Search engine optimization for fpo

JR: I have looked a bit into this now and one of the most important things
seems to be to optimize the website for the most important keywords
(which you have listed). This basically means that we should use the
keywords as much as we can on all the web pages on fpo. It is also
important where the keywords are listed in a page. In the page title,
in the heading, or in the first few sentences of a page, preferably in
the beginning of the first sentence. However, the same main keyword
should also be used a few times throughout the pages.

Another important thing is to create a sitemap file to help search
engines indexing the website. Google offers Google Webmaster Tools,
where such a sitemap file can be submitted. There is also a script
available to generate the sitemap file. I can try to do that.

Having a large number of backlinks is also important. Maybe adding
(more) info on sites like pypi, ohloh.net, freshmeat.net, ostatic.com
and softopedia.com, can increase the number of backlinks.

The following video suggests adding a link to the website on digg.com
and mixx.com, and ping it on sites like autopinger.com to increase the
search engine ranking:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIh3rIMxpuA

However, we should be careful not to use "black hat" search engine
optimization, as Google seems to hate any attempt to manipulate their
ranking algorithms.

Here is Google's own search engine optimization guide, which I haven't
read thoroughly yet:

  http://static.googleusercontent.com/external_content/untrusted_dlcp/www.google.com/en//webmasters/docs/search-engine-optimization-starter-guide.pdf

Some other references:

  http://www.wikihow.com/Optimize-Your-Website
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_engine_optimization
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backlinks

HN: Additionally, off the top of my head:

0. The sitemap should also be sent to other search engines, e.g. bing.

1. Authors should be encouraged to link to fpo from their home pages /
their institute's web pages (using relevant keywords). e.g., if a high
pagerank page on some uni links to fpo, that will do a lot.

2. An entry in http://www.dmoz.org/ is valuable.

3. Around the time 1.0 is released, someone should write a good entry
for slashdot. If it makes front page, having an army of technical people
seeing it can help a lot in terms of the project (and hence the site's)
popularity.

4. The site should be optimized for speed, which figures in Google's
pagerank algorithm.

5. +1, "Like", etc. links should be added to the site, and specific
pages on the site.

I can help with each of these.