A search engine spider “crawls” the Web in search of website updates. These robots are Google’s and other search engines’ way of staying current with the myriad of changes that take place on the Web 24/7. They troll the Web in a methodical and automated manner to keep tabs on what’s happening and adjust their search engine rankings accordingly.

So, what does this mean for your website?

You want the spiders to come to your site, and for them to come often. As you make changes and improvements to your website – such as adding new content or implementing keyword-rich meta tags – you want the search engines to take note and increase your rankings accordingly.

Since the spiders don’t have a set schedule for visiting and indexing sites, there are a few things you can do to ensure that they will visit your website on a regular basis:

Update your website often: Spiders tend to visit sites that update their content more frequently, since they can count on there being new information that will be helpful in updating their index of websites. If you aren’t currently updating your website on a regular basis, you may wish to consider keeping a blog or perhaps periodically writing industry-related articles or press releases.

Create a portfolio of great links: In addition to your on-page content, spiders also want to know what other websites are saying about your website. Inbound links, external links that point to your website, play a very important role in search engine rankings. If the spiders consistently see that your site is receiving quality inbound links, they will index this information and adjust your rankings accordingly.

Submit your site map to the search engines: If your website is new or you are undergoing a major redesign, submitting your website and XML sitemap for inclusion can be an effective way to gain the attention of a search engine crawler. A site map will help the spiders navigate your website and ensure that all of your internal pages get indexed.

Make sure the spiders can “read” your content: Spiders can only read text, which means most images and Flash content gets overlooked. Use text whenever possible, especially for important keywords, links and products. Spiders also like to see lots of content (at least 250 words per page) so be sure to talk up your products, services and more.

Above all, one of the best things you can do to attract crawlers is to have an organized and easy-to-crawl website that is optimized for search engines. Want to learn more? Contact Web.com Search Agency at 1-877-Rank-321.