As marketing preferences continue to shift away from printing and print-based advertising the competition for traffic on the Internet continues to grow. With that shift we have seen a steady increase in concern for social media and search engine optimization over the past several years.
Its important for clients to understand that “organic seo” (as opposed to paid Internet advertising) is an ongoing process. Simply adding a blog to a new site will not in and of itself help your rankings and traffic unless you are posting original content on a frequent basis. The same holds true with putting up a Facebook fan page or Twitter account.
Other seo efforts also need to be ongoing for maximum effectiveness. This includes building “backlinks” to your website, contributing to blogs and forums and getting listed in all important directories.
Even as your site reaches top positions for specific keyword terms you should continue expanding your seo efforts to reinforce your rankings and stay a step ahead of your competition.
jweissberg Blog Articles Search Engine Optimization, SEO, Social Media
A URL is a “Uniform Resource Locator” often referred to as the “website address”. The URL specifies where specific Internet files are located, allowing the browser to graphically present that specific page.
Most websites built around a Content Management System or shopping cart will show some of the query code in the URL. It may contain scrambled letters and numbers, question marks and equal signs.
In comparison, a “clean URL” does not contain this query code and that makes the URL more search engine friendly. A clean URL is ideally named to contain key search words for more traffic. In addition, a clean URL looks like static content (like an .html page) to Google bringing more traffic than a dynamic page. Lastly, a clean URL is easier to type and read in search results pages.
Unclean URL: http://www.example.com/index.php?page=marketing/consulting
Clean URL: http://www.example.com/marketing/consultin
jweissberg Blog Articles CMS, Search Engine Optimization
Boosting your Page Rank (PR) is an organic way to improve your search engine results. Backlinks are the backbone of building a strong PR but can be challenging to obtain. Posting to directories and submitting articles does help for sure. However, many times the backlinks they give you have a tag called “nofollow” associated with them. This means that the search engines won’t give these links as much weight. Purchasing backlinks from a “backlink farm” does also work but the quality of the links are poor and they quickly fizzle-out. Then you find yourself buying more links to replace them. The PR of the backlinks matters more than the quantity of them. You can have 100,000 PR zero links and your page would still be a PR zero. However, you get one solid PR 7 (very hard to get) and you could very quickly become a PR 4.
As mentioned, it can be a challenging task that you may need to execute over an extended period of time. Having something unique and of value on your site is the best way to organically attract new traffic and backlinks. For a few examples, the ’sticky’ item may be informational, a promotional offer, or industry related tools, etc.
jweissberg Blog Articles Search Engine Optimization, Sticky Site Techniques
Before actually signing a contract and hiring a specific web design firm you are well advised to do some homework.
Most importantly, you should make decisions regarding the functionality and features you desire. Are there specific dynamic requirements that the site must have? For example, secure on-line shopping e-commerce, on-line testing, blog or forum, etc.
It’s helpful to research related sites. Find examples of your likes and dislikes. This will help you make decisions regarding your website needs and will assist in defining a realistic budget. It will enable web design firms to give you accurate quotes and proposals and for the chosen firm to move your site development in the right direction from the start.
In addition, you should give serious consideration to the Search Engine Optimization and marketing expertise of the company you choose. Many aspects of on-site SEO are more economical and efficient to do in tandem with your website design and development. When handled in synch decisions regarding site content and formatting will result in a site that is visually enticing to people as well as search engine friendly for maximum organic search engine traffic.
Lastly, if your website is going to be a marketing vehicle for your company or organization hire a firm that understands marketing communications to maximize your brand identity, develop a benefits oriented website and create a positive experience for visitors.
jweissberg Blog Articles Search Engine Optimization, Website Design
Search Engine Optimization – SEO – continues to be a dominant topic of discussion amongst webmasters and business people alike. The true story in this posting illustrates the importance of the topic.
Recently an ongoing client referral called our office to ask about our SEO (Search Engine Optimization) services. His website was already completed and posted by another web design company, but I was certainly open to helping with his SEO efforts to improve his site ranking and daily traffic.
After a quick scan of the site it was obvious that it was developed entirely in Flash. Now don’t get me wrong. I love Flash animation and we incorporate Flash banners into many of or client sites as well as our own site. But the thing is that search engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN, ASK, etc.) cannot read verbiage from Flash files. Therefore, despite all the content rich verbiage on his site it is of no help in his SEO efforts. Unfortunately, before we could assist in his on-site SEO keyword efforts we would have to circumvent this search engine impediment, by either building and posting a jQuery (JavaScript) keyword-rich background file for search engines to read, or converting the site to HTML/CSS so its content can be seen by search engines. Either way this would be an extra step and expense for the client beyond our usual SEO services.
So to answer the original post question, it’s never too early to incorporate SEO efforts into your site development. If you think of website design and development as building an automobile and On-Site SEO as labeling the auto parts, it should be obviously more efficient to do both activities at the same time. You certainly wouldn’t want to build the car first and then try to reach all the parts to label them. That duplication of efforts wastes both your time and money.
We recommend you start your Search Engine Optimization efforts early, and develop your site concept and keyword phrases simultaneously. Incorporate effective SEO techniques into your verbiage and content formatting as you design and build the website.
jweissberg Blog Articles Search Engine Optimization, SEO, Website Design
SoCal WebWorx announces the publication and availability of its latest white paper report – Top 10 Tips for Successful Website Design.
This free booklet covers website design and development from planning to post-launch search engine optimization.
Website planning issues cover topics from choosing the best platform for your needs to when to begin Search Engine Optimization. Attention is also given to planning and viewing considerations for hand held Internet browser devices.
Site content is also explored with considerations for marketing, Search Engine Optimization and inclusion of Sticky Features.
The principles of design are covered from color and page balance to viewer eye patterns and navigation button layout.
The final chapter addresses SEO tips to follow after your website is posted live. Advise is included regarding Google Analytics, search engine submissions, important Internet directories and back-link building.
To get your free copy, go to: http://www.socalwebworx.com/top-10-tips-for-successful-website-design.php
jweissberg Blog Articles Custom Website Design, Search Engine Optimization
A new website for Ley Drew fire, wind and water restoration was launched today by SoCal WebWorx. LeyDrew is a full-service restoration company in San Diemas, California, providing service for residential and commercial properties in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
SoCal WebWorx handled the website design, development and search engine optimization. Special features include an animated banner that quickly tells the client’s marketing message and an on-line service request form. Ley Drew requested a search engine friendly, modern looking, easy to navigate website to establish a significant Internet presence and perform as a customer service tool. SoCal WebWorx delivered on time, on budget and on target.
jweissberg Blog Articles Custom Website Design, Search Engine Optimization
The design and development of a new custom website can be an enormous effort for some clients, especially the process of pulling together the website assets and content. So its no surprise that when the site goes live many clients want nothing more than to be done and get back to their regular business tasks. Unfortunately, even after the website is completed and posted there are additional actions that can be taken to increase the website’s visibility on the Internet. And it is advisable to complete these tasks as soon as possible after launch for maximum benefits.
Following is a short list of the highest priority tasks for optimizing website traffic after your site has gone live.
- Install and configure Google Analytics. Google Analytics allows you to view in detail the Internet traffic coming to your website, its source URL’s, number of pages visited and duration of time before bouncing off site. The sooner you begin collecting this data the better you will be able to analyze your website traffic.
- Submit your completed website to the major search engines – Google, Yahoo, and MSN. Getting found on the Internet will be expedited by correctly notifying these major search engines that your website is posted live.
- Submit your website address (URL) to all relevant industry directories and major Internet directories including DMOZ and Yahoo. The respective links are: http://www.dmoz.org/add.html and https://ecom.yahoo.com/dir/submit/intro . Being listed in these directories will definitely contribute to your search engine optimization success.
- List your website on the Internet wherever appropriate. You can write and submit articles to relevant blogs and include your URL wherever permissible to create “back-links” to your website. Create a Facebook “Fan Page” for your business and use social networking directories such as Linkedin at http://www.linkedin.com to spread the word about you website.
In closing, remember that once you’ve got a great website make sure your potential clients and customers will find you in search engines by following the steps above. Organic (no-paid) search engine optimization is an ongoing effort that should ideally begin as soon as your new website is posted live.
drobertson Blog Articles Search Engine Optimization, Website Design
Once you’ve decided to move forward and design a new website one of your earliest considerations should be the website content. If you’ve only had a broad concept up to this point you’ll now need to get down to the specific details of what the site will contain.
One critical aspect of website content is the verbiage. Unfortunately, compiling effective wording to communicate your site message is often pushed aside as a trivial issue. Quite to the contrary, our experience shows that the website verbiage is of highly significant importance. There are two main considerations regarding the verbiage – Using effective marketing copy and Search Engine Optimization.
As for using effective marketing copy it is important to remember that visitors to your website will fundamentally want to know “what’s in it for them”. Make sure your verbiage is benefits oriented for the viewer and on target for your viewer audience. Keep your copy on track for your message. Use headlines and subheadings to lead the viewers’ eyes to the benefits of your product/service and ultimately to the call to action. Develop your verbiage and images / photos to work together for a cohesive, easy to understand, benefits oriented message.
Regarding search engine optimization, the correct verbiage can make or break your search engine rankings and in tern impact your traffic volume. Your page wording content needs to be original. Stealing verbiage from other websites can have a negative impact on your search engine results. Your page wording content needs to be of significant length to be most effective. Ask your SEO expert for the ideal web page word count. And your keywords and keyword phrases that the page is optimized for need to appear sufficiently in the wording. Your SEO expert should know this formula and be able to provide a ratio guideline for keyword usage. Further your keyword terms should also be repeated in headlines and sub-headlines that are properly designated as “h1″ and “h2″ headings in the page code. Make sure your web designer understands these principals and the correct number and percentages of key words for optimum webpage search engine friendliness.
By following these suggestions you will ensure that your website is marketing friendly to visitors and also friendly for high page rankings and traffic from search engines.
jweissberg Blog Articles Custom Website Design, Search Engine Optimization, Website Marketing
When planning for your new website or revamp of your existing website remember this Search Engine Optimization (SEO) axiom: It is never too early to think about SEO.
Consider this fact: search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN all return higher rankings for websites containing the search keywords in the domain name. As an example, if you have a pet grooming business it will be easier to optimize your website for “pet grooming” if these words are within your URL / domain name. If your business name is Bob Jones Pet Grooming, and new clients search for you using the keywords “pet grooming” you can see how your name (in this case “Bob Jones”) in the URL will not add any search traffic.
Another important consideration for getting a jump start on SEO is to not build your website completely with Adobe Flash. This is because search engines cannot read the content and verbiage within Flash files. For your Search engine Optimization efforts to be fruitful the search engines will need to see your keywords and keyword phrases used within the body of your webpage as HTML in addition to the ‘behind-the-scenes’ Meta Tags and ideally the URL. So feel free to use flash animation within your web banner or sidebar or body areas. Its great to take advantage of the visual impact Flash animation offers in conveying your marketing message. But remember to not build the full site with this software platform if your looking to generate organic search engine traffic to your website.
jweissberg Blog Articles Search Engine Optimization
