If you’re going to maintain a website with the best search engine optimization possible, you will have to be familiar with “Heuristics”. This is simply a term for recognizing a pattern and being able to solve a problem or come to a conclusion quickly and efficiently by consulting what you already know about that particular pattern.

In other words, using heuristics is a way to solve a problem, although it’s not always the most accurate way. Heuristics are important in search engine optimization because they allow for variations in the way that users search for a particular keyword or key phrase. Because a combination of factors must come together to create a ranking for your website, heuristics make it possible for some, but not all, of those factors to be present.

Think of it as a rule of thumb. Heuristics provides a working guideline by which a search term is ranked. However, it’s important to remember that rankings are achieved through a complex combination of factors, not all of which are completely predictable. So, these guidelines are just that - but they help you set a standard for how you plan to use keywords.

Heuristics for website usability were first established by Jacob Nielsen in 1990. At the time, he developed a list of ten items that when included in website design would make the site more usable for individuals. In 1994, Nielsen updated that list of heuristics so that it now includes the following items:

• Visibility of system status: This principle says that the user should always know what’s going on through feedback from the system that’s provided in a timely manner.

• Match between the system and the real world: According to this, the system should speak the user’s language. This means that keywords, phrases, and concepts should be used in a way that is familiar to the user and not be just technical or marketing buzzwords.

• User control and freedom: This principle says that users often mistakenly make choices they don’t really want. For that reason, it’s essential to have the ability to undo or redo an action. A good example of this is having back and forward buttons in a web browser.

• Consistency and standards: Each time users click a button or see a word, they should not have to wonder what that action or word means. Consistency and standards apply to both languages and actions, and should be predictable across the Internet.

• Error prevention: Users are frustrated by errors. Therefore, you should design your site with the prevention of errors in mind. However, if there is a place where users might encounter an error, using a confirmation system is recommended.

• Recognition rather than recall: Don’t make users remember things from one screen or dialog to another. Instead, create your pages with clearly visible instructions, actions, and objects. If you must create an element that requires additional instructions, make those instructions easy to access and clearly mark them as instructions.

• Flexibility and efficiency of use: This principle applies to both novice users and experienced users of your site. According to this rule, your site should apply to both groups of users by providing customizable actions.

• Aesthetic and minimalist design: Remember the adage KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid)? Well, your users may not be stupid, but they still want you to keep your site as simple as possible. If your products, services, or information are complicated to locate, you’ll lose site visitors very quickly. They’ll go to a site where it’s easy to find what they’re looking for.

• Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors: Users want error messages that help them navigate through and correct the error as quickly as possible. Make sure that error messages aren’t cryptic, and provide clear, easy-to-follow instructions.

• Help and documentation: It’s always best not to have to refer users to help and documentation files. But there are some instances when you must. If that’s the case for your site, be sure your help and documentation files are easy to navigate and written in a clear, understandable language.

Of course, most of these heuristics apply more specifically to website design and less specifically to keywords and SEO. However, because SEO really should be part of overall site usability, these are important principles to keep in mind when you’re designing your website and implementing your keyword strategies. As mentioned previously, don’t design your website for SEO. Instead, build it for users, with SEO as an added strategy for gaining exposure. Always keep the user in mind first, though. Because if users won’t come to your site, or won’t stay on your site once they’re there, there’s no point in all the SEO efforts you’re putting into it.

Tags: Choosing Keywords, Heuristics, Keyword Anlaysis, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, SEM, SEO, SEO Tips

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 25th, 2010 at 1:05 am and is filed under Daily SEO Tips, SEM, SEO. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.