TAG, You're it! Using Keywords in Your Tags by Janet L. Hall Did you know that in order to get your web page a top ranking in some of the search engines that you MUST use your keywords in certain TAGS? The basic language in which most web pages are written is HTML (HyperText Markup Language). In order to turn your regular text into HTML you must use TAGS. Most TAGS use a start (beginning) and end (closing) TAG. To indicate a document is written in HTML you must start the document with the TAG: <HTML> (this is placed at the very top of your document) and then to end your document you place the TAG: </HTML> at the very bottom of your document. TIP: All start TAG elements are surrounded or enclosed by angle brackets: < > and all end TAG elements are surrounded by angle brackets with a forward slash inside: </ > BIG TIP: NOT ALL TAGS need the ending TAG. (more on this later). There are many TAGS you need to include in your HEAD TAG (which this article will be addressing), and in your web page, in which you should include your keywords. This can help (but doesn’t guarantee) better ratings with some search engines. Search engines generally consider anything near the top of your document or within the HEAD TAG with more relevance, so it's important to include the proper TAGS and your keywords within those TAGS. NOTE: META TAGS are HTML TAGS that will give the search engines information about your web page and should be included in the HEAD TAG also. They DO NOT have a start and end TAG but are enclosed with angle brackets. So after the <HTML> tag, place your start HEAD TAG: <HEAD> TAGS you MUST catch: (Please note that I am presenting MY keywords in lower case, and TAGS in upper case in examples) 1. <TITLE> disorganized? organizing help, clutter tips, organizing tools</TITLE> These are the TAGS you use for the title of your page. The title tag is very important so please don't use Home Page for your title. Some web page software will generate home page or new page for your title, YOU MUST CHANGE THIS. On the Internet, your title appears in the blue bar across the top of the monitor screen. Make sure you use your keywords in your title to help ensure a * higher * score with some of the search engines. Many search engines will display your title and your description in the search results when people are searching for you. According to a report I received from WordSpot.com, * The #1 biggest mistake that web page designers make is leaving out keywords from the <TITLE> area of a web page. * masterpromotion.com suggests, *The optimum length for a title is between six and eight words. Do not repeat keywords more than once. * Another article I read suggests a title length of 60 characters. 2. Your next important TAG is your description TAG: <META NAME="DESCRIPTION" CONTENT="disorganized? need help getting organized? Organizing solutions to simplify your life. got clutter? get rid of clutter. live the life you've been dreaming of, clutter free, get an overhall"> This TAG can be thought of as a mini ad for your web site. You should also place your keywords here. The suggested length for your description is between 10 and 25 words or 150 characters. 3. Next is your keyword TAG in which you need to enter YOUR relevant keywords YOU have selected for that page. <META NAME="KEYWORDS" CONTENT=" organizing, organising, clutter, overhall, overhaul, organized, get organized, organizing tools, stuff, disorganized, clutter in your life, stay organized, professional organizers"> No more then a 1,000 characters are advised; however, please remember that each search engine and directory may have their own set of criteria of what is acceptable and what's not. The keywords you include here MUST and should be used throughout that web page to help get a higher ranking in some of the search engines. 4. Another TAG, that many don't utilize, is the author TAG, yet another place you can insert your keywords. HotBot is one of the search engines that will recognize the keywords used in this TAG: <META NAME="AUTHOR" CONTENT=" janet l. hall, owner of overhall consulting, professional organizer, speaker, author can help you get organized and get rid of your clutter"> 5. HotBot and Inktomi search engines also consider keywords found in your comment TAG: <!--//overhall consulting website is maintained and updated by professional organizer, janet l. hall//--!> There are several other TAGS that can be used in your HEAD TAG, but I feel these are the most important and will give you a good start. Now make sure you use the END HEAD TAG </HEAD> Okay, lets put that all together to see what it will look like on your web page: <HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE> disorganized? organizing help, clutter tips, organizing tools</TITLE> <META NAME="DESCRIPTION" CONTENT="disorganized? need help getting organized? Organizing solutions to simplify your life. got clutter? get rid of clutter. live the life you've been dreaming of, clutter free, get an overhall"> <META NAME="KEYWORDS" CONTENT=" organizing, organising, clutter, overhall, overhaul, organized, get organized, organizing tools, stuff, disorganized, clutter in your life, stay organized, professional organizers"> <META NAME="AUTHOR" CONTENT=" janet l. hall, owner of overhall consulting, professional organizer, speaker, author can help you get organized and get rid of your clutter"> <!--//overhall consulting website is maintained and updated by professional organizer, janet l. hall//--!> </HEAD> TIP: Each page on your web site needs to be given it’s OWN HEAD information. Author's NOTE: In the examples above, anything typed in lower case should be replaced with YOUR title, YOUR description, YOUR keywords, and YOUR author and comment information. In the examples above the TAGS have been typed in UPPER CASE; however, this is not necessary when entering this information onto your web page. All brackets and other symbols need to be typed in as presented in the above examples. Happy TAGGING and "OverHalling" your site! One more TIP: Please remember the keywords you are using MUST be reflected in the page content of the page you are trying to improve or build. Next time, we'll discuss using TAGS and keywords in the body of your pages. ================================================================ The Organizing Wizard, Janet L. Hall, is a Professional Organizer, Speaker, and Author of 'Secrets of a Professional Organizer and How-To Become One.' She is the owner of OverHall Consulting and Organizing By Phone. Subscribe to her FREE organizing newsletter at http://www.overhall.com/newsletter.htm or visit her web site at http://www.overhall.com . Copyright 2001 by OverHall Consulting. All Rights Reserved. ================================================================