Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via “natural” (“organic” or “algorithmic”) search results. Usually, the earlier a site is presented in the search results, or the higher it “ranks,” the more searchers will visit that site. SEO can also target different kinds of search, including image search, local search, and industry-specific vertical search engines.

As an Internet marketing strategy, SEO considers how search engines work and what people search for. Optimizing a website primarily involves editing its content and HTML coding to both increase its relevance to specific keywords and to remove barriers to the indexing activities of search engines. The acronym “SEO” can also refer to “search engine optimizers,” a term adopted by an industry of consultants who carry out optimization projects on behalf of clients, and by employees who perform SEO services in-house.

Search engine optimizers may offer SEO as a stand-alone service or as a part of a broader marketing campaign. Because effective SEO may require changes to the HTML source code of a site, SEO tactics may be incorporated into web site development and design. The term “search engine friendly” may be used to describe web site designs, menus, content management systems and shopping carts that are easy to optimize.

Methods for creating a search engine friendly website:

– Using unique and relevant title with keywords to name each page.
– Editing web pages to replace vague wording with specific terminology relevant to the subject of the page, and that the audiences that the site was developed for will expect to see on the pages, and will search with to find the page.
– Increasing the amount of unique content on the site with keywords that your visitors are looking for.
– Writing quality content for the website visitors instead of the search engines.
– Creating a good Title for each or your pages with the right keywords and keyword phrases that match your site and its goals
– Using a reasonably-sized, accurate description meta tag with some use of keywords, but without special characters or exclamation marks or off topic terms.
– Ensuring that all pages are accessible via anchor tag hyperlinks, and not only via Java, Javascript or Macromedia Flash applications or meta refresh redirection; this can be done through the use of text-based links in site navigation and also via a page listing all the contents of the site (a site map).
– Allowing search engine spiders to crawl pages without having to accept session IDs or cookies.
– Developing “link bait” strategies. High quality websites that offer interesting content or novel features tend to accumulate large numbers of backlinks.
– Participating in a web ring with other quality websites and getting links from websites of your category and geographical area.
– Writing useful, informational articles under a Creative Commons or other open source license, in exchange for attribution to the author by hyperlink.
– Creating blogs and writing regularly on it with occasional referal links to your site pages.
– Creating RSS (Real Simple Syndication) with link backs to your site. The information will appear on others websites which will give your site more popularity