Great search engine optimization is a very important goal for any website that lives on the traffic it generates. There are many factors when it comes to search engine optimization, one of them being correct usage of url links.
An optimized link will help direct search engines to their correct destination while providing you with greater search engine placement based on your chosen keywords.
It’s not difficult to develop an optimized link habit but many people still neglect this simple trick that is costing them thousands of visitors each month.
Here are 3 ways you can create highly optimized links that search engines love.
1. Avoid String URLs
Many ecommerce websites use dynamic page generation for product pages and articles.
These pages often look like http://www.example.com/?=9821_Article.
This type of link structure, although still possible to index, is highly troublesome and irrelevant for search engine spiders.
Most CMS systems provide a method to change dynamic links to keyword rich strings. Modification through the htaccess file is also possible but does require additional technical knowledge.
To build a highly optimized url (without strings) you should focus on the main keywords you want your page to rank for.
Omit unwords such as:
• the
• and
• of
Converting your string url structure to a keyword rich url will help with your search engin optimization, placing you higher within search results, driving you a fair amount of traffic.
2. Use Keyword Rich URLs
The previous example touched on the use of keyword rich urls but to further explain the importance of these urls here are a few more reasons.
Search engine optimization is often broken down to:
• Off Page Optimization
• On Page Optimization
When you provide a link in a blog comment, author byline or anywhere within your previous articles, using a descriptive and keyword rich url string instead of the traditional “click here” helps tell the search spiders what the next page is about.
Instead of using “Click here to jump to page 2″, you could use “View Additional Information About Bicycles” if you happen to write about such topic. This method can be applied across any niche or topic, simply substitute out the words.
The point is to create a link that users want to click that also provides additional information.
3. Go For The Long Tail
The long tail keyword is simply a search phrase instead of one or two keywords internet users type when searching for information in search engines.
It’s very difficult to rank for a single keyword because major businesses pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to rank high for the term.
The more practical way to rank well in the search engines and improve your search engine optimization is to target long tail keyword phrases users type.
Instead of “bicycle” you could narrow down your urls to include phrases such as “how to ride a bicycle”. This method of optimizing your urls will be much easier and give you more relevant traffic as you know people are searching for specific information.
Adopt An Optimized URL Habit
Once you become accustomed to creating keyword rich urls, you’ll be able to interlink, back link and develop your url structure that converts sales and gives you better search engine placement.
Apply these tips across your website to give search spiders an easier time to find your content and rank it for the correct terms you aim for.
