This article has been written to help people who may be new to internet marketing get their website noticed by the search engines. There is much more that can be done, but for the sake of simplicity, I have chosen to deal with only one topic in this article - the use of Google Webmaster Tools.
Note: Google Webmaster Tools is able to be utilized on many of the website building sites, so although these notes are particularly aimed at WordPress, you can still use them to help get the SEO going on your other sites. You will generally be able to find all this sort of information under a 'Settings' tab when you are in edit mode on your website.
You can get your sites verified by pasting the meta tag code from the Google Webmasters Tools site into the appropriate box when you are in edit mode for your site on the website building site.
Back on the Google Webmasters Tools site, you can also often get your site sitemapped by typing in 'sitemap.xml' in the box next to your site's address, after you have clicked on the 'Add Sitemap' button.
Go to the website at Google.com/webmasters/tools/
If you have a little look around here, you will see how Google views your website. This site can give you valuable information about the traffic coming to your site and how you can increase it by analyzing your View Links Data, Top Queries and Page Analysis.
The important thing about this site is that by submitting your sitemap directly to them, they will be sure not to miss any of your posts or pages.
So, sign up for your account (a good idea is to use the same log-in information for this account and your AdSense account [if you don't have an AdSense account yet, just keep it in mind, because you probably will open one at some later stage and you can use the same account details for it]. Ditto for AdWords.
When you log in you will see your Dashboard. Add your site address with the www. but not the http.
Click 'Add Site'
You will then need to verify your site, so choose the 'Add a Meta Tag' option. Below you will see a code, which you need to copy and paste into your site's header. Open a new window and go into your WordPress Admin area. Go to 'Appearance' then 'Theme Editor' then select the Header from the list on the right-hand side. When it comes up, scroll down to where you see the script and paste your meta tag code in just ABOVE this script and BEFORE the
script.Click 'Update File'
Go back to your Webmaster Tools window and click on the 'Verify' button. If you have done everything correctly, you should get a message confirming verification.
Now, go back to your Webmaster Tools Dashboard and next to your site URL there will be a column titled 'Sitemap' - click on the link that says 'Add'. Choose 'Add General Web Sitemap' and put in sitemap.xml where required. Click on 'Add General Web Sitemap'
You need to get some good content onto your site, if you haven't already done so, before you move on to more SEO strategies. If you created your site on one of the website building sites, once you have put some content on your site and you have published it, you can use other search engine optimization strategies, also.
Valerie
If you are keen to get on with job, you will find lots more information on search engine optimization basics for both WordPress and other sites at Valerie's blog, Voiceover. You will find it at http://voiceover.valerieeldridge.com.
Valerie Eldridge has been an administrator and manager of both offline and online businesses for many years. These days, I like to help people who are new to internet marketing, and maybe struggling and confused, find a clear path.
Come and meet her here, http://www.valerieeldridge.com
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