While there are many companies who are happy to"?optimize your"?site (for a fee, of course...that's a topic for another article), there are some basic things you can"?do"?on your own to improve your ranking.

First, lets start with the basics."? Search engine placement in the unpaid area is called "organic" placement."? To avoid people cornering the market (so-to-speak) on a particular search term, most search engines change their alogrithms about every six months."? That said, using tips and tricks to get to the top of the list is futile and costly."? You might make it to the top for a few months but then you tank the next month...and if your methods were deemed devious by the search engines, you can be de-listed all together."? You are better off to play it safe by offering content that best fits the search terms your target audience is likely to use to find you.

Here are a few things the search engines look for:

1. Relevant Content
   Approach this by thoroughly explaining what the user should expect to find on the page they are looking at and/or do a great job of explaining the topic. Be thorough but not verbose."?The important"?thing is to use words and terms they are likely to use to search Google or Yahoo."? If you intend to show them houses in a certain neighborhood, then list that specific neighborhood in your description. If you want to tell them about how to prepare their home for sale, first tell them what the article is by summarizing it, then go into detail. Otherwise, the search engines have no idea about your site's relevance to the user's search terms."? The idea is to somehow naturally use certain key terms that describe your services a number of times on your website which tells the search engine what your sites primary"?focus is.
2. Your affiliations -- Who You Link to and Who Links to You
   Another major factor is your network of relationships."? Your site is ranked based on who you know, who knows you, and how relevant their content is to yours."? The bigger the site that you link to (and that links back to you) the better it makes you look."? Adding a series of small sites (through a link farm, etc) or irrelevant sites actually takes your score down and works against you."? Think of companies that get good ranking like Obeo, your website developer, Realtor.com, your real estate franchise, the local newspaper and such and add those to your site."? They are likely to already have a link to at least one of your sites through your use of their services -- and they have relevant real estate content."? However many agents forget to send them their other websites for additional ranking (or ever add one in the first place) so be sure to take advantage of those resources."?
3. Fresh Content (as in Updated Regularly)
   You must, must update the materials on your site regularly so it's always relevant."? Not everything--just make some changes."? Add new content, get a blog feed to your site or anything to show regular activity on your site. The search engines ignore sites that haven't had any modifications in a while ' thankfully.
4. Knowledge of Your Site
   If you left your site alone, the search engines will eventually find you but to get ranked quickly, go out and sign up for Google Adwords, spend one dollar to run an ad. They will automatically spider your site so they can get that dollar from you, and you get instant registration."? (Disclaimer: Google denies that this works, but it worked for us.)"? Otherwise, register your site with"?the search engines, which you can easily do yourself with the resources"?on their sites."? Remember, they want to be the leading resource for consumers, so it's in their best interest to include your site."?
5. Text to Describe Your Site
   Be sure to use text on your site rather than words embedded in images such as buttons or flashing pictures because the search engines cannot read images ' they only read text. So, sites build entirely in flash cannot be read or ranked."? Some agrue that you can beat the system with metatags and hidden text boxes, but there is no guarantee of how the search engines will recognize them"?and whether the newest update to their"?alogrithms will kick it out.'When you're talking about a whole website, it's not worth the risk --"?add"?text.

For more information and insight (including what not to do) visit Google's webmaster guidelines. It's not too technical and can really help you stay focused."? Whatever you do, just don't obsess about it."? It's not possible for every agent to be listed on the first page of the search results ' especially when there are 1.5 million agents vying for the same top ranking."?

Contributed"?by"?Michele Routh-Combs,"?part of Verl Workman's team at Pinnacle Quest Consulting.