Search Engine Optimization - I need your help

**katmills2005** · 27th September 07, 05:24 AM

I work every day to find new ways to get my boss' website higher up on the Search Engine rankings. Its a lot of work, no one way works perfectly. I will make a suggestion that may help.

Article based networking is a very good way. Paper copy newspapers are going by the wayside. People want instant access to news, articles and topics of interest. There are over a hundred sites now on the web that publish articles. Most are free to both post and read.

Since we have many knowlegable members on the board, I would suggest some of them write on the topics they know best as they relate to kilts and Scottish heritage. Submit these articles (I do suggest using a copyright) to various article sites with a back link to xmarks. The back links are used by the search engines to determine rankings. More back links = higher rankings. This is also a good way of getting more information out on the web about these topics. You will probably find a large jump in your on site traffic soon after such articles are published, both from the search engines as well as those reading the actual articles.

**Coemgen** · 27th September 07, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by Panache

Panache still gagged and bound in the back row of the classroom notices that Mike has finished his lecture. The members of X Marks the Scot seem energized, they get up from their chairs and head out the door. They are ready and willing to go out and help XMTS grow bigger and better. He feels great pride in being a part of such a great group of people. He basks in the glow of good fellowship. He feels that this online community is really worth the effort. He also is somewhat concerned that no one seems to be untying him and removing the gag. He sees Colin turning off the lights and Nelson shutting the door…

"Mmmmummmmmbbbmmmmbbbbllnffffffllllllffled???"

Kevin, passing by on his way to World Civilisations I, hears strange sounds emanating from the classroom and, upon further investigation, finds Panache trying to chew his arms off on order to free himself, thankfully without success. Remembering that Panache, despite is obvious faults, is still a valuable member of the X Marks the Scot community, Kevin therefore frees Panache from his bonds. He hurries off to class before he is late, disappearing down the hall before Panache has a chance to say anything.

**Mike1** · 28th September 07, 04:04 AM

Originally Posted by katmills2005

I work every day to find new ways to get my boss' website higher up on the Search Engine rankings. Its a lot of work, no one way works perfectly. I will make a suggestion that may help.

It is a lot of effort and the sad part is most of it takes place without anyone ever seeing what has been done.

If we add a new bell or whistle, then the members see something has happened. If we submit another site map to a search engine, nobody ever knows about it.

The problem with trying to rely on one method is that the rules of the game are always changing. 16-18 months ago, submitting a site to link directories was a good plan. Now it appears there may be some penalty in using the link farms.

We just do what we can to make everything as keyword-rich as we can and then try to help steer the spiders to the keywords. One of my own sites is only about 6 weeks old and has ~1100 posts, but for one of our keywords, we're already #2 in the Google SERPs and #4 in the Yahoo SERPS. So some of these techniques I keep in my black bag are pretty effective.

However, as you pointed out, nothing can beat a load of inbound links.

**ccga3359** · 11th October 07, 05:49 PM

It appears to be working. Yesterday I was googling MOD kilts in Maple Leaf and XMarks was the first two hits. Similar searches of poly-viscous brings up hits for kilts with this XMarks thread.

Well done Mike1 and Highland Tide for spreading the word.