| Before you can fully understand the properties of | | | | roughly the same thing. From the terms used to the |
| search engine optimization (SEO), you need to | | | | format that it is submitted in, your input is submitted in a |
| understand how a search engine works. Each search | | | | particular syntax. There are different types of search |
| engine will index pages differently, and so will rank | | | | engine term syntax. Of them, we will review natural |
| them differently. The way that the pages are found is | | | | language and Boolean search language. |
| also important to the optimization of your site. If you | | | | The syntax that many people use to search the |
| build it, they will not necessarily come. You have to put | | | | internet is called natural language. When you use |
| yourself in front of their faces for them to know that | | | | natural language, then you talk to a search engine just |
| you are there. | | | | the same way that you would talk to any other |
| Imagine that the Internet is a giant web of backroads in | | | | acquaintance. Natural language can look like: where |
| a small town. If you are trying to find a pizza shop in | | | | can I find an upholsterer in New Haven, CT? or the |
| that web, then you will probably grab a paper or a | | | | accident on the toll highway between Springfield and |
| phone book. These will tell you where the local | | | | Boston on Sunday January 12. If you are using the |
| advertised pizza stores are, and where the closest | | | | same verbage as you would use to talk to a human in |
| one is. If you are the closest pizza shop, but you do | | | | conversation to refer to what you are looking for, then |
| not have an advertisement in either the phonebook or | | | | you search using natural language. |
| the newspaper, then you will lose your business to the | | | | Boolean search language is something quite different |
| closest pizza store that is. If you did not put yourself in | | | | than a natural search. Most of us that use a Boolean |
| the customer's line of vision, then they will not know | | | | search terms are either long time users of the Internet, |
| that you are there. | | | | from back when Boolean searches were nearly all |
| If you do not give the information that makes you | | | | that were used; or they are people that are trained in |
| appear to be the closest site to what a customer is | | | | Internet research and use for more specific terms. A |
| searching for then you will lose the click, and possibly | | | | Boolean term for the examples above would more |
| the customer, to the guy that does. For you to give the | | | | likely read like: (upholsterer OR upholstery) (New AND |
| search information that makes you the guy that has | | | | Haven AND CT) or (accident + Boston + highway + |
| the most relevant information, you need to know how | | | | "january 12") (-freeway). |
| the customers will search for your information. There | | | | With more than half of the users online utilizing search |
| are names that are given to search styles, and the | | | | engines to get to their destination sites, and more users |
| format that those styles follow. Knowing these will help | | | | using search engines to find business addresses and |
| you understand how to handle yourself in the sight of | | | | phone numbers than the yellow pages, better |
| the different search engines. You can run with these | | | | understanding search engines is in your best interest if |
| definitions to help you digest other articles that you | | | | you have a business online. With all of this considered, |
| read regarding search engine optimization. | | | | even if you do not have a business online, you may |
| Search Engine Vocabulary | | | | feel that it is about time that you created an online |
| How a user develops their search term is known as | | | | presence if for nothing else but being competitive. |
| heuristics. To be more specific, the heuristic process is | | | | Phone book quasi-optimization tactics, like naming your |
| your personal problem solving algorithim that applies to | | | | business AAA AA Albacore Tuna Co. to be listed first, |
| the problem at hand. You will evaluate your results and | | | | is technology of the past. Today we optimize for |
| learn from the searches that you have used in the | | | | search engines, which requires more time, effort, and |
| past to develop your search term of the future. This is | | | | understanding than the order of the English alphabet. A |
| a heuristic process. | | | | good place to start in your understanding is learning |
| The actual way that you word your search is known | | | | some of the terms that will be used in the articles and |
| as its syntax. You have probably heard this term used | | | | courses that you will use to bring you into today's |
| in all sorts of settings, and in each of them it means | | | | marketing strategies. |