Construct the Site So that Users Find it Easily Using Search Engines

Understand how search engines work. When a user enters a word or phrase into a search engine, the search engine scans the internet and returns a list of sites that have been ranked on relevance. The search engine ranks sites based on the specific key phrases in the site, and the links to a given site. The focus on maximizing the results based on these criteria is part of a larger field known as Search Engine Optimization for your website.  For more information on how search engines work, visit SearchEngineWatch.

Make use of existing knowledge on popular key phrases in your field. Wordtracker, a subscription service, is a key phrase research tool that allows you to find out what words your target audience is entering and how many times each key phrase is regularly searched. The WebGuide Thesaurus of Common Keywords is a list of most common keywords used that relate to child development.

Utilize popular key phrases within your site’s content.  For each page of your site, select 2-3 key phrases that are related to the page’s content, and repeat the key phrases several  times throughout the page.  Take care to maintain the user friendliness and readability of your site, not repeating the key phrases too often.

Our own website (Child & Family WebGuide) places key phrases at the top of the page, and it repeats them both in the issues covered section and in the text of the website summaries:

Strategically locate key phrases on your page.  In addition to having key phrases dispersed throughout the main text of your page, place key phrases in the title or main heading of your page and in the text of links. These areas are weighted by search engines more heavily than others.

Create a well-developed linking system on your site.  Search engines scan for incoming links to your page as a way to judge your site’s relevance to the phrase that is being searched.  Increase the number of relevant sites that link to your site and you will increase your site's SEO and positioning.

Remember to keep your site updated and when considering SEO web design, try to employ only ethical search engine optimization. Also, key phrase and topic popularity change frequently, and pages may need to be refreshed to sustain the maximum amount of visitors.