MSN Search Engine Optimization Techniques

MSN's Search Engine Beta algorithm has a group in common with Google's and Yahoo’s algorithms, but also includes several subtle yet important differences. Wayne Hulbert walks you through these differences, and explains what you need to do to create sure your website scores a great rank.

As everybody knows by now, the new MSN Search Engine has been launched in a beta format. The Microsoft owned search engine has generated much interest and argument among the general search using public and the search engine optimization (SEO) community.

As always, SEO professionals are eager to study the wants, requirements, and desires of the MSN Search algorithm. How to rank well in MSN Search is the leading inquiry of the day. Achieving high search engine rankings in MSN has a few similarities to the techniques already used in Google and Yahoo. As expected, the MSN algorithm has a few twists and turns for SEO professionals to navigate as well.

As with the new major search engines, MSN Search requires excellent relevant content, and class incoming links featuring keyword rich link anchor text. That said, there are a few differences and similarities with Yahoo and Google’s preferences. After all, all search engine algorithms, while related in many basic ways, are unique in their requirements in other areas of search optimization.

A new holistic optimization plan stressing most of the well known accepted SEO top practices techniques appears to be just what the doctor ordered for MSN. By taking an overall approach to MSN optimization, some of the unique MSN algorithm preferences will be taken into consideration, and steps taken to have them employed.

Perhaps the first and probably most important aspect of the MSN Search Beta is require for good keyword rich content. Relevance of theme and topic appears to be very important to MSN, as it is becoming for Google optimization. There are also additional considerations for levels of on page keyword density that differ somewhat from Google. On the other hand, MSN seems to strongly dislike keyword stuffing, and will drop a site’s ranking accordingly.

As expected, links are important to MSN, as they are main to Yahoo, and of course to the legendarily link obsessed Google algorithm. Maintaining your main keywords on the incoming and internal on site link anchor text is important. That link text definitely requires mixing and variation to appear as natural as possible when crawled by the MSN spider.

Clean coding is a must with MSN Search, as its spider has a strong preference for well written code. For non-programmers or website owners with low levels of coding skills, that necessity could become a problem. If a website’s code is poorly written, it appears that MSN Search downgrades the site’s search rankings heavily.

Like Yahoo, MSN Search seems to still place a few importances on Meta tags. Long fallen into disuse because of their lack of profit in Google, dusting off some meta tags appropriate for each page might be beneficial as well.