
    8. Add photos, videos, and further details (service times, ministries offered, etc.) to give people more reason to visit.

    2. Increase Social Media Engagement

    Today, social media has become the way in which people navigate the Internet, so search engines have begun to give more weight to popular content on Facebook and Twitter.

    Studies by SEOmoz have shown that content gets a boost in search results when shared across social media channels (retweeted, liked, or +1'd). Make it a goal to post regular, relevant content on Facebook or Twitter (especially content that directs users to your website), and you'll see its positive impact on visits to your website.

    3. Create interesting content, incorporating keywords

    Even though search engines have adapted over the years, the best way to keep people coming to your church website remains to continuously provide compelling content. Make your website the source for extra information for your members, not just basic information for first-timers. In all content, focus on using keywords and phrases that people might use to find you.
    • Start a blog from ministry leaders, addressing relevant topics
    • Write studies that coincide with your current sermon series
    • Update your news regularly
    • Create event landing pages and registration

    Learn More About Modern SEO for Church Websites

    Improving Google Search Results - iMinistries Blog Series
    Keyword Phrase Strategy's Importance to SEO - iMinistries Blog
    6 Best Practices for Modern SEO - Mashable

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    MonMondayJanJanuary10th2011 Cross-Linking: Search Engines and Website Visitors Love It
    Posted Monday, January 10 2011 @ 9 AM byBryan Young Tagged Best Practices for Church Websites Improving Google Search Results Website 101 0 comments Add comment

    What is Cross-Linking?

    Cross-linking is including a link to a page on your site, from another page. These links can appear as in-text hyperlinks or graphics, in various locations throughout your church website.

    Why Cross-Linking?

    Cross-linking makes two important groups happy. And you want to keep these groups happy.

    Search Engines
    Google, Bing, and Yahoo love websites with loads of links. They also love websites who have links directed to themselves. Cross-linking kills these two birds with one stone. Including links to other pages on your site within your content goes a long way to improve your search engine ranking.

    Your Site Visitors
    A cross link is a call to action. These links show your visitors that your content is important, gives them alternatives in case the information they seek is not found on the page, makes them aware of more information, and gives them reasons to stay on your website.

    How to Implement Cross-Linking

    Before you start throwing in 10,000 links on each of your church website's pages, it is important to have a strategy. Planning before doing will help your links be more effective without overwhelming your visitor.

    1. Make a list of your calls to action.
    Your website's calls to action might include:
    • Subscribe (to a newsletter, podcast, or blog feed)
    • Contact Us (by filling out a form, e-mailing, or calling)
    • Log in (to their account)
    • Volunteer (by filling out a opportunity inquiry)
    • Join (by creating a personal account)
    • Read (news, blogs, newsletters)
    • Register (for an upcoming event)
    • Look (pictures)
    • Listen (to sermons or other podcasts)
    2. Prioritize your calls to action.
    Think about which pages make the most sense for these calls to action. Make a plan of how to include one or more calls to action on each page of your website.

    Where to Include Cross Links

    Page Text Body
    The easiest place to include cross links is within your website pages' text. It's important to incorporate links into your writing, instead of using words like "click here" or "visit this page." See what I did there. I built a link to another page on this website within a sentence. This helps your user understand what information is on this other page. Using keywords and phrases in these links acts as a highlighter to search engines, as well. They notice your links, read the keywords, and are more likely to include your this page in search results.

    Side Columns
    Depending on which template you use, you should have space in your left or right column for call-to-action graphics. Incorporating colorful buttons or scrolling ads will help to keep your ministry website visitors clicking from page to page.

    Headers/Scrolling Banners
    Scrolling banners act like roadside billboards for your website's most desirable content. By designing eye-catching banners, you can direct your home page visitors right to your sermons, blog, or latest ministry event.

    Don't have the staff to create ads or banners? Let us design some for you.

    Footer
    The real estate at the bottom of your website shouldn't be ignored. A best practice is to include links to your Contact Us page, Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, and other pages that might not easily fall under your menu categories. Some websites, like iMinistries', even include their site map in the footer.

    LEARN MORE ABOUT CROSS-LINKING

    Cross-Linking and Search Engine Optimization - WebProNews
    Cross-Linking and Internal Link Architecture - The Online Marketing Guy

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    MonMondayJulJuly19th2010 Improving Search Results Case Study - Harvest Bible Chapel
    Posted Monday, July 19 2010 @ 9 AM byBryan Young Tagged Best Practices for Church Websites Improving Google Search Results 0 comments Add comment

    BACKGROUND

    Problem

    HarvestBibleChapel.org ranks low in simple Google searches using key words.

    Recommended Solution

    Implement standard SEO practices including:
    • Revising content
    • Revising site title format (as seen on top of window)
    • Adding Meta tags
    • Changing menu headings

    Project Goals

    To boost the Google search ranking to the top 10 website listings in each of the primary search terms. Simultaneously increase the website’s grade on WebsiteGrader.com.

    Time Line

    One week, from Wednesday, January 27 to Wednesday, February 3, 2010.


    IMPLEMENTATION

    Revising Content

    Every instance of “Harvest” was changed to “Harvest Bible Chapel” in the website page’s content, where it was possible. “Harvest Bible Chapel” is the search phrase most used by visitors arriving via a Google. Increasing the use of this phrase in site content increases the site’s ranking when entered in a search inquiry.

    The link title “Pastor James’s Blog” was changed to “James MacDonald’s Blog” to increase ranking when “James MacDonald” is entered in search inquiries.

    Revising Site Tile Format

    The previous site title (which appears at the top of the Internet browser window) was changed from the format “[Site Title] – [Page Title]” (ex. “Harvest Bible Chapel – Main Site – New To Harvest?”) to the format “Harvest Bible Chapel | Dr. James MacDonald | [Page Title].”

    Removing the site title and replacing it with “Harvest Bible Chapel” makes it more clear to Google what this site contains. Adding “Dr. James MacDonald” also will improve the search ranking for those who search this phrase.


    Adding Meta Tags

    No Meta tags were in place before this implementation. The description, which appears under the Web site listing in Google search results, was added as follows:

    “Harvest Bible Chapel is one church meeting on five campuses in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois led by Senior Pastor James MacDonald.”

    Mentioning the key phrases “Harvest Bible Chapel,” “James MacDonald,” “church,” and “Chicago, Illinois” positively influences the Google search rankings for these phrases.

    Keywords act as magnet words for Google search inquiries. Sites that include keyword Meta tags improve their search ranking when those words or phrases are searched. The following keywords were added:
    • Harvest Bible Chapel
    • HarvestBibleChapel.org
    • Harvest Bible Chicago
    • James MacDonald
    • Walk in the Word
    • Harvest Bible Fellowship
    • Chicago churches

    Changing Menu Headings

    The menu heading “About Harvest” was changed to “About Harvest Bible Chapel.”

    RESULTS

    Google Search Rankings

    Search rankings for each of the key phrases improved dramatically after only two days.

    Results Before SEO

    Results After SEO

    41 "harvest bible chapel"
    		 1 "harvest bible chapel"
    1 "harvestbiblechapel.org" 1 "harvestbiblechapel.org"
    ? "James MacDonald"
    		 3 "James MacDonald"
    23 "Dr. James MacDonald"
    		 6 "Dr. James MacDonald"
    7 "harvest bible"
    		1 "harvest bible"

    Website Grade

    The website’s grade from WebsiteGrader.com increased more than four points after the SEO implementation.

    Before SEO

    Results After SEO

    91 Overall Website Grade
    		 95.6* Overall Website Grade
    2 Google PageRank
    		 2 Google PageRank
    154 Google Indexed Pages
    		 138* Google Indexed Pages
    94 Blog Grade
    		 96.5* Blog Grade
    1,012 Inbound Links
    		 1,012 Inbound Links
    2,425,735 Traffic Rank
    		 2,450,000* Traffic Rank

    		* average

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    FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS

    Increase Google Page Rank and Inbound Links

    The biggest influence on Page Rank is inbound links (other websites linking to HarvestBibleChapel.org). The higher the Page Rank of the sites linking to you, the more influence it has on your Page Rank. HarvestBibleChapel.org has relatively low inbound links, so it is crucial to develop more.

    The challenge is that this site is more of a “hub” which directs many users to the campus websites so the amount of content it contains, and the frequency in which its content changes, is less than other church websites of a similar size (harvest.org, willowcreek.org).

    Finding a way to develop more inbound links is important to increase the site’s traffic and it’s Page Rank. Sites to get inbound links:
    • Local universities (.edu sites’ links carry more weight)
    • Facebook (fan pages, personal profiles)
    • Extension ministries: HCA, HBF, Walk in the Word, should all be linking back to this site)
    • Twitter: a Harvest Twitter account would drive traffic and add links
    • Other free sites: Chambers of Commerce, church directories, etc.
    MonMondayAprApril26th2010 Keyword Phrase Strategy's Importance to SEO
    Posted Monday, April 26 2010 @ 9 AM byJon Singer Tagged Best Practices for Church Websites Improving Google Search Results 0 comments Add comment

    "I want to be on page one of Google."


    That statement is the beginning of the practice of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). It’s when a website owner realizes that launching a website is not enough to attract new business, and that a complete Web marketing plan must be started.

    The one thing that is missing in that statement, however, is for what keyword phrase do they want to rank on page one of Google? Though the answer given off the cuff by the website owner is insightful, the true answer requires research and expertise.

    Otherwise, website owners will spend a lot of time and money and still rank poorly. Or equally disappointing, they may rank well, but for poorly chosen keyword phrases, and the resulting traffic to their website is of poor quality.

    Free Trial

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    Create Your Free Trial Account
    For example, a church might choose "church services" as a keyword phrase, thinking the searcher on Google is seeking local church service times and options. But searchers also might use these terms to mean janitorial companies that specialize in cleaning churches, or for church service times 5,000 miles away.

    Any traffic received from these searchers is worthless. The website traffic stats may grow, but that’s not telling the true story. Worst of all, even though the church invested time and money to rank well, it probably received no new calls or interest.

    They may then be tempted to write off SEO and Web marketing. But the true problem was poor keyword phrase research and selection.

    Lastly, SEO work lasts a long time. If a website succeeds and is on page one of Google, it will have that power for months, if not years, depending on how competitive the keyword phrases are. And if it does drop to page two, with a little attention, the former position can usually be restored.

    So, it is critical that website owners don’t race through the keyword phrase selection process. It is not only the first step in SEO and Web marketing plans, but also the most important.


    About the Author

    Jon Singer is a Chicago area Search Engine Optimization Specialist and Website Designer.
    MonMondayMarMarch15th2010 Google Analytics: Why Add it to Your Church Website?
    Posted Monday, March 15 2010 @ 9 AM byBryan Young Tagged Best Practices for Church Websites Google Improving Google Search Results 0 comments Add comment

    Track your website traffic with detailed reports from Google Analytics.

    Google Analytics (GA) is a free service offered by Google that generates detailed statistics about the visitors to a website. It is the most widely used website statistics service, currently in use at around 40% of the 10,000 most popular websites. GA can track visitors from search engines and other websites and direct traffic. GA is designed to be used by both the casual Web administrator to the advanced Web marketer.

    Google Dashboard

    In your general reports, GA will display:
    • number of visitors to your site (within custom date ranges)
    • average pages per visit
    • bounce rate
    • average time visitors are on your site
    • percentage of new visitors
    • traffic sources
    • a list of your most-visited pages
    The more advanced user can create custom reports with an astounding amount of variables.

    How to Add Google Analytics

    Adding Google Analytics to your iMinistries website is as easy as "copy and paste."

    We are excited to offer you the ability to track your websites hits through Google Analytics. Set up is easy and free and the information that Google provides you is very useful.

    1. To begin, you must create a Google account. It is free.
    2. After you create your account, go to Google Analytics.
    3. Login with your new Google account.
    4. At the bottom of the screen, click on "Add a website profile."
    5. Next, enable the first radio button titled Add a Profile for a new domain.
    6. Add your url into the URL area.
    7. Click Finish.
    8. The next page is the important one. Look at the code that is provide and find your Google tracking code. Here is a example:
      Analytics Code
    9. Now, go to your website and log into Site Administration.
    10. Click on Site Controls
    11. Click on Site Preferences
    12. Enter in your Google Analytics Account number. It will be in this format - UA-xxxxxxx-x.
    13. Save
    14. That's it! Your reports should begin to populate after 24 hours.

    MORE RESOURCES FOR GOOGLE ANALYTICS

    Getting Started Guide – Google Analytics
    Quick Start Guide for Custom Reporting – Google Analytics
    How Do I Tag My Links? – Google Analytics
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    MonMondayNovNovember9th2009 Improving Search Results, Chapter 3: Directories and Social Media
    Posted Monday, November 09 2009 @ 9 AM byBryan Young Tagged Best Practices for Church Websites Improving Google Search Results 0 comments Add comment

    Make Your Ministry Website More Visible By Using Directories and Social Media Websites.

    Now that you have conquered Google by increasing your PageRank, and other search engines by adding Meta Tags, you can still improve your search engine results. By adding your site to directories and social sites, you can improve your church website’s credibility which will move your site up the chain of search results.

    Improving Search Ranking

    Directories

    Directories are man-made lists of websites. Each site that is added to a directory is evaluated and deemed one of high quality. So being added to one or more of these directories is seen by search engines as a thumbs up from peers, which influences the order in which they list sites in query results.

    Three directories you should add your site to:
    • DMOZ
    • Yahoo Directory
    • ZoomInfo
    DMOZ
    A volunteer-run directory hosted by Mozilla, only sites with quality content will get listed here. New sites are less likely, and since it is managed by volunteers, it can take time to get added. DMOZ is the largest human-edited directory of the Web, so if you aren't listed here, search engines will be given a reason not to list your site at the top of results. Add your site to DMOZ.
    Yahoo Directory
    Yahoo's Directory unfortunately is not free, it costs you $299 per year. But its size and name recognition might make it worth your while if you care deeply about improving your search results. Add your site to Yahoo Directory.

    ZoomInfo
    This directory and search engine is geared more toward businesses, but allows you to create an informative profile. You can add a searchable profile for your ministry and link to your website. ZoomInfo has profiles on more than 37 million people and 3.5 million companies, so it can be valuable to have on your site's "resume." Create a profile on ZoomInfo.

    Social Networking and Media Sites

    These sites can be used to drive more traffic to your website. More traffic means more respect from search engines and a better search ranking.

    Three social networking and media sites you should add your site (and its content) to:
    • Facebook
    • Del.icio.us
    • Digg
    Facebook
    We all know that Facebook is great for keeping in touch with old friends from the past, but it can also help you increase your Web traffic and boost your search engine results. You can create a free group and allow people to become a "fan" of your ministry. You can also link to your website and post news and event updates (which you can link to news and events on your site) to drive more visitors to your site. We thought that we should take our own advice and recently created a group. If you are an existing client or are thinking about becoming one, why not join the iMinistries Facebook Group?

    Del.icio.us
    If you create compelling content on your site, your users will share it with others on this web-based bookmarking site (learn more about Del.icio.us here). The best avenue for creating the kind of constantly changing content people share is in our blog feature. Here you can discuss your weekly sermons more in-depth, and allow your visitors to add comments. You can share your insights on relevant topics or events. If you haven't started a blog, visit this help file to find out how you can do so today.  

    Digg
    Digg is a site that allows you or your visitors to submit and rate articles. Each article can receive diggs, or votes, from Digg.com users. More diggs means articles move closer and closer to the Digg homepage or its topic homepages. If you or visitors to your site submit articles and they are compelling enough to become popular, this could mean increased traffic to your site--and we now know that high-traffic sites get listed higher on search results. To submit articles, you must first create a free account.

    Sources For This Blog and Further Reading on Directories and Social Media

    Man Still Better Than Machine for Some Things - HubSpot
    MonMondayOctOctober26th2009 Improving Search Results, Chapter 2: Utilizing Meta Tags
    Posted Monday, October 26 2009 @ 9 AM byBryan Young Tagged Best Practices for Church Websites Improving Google Search Results 0 comments Add comment

    Make Your Ministry Website More Visible With Meta Tags

    What are Meta Tags?

    Meta Tags are keywords and phrases hidden in the background of your church website to describe your page to search engines. These tags help them determine if your site is best for a search query. They also appear as the title and description of your site in the results of those search queries.


    If you have not added Meta tags to your site, search engines will use the first lines of your page as your description, so you can see why Meta tags are an important tool to ensure that users find you. Meta tags give you control over the first impression you present to searchers.

    For example, Calvary Church and Grace Bible are two ministries in suburban Boston. Calvary has added Meta title and description tags to their site. Grace Bible has not, so the search engine has grabbed its menu bar as its description. Below are the search results for “Bible church in Boston suburbs”:
    Calvary Church - Welcome
    Calvary is a Bible-believing church that has faithfully served the Boston suburbs since 1974. Calvary offers diverse ministry for men, women, children, and students…

    Grace Bible – Home – Grace Bible Church
    Home – Ministries – Contact Us – FAQ – info@gracebible.net 123 Main St., Suburbs, MA 12345…
    You can see how these small tags can make a big impression on search engine users. Calvary Church’s website jumps out as more relevant, simply because they added a brief summary of their ministry as a Meta Tag.

    What Content Should I use in a Meta Tag?

    Concentrate on creating three types of Meta Tags, using the analogy of a book:
    • Title (book title): Summarize your ministry in a few short words. Obviously, you ministry name should come first. But adding two or three words after the ministry…
    • Description (back cover summary): In a few short sentences, describe your ministry. This description will be displayed under your site's title in search results (like above) and is often called a "snippet." To read more about how to create more effective snippets, check out this article from Google.
    • Keywords (subject, genre, author): List words and phrases that relate to your ministry. Like your location, your senior pastor or founder’s name, and even “church.” Google has decided to help you out with keyword development. Their Keyword Tool allows you to generate suggested keywords by entering in your website's URL.

    How can I add Meta Tags to My iMinistries site?

    Adding a Meta Tag to your iMinistries site is easy. Just follow these steps:
    1. Navigate to your Site Administration.
    2. In your Site Controls, select Site Preferences.
    3. On the General tab, click [Meta Tag Administration]
    4. Click Add Tag
    5. Name your tag (ex. “Description”), fill in the Content field, and save.
    You can also add Meta Tags to individual pages. When you edit any page, event, news article, or other content, navigate to its SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tag. Add your descriptions and keywords in the fields provided.
    MonMondayOctOctober12th2009 Improving Search Results, Chapter 1: The Google Monster
    Posted Monday, October 12 2009 @ 9 AM byBryan Young Tagged Best Practices for Church Websites Improving Google Search Results 0 comments Add comment

    Make Your Site More Visible on Google Search Results By Improving Your PageRank.

    How Does Google Determine Search Ranking?

    Many new visitors to your church website find you through search engines. Whether they type in generic terms like “churches in downtown Louisville” or your exact ministry name, you want your website to be the first in lists of search results. To make this a reality, you should know about search engine optimization (SEO).

    Dominate among search engines is Google who utilizes its own system for the order of how websites are listed in search results. Their PageRank formula is a important part of that system.

    Simplified, the formula Google uses to determine whether your ministry is the first site listed when someone enters in a search query that relates to you is this:
    Search Ranking = Relevance x PageRank
    Relevance
    To determine your site’s Relevance, Google looks at your site’s content and compares it with other sites similar to yours, in both quality and quantity. So, for example, if another “church in downtown Louisville” uses those words and phrases less than you do on your site, your Relevance is likely to be higher. If the title of your site’s pages all include your name and someone searches that name, your Relevance will be higher than other sites.

    PageRank
    Google assigns a number from 0-10 (10 being best) to each website to measure its credibility and overall quality. This number is determined primarily by how many other websites link to your site, with links from sites with higher PageRanks counted as much more significant because their links are more valuable. Think of it this way, a job reference from the President carries much more weight than one from the lunch lady.

    Here is a summary of PageRanks and the sites that make them up, from HubSpot.com:
    0-1: New sites; sites with not many other sites linking to it
    2-3:  Sites with minimal links
    4-5:  Popular sites with a fair amount of other sites linking to it
    6:  Very popular sites that have hundreds of links, many of them quality links
    7-10:  Usually media brands (NYTimes.com), big companies, or A-list blogs.
    To find out your PageRank, use one of the free tools below:
    PageRank Checker
    WebSiteGrader

    How to Bump Up Your Google Search Ranking

    Here are a few easy steps you can take you improving your PageRank:
    1. Spell-check the content on your site. Visitors can't find you if you spell Calvary Church “Cavalry Chruch.”
    2. Include words that people might enter in their searches in your content. If your ministry is in Louisville, make sure it says so on your site.
    3. Make sure each page on your site has a title in the top toolbar.
    4. If you have partner ministries, include a page on your site where you link to their sites, and encourage them to do the same. The more sites you can get linking to you, the better.
    5. Be picky about who you link to. Only link to quality sites who update their content regularly.
    6. Update your home page and other pages constantly with fresh content, news items, and events. Use our Widgets Feature to do the work for you.
    7. Sign up for Google Analytics and use it. Using this free tool will let you see traffic to your site and give you insights on how to improve your content.
    8. Link to other content on your site using hyperlinks. In the text of a news item, link to an event so visitors can register. In a blog, link to a photo gallery. These links help balance your PageRank over your whole site.
    9. Take pride in the quality of your content. Avoid duplicate pages and information. Make text clear and brief.
    10. When you link to other pages or sites, use keywords. Instead of writing "click here" and making it a hyperlink, use text that relates to the item you are linking to, like "All Church Picnic Registration."

    Sources for This Blog and Further Reading on SEO

    The Importance of Google PageRank - HubSpot.com
    12 Things to Do to Improve Your Site's Google Page Ranking - Stason.org
    MonMondayJunJune12th2006 How Search Engines Really Work
    Posted Monday, June 12 2006 @ 8 AM byDave McCall Tagged Improving Google Search Results Website 101 0 comments Add comment
    How Search Engines Work
    Search engine ranking is often misunderstood. How does one boost his site's ranking on a search engine?

    For most of the current search engines (Google, Dogpile, MSN) there’s very little you can do. When they find you, you get “indexed." In order to get indexed the first time, your site must have a link from some other site that they have already found.

    The main exception to that rule is Yahoo, to which you can submit your site. We would recommend that you submit to Yahoo. Being listed on Yahoo guarantees that your site will be found by the other major search engines.

    Free Trial

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    Create Your Free Trial Account
    For Google, your rank in the search is determined by a number of factors, but mostly who you "associate with." In this case that means who links to you. The more people who link to your site, the better your ranking will be. Find out more about how Google works by checking out our previous blog on "The Google Monster."

    What does this mean for you?

    Simply put, if you want a good search ranking then you need to keep a great site. People link to great sites. Most importantly, you need interesting and dynamic content. Web users link to sites that they find useful or encouraging.

    Creating online devotionals, journals of thoughts and other candid content will increase the probability that someone will find the information useful. Anything you can add to your site like this will increase your odds of a good search ranking.
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