Enhancing SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
There are a few ways that you can enhance your website's search engine optimization. Doesn't take long to do, but if you're serious about your website and you want to be found by the search engines, then you should do everything on this page.
Add Information in Advanced Settings on Each Page
The screen shot above is a view of the Advanced Settings, which are available on each page of your website and in the Settings tab at the top of your editing screen. Let's start with these and then we'll work on the main site settings.
As I said, when you are in the Pages tab at the top of your editing screen, each page of your website has an Advanced Settings link. Click that to see the Advanced Settings above.
As I said, when you are in the Pages tab at the top of your editing screen, each page of your website has an Advanced Settings link. Click that to see the Advanced Settings above.
Page Title
The Page Title will display when the mouse is hovered over the tab in a browser, but it also helps search engines categorize what your site is about because of the words you use in the title.
I have highlighted the Page Title that is listed on my Home Page in the image above. Notice that the name of your website will be displayed first. If you change the name of your website, the name that displays in the header of every page will also change (unless you use my trick of creating the title of your webpage using Paint.net and the font of your choice, as I talk about over here). **If you want to use a keyword rich name for your website for SEO purposes, you will HAVE to create a logo, whether it has an image or not, for use as your website header. Changing the name does not change the web address, or url, that you have chosen.
Page Description
This is what shows up under the title of your website when your website is displayed in search engine results. This is the first description of what your website is about that people searching in a search engine will see. It's very important to be descriptive and use great key words. But don't be lengthy. Only the first two lines or so will show in the search engine results. Use that space wisely.
Meta Keywords
Meta keywords will not be displayed on your website or in the search engine results. In fact, there is information on the Internet that says that the big search engines don't really even "pay attention" to these anymore because so many websites were abusing this section of their site in an effort to increase traffic. If you ask my opinion, I would enter as many relevant keywords into this section (relevant to each page) as I could. It may be true that the big search engines aren't using them anymore, but if they are, then you'll have a leg up on the competition who is ignoring them!
Use Google Webmaster Tools to Get Found
If you don't have a Google account (either gmail or any other google products), you need to go ahead and get one. It's free, and it's the biggest search engine on the planet. You'll want to submit your site to Google so it will be found by customers who are searching for your keywords.
Open a new window or tab and search Google for "Google Webmaster Tools" (without the quotes) and click the link that comes up. If you are not already signed in to Google, sign in. Then click the red "Add a Site" button to add your site to Google. You'll enter your website url (even if it has .weebly.com at the end of it). Google will then guide you through the verification process. You have to own a site to enter it.
Once you enter your url and click Continue, this will open the Verify Ownership page. Select the radio button next to "Add a Meta tag to my site's home page" and then copy the text that is displayed in the blue instructions box.
Come back to your Weebly site and click the Settings tab at the top of the Weebly editor. In the SEO option on that page, paste the text that you copied from Google into the Header Code section. Notice that Weebly offers instructions below the Header Code field as well. See the screen shot below where I did that for this site.
Open a new window or tab and search Google for "Google Webmaster Tools" (without the quotes) and click the link that comes up. If you are not already signed in to Google, sign in. Then click the red "Add a Site" button to add your site to Google. You'll enter your website url (even if it has .weebly.com at the end of it). Google will then guide you through the verification process. You have to own a site to enter it.
Once you enter your url and click Continue, this will open the Verify Ownership page. Select the radio button next to "Add a Meta tag to my site's home page" and then copy the text that is displayed in the blue instructions box.
Come back to your Weebly site and click the Settings tab at the top of the Weebly editor. In the SEO option on that page, paste the text that you copied from Google into the Header Code section. Notice that Weebly offers instructions below the Header Code field as well. See the screen shot below where I did that for this site.
While you're adding this information to the Header Code field, go ahead and fill in the Site Description and meta keywords on this page. These are the description and keywords for your entire site, not just for a single page of your site.
Click the Save button at the bottom of the Site Settings box. THEN, go back to your Google tab or window and click the Verify button. You should know instantly if it worked or not.
While you're on the Google Webmaster Tools page, go ahead and submit your sitemap, too. Every Weebly website automatically makes a sitemap. A sitemap also helps Google index your website, so this is an important step for SEO as well. All you need to enter is sitemap.xml in the field that Google provides after your url.
If you take these steps, you'll have a greater likelihood of being found in search results!
Click the Save button at the bottom of the Site Settings box. THEN, go back to your Google tab or window and click the Verify button. You should know instantly if it worked or not.
While you're on the Google Webmaster Tools page, go ahead and submit your sitemap, too. Every Weebly website automatically makes a sitemap. A sitemap also helps Google index your website, so this is an important step for SEO as well. All you need to enter is sitemap.xml in the field that Google provides after your url.
If you take these steps, you'll have a greater likelihood of being found in search results!