SEO Basics: The Principles of Search Engine Optimization

Friday, June 25, 2010 Bookmark and Share

Introduction to SEO Basics

It's probably safe to say that most search engine optimization forums are littered with repetitive questions and complaints. Why? Because it's true.

Some common ones include:

These sample questions only represent a minuscule fraction of the repetitiveness that is nowadays commonplace. While a variety of answers, often conflicting, are almost certain to be provided for such questions, seldom mentioned is what arguably matters more than anything. Ask.com, Bing, Google, and Yahoo!, the "big four" search engines upon which all relevant search engines in the United States are based, have rules. If the guidelines of these engines are disobeyed, one's website may be penalized or even delisted. That being said, the very foundation of search engine optimization, the SEO basics, should be the guidelines provided by Ask.com, Bing, Google, and Yahoo!

Webmaster Guidelines

Cheaters may prosper but it's usually only temporarily. The best approach to SEO is the ethical one, which starts with knowing and understanding the rules of the major search engines.

The following sections of Ask.com, Bing, Google, and Yahoo! should be read in their entirety. Their information is nothing short of essential.

After memorizing and understanding search engine guidelines, it should be pretty clear that the way to a lasting position at the top is not through exploits or manipulation. What's the point of enjoying temporarily high rankings only to eventually end up "sandboxed" whilst in the middle of paying off a car, for example? If one depends upon their website(s) to pay their bills, the risk of employing black hat SEO isn't worth it. When Benjamin Franklin said, "Haste makes waste" in Poor Richard's Almanack (1753), he couldn't have been more accurate.

People who complain about their rankings fluctuating regularly or their sites being delisted probably don't have a good foundation in SEO basics. The foundation of a solid ranking in all four of the major search engines that won't fluctuate regularly is a deep and profound understanding of the rules that govern the major search engines.

Further Building the Foundation

After learning the guidelines of Ask.com, Bing, Google, and Yahoo!, it's important to remember that they were learned for a reason. Any SEO tactics that should be discovered throughout one's education in search engine optimization which violate the guidelines of any of the major engines should be disregarded. As long as the guidelines of search engines are considered law, one is less likely to design or promote their website in a way that could be detrimental to their own best interests and the more likely they are to create a website that may find its place amongst the stars.

Good sources to learn from after initially establishing the foundation of SEO include the following:

After thoroughly reading and watching the aforementioned, one should have a pretty solid foundation in proper search engine optimization techniques.

Ranking Highly

Designing a good website, preferably one that complies with the W3C, that offers fresh, unique content and an enjoyable experience to users has a higher probability of long-term success than a poorly designed website tweaked intensely in vain attempts to amuse search engines. If a website is designed for people AND search engines, it will do much better than a website designed only for search engines. Why? Because people are more likely to link to and share what they like. Why this is important should now be obvious. :-)