Recently, a reader asked if there was a standard for submitting a site to search engines, and while there is no such standard, I decided to talk to some experts to find out if there is a universal list of things not to do when submitting. The following suggestions were provided by Don Coggan, owner of frugalwebsites.com, which helps small businesses rank high in search engine placement, among other low-cost e-commerce services. Visit that or signpost.com for more information. 

Submitting Before You're Ready
It's tempting to jump the gun, and submit your page before it's ready, but if you do, you probably won't get as high of a rating. Make sure that your content is well thought out and matches the meta tags and keywords. 

Being Everything to Everyone
Because there are differences between search engines, some people spend a lot of time trying to appeal to each and every one. But, says Coggan, "It's better to spend the time making good quality, content-rich pages that will appeal to all search engines." 

Attempting to Outsmart the Engines
"Using false keywords, needless repetitions of words, or text that's colored the same as the background in an effort to trick the search engine's evaluation criteria is not only time wasting," says Coggan, "it could get you banned from the directory." 

Treating Them as Opponents
Instead of thinking of search engines as the enemy, think of them as your business partner. What can you do to ensure that your submission will make their job easier, and benefit both of your businesses? 

Expecting Too Much
Remember, says Mr. Coggan, "For every order, you might need ten inquiries. For every inquiry, you might need 100 visitors. That makes one order per 1000 visitors." Don't expect search engines to generate all of your traffic. 

Attracting the Wrong People
"If your page content and meta tag coding is improperly done," says Coggan, "you might be getting a lot of visitors, but they might not be interested in your products or services." The goal isn't to attract a lot of visitors, it's to attract a lot of buyers. 

Underestimating the Effort
Search engine placement is a long process that should be well thought out and planned. Don't fall prey to the ads that promise quick and cheap solutions. 

Not Getting Help
By definition, an entrepreneur usually wants to do everything themselves, but search engine placement is a crucial part of your Web site's potential success, and should be handled by an experienced professional who knows the market, and is capable of providing ongoing and competent service. 

Expecting Immediate Results
"After you register with them, the search engines will index your pages anywhere from a day later to never," according to Coggan. "And the rules are always changing." You should check on a consistent basis--say every two to three weeks-- until your site has been indexed. Coggan also recommends following up with the search engines by e-mail, or even a phone call. 

Forgetting Pareto's Law
Coggan wants you to remember that 20 percent of the effort gets you 80 percent of the results. "Once you've indexed with Yahoo and the other major search engines," he says, "any further effort has diminishing returns." He suggests doing the important things first, and then tackling other activities on a regular basis. 

Remember, search engine placement is only the first step in building your site, but an important one. And just because there isn't a standard for what you should do, you'll be ahead of the game if you follow these suggestions for what you shouldn't do.