SEO basics

What we have to do?

[TuanLa1972]

Hi, all.
Can anyone explain the basic principles of SEO? I know what is it, but I don't know what to do, what and how to optimize: keywords, content, etc.
thanks in advance.
Tuan.

[Don_Hoagie]

The only thing that's "basic" about SEO is its definition... the actual application of the theory is a very fine process (as well as being potentially different for every specific case), so there's really no way to answer your question without depriving you of a lot of vital information. The more one tries to simplify it, the less you'll grasp.

Your best bet? Check out the home-grown forums we have right here, like the Marketing World, the Google World, the Yahoo World... some topics you might want to look at first (I think this is the closest thing to me answering your question):

-What tags/elements of a page have the biggest/smallest effect on SEO
-What reciprocal and inbound links are and why they're important
-How to decide what keywords to use and how to use them
-How to structure your site paths for SEO
-What the difference is between white-hat and black-hat SEO
-How SE's see a website

[TuanLa1972]

Thanks a lot, Don_Hoagie.
Tuan.

[stef25]

- use validated html
- use your title, h1 and h2 tags wisely
- make sure your keywords occur (not too) frequently and especially near the top of your page
- have keyword rich incoming links
- try to have a pyramid structure
- if possible, avoid url's that look like those of dynamic pages (no session id's etc)
- regular content updates
- original content, no duplicated from another site

that should get you started, good luck

[TuanLa1972]

Thanks for your input.

original content, no duplicated from another site

Some time we copy an article from another site. The content is almost same, but we change format for SEO (for example using h1,h2 ...). Do you think that it will effect to our pr?

[larryhatch]

"Some time we copy an article from another site. "

Tuan: Somebody else asked for a definition of "scraping" This would be a perfect example.
If you copy an article from another site it is scraping, pure and simple.
Changing H1 tags and other small things will not matter.
It is still scraping, and very possibly copyright infringement as well.

If the original author of the article finds your copy, he/she will almost certainly be angry.
It is easy to find 'scraper' sites, just Google up short `unique snippets of text.
What the offended party (original author) chooses to do about it is entirely their prerogative,
this could be angry emails, complaints to Google, to G - Adsense, to your host ISP, to their lawyer ..

What judge/jury will believe you if you say you copied the article by accident? ..
especially after you went to the trouble to fudge the H1 tags etc.?

If you really need the article, I suggest you email the author and ask for permission.
Some writers will agree, especially if you give credits and a nice link back. -Larry

[stef25]

apart from the fact that copying articles is bad practise, it will also have a bad effect on your SEO efforts

at the very least, take the content of the article you wanted to copy, and use it as a starting point to write your own, original, article.

[larryhatch]

I forgot something in my sermon above.

Even if the original author doesn't notice the scrape (copying), Google probably will.
They will see your copy as 'duplicate content' and banish your page to the hinterlands.

Stef25 makes a good point. One approach is to take the original article,
plus others from different sources, read and understand them all,
then use what you learned to WRITE YOUR OWN article.

Its a little like brewing your own beer, but way less messy.

Be sure to include your own original thoughts on the matter.
NOW you are contributing something to the web.
NOW you cannot be accused of scraping or infringement.

Spell check your 'new' article of course, then ask friends to check grammar, flaws etc.
If English is not your native language, find somebody who is.
Buy him a beer or 12, but only after the editing is done.

I'm halfway thru a 6-pack right now [burp] and screwing up already. -Larry

[TuanLa1972]

Thanks for your input.
Generally, we copy the FREE articles(from EzineArticlesDotCom exp.). Few times we copy from the sites that there is not mentioned about republish permission anywhere in the site. I think it is ok from copyright view, isn't it?
My question was about the on SE's effect.

it will also have a bad effect on your SEO efforts

Really? Why?
Tuan

[stef25]

it is bad for your SEO efforts because google only prefers *original* content. their rationale is probably: whats the point in adding articles to your site that you can already find somewhere else?

in that case (some of) the content on your site is not original and therefore less interesting for visitors. according to google you should always think of the visitor.

ofcourse your site is still worth something if you only copy 1 article in a 100, but you could still risk a search engine penalty. very few people seem to know what's the deal here. its your choice

[larryhatch]

Again I agree with Stef25. Here's another consideration:

Organic incoming one-way links, the very best ones!

Suppose that I'm interested in your topic(s) and link to interesting sites or pages.

Here is a page of yours, with copies of articles that are already published.
A quick search of small phrases reveals the original source.

WHICH page do I would link to? The answer should be obvious. -Larry

[TuanLa1972]

Still it is not clear for me.
I will explain more about my site. We are now creating the travel site. In our country are so many travel companies, they have websites but each company is concentrated to one area (location). So we will collect the information from each one and create one unique site where visitors can find all information. This is better for visitors, and better for travel companies also. I think travel companies will be happy from our effort, even our articles are not original and copied from their sites.
Why Google doesn't like that?

[larryhatch]

AHA! Your explanation is very helpful.

IF these travel companies would truly benefit from your collection of articles,
then they should agree to give permission for you to copy their content.
That solves the scraping and 'infringement' matters.

BUT, there still remains the issue of 'duplicate content'.
This problem could send your pages to 'supplemental results' hell.
The solution would be to re-write the articles so that they are seen as 'Original Content'.
All suggestions above still apply.

Are you able to travel to the various parts of your country?
IF SO, you can take your own pictures, gain your own impressions and write them down.
ALL of this would truly be original content, and as such a welcome addition to the web. -Larry

[TuanLa1972]

Thanks for your advices.
I will do some experiment how Google indentify the "original content".
In general, I expect people will use the keywords "MYCOUNTRY TRAVEL" or some thing likes that, not some thing concrete. They do not search for some detailed information. So Google will give the list of websites, not give the links to concrete article. So may be "duplicate content" problem doesn't appear.

Are you able to travel to the various parts of your country?
IF SO, you can take your own pictures, gain your own impressions and write them down.
ALL of this would truly be original content, and as such a welcome addition to the web.

I hope that I will, but not right now :).

[stef25]

its not because the duplicate articles wont appear in the results that you wont get a duplicate content penalty.

if google decides you have duplicate content, you *may* be punished. this has nothing to do with if and where your articles show up in the results.

also "my country travel" is a very general and competitive term. aim for more specific terms such as (i think you are in vietnam) "sapa travel", "sapa backpacking", etc

[larryhatch]

Many or most tourists come from North America and Europe.

Do you have advice for them? For example, I am forever looking for clean toilets with paper.
How about currency exchange rates, visa requirements, where NOT to eat dinner,
special health concerns (diseases), how to appear Canadian while carrying a US passport ..?

There must be a lot of good advice you can give which the other sites have neglected.

I got off a boat in China once. I was given a little welcome gift including
a toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste. I needed both.

This simple gesture showed me how kind and thoughtful people can be.
If the toilets have no paper, then where can I find some in advance?

You can do a lot of good by providing truly useful and honest information.
If you do, others will be asking here if they can scrape your information.
If they do, I will suggest that they ask your permission. -Larry

[stef25]

Larry, paperless toilets in asia are really the way to go. i agree its a big hurdle to get over, but once you do and there is an adequate water supply, you'll never look back. id recommend the ass-showers in thailand as an introduction :-)

[TuanLa1972]

i think you are in vietnam)

How do you know that?
I have many ideas to do with my site (including advice to bring toilet papers with yourself, when you come somewhere ;-)), but I want QUICKLY get good ranking.
Do you have some idea? If I have to write everything by myself, it will take some years.

to stef25: where are you from that you know sapa?

[stef25]

I drove a Minsk from Hanoi to Sapa, through all the hill tribe villages. The most beautiful scenery in SE Asia

I also spent a week eating Pho three times a day on the street in Ho Chi Minh

Wonderful country. Im in belgium, not half as nice

[maccas]

"If I have to write everything by myself, it will take some years." Yep it sucks, a travel website me and my partner are building has taken a year so far and it is still (at least) another 2 years from completion. There are no shortcuts unless you want to pay people to help write your articles.

[larryhatch]

Hi Stef: I have heard a lot about Thailand, I need not elaborate.
I would love to see Thailand before my limbs go limp.

Tuan sounds like an honest man who wants to know what he should and should not do.
I'm jamming him with the white hat mantra while working on my second six-pack for the night.
If some guy from New Jersey asked the same questions, I would be less sympathetic.

I'm sure we can help this guy. -Larry

[TuanLa1972]

I drove a Minsk from Hanoi to Sapa, through all the hill tribe villages. The most beautiful scenery in SE Asia
I also spent a week eating Pho three times a day on the street in Ho Chi Minh
Wonderful country. Im in belgium, not half as nice

Warm welcome. Totally aggree. I like my country so much, and I would like to show it for others. This is the reason why i am trying to create the site. I am not so bad programmer, but very bad turist guide. So this is big problem now.

Tuan sounds like an honest man who wants to know what he should and should not do.
I'm jamming him with the white hat mantra while working on my second six-pack for the night.
If some guy from New Jersey asked the same questions, I would be less sympathetic.

I'm sure we can help this guy. -Larry

Thanks a lot, Larry.