The SEO Crash Course: Step One

SEO can often feel confusing, but it does not have to be. We have built a clear method to help you get your site moving in the right direction. This guide covers the basics you need to know, whether you are a beginner or just need a quick refresher. By following these steps, you can help more customers find your business online.

Making Your Content Readable for Search Engines

First, you must remember that search engines read text but cannot see images. If you want people to find your site through a search, keep your main information in plain text. A good tip is to view your site with images turned off to see what a search engine actually "sees". You should also avoid using Flash for content, as search engines will not index it. This ensures your message reaches your audience without technical barriers.

Getting to Know Key HTML Tags and Files

You should feel comfortable with a few basic HTML tags to help your site's ranking. These include your page title and meta tags, as well as heading tags like H1 and H2. Using tags like strong for bold text or lists helps search engines and people understand your main points. You also need to know about your robots.txt and sitemap.xml files. These files help search engines find and index your content more effectively.

Smart Naming Conventions and Layout

How you name your files is very important for your site's success. In New Zealand, it is best to use hyphens as separators between words rather than underscores. For example, you should name a page "three-blind-mice.html" instead of using underscores. Always match your file name to the keywords found in your title. When it comes to layout, put your most important news at the top of the page. Search engines give more weight to content at the top than at the bottom.

Keep Your Site Simple and Fast

We like to follow the KISS rule: Keep It Simple, Stupid. In the world of web design, less code is usually better. Try to keep your CSS and Javascript in external files. This helps search engines sort through your site faster because there is less "junk" code to read. Using clear, styled lists for your navigation is another great way to boost your SEO. It makes the site easy to use for your visitors while helping search engines understand your content order. Simple, clean code leads to a better experience for everyone.