Optimize Your Website With Title Tags and alt images

            Who looks at the title tags? You know, those words in the blue line across the top of your screen.

            Most of us don't, but the search engines do, and that makes them important to your on-line presence.  After all, if you want searchers to find you, you need to do all you can to raise your ranking in the search engines.

            If you do a quick search at a variety of web sites, you'll see that many are not using their title tags at all. The only thing you'll see there is whatever name they gave that page -- or, in some cases, every page in the entire site will have the same title.

            Are your competitors doing that? Then you've got a great opportunity to leapfrog over them to top rankings.

            First, do some keyword research, then integrate the best keywords into your title tags -- one that is specific to each page of your web site. According to SEO expert Heather Lloyd Martin, the best title tags are 50 to 75 spaces long. It isn't easy to get the very best keywords and key phrases into that much space, and that's why some copywriters are now specializing in the craft. But with time and effort, you can do it.

            By using page-specific keywords and key phrases in your body copy, your meta descriptions, and your title tags, you should find that individual pages of your web site come up in a search.  If your overall site topic has a ton of competition, this might be the way to work your way up in rankings.

            For instance, I have a copywriting site. The word "copywriting" generates so much competition that it would be almost impossible to get a top ranking from it. But when I optimized individual pages I was soon found on page 1 or 2 for "real estate copywriting" and "fundraising copywriter." In fact, when I checked last night, my site was in the #1 position for "fundraising copywriter." (Yes, I was excited to see that!)

            You may sell insurance and find it impossible to reach page one for "insurance." But I'll bet that with effort you could do it with the sub-categories. How about "sailboat insurance" or "Motor home insurance?"

            Do a little research into keywords and key phrases that are popular. Then optimize  your title tags and watch your rankings rise.

            Next, take a look at your images. Do you have "alt image tags" for each of them? Many people do not, and if they do, they're the image name. Instead, use your alt image tags to get more keywords into your site.

            Let's go back to the insurance. If you sell sailboat insurance and are showing a picture of a sailboat, your alt image tag should include the word insurance, plus boat, or sailboat. You could say "sailboat insured with xyz co." Or even "insurance protects this sailboat." Be sure to do your keyword research so you choose the correct words.

            Not sure how to accomplish this? If you know how to insert an image, the tag is easy. Here's how it looks: <img src="sailboat.jpg"  alt="sailboat insured with xyz co">