Step 1: Selecting search terms (key words)

You probably found Thrifty Websites by putting search terms like "cheap web site", "low cost web site", "affordable web design", etc. into a search engine like Google. If you had left out the keywords "cheap, low cost, affordable" my web site would not have been in the first two pages (20 listings) and you would not have found me. The great majority of people who search the Internet never look beyond the first two pages of results. This is the secret for being found when your website has many competitors - emphasise what is unique or special about your web site. In my case I have chosen to concentrate on low cost web site design and hosting.

Web site design is, unfortunately for me, one of the three most competitive products on the whole of the Internet. Thousands of people a month input "web site design" into search engines. I just tried this search myself in Google UK and gave up after searching the first 35 pages of results - I was nowhere to be seen! I have had to find something to make my site stand out. Now if I search for "low cost websites" in Google UK I am listed at position four on the first page (out of 113,000 results). Of course, if your site is very specialised (e.g. you sell gold goblets) then you have a much easier time getting a good position, perhaps even top in the search engine results.

But if you are not so fortunate this is what you need to do:
1. Visit the following web site.[http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/]
2. Type in search words and phrases (key words) you think people would use to find a web site like yours.
3. The results show what people are ACTUALLY putting into some search engines last month, listed in order of popularity.
4. Construct your home page so that two or three of the most used words and phrases appear in your title and first paragraph. Repeat these terms a few times in other paragraphs. The key word density should be around 2 - 7% of the total words on the page. (If you look at Thrifty Websites I have chosen "affordable web design" and "cheap web design" to emphasise.)

These same popular key words and phrases also need to be inserted in a hidden meta tag title. This is what you see in the header of the web page - right at the top of the page. This header title is not to be confused with the title you put at the top of your home page text - although they need to contain the same key words and phrases. It is the web master's job to insert this meta tag title into the hidden code in your home page.

If you look at Thrifty's home page header you will see "Cheap web design UK:affordable web design fm £95 inc hosting". This (meta tag title) is a very important description and is what you see in the first line of the search engine results. It's also what the search engine thinks your site is about and will look in your home page text to see if your description matches this header title. If it does you are rewarded with a higher position in the search engine results, and this makes it easier for people to find your site!

It's important that this header title is no more than 60 characters (including spaces) long, otherwise it will be clipped short in the search engine results. As this title is the first thing people see it needs to get their attention.

Check out the success our clients have received - click here

Step 2: Link Building

To build links means getting other web sites to link to yours. It is important to get as many links to your site as possible. Your ratings in the search engines will shoot up if they notice many sites linked to yours. The search engines (especially Google, the most used) naturally assume your site must be worth visiting. 

To increase your "link popularity" do the following:
1. Trade links with web sites similar to your own. Don't bother to link to unrelated web sites as the search engines will not count this as relevant. Getting a link from a popular web site ranks higher than a link from a less well known one.
2. Submit your website to directories (Directories are lists of web sites in categories compiled by editors such as Yahoo!). Search engines will rank you higher in their results if you are listed in a directory, plus many people search in directories as they know that all the entries have been vetted by humans and not simply listed by search engine robots. Examples of free/unpaid (Open Directory Project) and paid (Yahoo!) directories are given below.

It is strongly recommended that you submit to the Open Directory Project [www.dmoz.org] directory (it's free).
If you want to submit your site for the consideration of the editor of a particular category in the directory you must follow the instructions they provide EXACTLY.

The procedure you need to follow is:
2.1. Browse the directory to find the appropriate category for your site. You may first want to try a search in the directory for a similar site to yours and use that category.
For example, a suitable category for Thrifty Websites in the Open Directory Project is:
Category: Regional: Europe: United Kingdom: Business and Economy:Internet: Commercial Services:
Web Design and Development

2.2. Add your URL, Title and description
Click on 'Add URL' (at the top of the page) in your chosen category.

You can submit non-commercial sites free to Yahoo! However, it may take many months (if ever) before they look at it and decide if they want to list it. You can pay them to look at your site (with no guarantee they will include it) but it is expensive.

You must pay Yahoo! to look at a commercial web site (with no guarantee they will include it) and pay an annual fee to retain it in their directory if they accept it. They currently charge $299 a year.

If you are a customer of Thrifty Websites we will be happy to give you individual advice on getting your particular web site the best position it can in the search engine results.

Michael Dawson
Thrifty Websites

Cheap web design - a low cost web site design from £95 - 1st year hosting free.