Launching a new site? It's been said before (and will probably be blogged about again), but having SEO in mind from the very beginning is vital to ensuring that a Web site ultimately ranks well across
multiple engines.
Dev Basu lists 5 tips to consider during the planning phase in a new Web site launch, and the first is choosing a simple, static URL. Why make it harder for the spiders
(and users) to find or remember your home page?
Basu also recommends setting up a Google Webmaster Central account, as it gives you insight straight from the horse's mouth. Google offers
tips for eliminating duplicate content, avoiding drops in rankings (or outright bans) and even traffic stats--all for free.
Plan to include a blog as a source of regularly updated content,
giving both users and search engine spiders a reason to come back to your site, and make sure your internal linking structure is neat and logical. Lastly, if your site will be very complex, then
develop an XML sitemap that tells the spiders exactly how to get to all those deep layers of info--and possibly an HTML one for searchers.
Read the whole story at Search Engine People »