Many people put their Web site copy through the often complex process of search engine optimization and placement and are happy with what they see. After search engine optimization and placement, all copy on a Web site should be clear, crisp and geared toward delivering maximum search results.
But chances are you haven’t done everything you could.
There are two areas common to Web sites that are often overlooked when it comes to search engine optimization and placement. And that’s troubling, considering how easy they are to recognize and how easy they are to optimize.
The first easy search engine optimization and placement fix would be adding text to alt tags. You may have seen alt tags. Those are the little windows that appear when your mouse hovers over graphics. Unlike other Web site bells and whistles, alt tags appear as if they’re here to stay. That’s because they are both helpful and unobtrusive, so getting in the habit of using alt tags when working towards search engine optimization and placement is a good idea. Alt tags can also be used in email graphics as well, which is helpful as more and more people now read email on smart phones that either don’t show graphics or render graphics incorrectly.
Another oft-overlooked opportunity for search engine optimization and placement in Web copy is in the captions area below photos. They’re not just for newspapers. A descriptive caption will get read—at least that’s what research shows. Since the best captions are concise and packed with information, users often look at captions before reading the body of Web copy. And that makes them great for search engine optimization and placement. Don’t just feature an image of your business with the text “our business” below. Write a descriptive sentence or two about your business story. Or thank the visitor. Or post your hours of operation. It really doesn’t matter what you do, just as long as you optimize your caption space.
Tags: Ethical Search Engine Optimization, Ethical SEO, search engine optimization and placement