MSN Optimisation Tips

[hirenseo]

MSN Optimisation Tips | MSN Ranking Factors

MSN has a relatively different ranking algorithm than Google. The most important factor for MSN listings is content and how it is marked up. Whether that content is on the page, off the page, or entirely off the site, care must be taken to ensure that content quality is maximized. The MSN algorithm values content very highly, and even allows for heavier than Google permissible levels of keyword density.

Follow the points given below while optimizing for MSN: Make certain that each page has unique title tags related to the most important keywords on the page.

Page URLs should be static html, preferably containing a keyword, or even two keywords. Dynamic URLs are less likely to be indexed in MSN, so they are best avoided. That situation could change, however, as the MSN search engine evolves past the beta stage, and its algorithm becomes more diversified. In that event, dynamic URLs would then be effectively indexed. In the meantime, static html URLs are a far better option.

As with Yahoo!, the MSN algorithm appears to place some solid weight on the use of meta tags. To take full advantage of meta tag use, be sure to have some unique meta tags for every page. Do not use the same meta tags for all of your web pages.

Keyword density on the page, with MSN apparently preferring smaller word counts, can be slightly higher than in Google. Like Yahoo’s algorithm, MSN is usually more tolerant of somewhat higher keyword densities.

Clean coding is a must with MSN Search, since its spider has a strong preference for well written code. If a website’s coding is poorly written, it appears as if MSN Search downgrades the site’s search rankings heavily. Be sure to run the Web pages through a validation program to ensure the code is properly written. Double check that all html tags are closed, for example. The MSN guidelines indicate that proper coding is a factor in their algorithm, as it is for all search engines. While correct code is important, it’s highly unlikely to result in dramatically lower rankings if there are a few coding problems. Of course, in some highly competitive keyword searches, invalid code could be a major deciding factor. Check the code with a validator to make sure it’s all correct.

Links from external websites are very important to MSN Search, as they are famously valuable for Google’s algorithm. Not only quantity of links counts for MSN, but quality is important as well. Links should be from theme relevant sites, since MSN is working with context weighted calculation. In effect, sticking to sites that offer a related theme and similar topics will pay strong dividends.

MSN Search formerly had an agreement with the Zeal/Looksmart Internet directories to provide their results. While that formal agreement is no longer in place, MSN continues to maintain a less formal arrangement with the directories. Instead of displaying the directory listings on a regular basis, MSN Search is able to utilize the directory listings at its discretion. In other words, the Zeal/Looksmart directory listings may be part of any search results; or they might not.

So concentrate on the Keyword based content while developing the content and back links MSN Search will reward that with strong SE Rankings.

Hiren Ponkia
Search Engine Specialist
India
Ponkia.hiren@gmail.com

[Stickster]

All the people I chat to say that MSN is easy to rank high in, they say just aim for google high rankings and msn will come any way, is this true?

[hirenseo]

First of all MSN has a relatively different ranking algorithm than Google.

If you have good keyword rich content and enough backlinks than it's easy to rank high in MSN. MSN also like fresh content.

and now your question.....rank high in MSN is very easy compair to G !.

[Stickster]

Thank you

[khunvi]

Thank you for sharing the optimization tips for MSN. Maybe it can serve as my alternative choice when I search or look for some information.

[Addicted~!]

thatz cool.. i will just try all those things out... but i am already indexed in msn

[Chilipeppers]

Another tip for MSN, anchor text on incoming links is important. I got a blank page (no content) onto page 2 of MSN results for a particular term purely by getting loads of links to the page with the search term as the anchor text. The reason the page is blank is the site is under construction but it's still up there in the results.

[eric]

thank you hirenseo for such a valuable SEO information, can you please post the same for google too?

[modric]

Can someone describe these two terms from above article:
static and dynamic URL (what makes an URL static or dynamic)
AND
..."to place a weight on meta tags"...Is this weight a specific term or just have meaning of "statistic importance"?