Q:What is a Search Engine?

A: A searchable online database of internet resources.

It is made up of several components: search engine software, spider software, an index (database), and a relevancy algorithm (rules for ranking). The search engine software consists of a server or a collection of servers dedicated to indexing Internet Web pages, storing the results and returning lists of pages to match user queries. The spidering software constantly crawls the Web collecting Web page data for the index. The index is a database for storing the data. The relevancy algorithm determines how to rank queries. Examples of major search engines are Google, Yahoo and MSN.

Websites should be built to attract maximum attention within the search engines. Equally important to having a visually appealing and easy to navigate website, is a website that can be found by individuals searching the internet for what you have to offer.

Attention must be placed on proper content as well as targeted keywords in order to be optimally recognized by the major search engines.

The reason for this is very simple...

The main responsibility of a Search Engine is to provide the "Searcher" with the most relevant information on the "Keyword Search" they just performed, in order to best help them find exactly what they are looking for. So it makes sense that the more good ol' fashioned content you have on your website about your business, and your products or services, the more of a chance you have to be included in the results of a given search and found by your prospective customers.

People search for keywords within the search engines. And the search engine bots and spiders look for these keywords on the indexed pages. So, keyword-dense content easily helps your website appear more often in the search results. However, overuse of the keywords can be looked at as spam and have a negative effect on your ranking. A minimum keyword density of about 2-4% per page is effective. And the content is best optimized targeting only two or three keywords at the most. Also, highlighting the main keywords with such formatting as bold, italics, underline, etc., is very advantageous.

There are links to free tools on the left that will allow you to check the keyword density percentage of your website.

Search Engine Optimized Web Design is best accomplished by finding an SEO Content Writer to prepare good quality search engine-optimized content that is relevant to your website.

Next, I will talk about the importance of Back Links as well as RSS Feeds for Optimal Search Engine Rankings. What they are and how you can use them to attract more business.

Jody Curtis is a Custom Website Designer as well as Certified as an Online Marketing Consultant for a Los Angeles based Natural SEO company WebWiseMedia.com.

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