Search engine optimization (SEO)

One of the most common ways for visitors to find their way to your website is through a search engine such as Google, Yahoo, bing, etc. If you've done any research on how to get your website to appear in those search results you may have heard about search engine optimization (SEO).

For those of you that are new to this, let's take a look at Wikipedia's definition of SEO:

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the visibil
ity of a web site or a web page in search engines via the "natural" or un-paid ("organic" or "algorithmic") search results. Other forms of search engine marketing (SEM) target paid listings. In general, the earlier (or higher on the page), and more frequently a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine. SEO may target different kinds of search, including image search, local search, video search and industry-specific vertical search engines. This gives a web site web presence.

As an Internet marketing strategy, SEO considers how search engines work and what people search for. Optimizing a website may involve editing its content and HTML and associated coding to both increase its relevance to specific keywords and to remove barriers to the indexing activities of search engines. Promoting a site to increase the number of backlinks, or inbound links, is another SEO tactic.

SEO is one of the most important things you can do to promote your website for free. Obviously, your cost is time, but usually time is what we, the poor and destitute, have the most of. :)

Here are a few links to some SEO techniques you can use to promote your website:

SEO 101 - Basic Optimization Techniques

SEO Tips & Techniques | SEOCopter
Free SEO Techniques Info Help Strategies Tricks Secrets Advice - HOME
30 Black Hat SEO Techniques You Can Use Ethically | SEOptimise