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It's safe to say that the 'pay-per-inclusion' model is rapidly
catching on with today's search engines and directories as
they are forced to become profitable in a hurry. But there's
also another trend that's come to the fore.
'Theme indexing' is a process used by search engines to determine
an entire site's primary theme. In other words, your complete
set of Web pages is indexed as one, and defined as one.
This is why sites with multiple product lines and subject
content often get poor rankings today. To learn how to combat
this, let's first look at the theme indexing process from
the search engine's point of view.
According to Search Engine World, the theme indexing search
engine follows this basic 5-step progression as it 'weighs'
what a particular site is about:
1. Page Titles
2. Meta Tags
3. Page Headings
4. Page Content
5. Links
This is a general overview of the approach - each search
engine is unique, and no one has the ultimate read on every
search site. But to date this has proven to be true of Altavista,
Google, Excite, Lycos and Webcrawler.
All of these belong on the 'Who's Who' list of major search
sites today. If it's important that your Web business be found
among them, today you must write your site with theme indexing
in mind. Here's how:
The concept itself is simple. Focus your entire site like
a laser beam on a single, potent theme.
The process is ruthless. Get rid of the deadwood. Set up
additional sites as needed for each individual product and
service 'family'.
In the same way that you must now invest to get indexed on
Yahoo, LookSmart, Inktomi and other top directories, you need
to invest in separating your activities by theme into multiple
Web sites. Kick out unrelated content, links and affiliate
programs that don't relate to your market niche. Build new
sites as needed, with each focusing on its own unique selling
proposition. This is the first step to take in the optimization
copywriting process.
Having done this, here's how to write each site to get the
best possible positioning on theme indexing search engines.
Focus Your Key Phrase
Determine what key phrase your entire site is about - a key
phrase people use often on the search engines. To pick heavily
searched, popular key phrases, try WordTracker: http://www.wordtracker.com/.
Write Your Copy
Throughout your site play variations on your key phrase theme.
Every element counts: page titles, meta tags, page headings,
page content, links. Remember to write for people first. Search
engines are robotic, but people always want to know what's
in your site for them. Tell them what qualifies you to help,
and what you have to offer. Balance using your key phrase
with the benefits you deliver.
Once you've written your copy, search your text for generic
phrases like 'our product' and substitute your key phrase.
Use long copy where you can. Not only does it outsell shorter
copy - it also makes it easier for you to write keyword-rich
text.
Format Your Text
Use key phrase bullets. They break up text copy and serve
you as mini headlines with an entirely different look and
feel.
Use multiple headlines to create immediate context when a
visitor explores your site. Make these headlines specific
by using your key phrase. Tag headlines in your source code
- <H1>, <H2> or <H3> - to highlight your
theme.
Write your links as mini-headlines. Often people scan pages
by jumping from one link to another. Link words look very
much like headlines, or highlighted words, and should deliver
your primary message and key phrase.
Measure and Test
Conventional wisdom tells us that the ideal keyword density
is somewhere between 3-7%. To check this before you submit,
try the free Keyword Density Analyzer: http://www.keyworddensity.com/.
For a more accurate read on individual search engines, do
a search under your key phrase, then take the top 3 returns,
enter their URLs and try to match their percentages before
you submit. Track your placement and adjust accordingly.
This is the initial approach to optimization copywriting
for theme indexing search engines. Keep it simple: start here.
article by Scott T. Smith of Copywriting.Net.
Generate MORE
sales with your Web site copy. For a free consultation visit
http://www.copywriting.net
or call 1.800.798.4471 (toll-free in
the US).
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