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Learn how to design an Internet web site that can easily be found using common, every day
language on all the major search engines.  Following is a list a items you should take into
consideration when designing your website.  The real key to success is in deciding which
keyword phrases to target, using them effectively in your content, and then link building.  This
link will give you more information about all these important phases of a search engine
optimization project.  

After you have targeted the keyword phrases you will be using for optimization, it's time to
build.  We recommend you do a Google search for each of your keyword phrases to see how
the top 10 competitors are using the keyword phrases today.  Target the same keyword
densities and number of inbound links for your own site.  Then build following the guidelines
below.  Feel free to use this page as a checklist.  

When deciding how to design a website that is search engine friendly, remember to:

  • Create a flat directory structure.
  • Place robots.txt and favicon.ico files in the root directory.
  • Have Google's FREE web analytics tool in place from Day 1.
  • Create a human-readable (HTML / PHP) site map on your home page.  Place an XML
    (search engine readable) version of the sitemap in your root directory.
  • Create a custom 404 (not found) error page.  Include links to active areas of your site so if
    visitors can’t find the page they’re looking for, they are at least redirected within your site,
    preferably to the HTML Sitemap page.  Alternatively, redirect them to a page that enables
    intra-site search.   
  • Run spell check and clean up your HTML code.  Search engine spiders are not nearly as
    forgiving of HTML errors as are web browsers.  Unlike browsers, there is no market
    pressure to accurately interpret and display the badly written pages. Validate your code
    using one of the many free W3C validation tools.  
  • Don’t copy and paste from Microsoft (MS) Word as it won't pass the code validation test. If
    you want to draft content use MS Notepad.  
  • Avoid dynamic pages and the forced use of cookies.  
  • Provide links to all your important pages from your main / home page main menu bar.
  • Show location and context by providing bread crumbs e.g. home>about us>our locations>.
  • Google advises that you should place no more than 100 outgoing links on a page.  
  • It is okay and even advisable to provide outbound links. Just ask yourself, will my visitors
    gain value from this?  If yes, create the outbound link.  
  • Make it easy for a visitor to "tell a friend" about your page or to socially bookmark your
    page.  An excellent and free tool that will allow you to do both resides at http://www.addthis.
    com/web-button-select.html.  (Cut and paste into your address bar.)
  • Name files and directories using keywords.
  • Use link and anchor text containing your keyword phrases when linking to files.
  • Use the backslash character (/) when naming directories.
  • Use the hyphen character (-) when naming files.  Search engines will interpret it as a
    blank. Do not use underscores.

Following these Internet web site design guidelines will help ensure your website gains
visibility with the search engines.   Please feel free to use the bookmark button up top to tell a
friend or to share via a social network site.  
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Internet Web Site Design | Main Line of philadelphia SEO Web Design

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Learn details about an effective
Internet Web Site Design.  
Search-engine-friendly web pages  
can easily be found using every day
search terms, browsers, and
operating systems.  

We are a Main Line of Philadelphia
organic & local search engine
optimization SEO firm.  Our Goal is to
have your website...

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Learn How To Design a Web Site
That Is Search Engine Friendly
Last Revised:  06/21/10
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