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MSN Search Engine Beta Optimization Techniques |
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A brief note on MSN Search Engine Beta Optimization Techniques. |
- MSN's Search Engine Beta algorithm has a lot in common with Google's and Yahoo!'s algorithms, but also includes some subtle yet significant differences.
- As always, SEO professionals are eager to discover the wants, needs, and desires of the MSN Search algorithm. How to rank well in MSN Search is the leading question of the day.
- Achieving high search engine rankings in MSN has some similarities to the techniques already used in Google and Yahoo. As expected, the MSN algorithm has a few twists and turns for SEO professionals to navigate as well.
- As with the other major search engines, MSN Search requires good relevant content, and quality incoming links featuring keyword rich link anchor text.
- A more holistic optimization strategy stressing most of the well known accepted SEO best practices techniques appears to be just what the doctor ordered for MSN.
- Perhaps the first and probably most important aspect of the MSN Search Beta is the need for good keyword rich content.
- Relevance of theme and topic appears to be very important to MSN, as it is becoming for Google optimization.
- MSN seems to strongly dislike keyword stuffing, and will drop a site’s ranking accordingly.
- As expected, links are important to MSN, as they are important to Yahoo, and of course to the legendarily link obsessed Google algorithm.
- Maintaining your important keywords on the incoming and internal on site link anchor text is important. That link text definitely requires mixing and variation to appear as natural as possible when crawled by the MSN spider.
- Clean coding is a must with MSN Search, as its spider has a strong preference for well written code. If a website’s code is poorly written, it appears that MSN Search downgrades the site’s search rankings heavily.
- Like Yahoo, MSN Search seems to still place some importance on meta tags. Dusting off some meta tags appropriate for each page might be beneficial as well.
- As with all of the major search engines, MSN Search places heavy emphasis on content. Whether that content is on the page, off the page, or entirely off the site.
- The MSN algorithm values content very highly, and even allows for heavier than Google permissible levels of keyword density. In many ways, MSN Search is a content oriented website owner’s dream.
- Keep in mind that content not only provides direct immediate value in the search engine results pages (SERPs), but also indirectly over the longer term, in the form of incoming natural links.
- Since links appear to be very important to MSN’s algorithm, and in that regard it follows the Google link importance bias, it’s important to attract as many organic links as possible.
- One sure way to gain incoming links is to provide interesting and useful content. Not only does content add links, but it also provides the important keyword phrases if presented in many search engine friendly forms.
- Both the on site and the off site content are very important to the MSN Search algorithm. By including both content strategies in your MSN optimization efforts, the maximum ranking benefits can and probably will be achieved.
- Make certain that each page has unique title tags related to the most important keywords on the page. It’s also a good idea to use the title tag in the page’s meta tags as well, to create a uniform themed appearance to the page content.
- Page URLs should be static html, preferably containing a keyword, or even two keywords. Dynamic URLs are less likely to be indexed in MSN, so they are best avoided.
- Keep the on page themes and topics consistent and relevant, and make certain that all of the pages are linked together in some way.
- Orphan pages with no outgoing links to other parts of the website are less likely to be indexed, resulting in a loss of that page’s content.
Conclusion
- Optimization for the new MSN beta search engine is best approached from a holistic point of view.
- There is a need for fresh and informative keyword rich content. Not only will the content provide keywords for search purposes, but interesting and informative content will attract the always highly rewarded organic incoming links.
- Links are also important to MSN Search. Be sure to maintain a strong link acquisition program. With as many of the incoming links as possible, try to have important keywords, relevant to the receiving page, in the link anchor text.
- Make certain that your code is cleanly written and contains no errors. For assurance of its correctness, run it through a code validator.
- Think in terms of overall good optimization practices, and your site will score high rankings in the new MSN search engine.
Exclusive MSN Features
A while back, the community got together to compile a list of questions to present to MSN. One of the questions asked is how MSN differentiates from the other search engines, now and in the future. MSN had this to say:
Instant Answers – MSN Search displays answers instantly from Encarta and our Music service so you spend less time navigating to the information you need.
Features and Tools – Most up-to-date index with a competitive index size and tools like Search Builder and Near Me to help personalize consumers’ search experience.
Multiple access points – Whether it’s MSN.com redesigned and optimized for Web search, or the MSN Toolbar Suite with Windows Desktop Search, with MSN we make it easy to get started searching no matter what the entry point.
“We have our eye on becoming number one in the search space, but we realize this will take some time. Today we believe we have the best search engine for MSN users and are continuing to enhance and grow our feature set based on consumer feedback.”
MSN Keywords
Like Google’s AdSense, MSN uses an ad network they recently launched, called MSN Keywords.
Similar to AdSense, MSN Keywords is an auction-type program in which advertisers “bid” on certainly keywords in a control-panel based adCenter.
This is a pilot program right now, testing in France, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Depending on popularity of the program, we may see MSN Keywords roll out in the UK and US as early as 2006.
The above information is gathered from
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