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1. Check if search engines can read your web page content

Search engines use very simply software programs to index your web pages. A web page that looks great to the human eye can be totally meaningless to search engines.

If you have a great looking web site that is meaningless to search engines, you won't be able to achieve high search engine rankings with that web site - no matter how good and interesting your web site content is.

In general, search engines cannot see content that is presented in images (GIF, JPEG, PNG, etc.), Flash elements, JavaScript and other script languages or other multimedia file formats.

To find out how search engines see your web page, use a search engine spider simulator. The free IBP trial has a fully functional spider simulator that allows you to see your web pages through the eyes of a search engine.

2. Check if search engines can find your web pages

If your web page navigation is based on JavaScript then chances are that search engines cannot find your web pages. Most search engines don't follow JavaScript links and many search engines also don't follow image links.

To search engines, your web site can look like a one page site with hardly any content if you use JavaScript links. If you want to make sure that search engines can find all pages of your web site then use simple text links.

3. Check if your web server causes problems

It is very important that you choose a reliable hosting company. If your web server is down when search engines index your web pages then search engines cannot index your pages.

Some web hosts even change the web pages of their clients. They insert links to other web sites on the web pages of their clients and they only show these pages to search engine spiders.

Some web servers return an error message when a search engine spider wants to access a web page.

Again, the search engine spider simulator in the free IBP trial can help you to find out if your pages are returned correctly when search engines visit your web site.

4. Check if your web page content makes sense to search engines

It's important that you make the content of your web pages search engine ready. Search engines must be able to find out what your web pages are about.

If you put lots of keywords in your web page title, the meta tags and the body text of a web page then the web page will be somewhat relevant to many keywords.

If you want to get high rankings on search engines, then the web page must be very relevant to a search term. Use IBP's Top 10 Web Page Optimizer to optimize the content of your web pages so that they are highly relevant to your important search terms.

Only highly relevant web pages can get high search engine rankings.

5. Check if your web site has the right inbound links

Some webmasters still believe that search engines will list their web sites if they just submit it. That's not the case. Many search engines require at least one inbound link before they list a web site.

In addition, the big search engines also rank web pages based on the number and quality of the inbound links. Use IBP's Top 10 Inbound Link Optimizer to find out how inbound links influence the position of the top 10 pages on Google.

6. Check if your web pages contain spam elements

A single spam element can destroy all of your SEO work. If you use hidden text or other spam elements on your web page then many search engines won't list your web site, no matter how great its content might be.

If you use white text on a white background, text in invisible CSS elements or similar elements that might be interpreted as spam then you should remove these elements as soon as possible. It will be difficult to get high rankings if your web pages contain spam elements.

Submitting your web site to search engines is not enough. If you want to get high rankings you must make sure that search engine spiders can access your web pages without problems.

In addition, search engine spiders must find the right content on your web pages and your site must have enough inbound links.

Google releases SearchMash.com

Google has just released a new web site that doesn't show the Google logo: SearchMash.com. It seems that Google plans to test user interface ideas on that site.

The privacy policy of SearchMash.com reveals that it is a Google site.

New search-engine input: your face!

"A search engine that scans faces to find matches will be unveiled at the end of the year by a Swedish mathematician."

"Version 2.0 of Ask Sponsored Listings offers a range of new and enhanced capabilities that simplify the management of marketing campaigns, while improving visibility into campaign performance."

Search engine newslets

• CFG.Search is a firefox extension that allows you to use Google without sending cookies.
• Google Maps shows a giant insect on a field in Germany.
• N.Y. Google office takes up a block.
• Google buys garage where empire began.
• Yahoo and Hewlett-Packard sign search engine agreement.
• A new search engine rewards users with prizes.
• Costumzee.com is a search engine for halloween costumes.
• Google extends Google transit.
• Read an official Google statement about copyright.
• Ask.com updates weather and earthquake information.

A brief interview with Google's Matt Cutts

"Matt is the man who the SEO/SEM world looks to for answers around most things Google related. Over the past month Melanie and I have been having a wide-ranging email exchange with him on spam, the role of humans at Google, and other things. Here's the result."

Search Execs: MSN must grow market share

"MSN's paid search platform offers marketers appealing targeting capabilities, but still needs to significantly grow its traffic. That was the consensus of search marketing executives [...] who met with MSN's director of search strategy, David Jakubowski, for a roundtable discussion in New York. "

Google's chief looks ahead

"In an interview with TIME, CEO Eric Schmidt explains what's behind the company's new push for partnerships."

Google says focus on Web search, not own content

"Google is unlikely to make any major investments in original content, choosing instead to keep its focus on Internet search [...] Meanwhile, speaking on the same panel, Yahoo Executive Vice President of Global Media Sales Greg Coleman said concerns about a slowdown in Internet advertising could be overblown."

We're looking for a web application software developer (Python/PHP/Ajax/MySQL) and an employee for software translation and customer support (French).

Both jobs are located in our new offices in Montabaur, Germany. Telecommuting is not possible.

• Further information about us
• Further information about the jobs (German)

How to get top 10 search engine rankings

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Back to table of contents - Visit Axandra.com

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• How to find out if search engine visitors buy something on your site
• View all past issues...