You have a fantastic website, but it is listed at the very bottom of the Internet's smallest search engine so no one even knows you exist. How can you direct traffic to your site? Start by optimizing your site so that it gets a better ranking in search engine results.

Search engine optimization is a valuable tool for directing traffic to your site. Not only will the traffic increase, but also the "right" kind of traffic as well. This is done by way of keyword research and search engine optimization. What does this all mean?

Let's say for example that you have a website that sells Disney posters. You must target people that are interested in buying Disney posters. Without the right keyword phrases, whatever traffic you get may not be from potential buyers. You may get traffic from people simply wanting information on Mickey Mouse. Traffic may come from people who just want to see pictures of Donald Duck. It may also include those who want Disney images. These surfers are just curious onlookers and not really potential buyers. After considering all options and doing keyword research you chose "Disney movie posters" as one of your keyphrases. The next step is to optimize your site for the term "Disney movie posters."

• You can optimize different pages of your site for different keyphrases.
• Most importantly, your main keyphrases should appear within the regular (visible) text of your web page.

Here are other places where keywords and keyword phrases would go:

• URL's (web address)
• Site Titles
• Page Titles
• Meta-Keywords
• Meta-Descriptions
• Headings (H1-H6)
• Alt Tags
• Hyperlink Text
• Hyperlink Images

If you have a page on Donald Duck and you speak about him on the home page, and then make the word Donald on the home page a link to the actual Donald page.

Keep your image name close to the keywords. For example, if you have three posters, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Toy Story. Do not name them poster1.jpeg, poster2.jpeg and poster3.jpeg. Instead name them mickey-mouse-poster.jpeg, donald-duck-poster.jpeg and toy-story-poster.jpeg.

In the actual body of the site use the keywords to describe your products. Make sure your sentences make sense and are not a bunch of jibberish with random usage of keywords. Your paragraphs should be powerful and well written.