I won’t be so adventurous as to develop my own list of ten, but if I were to give you my top five SEO factors in order of importance, this would be it:
- 1A: Keyword in the URL. This didn’t even make the SEOMoz list, but if somehow your domain name can contain the same word or phrase you’re optimizing for, that’s a great start. I put this at number one, but it’s probably something that’s next to impossible to do. Be advised also that most of your top SERP results will not contain the keyword in the name. That’s why I’m calling this 1A. It’s an added benefit.
- 1: Keyword(s) in the title tag. This is completely under your control, and I believe that the SEOMoz poll turned it up at the top as well.
- 2: H1 optimization. Creatively repeat your keyword(s) and key phrase(s) in an H1 headline at the top of your page for prime spider viewing and reader-ability.
- 3: Keyword-rich text at the top of the page. It may not be the most graphically or aesthetically pleasing way to begin each page, but get some good, reader-friendly but keyword-rich text at the top right after the H1.
- 4: Internal links along with a site map. If you don’t link to your own pages, the spiders won’t find them. Use every opportunity to develop internal links, even within your text. Couple these links with a site map with a link to it at the top of your page, not in the footer. Upload the internal site map to your root directory along with your Google/Yahoo/MSN xml site map.
- 5: External links. Again, the best way to get links is through reader-friendly, content-rich pages. However, this takes time, so while you’re developing the site, you should work on finding some reputable, relevant external links. It helps if you can get people linking to your site to use relevant keywords, but that’s not always possible. External links are going to take time, so I personally focus on the content first. Remember, use original content as much as possible and write it for the readers, not for the spiders. If you want traffic, and repeat traffic, the pages have to be written for people.
Tags: top five SEO factors
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