A website’s goal is always to increase visibility, visits, and back links. However, with millions of websites out there, it’s very difficult to ensure that you’ll get on top of the search engine results.

There are many search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. But it seems that many still don’t know how to use them.

1. KEYWORDS. Too many or none at all.

Keywords are important since they are the key factors for the placement of your website in search engines rankings. Placing keywords where they would fit in the content and formatting them (i.e., bold or colored highlight) will go far in optimizing your website.

But overusing keywords (or keyword stuffing) just to get high density is also not advisable. Most of the more sophisticated search engines are equipped to analyze if the number of keywords are consistent with the average number used in other optimized sites.

1. URLs. Using automated ones.

Optimize your website’s URL. Rather than using default or automated URLs, customize yours with a permalink using a primary keyword or keyword phrase that targets your article or page.

1. NO SITEMAP. Let spiders crawl the right way.

A sitemap is another place where search engines check for website optimization. Having a sitemap allows you to specify which pages should search engines process or index.  Search engines use spiders to crawl on these links and index them in their database.

1. USING FLASH/JAVASCRIPT. Just plain fancy.

Flash and Javascript are fancy, alright, but they are not SEO-friendly. Search engine spiders cannot crawl through flash and/or javascript content. If it’s unavoidable to use them, then place these page’s links in your sitemap.

1. TITLE TAG. The one that’s often forgotten.

Just like keywords, title tags are often forgotten and left empty. Title tags are important not only because they help in your website’s optimization, but most importantly, they are the text that appears on search engines.

There are more ways to miss out on optimizing your site. All these could be avoided by constant research on SEO trends and ensuring that your site is well-updated.