Navigation
The basic principle is: Visitors should be able to see where they need to go on every single page. A consistent navigation model through the entire site will help your visitors know where they are, relative to the entire site. Many content management systems, such as WordPress, Drupal or Magento (eCommerce) make it easy to find your way around a site by including consistent top, site and footer navigation.

Breadcrumbs
It’s very common in a large website for visitors to get lost and confused. A best practice, that helps them to know exactly where they are, is to include breadcrumbs, small links at the top of the page that displays the file hierarchy. It works especially well on eCommerce sites, where visitors are likely to drill down from the homepage to a category, sub-category, brand and product name. Breadcrumbs make it easy for customers to quickly back up a level and back-track to previous pages. Combined with a consistent navigation model, visitors will feel more comfortable as they spend time on your site.

Site Maps
An on-page HTML site map makes it easy for users to find their desired page. The link to the site map is best located in the universal footer, allowing visitors to access it on any page.

Two types of site maps are required to fully optimize your website. One is for users, and the other for search engines. We will take a look at each.

Physical Site Map:
In the footer of most websites, especially large sites, a site map link can be found. When clicked, the visitor sees an organized list of all the major sections within the site, including sub-pages. Each link goes directly to a specific page, making it easy for users to quickly find an area or page. Search engines realize how a site map aids users and appreciates when webmasters include them, and includes it as a positive factor in ranking your site. Also, it shows search engines exactly how your site is organized, making it easier for them to index the correct pages under the appropriate terms.

XML Site Map:
An XML site map file makes it easier for search engines to identify all the pages on your site. It consists of a single XML file, that the end user never sees, that can be submitted through your Google Webmaster account, directly to Google. The creation of this file is also a good way to let Google know exactly which URL you prefer as the canonical version.

Gravitate Online creates and updates your XML site map file in your root directory, assuring your site optimal organization within Google’s indexing database.

Keyword Links
Throughout your site’s content, it is helpful for users to link certain words to internal or external pages, that include additional information. It improves the user experience, and helps search engines get an idea what keywords are the most important on a page.

If the search engine robots see the phrase “Used Cell Phone” in the text of your homepage, they know that your site is about used cell phones. But, if they see the phrase “Used Cell Phone” on your homepage, and it is hyperlinked to a deeper site page, or an external page, then they anticipate that the phrase is even more important, otherwise, you wouldn’t bother hyperlinking it to further information. So, when we add hyperlinks to important phrases, we are raising our hand and saying, “Hey Google, this phrase is more important than others on this page!”.

Like all other optimizing techniques, this must be done with the site visitors in mind. If we try and game the system by over linking phrases, then Google will pick up on this and penalize our site. It must be done carefully, and with actual customers in mind. Gravitate Online specializes in making the page user friendly, while linking important and relevant phrases to internal and external pages.

Good Hyperlink Practice: Wikipedia is a great example of natural and useful hyperlinking of key phrases.