Getting back in the game - new SEO recs?

Hi all - long time vbseo guy here with sitemap too, but total newbie to SEO.

I've spent the last few years building up my site from the server up and have had not made time for SEO. In spite of this, my site is doing well with organic leads - pulling 113k uniques last month and 72 million hits.

With the other pieces in place, it is time for me to focus on SEO. So the first thing I have done is come here.

The sticky on SEO here is from 2005. Any new links out there for a newbie? Can someone point me to a thread on the fundamentals of using vbseo well too?

I am excited to use this product to its full potential.

Thanks in advance!

caliman

Not too much has changed since that sticky. The basics/core issues around seo are still pretty much the same. Good content, 1 url, fast loading sites always do the best.

Thanks Brian - good to see you here still.
I spent hours today on webmasterworld. Still good stuff there.

I have been trying to clean up my HTML to validate.

My site had XHMTL strict doctype with a ton of errors. I changed to HTML 4.0 transitional and now have 1/3 the errors. However - I wonder if I am shooting myself here? Any problems in changing my doctype that you know of?

caliman

Doctype doesn't matter much for seo. You can make your own doc type that allows errors if you want. Fact is, the markup is still crap and should be changed

Ha good to know from that end. What worries me is browser rendering going from strict to transitional. I have a complicated layout with skins, etc.. anyway, a bit off topic.

strict with the best valid markup will always be the most reliable cross-browser and should be considered a 1st troubleshooting step to any differences issues. Start with a valid code base.

Thanks Brian - I have cleaned up my site for XHTML strict.
I came back today to look up that 2005 thread and now I can't find it. (looking for the one with the top 10 things you should do when setting up - one was to change welcome message to an image map)
I wanted to do the tips there. Can you post the link?

THanks!

matt

I'm not sure which thread you're referring to.

Frankly, i don't recommend welcome headers at all.

Well I found the one about changing to an image map - and I've done that on all but my homepage - ironically the thread about seo recs from 2005 (the reason I started this thread) is what I am looking for now - it appears to not be stuck any more?

It had about 10 recs for someone starting out with vbseo

Ah... I believe I was looking for this Brian:
Your Site Review - Stuff to Do First