“If you build it, they will come.” The magic that makes this statement true is Google. When webmasters ask Google reps what they need to do to get their site into the index, the reply is consistently, “Content is king.” The subject matter of your web site and how clearly it is presented are the things that matter most. Make sure you have a site that is of value to a user seeking information online, and then Google will do everything they can to bring visitors to you.

Here are some basic tips to follow in your web design.

• Use headers at the beginning of important sections. This shows the organization of your site and what words and phrases are most important.
• Put links in prominent places so visitors can navigate within your site. Ideally, a visitor should be able to start from your home page and arrive at any other page they want in three clicks or less.
• Avoid lengthy pages that require users to scroll very far.
• Avoid text within images. Google can only record the actual text on your page. Graphics contribute nothing to your site’s overall relevance in the search index.
• Avoid excess clutter of graphics and tables. This dilutes the text content of your page and makes it harder for Google to figure out what it is really about.
• Do not bother with the meta keywords. Google generally pays little attention to them, because so many people have tried to abuse them.
• Do not game Google. They are almost always going to be one step ahead of attempts to hack their search algorithm. Plus, if they find out what you’re doing, they may decide to exclude your site altogether.

If there is one principle to follow in optimizing your site for search engines, it is this: What’s good for your visitors is good for your search index ranking.