If you want to create a great web site, you need to appeal to two viewers: search engine spiders and potential customers. Your potential customers are of course the readers who visit your web site and read your content. They browse your images or flip through the pages of your web site looking for information. Search engine spiders are programs that will scour your web site looking for specific keywords. Based on these keywords, search engine spiders will determine how high up on search engine rankings your web site appears. In order for your company web site to be successful, you need to make sure that both search engine spiders and your customers find your web site appealing. Here’s how to tread a fine balance:

1) Create interesting content that is relevant and informative. Your customers are likely coming to your web site to learn something, so your best bet is to determine what they’re trying to learn and then to provide them with that information. For example, if your web site promises to teach people how to get Disney world discounts, you should have articles, guidelines, and tips that show customers exactly how to save serious money on their Disney World vacation. This information should be up-to-date and should reflect Disney World prices and saving strategies today, not ten years ago. Ideally, include information that is not easily available on other web sites.

2) Use the right keywords in the right density. In order to appeal to search engine spiders, your web site should include specific keywords in a specific density. This means that you should be using the same phrases that potential customers are using when they look up information about your topic online. You should also be using those keywords neither too frequently nor too sparsely. This can be very tricky, which is why you might want a hire a web design company to help walk you through the fine art of using keywords successfully.

3) Use images, tags, and headlines. Spiders cannot see images — unless you use headlines or tags for the images that you use. Therefore, you will want to use tags and headlines that use the keywords that are most important for your site. However, for your real-world users you want to include interesting and good images that attract them and are visually appealing. You can use stock image web sites or use the services of a professional photographer to get the right images for you.

4) Update often. Search engine spiders prioritize websites that have been recently updated. Plus, customers often like to see fresh, new information, especially if they visit your web site regularly. Add new tips, information, and useful articles regularly – once a day or once a week, depending on what you determine your customers need – and you will find you enjoy better traffic to your web site.