Search Engines
Search Engine Optimization

Search engines have quite a job trying to index the 500 billion plus web pages on the WWW - a near impossible task. But the real challenge comes when they attempt to evaluate the data and present the most relevant pages in order of importance, (usually in very long lists of matching results) for given keyword searches.

Search engines use complex and proprietary algorithms (or rules) to sort this data, with varying degrees of success. They go to great lengths to try and deliver the most relevant pages first, so although a search may turn up hundreds of thousands of matches, the first page or so of results should satisfy a searcher's needs.

Clearly, if we knew the rules, we might be able to apply these to our web pages so that they score higher in the search engine ranking schemes. This is the principle of search engine optimisation or positioning. If only it were that easy!

Unfortunately there is a battle, which will probably never cease, between the forces of the Spider (Search Engines) and the forces of Commerce (web site owners). Search engines have strong competitive pressure to deliver the most relevant results first. Web site owners are equally pushed to manipulate their sites to get higher rankings.

The rules therefore keep changing; they are not published; and they are generally only determined by inference from watching rankings rise and fall - and through industry gossip. An excellent information source on this subject is the Search Engine Watch site - see the Links page.

Optimisation of a site to get the best ranking with search engines has become increasingly competitive. Very aggressive techniques may be penalised by the engines and result in extreme prejudice though - so be very carreful!. Some of the bona fide methods for optimisation are described on the search engine tips page.

Whatever happens though, don't spam the engines - it is counterproductive, unprofessional, and can result in banishment from search engine lists altogether.

Basic Rules of
Engagement

Consult-X believes that web sites should present their information responsibly and honestly so that the engines can make a fair and rational ranking assessment.

'Optimising' a site to achieve the best possible ranking for keywords appropriate to that site without playing any 'dirty tricks' is fair game. So many other sites are using highly competitive techniques, that you really have to fight your own corner to keep in the race.

'Spamming' the engines on the other hand involves a deliberate deception. This is dishonest and unprofessional. Search Engines are constantly refining their techniques to catch foul play, and businesses that are caught out pay a high price - they are delisted from the engines' indices altogether.

Examples of spamming techniques to avoid are:
• Invisible Keyword text on pages - not seen by humans, but read by engine spiders.
• 'Bait and Switch' - detect Search Engine robot or spider at web site, then switch out the normal pages, and feed specially doctored material unrepresentative of the normal site.

Sound complicated? Why not have Consult-X handle the search engine optimisation for you - or advise what action you need to take.