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Search spiders look primarily for text content when judging how a site is to be indexed. Sites which are built entirely of graphic elements or flash are not search friendly. Sites which feature an overuse of javascript and other dynamic content are not search friendly.
A multitude of factors are considered when optimizing for search engines. Since different search engines follow different rules, and rules often change, it is unlikely that every aspect of a web site will be perfectly matched to every search engine. The important thing to strive for is eliminating elements of a site that are known to cause problems, and emphasizing as many search friendly aspects as possible.
3. Usability A site which is difficult to navigate, slow to load, or leaves a user wondering exactly what site is all about is a site that is not going to perform very well. The flow of information within a web site must be logical and intuitive. Optimizing a site for performance is critical to its overall level of success. After all, what is point of having a web site that ranks well in search engines if nobody can use it?
4. Inbound Links: The amount of inbound links to a web site has a direct effect on search engine page ranking of site. Virtually all of popular search engines have methods of calculating link popularity of any given site. This makes inbound links an important area of organic optimization. The quality of inbound links can matter more than quantity. Search engines place more importance on relevant links from sites which they consider to be authorities on any given key phrase. Search engines strive to provide most relevant results possible by filtering out meaningless or “junk” links to a website. In some cases, large numbers of irrelevant inbound links are seen by search engines as abuse or spamming. Practices such as “link farming” and “free-for-all” link pages are frowned upon.
As popularity of paid search advertising grows so does need for organic optimization. While paid search campaigns can offer short term exposure, organic optimization involves steady, long term results. And as costs of paid search advertising continues to climb, organic optimization offers assurance of appearing in search pages for natural searches.
By combining aspects of search engine technicalities, site structure and usablity, organic optimization not only focuses on search engine results but offers end user of a site a quality experience.
Jeff Palmer is a Search Engine Optimization specialist and Senior Interactive Designer for Openvision an Internet marketing company located in Hilton Head Island South Carolina.
http://www.openvision.com succeed@openvision.com