Refugee SEO FAQ

[rmccarley]

I suppose we need to build a really killer FAQ to legitimize this new site of ours and to have something to point the newbies to when we're to fried an explaining why BLs are so important (or even what they are for that matter!). And to get some real killer quality content up.

This is the prelude to the actual FAQ to get ideas out there and to make sure it is as complete as posible. And to debate some of the finer points so what we posts isn't rubish. So let's get started...

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What is this SEO stuff about?

SEO or Search Engine Optimization is the process of making a web site most receptive to what the search engines want to ensure a high position in the SERPs.

The highest positions in the SERPs bring in the most traffic to your site, which in turn should lead to more conversions and more money. Yup, SEO is about money!

What is a Search Engine?

A search engine is a web site that uses spiders or bots to crawl or retrieve information from other web sites and sorts and indexes that information in a database so that a user can type in a search phrase and quickly locate web sites relevant to their query.

The 3 biggest search engines are Google, Yahoo! and MSN.

What is a SERP?

SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page and is the list of web sites returned after inputing a search query.

How do Search Engines determine what sites are relevant to my query?

Well that's the trick! Each Search Engine uses it's own method of calculating relevance. Each one places different weights on both onpage and offpage factors and then uses an algorythm to sort the results and determine the SERPs.

You may visit seomoz.org for a comprehensive list of Search Engine Ranking Factors.

What does "onpage" mean?

Onpage factors are the elements you have the most control of that are actual parts of your web site. This includes the code, site structure, use of heirarchy, outbound links, etc.

What does "offpage" mean?

Offpage factors are methods of gaing SERP position that are not part of your actual web site, most notable inbound links.

What is PR?

PR is a system Google (and only Google) uses to measure the quantity and raw power of links going to your web pages. PR does not directly influence the SERPs and has very litle practical use for anyone that understands how it actually works. You may learn more about PR in the original Google Whitepaper written by Sergey Brin and Lawrence Page, google's founders.

How important are links?

Links are critical to the success of a web site. How you set your internal site structure can have a big influence on your SERPs. Who you link out to can potentially harm your site if you link to a "bad neighborhood" and inbound links give your site more credibility in the SEs making it place better in the SERPs.

What is a BL?

BL stands for backlink, or links that point back to your site from another site. Also called inbound links.

What are reciprocal links?

Reciprocal links are when you link to someone's site and they link back to you.

What is anchor text?

Anchor text the the text between the <a> tags in the code of the document. Anchor text often gives the SEs information about what the link is to. For example:

<a href="http://www.seorefugee.com">Search Engine Optimization Forum</a>

Where the words "Search Engine Optimization Forum" are the anchor text.

What are KWs?

KW is short for keyword. Keywords are the terms you want to rank well for in the SERPs. Usually KW reffers to a phrase, not a single word.

What is this BH and WH stuff about?

Often, tactics are reffered to as either White Hat or Black Hat depending on if the tactics comply to the SEs guidelines or not. Most SEOers are some shade of gray.

The SE guidelines can be found at Google, Yahoo!, and MSN.

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I have to go meet family for Thanksgiving. This is not done! We are not finished! Anyone want to pick up where I left off? Or critique some of what I posted?

TO BE CONTINUED!

[Bruno]

you did forget Keyword density

[rmccarley]

Keyword what?!



No, I just haven't made it that far. But feel free to add some of your ideas...

[Kim]

Do you want to know about typos too?

What does "offpage" mean?
Offpage factors are methods of gauging SERP position that are not part of your actual web site, most notable inbound links.
---------------------------

I'll give this a stab. Feel free to move/delete as needed

Q: Why do I get different link totals when I check www.mysite.com vs mysite.com?

A. Search engines see these as two different domains. Try to make sure those linking to you are linking to only one. It would be rare for both "domains" to rank high at the same time.

Q: What is a Site Map? Should I use a Site Map? and Does anyone have a Site Map I can use?

A: Every site should have a sitemap. many visitors willuse your site map to navigate your site. It is also a way for search engines to crawl your pages. Google "sitemap" and you'll find nice examples. If you have more than 100 links split your site map into more than one page.

Q: What is a doorway page?

A: SPAM pure and simple. These are pages created for the sole purpose of ranking first in SERPs. These pages usually have no content and to not relect the actual website's content. Search Engines will permanently remove any site found to be using this tactic.


Google Operators:

link:www.domain.com - gives a list of a portion of the backlinks to your site that Google has indexed.

related:www.domain.com - gives a list of sites that Google sees as related to yours.
(not very accurate)

allinurl:keyword - gives a list of pages and sites that contain the 'keyword' in their url.

allinanchor:keyword - returns a list of pages and sites that contain the "keyword" as anchor text in their backlinks.

allintitle:keyword - lists webpages that have the specified "keyword" in the title.

cache:www.domain.com - will show the current cache that google has for that page.

site:www.domain.com - lists all pages of the domain that Google has crawled and indexed.

All of the Google operators can be found at "http://www.google.com/help/operators.html"

[rmccarley]

Do you want to know about typos too?

Typos are kind of my specialty...

What does "offpage" mean?
Offpage factors are methods of gauging SERP position that are not part of your actual web site, most notable inbound links.
---------------------------

I'll give this a stab. Feel free to move/delete as needed

Q: Why do I get different link totals when I check www.mysite.com vs mysite.com?

A. Search engines see these as two different domains. Try to make sure those linking to you are linking to only one. It would be rare for both "domains" to rank high at the same time.

Also, alter your .htaccess file to make you non-www domain point to your www site. This will give full credit for all your backlinks.

Options +FollowSymlinks
RewriteEngine on
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} !^www\.mysite\.com [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*) http://www.mysite.com/$1 [L,R=301]

Where you change "mysite" for your own domain.

Q: What is a Site Map? Should I use a Site Map? and Does anyone have a Site Map I can use?

A: Every site should have a sitemap. many visitors willuse your site map to navigate your site. It is also a way for search engines to crawl your pages. Google "sitemap" and you'll find nice examples. If you have more than 100 links split your site map into more than one page.

It's probably not a good idea to use the word "Google" as a verb here. The potential for confusion is high. Just say "search for".

Also, create a Google Sitemap. Google sitemaps will ensure G crawls your site. It will not help your SERPs but it will make sure your pages get into the endex to be eligible for the SERPs.

And Yahoo! is now accepting text sitemaps at http://publisher.yahoo.com/submit.php

Q: What is a doorway page?

A: SPAM pure and simple. These are pages created for the sole purpose of ranking first in SERPs. These pages usually have no content and to not relect the actual website's content. Search Engines will permanently remove any site found to be using this tactic.

Google Operators:

link:www.domain.com - gives a list of a portion of the backlinks to your site that Google has indexed.

related:www.domain.com - gives a list of sites that Google sees as related to yours.
(not very accurate)

allinurl:keyword - gives a list of pages and sites that contain the 'keyword' in their url.

allinanchor:keyword - returns a list of pages and sites that contain the "keyword" as anchor text in their backlinks.

allintitle:keyword - lists webpages that have the specified "keyword" in the title.

cache:www.domain.com - will show the current cache that google has for that page.

site:www.domain.com - lists all pages of the domain that Google has crawled and indexed.

All of the Google operators can be found at "http://www.google.com/help/operators.html"

BTW Kim are you single? You are rockin'!

[Kim]

Very nice additions

[rossio]

Q: Why do I get different link totals when I check www.mysite.com vs mysite.com?

A. Search engines see these as two different domains. Try to make sure those linking to you are linking to only one. It would be rare for both "domains" to rank high at the same time.

what does it mean if you get exactly the same number for

link:www mysite.com & link:mysite.com ???

edit - we've gotta stop linking to www. mysite.com !!!

[rmccarley]

Either that they have the same number of BLs or that you have your .htaccess set up so they are seen as the same thing.

[rossio]

or that you have your .htaccess set up so they are seen as the same thing.

we must already be one step ahead of ourselves! cheers bud

[Kim]

edit - we've gotta stop linking to www. mysite.com !!!

I keep forgetting that really is a site How about we use
http://www.*sitename*.com