TommyRay Web Productions

A Report on How to Help Search Engines Find Your Site

     In the Article entitled How to Help Search Engine Find Your Site (PCWorld 3-2010, P. 29) Author James Martin had done his homework and in relating to his intended readers who are mainly interested in the business aspect of a website he states that optimizing your company website to improve search engine ranking will get more business. Aspects such as SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, and carefully chosen Keywords are vital. And links, both internal and external, are also of great significance. In 5 steps Mister Martin lays out everything to be considered in order for a website to get more business, however the main objective is always to reach the ultimate goal of being on the first page of search engine result lists. Despite being laid out in incremental steps, the reader should not take it as a literal process to adhere to. It is more like a list of items than step-by-step directions. But James has realized something that he gets across to his readers. He has discovered that getting a Search Engine to find your website may not be enough in order for your website to get more business. He has also found that if you do not show up on the first page of results that is returned when someone performs a search it probably will not matter. The odds are very low in which your website link will be clicked on if it does not show up on the first page of Search Engine results. It has becomes clear that James has written an article that could also be titled 'How to be on Page One of Search Engine results'.

     In James Martins Article, Step 5, which is about making your website SEO Friendly, should always be a main focus in order to be listed on a search engine. Search Engine Optimization is crucial to reaching the goal of obtaining more business with your website. James points out some very useful resources that may aid his readers in getting started with SEO, such as referring readers to the Google Webmaster Guide online. Additionally, he points out other methods for better SEO performance. Significantly the XML Sitemap submission tip so that a Search Engine knows exactly what to index on your website is a great tip.

     Despite the fact that SEO is needed on your website in order for it to be indexed by Search Engines, the keyword for getting anywhere with Search Engines is 'keywords' and James points out that it is not just the words to be used and indexed, it is also the way in which they are used. He explains that simply grouping a bunch of words or phrases specific to your website is not enough, and that attention should be paid to each individual webpage that you wish to be indexed by a Search Engine. Utilizing specific keywords for links will also make a difference in your website SEO. James also recommends getting quality external links with other websites. He opened and closed his Article with another fact about getting listed on Search Engines. In Step one and in the closing statement he makes his readers aware that things always change and should therefore always be reviewed and modified in order to get listed and stay listed high in Search Engine results.

     After being involved with helping businesses utilize their website in order to lure business, I have found that what Mister Martin has written has not changed much in at least a decade. The way Search Engines index and list your website has changed, but the process for websites has not. Assuring your website has the correct code in order for a Search Engine to index it correctly has always been crucial. Keywords and phrases have also been an integral part of SEO. It did not surprise me much when I saw the emphasis coding, keywords and links. However, James offers some very good and obviously more advanced tools and resources for his readers to use, and more importantly he stated from the outset that in order to succeed you should plan to revise goals and priorities periodically. But James has left out other significant reasons for reviewing and revising goals and priorities. Search Engine indexing methods have the ability to change. As a result, James could have made his readers aware that it may be a good idea to monitor news for anything related to changes in Search Engine indexing guidelines.

     In conclusion, my overall opinion about this Article written by James Martin still ranks high for the simple reason that SEO alone is such a daunting task that a business could hire a full time employee to handle SEO operations and still not be able to cover the extensive information that is covered in this one area of Search Engine indexing alone. James has brought to his readers something that is both understandable and much easier to understand. I would encourage anyone involved with a business related website to not only read his article but to actually use the information, tools and resources that he is presenting to his readers.

-Thomas France (03/2010)