read part 1 here
Search engines analyze each webpage and look for keywords within text. If a certain keyword is repeated in the heading, first paragraph, second paragraph, second headline, fourth paragraph, etc, search engines consider that page related to a particular keyword and thus value it.
You must make sure your writing includes targeted keyword throughout the entire text.
For example, if you target keyword “digital camera”, make sure that your title looks something like “Digital Camera Products Buy, Review and Comparison”.
Follow up that title with an opening paragraph that instantly mentions the word “digital camera”. Then write naturally and let it flow. Go back and plug the keyword where it fits.
Include synonyms, like “photo camera” since search engines look for synonymous words.
Don’t stress about having many keywords. Search engines do not value on-page content as much as they used, since it can be easily manipulated. The power is in links. Just focus on writing natural, go back and plug the keyword in titles and other places where they fit.
Ignore “keyword density” measurement – it doesn’t work.
Link Building
“PageRank relies on the uniquely democratic nature of the web by using its vast link structure as an indicator of an individual page’s value.” - Google
A link from site X to site Y is considered a vote by site X for Y. The more votes a website has the higher it will rank in search results.
Websites with high number of quality links are awarded with “PageRank” and get propelled to best search engine rankings. This means that if your site has high number of links, Google will trust it and you will have good rankings.
Take Wikipedia for example. Since it has so many incoming links, Wikipedia appears for a good chunk of all competitive searches, like “mortgage” or “computer”.
Not all links are equal. A link from highly trusted website, for example Wired.com, is better than 10 links from generic low quality directories. The emphasis is on quality. Search engines, especially Google, are good at determining quality of links.
Links must also come from related websites. If you have an electronics shop and get links from flower sites, those links won’t count.
Another big factor is anchor text. To give you an example, this is anchor text and the page where the link leads to is the address. So the anchor text is the text that you see, and the address is the actual link.
If a link from an outside website has your targeted keyword in the anchor text, this tells search engines exactly the keywords your site must rank for.
For example, if you want to rank for key phrase “laptop”, and outside websites links to you with anchor text “laptop”, this tells search engines your site must rank for keyword “laptop” in search results.
To demonstrate you power of links in search engine optimization, consider this story:
Search engine professionals not happy with Bush administration decided to pull a prank on the White House. They got many links from websites with anchor text “failure” and “miserable failure” pointing to the address www.whitehouse.gov/president/gwbbio.html (official bush bio)
As a result, when you searched for “failure” or “miserable failure”, White House and Bush came up at #1 spot.

Though presidential website did not have keywords “failure” or “miserable failure”, it still ranked #1. Google defused this since, but the point is - links make or break your search engine optimization strategy.
Ways to Build Links
- Submit to quality directories. High quality directories, with human editorial review are great at gaining search engine trust. Submit to Yahoo Directory, DMOZ, Business.com and others. List of directories
- Use link bait. Link bait is a concept of using high quality tools, information or sources to entice other websites to link. For example: you write a highly informative, interesting article in your industry, which is so good that webmasters just gotta link to it. (example) Or you offer hard to find, very valuable information, which again, causes others to link. (example). Develop tools, compile resources or write something controversial.Once you get the job done, contact webmasters and bloggers(related to your field) and let them know about your new tool / article. If it’s good, links will flow.
- Exchange links with related websites. Effects were greatly reduced by Google, but it still gets you value if you exchange with a quality site.
- Buy links. Google declared war against paid links, but you can still buy links and get away with it. In fact all efficient SEO experts buy and sell links. This takes expertise and practice.
- You can hire a company to build links for you.
Should I Hire an SEO Company?
If you don’t want to learn, have no time, nor desire, I suggest that you do.
I don’t do SEO, but know some. Hiring quality expert will take out the hassle and worry of your back, since you can spend months just learning. If you intent on selling electronics, SEO will eat up too much time, so hiring makes sense. I recommend SEO Expert.
Search Engine Optimization Resources
Books and Learning Membership Portals
Keyword Research
Link Building
Forums
Blogs
Search Marketing News
Pay Per Click Advertising
Pay Per Click is easy to learn. You sing up for an account, select the keywords you want to target, bid on the keywords, set maximum daily limit and let campaign roll. Of course there are advanced strategies and you will learn as you pick up experience.
Major Pay Per Click Networks:
Some advertisement from Google Adwords also show up on Yahoo and Ask.com due to their partnerships.