Now lets consider some things that can get you banned from search engines, so pay close attention. These could be more important than things you should do.

* DO NOT use text that is same color as background. Now this can get tricky. Some people have inadvertently broken this rule and don't know why they were banned. Lets say your site has a white background. So obviously you won't use white text. But what if you have a table on a page that has a black background and you use white text in this table? The search engines don't know table has a different background. They only know that page background is white, and suddenly here is white text. Oops! So make text palest gray you can. It will still look white to viewer, but search engines will know that its a different color from background.

* DO NOT hide teeny tiny text somewhere on you page. The search engines know viewer can't see it, and that you are trying to trick search engines.

* DO NOT use keywords in your meta tags that are irrelevant. some people try to use 'the most searched for words' in their meta tags.... such as, sex, MP3, etc. You get picture. Just stick to keywords that are related to your product or service. Remember that search engines read content of page, so if you have keywords that do NOT show up in content, you are likely to be ignored by search engines. It doesn't make viewers happy either, if they land on an irrelevant site.

* DO NOT use flash movies, frames, java applets, or image maps. You will choke spiders to death. This is just garbage to them. They can't read it and can't index it. You should also limit your use of javascript and cgi scripts. Javascript will push your content farther down on page, and spiders generally look for content near top of page.

Sometimes it is little things that will make or break your listing in search engines. Just use common sense. And always remember number one thing your site must have to get a good listing on search engines: CONTENT! Without this, all optimization in world just won't do you any good.

----------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2002, windsong

windsong is a noted webmaster/editor/publisher at Marketing Resources: http://marketing-resources.com

Learn how to get great ranking in Search Engines! Subscribe to windsong's free e-zine: 'All About Search Engines' Send a blank email to: mailto:aboutsearchengines-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Please notice how I used an underscore, _ , between words in web address. You can also use a dash (-) to separate words in addresses. By using underscore or dash, search engines will see words as individual words in a phrase. If not broken up, issuesandarticles, search engines see a single term, DON’T DO THAT!

4. Site Address in Links: When you are building your pages, make sure you name new pages (the htm pages) after your KEYWORDS. Let’s examine one of my addresses: My domain name is http://www.overhall.com and I’ve built a page about a dated filing system that I think is a terrific product, that I sell, and that I refer to as a tickler file. My keyword is tickler file. So that page is called tickler_file.htm and address looks like this: http://www.overhall.com ickler_file.htm See how I used my keyword as name of htm page?

I’m still in process of fixing some of my pages because when I made them I didn’t know to put my keywords in name of address. I then have to decide whether to keep old ones up on Internet, because people might have bookmarked them, or I can redirect person to new page. Then I have task of resubmitting them to search engines. So, TAKE YOUR TIME when you start building other pages, carefully deciding on your keywords and using them in address.

Okay, using this and last month's lesson, let's see what your web page should look like:

WEB PAGE EXAMPLE:

life you've been dreaming of, clutter free, get an overhall">

Are you sick and tired of being stressed out, disorganized, and frustrated by clutter in your life?

let overhall consulting help you

Our website is loaded with o rganizing articles

See how I inserted BODY Closing TAG .

This is TAG you insert at bottom or end of your page.

TIP: Each page on your web site needs to be given it’s OWN HEAD information.

Editors NOTE: In examples above, anything typed in lower case should be replaced with YOUR title, YOUR description, YOUR keywords, and YOUR author and comment information. In examples above TAGS have been typed in UPPER CASE; however, this is not necessary when entering this information onto your web page. All brackets and other symbols need to be typed in as presented in above examples. All information typed in lower case in BODY should be replaced with your information and links.

Next time image TAGS, until then, Happy TAGGING!

The Organizing Wizard, Janet L. Hall, is a Professional Organizer, Speaker, and Author. She is owner of OverHall Consulting, and Organizing By Phone. Subscribe to her FREE organizing newsletter at http://www.overhall.com/newsletter.htm or visit her web site at http://www.overhall.com

Copyright 2001 by OverHall Consulting P.O. Box 263, Port Republic, MD 20676 All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce, copy, or distribute so long as article is kept intact, this copyright notice and full information about contacting author is attached.