SEO Code of Ethics

SEO Best Practices:

This is a list of best practices when it comes to website design in the context of search engine optimization (SEO) and getting higher ranking with Google. Some of these apply not only to Google but to all search engines in general. Some may be obvious, while others are not. Adhering to this list will not only improve optimization of your site, but will likely make it easier on visitors to your site in the form of reduced download times and better navigation between pages.
 

• Do use a reliable Web hosting provider. If your website is down while Google visits your site, you may be dropped from their index for a while, which means you'll lose most of your web traffic!
• Do create relevant, timely, and useful content on your website - particularly for your home page. This may be obvious, but often is overlooked in search of the ranking magic bullet or quick fix.
• Do update your content frequently - particularly your home page. Websites that frequently update their content get visited by Google more often. This also gives your visitors a reason to return to your web site regularly.
• Do create lots of pages on your website. It is better to have 50 short pages than to have 10 long, flowing pages. Make sure each web page contains a minimum of 200-250 words.
• Do use your keywords in the page title (not in meta tags), headings, the first paragraph, and in link text on each page. These are the main places that Google looks - the title is extra important. It also helps to bold or italicize your keyword once per page.
• Do keep your page size small. Both your customers and Google like smaller pages. They download (and are crawled) faster and are easier to read. For every second it takes your page to load, you lose 10% of your visitors. You have 5 seconds to "hook" your visitor, otherwise they will go elsewhere.
• Do create unique titles and descriptions for each page. Unique titles are a must. Don't skimp on this or your rankings may suffer.
• Do optimize any PDF and Word files on your website. Google will index these will any other page on your site. If these files contain duplicate content, put them in a separate folder and use the robots.txt file to disallow crawling.
• Do use a shallow site structure. If you can manage it, keep all your web pages in the same folder on your server as your home page.
• Do create a "Related Links" page for adding links to other sites as part of your reciprocal Linking campaign. Make sure you have some content on this page - don't just have a list of links.
• Do create "Link to Us" code that can be simply copied (or emailed to Linking partners). You want your link text to contain your best keywords.
• Do put JavaScript code in a separate file and link to it. This makes pages load (and get crawled) faster.
• Do create a style sheet file and link to it from your pages. This makes pages load (and get crawled) faster.

SEO Best Practices:

This is a list of mistakes, errors and worst practices when it comes to website design in the context of search engine optimization (SEO) and getting higher ranking with Google. Some of these apply not only to Google but to all search engines in general. Some may be obvious, while others are not:

• Don't use large image maps, gratuitous animations, or Flash on your site if possible - especially on your home page. Google needs to see actual text content on your pages!
• Don't use frames. Although Google can crawl framed sites, they are problematic in other areas. No popular sites use frames.
• Don't repeat your keywords endlessly on a page. Keep your keyword density below 20% or so, otherwise Google may consider this as spam - as might other search engines.
• Don't spend time stuffing keywords in meta tags. Google ignores all meta tags (except perhaps the Description meta tag). Meta tags are dead for all intents and purposes.
• Don't use tiny text with extremely small font sizes. Search engines may consider this as spam.
• Don't use page redirects on your website. Google has been known to penalize sites that use fast redirects.

 
Linking Best Practices:

This is a list of best practices when it comes to obtaining reciprocal links, Linking, and website submissions to directories. Some of these apply not only to Google but to all search engines in general. Some may be obvious, while others are not.

• Do submit your website to the Open Directory Project (OPD or DMOZ). A listing in the OPD is considered golden as the ODP feeds so many other directories, which will result in multiple listings for your website, and, more web traffic.
• Do submit your website to Yahoo. It costs $300 a year to be reviewed and listed on Yahoo but this is a small price to pay once a year when you consider the number of people that use Yahoo.
• Do exchange links with all websites that offer similar or complementary services to yours, with specialized portals and directories, and with industry association websites.
• Do create your own Related Links page rather than have it automatically generated by a program. Google has been known to penalize websites that generate Related Links pages using "cookie-cutter" template pages with the same filename.
• Do include a link to your website in your "signature" line when you post in forums, blogs, or newsgroups. This also applies when submitting articles or sending out newsletters in email.
  
  Do link to each page on your website from your home page (or your sitemap page) and back again. This will help funnel Page Rank (PR) to your most important pages.
• Do include inline links on your website. Inline links appear in the body of a paragraph rather than in a navigation menu. Google likes the neighboring text that surrounds inline links.
• Do use the standard to format links rather than JavaScript to generate the link. Google may have a harder time deciphering your link otherwise.
• Do actively monitor your reciprocal links and who is linking to you. You need to track this on a regular basis to make sure your link is added on websites you have agreed to exchange links with.

 
Linking Best Practices:

This is a list of worst practices when it comes to obtaining reciprocal links and Linking in general. Some of these apply not only to Google but to all search engines in general. Some may be obvious, while others are not.

• Don't exchange links with link farms, link free-for-alls (FFAs), or other sites that are obviously spam. In particular, do not place links to such sites on your own website or Google may penalize your site.
• Don't blindly exchange links with unrelated sites simply to increase your link popularity (the number of links that point to your website). Your potential customers won't be on these sites and it will not help increase Page Rank (PR) or your ranking with Google.
• Don't have your Related Links page automatically generated by a software program. Google has been known to penalize websites that generate Links pages using "cookie-cutter" template pages with the same filename.
• Don't have broken links on your website. While not as critical with Google, Yahoo routinely checks your website for broken links. Plus, it is unprofessional.
• Don't "hide" your links using JavaScript, forms or other methods, unless you have a legitimate reason for doing so.
• Don't use "click here" as the text link for any link, ever. Otherwise, Google may decide your site is about "click here."