Search Engine Traffic - Top 10 Tips

1. Check your traffic stats

Identify popular pages, so-sos and poor performers. Pick a page to work on - a popular page you want to promote even more, one that should be doing better, or another that you know in your heart needs a lot of attention.

2. Be keyword savvy

If you've done your keyword research, each page on your site will focus on one keyword. Familiarize yourself with your keyword list once more; note down a couple of keywords that are also relevant to the page you are working on. You can include those extra keywords in your keyword meta tag and within the content of your page.

3. Optimize your Keywords meta-tag

You can see meta tags for a page by clicking "View" then "Source" from the top of your browser window. Near the top of the source, your page's main keyword should appear in the Keywords tag, along with two or three other relevant keywords if you wish. There's little point including a huge group of keywords - keep it short and focused.

4. Nail your Description meta tag

Your Description tag should contain an interesting summary of exactly what a visitor to that page can expect to find. This description is often used on search engine results pages under the title of your page and will help you get targeted traffic. Don't forget to include your page's keyword near the start of the description.

5. Watch that Title tag

Although the Title tag isn't theoretically a meta tag, it's also extremely important. It is your first chance to get the click on the search engine results page: those results are basically a list of page titles that a searcher scans to find the most relevant result. Include your page's keyword within it, and write a great title that will get you the click!

6. Keyword optimize your page

Your page's keyword should appear in your main heading at the top of the page; it could also be included in a smaller heading further down, within bold text, a list, the visible text of a clickable link (known as the anchor text) and naturally within your text - every couple of paragraphs or so.

7. View your page as a would-be visitor

Now look at your page online - imagine you're seeing it for the first time. Consider whether the layout is surfer-friendly - clear and concise headlines, short paragraphs and white breathing space. Read the page out loud to yourself. Check for spelling errors. Edit long sentences that will have your visitor clicking away in no time. And make sure the font is a sensible size - many surfers can't bear reading web pages with tiny fonts.

8. Check your links

You can use a link-checking tool to check your whole site for broken links. If you have links going out of your site from the page, go and check what is now on those pages - the content may have changed.

9. Add fresh content

Search engines love to see fresh content. Why not do one thing to make your page more interesting - add a list, info box, graphic with appropriate text, or survey. Ensure everything is relevant to the topic of that page.

10. Think of a link!

Is your page worth linking to? Even pages deeper within your site can be worth getting a link to. Write an article that links to your page or find a similar-themed site to yours that may give you a link. Alternatively, post a comment on a social networking site and include a link to your page.

Keeping your pages optimized and evergreen for the search engines pays off. And improving the quality of your web page content helps keep traffic on your site longer - and drives repeat traffic. Win-win all round - for you, your visitors, and the search engines.

©Claire Kolarova, WebsiteTrafficIdeas.com

About the author: Claire Kolarova is webmaster of Website Traffic Ideas where you can find more tips on how to attract more search engine traffic