Ultimate MSN Live Search Optimization Techniques

MSN's Live Search algorithm has much in common with Google and Yahoo search engine algorithms. Yet the significant subtle differences make optimizing for MSN Live unique. Most of you know by now, MSN Live search has replaced the MSN Search Engine. The Microsoft owned search engine has generated massive interest lately and many discussions among the search engine optimization (SEO) community. Not to mention the onslaught of new Microsoft Live search users eager to try it out.

As always, SEO professionals are atempting to discover the wants, needs, and desires of the new MSN Live search crawler. The massive change in the SERP (search engine result position/search engine results pages) algorithm is causeing quite a stir. How to rank well on MSN Live search is the leading question of the day. Achieving high search engine rankings on MSN Live has some similarities to techniques used for Alexa Google and Yahoo. The new MSN Live algorithm has twists from the norm search optimisation professionals must navigate as well.

Like most major search engines, MSN Live search wants relevant content, and quality incoming links with matching keyword anchor text. As you would expect, there are both differences and similarities to Yahoo and Google’s preferences. All search engine algorithms, while similar on basic levels, is unique with requirements in areas of search optimization.

The first and most important aspect of MSN Live Search is good keyword rich content. Relevance of theme and topic is very important to MSN, just as it is for Google optimization. There additional considerations for page keyword density that differ from Google. MSN Live strongly dislikes keyword stuffing, and will drop a website’s ranking for this. Links are important with MSN Live, as with Yahoo, and the link obsessed Google algorithm. Relevant keywords on both incoming links and internal site link anchor text is important. This requires variations of wording to get a natural as possible look for the MSNbot (the Live search crawler).

Clean coding is a must as its spider prefers well written code. Ifyou have a low level of coding skill, this could become a problem. As a website with poorly written code downgrades the site’s search ranking heavily.As with Yahoo, MSN Live search places some importance in meta tags. Placing some appropriate meta tags for each page is beneficial as well. Run the Web pages through a validation program to ensure proper coding.

MSN Live search puts heavy emphasis on content. Whether that content is on page, off page, or an entirely different site. You must ensure that content quality is maximized and consistent. The MSN Live algorithm values original content very highly, it even allows heavier than Google permissible levels of keyword density. MSN Live search is a content oriented websites new best friend. Due to the benefits to a site as a direct result of keyword rich content, it’s your best place to start most optimization efforts. Content not only provides immediate value in search engine results pages (SERPs), but over the longer term also in the form of incoming natural links. One sure way to gain incoming links is by providing useable original content. Not only does good content add links, but it provides the important keyword phrases in a search engine friendly form.

Make certain that each page has unique title tags with the most important keywords for page. Use the title tag in the meta tags as well, to create uniform page content. URLs should be static html, containing a keyword, or even two keywords. Dynamic URLs are less likely to be indexed so they should be avoided. This situation however, as MSN Live search engine evolves, is changing as its algorithm becomes more reactive. Dynamic URLs are just starting to be effectively indexed. Currently static URLs are a much better option.

Keyword density on page can be slightly higher than in Google. Like Yahoo’s algorithm, MSN Live is more tolerant of higher keyword densities. Caution must be taken, as keyword stuffing will result in lower search engine ranking.

Keep the page consistent and relevant, and make certain that all pages are linked together. Orphan pages are less likely to be indexed, resulting in a loss of content. Orphan pages waste valuable opportunities to link with good anchor text benefiting other Web pages.

As with all of the search engines, there are subtle differences in the values awarded to the various types of links. It’s important to remember the different algorithms provide different weights for links from other sites and Web pages, links within the site itself, and numbers of links from a site including site wide links. MSN Search is no different, and includes its own special link value biases.

Internal links are very important with MSN live search. Make sure to link extensively thrughout site, with keyword rich link anchor text related to the content of the page. While Google might only give full link credit to one internal link, MSN Live is much more generous in that regard.

Ultimate MSN Live Optimization Continued on next page

Mich De L'Orme , Web 2.0 Developer, Global Information Free Group