Article 2: content and keywords

 

    Content and keywords are two important features of websites today.  Although much can be written about both, they are closely related and is important to discuss the relationship between the two.

    If you are unfamiliar with the terms, content refers to the text body on a web page, and keywords are defined terms located in the metatags of each web-pages' HTML code.  Metatags are located in the head of the HTML source code.  Metatags are used to send information to web-crawlers or bots that is not intended to be displayed in the browser.  This is important to the way that search engines return your site to search queries.  

    You can check every pages' source code you visit in the web browser of your choice.  For example, if you are using Internet Explorer, click on Page>>Source in the browser's toolbar.   Near the top of the source code page you will see the head, and see a few features listed under the head tag.  Common features are keywords, title, and description.  Programs like MS Frontpage allow you to edit these with simple forms in the Page Properties dialog box.  However, if you are using another editor that does not have this feature, and have not figured out how to write code, search for "free metatag generator" in your search engine of choice.  Common third party metatag generators will allow you to type in your keywords, description, and title in a web form and you will be returned a bit of code that you can copy and paste between your head tags in your html editor file.  

    When choosing keywords, it is important that it be relative to your site's theme and its content.  Content is important in many ways.  For one, your site's content is a reflection of your business and/or yourself.  You should aim for relative text, and a lot of it.  If your grammar is not great and your writing skills are not up to par, you can hire a content writer.  The gift of Google should allow you to find an affordable writer to pump out content in a timely manner.  Content also serves the search engines with a snapshot of your site's theme.  The more relevant content on your site, the wider range of search terms will point browsers to your site.  

    This is where the relationship between keywords and content is at its peak.  Your keywords should reflect the theme of your site, as well as terms you think your potential customers might be searching for.  This is where you can paint with a wide brush, so to speak.  You have virtually no limit to the keywords you can choose.  You also should consider common mis-spellings that your potential customers might use.  For example, if you are selling dachshund calendars, you might want to have "dachsund calanders," "dacshund calandars," "calendars of dachshunds," and other variations placed under the keywords tag.  If you are also driving customers to a physical location, then put your address with city and state in your keywords.  Another useful tip is to look at some of the keywords of your competitors.  It is not advised to copy and paste, but rather to gather information to help shape your own keywords.  

Once you have your site shaped with content and your metatags in place, you are ready to publish your site to the world wide web.  The next article will help you do just that. 

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