| To earn the right to this title, you will need to be | | | | knack for, you may wish to outsource these |
| equipped with quite a few skills and capabilities and | | | | requirements (hire an outside graphic artist to work |
| sadly, few of these so-called experts are in fact fully | | | | on them) and use a Content Management System or |
| qualified to take on the title. Here then are some of | | | | CMS in the design of websites for you or your |
| the skills that you will need to be able to consider | | | | clients. Of course it would be best if you could do it |
| yourself an SEO expert. | | | | all yourself but let's face it, not everyone has the |
| HTML or Hypertext Markup Language has been | | | | knack for graphic arts and there is no shame in |
| around almost since the earliest incarnations of the | | | | asking someone else to do it for you. In fact, people |
| World Wide Web. In spite of its long and colorful | | | | who have no graphic skills whatsoever have put |
| history, and the relatively recent influx of graphically | | | | together many visually impressive web sites that |
| oriented web site design software, HTML is still quite | | | | feature stunning graphics. And of course graphics, |
| relevant today and a fairly extensive knowledge of it | | | | while making your website more attractive, do not |
| is a must for successful SEO. To have a better | | | | really serve a purpose as far as SEO goes so you |
| appreciation for the importance of HTML, you have | | | | may wish to do away with them altogether. |
| to realize that search engines primarily read the | | | | Search engines are one of your most important allies |
| source code of a particular web page. Therefore if | | | | when it comes to SEO-or it can be one of your most |
| you can fully optimize your web page at the source | | | | formidable enemies. It would be worth your while to |
| code level, you stand a considerably greater chance | | | | have a thorough knowledge of just how search |
| of ranking higher in search engine page results. A | | | | engines rank web pages. This knowledge is |
| good rule of thumb to gauge the qualification of your | | | | something that can only be developed by many |
| HTML skills is this: if you are able to produce | | | | hours of observation, testing and studying as well as |
| professional looking web sites using only a text based | | | | a comparison of the differences between major |
| editor (such as notepad) and you can type out HTML | | | | search engines and their ranking algorithms. In relation |
| code intuitively, without looking at your keyboard too | | | | to this, you will also need to know how to fill your |
| much, then it is safe to say that you are good | | | | web sites with relevant keywords that ensure the |
| enough at HTML to achieve effective SEO results. | | | | popularity and competitiveness of your web site. |
| CSS capability is another valuable skill to have in your | | | | One of the often-neglected aspects of SEO is |
| arsenal and while you need not be an expert in this | | | | content and good content is a direct result of good |
| area, developing a thorough knowledge of the basics | | | | writing. There is simply no way around this; you have |
| will come in quite handy. CSS related tasks that you | | | | to do whatever it takes to ensure that your web |
| can expect to encounter on a regular basis in the | | | | site hosts good, reliable content that your audiences |
| interests of SEO include transforming a JS menu into | | | | can find helpful, whether that means improving your |
| a CSS menu and styling the heading tags of your | | | | own writing skills or hiring someone else who has a |
| web pages. | | | | keen eye for the job. Remember, good writing |
| Web design and development is another area that | | | | results in good copy for your web site which will in |
| you will need to have considerable knowledge in. At | | | | turn result in baiting more links for you. |
| the very least you will you will need to be able to | | | | Link building is another area unto itself and you should |
| create a fully functional, professional looking web site | | | | explore the many strategies that will allow you to |
| all by yourself from start to finish. If graphics is an | | | | gather effective links, as good links are extremely |
| area in which you are deficient in or clearly have no | | | | vital for SEO. |