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This Month's Question
Q: Isn't
SEO just changing the meta tags on my website?
A: I
wish!
Meta tags are part of the coding of a website (in case you didn't know) and the major search
engines don't put much stock into them anymore (except for the title meta tag). The reason being
that it's too easy to manipulate the meta tags. So, search engines, in their quest to give their
viewers the best possible websites for their searches, have greatly reduced the amount of credibility
they placed on meta tags.
Following is a simple synopsis of what search engines DO look for, thus constituting what SEO
really is...
1)
Keyword phrases within the body of text of a website page.
2)
ALT tags including keyword phrases.
3)
Incoming links rich in anchor text coding.
4)
Bold and/or italicized keyword phrases throughout the text.
5)
One basic theme throughout the website with each page focusing on a sub-theme.
6)
Interlinking between pages within the website.
7)
250 words or more per website page.
8)
Original content throughout the website.
9)
Continuously changing content throughout the website.
10)
Incoming links from respectable and Like-Themed websites. In other words, if your website
sells shoes, don't request a link from a car mechanic's website! The two themes don't
compliment each other.
11)
Visible contact information on website pages. This is GREAT for local search engines.
12)
Keyword placement. There are certain places on each website page that keyword phrases
should be located.
13)
Keyword density. You want to have the right percentage of your total words on a website
page to be the keyword phrase. Too little, and the search engine may decide the page is
not about that keyword phrase. Too much and the search engine may decide the page is trying
to spam the engine.
14)
Clean, validated website coding. Many web designers don't realize how important this
really is.
15)
Pages should load quickly. If there are too many graphics or the graphics aren't optimized,
the page may load slowly.
16)
Age and length of domain name registration. Google especially looks at this. If a domain
name is newly registered, it can take up to a year for Google to recognize the website
as a "true business". If the domain name is registered for only 1 year, Google
can decide to give it a very low rating, therefore making it extremely difficult to gain
rankings in the search engine.
17)
Incomplete pages are an absolute NO-NO! Don't add a page to your website with a statement
like "More Information Coming Soon!". Leave the page out completely until it's
done and then add it to the website.
18)
Readibility. To search engines that is. There are certain styles of website design that
are extremely difficult for search engines to read. Two of these are Frames and Flash.
Websites created in Frames or Flash are very difficult for search engines and if you're
truly serious about marketing your website, avoid these two design styles like the plague!
Following are some resources that I can
personally recommend!
Esther C. Kane
Eckweb Designs, Inc.
The Long Tail is a marketing concept
that I've been following for many years. The basic concept, as it applies to Internet Marketing
is to create pages on websites targeting keyword phrases that may not be as popular as other phrases.
In other words, if your website has 10 pages marketing "not so popular" keyword phrases
then it'll get into the top 10 of the search engines and bring in more traffic than if you tried
to market 1 page for a very popular keyword phrase. It's a very successful concept, one that I've
used over and over again!
AdSense Code is a great book (with a
cute take from the DaVinci Code) about using AdSense. It's a great way to generate passive income.
If you're not familiar with Adsense, this book may help you begin to understand the impact it
can have. Frankly, I don't understand why anyone would NOT use Adsense.
Waiting For Your Cat To Bark is another
one of my favorites. It's all about how to Convert visitors into customers. And not just for websites,
either. It's a great and easy read.
Don't Make Me Think is a great book
for anyone who thinks they can design a website. It's got some great tips and ideas on how websites
can be more more "user friendly" which in turn increases conversions!
Do you have an article
that you would like
to share with us?
One of the BEST ways to market your web site is to show the Internet audience that you
KNOW your stuff!
If you would like to write an article about any of the following topics and submit it to our Newsletter,
we would love to review it for inclusion in future issues.
Our topics of interest are...
Marketing (General)
Internet Marketing
Small Business Issues
Web Design
Web Hosting
Web site Programming
I want to take a moment to wish everyone a very Happy Holiday Season!
This year has certainly been an amazing growth experience for me and for so many of my clients.
I know that when I complain about having so much work to do I'm often told that "it's a good
complaint". And I agree, I'm very grateful that business is doing so well but at the same time,
I still have to learn to figure out how to handle it all!
Hiring employees has been a great reliever and purchasing new software that does some of the work
has also been great (until they break down that is!), but still, it's never enough. I am at this
moment, writing this editorial for the newsletter and my "VIP Simple To Do List" software
is showcasing 84 different "things to do", several that were due last month!
I know many of you are small business owners, so tell me, how do you do it?
Do you hire even more employees?
Do you raise your fees?
Do you just stop taking work for awhile?
I'd love to start 2007 with a more streamlined plan of how to keep up with the increasing workload!
It won't just keep me happy but it'll keep my clients happy! I don't think it's fair that they wait
to have things done! I know that!!
So, share any tips you have with me. I'd love to hear them! And I would truly appreciate them!
Polls are a GREAT way to get to know your target audience!
Polldaddy.com offers you FREE Polls to
place on your websites or emails!
Take our poll and you'll see how it works!
Search Engine Optimization
Tips on Making A Website
Flow - Using Site Architecture
by Esther C. Kane
For anyone who hasn't heard the term, Site Architecture yet, let me explain what
it is.
Site Architecture is basically the act (or science) of creating a "Map" of the pages in
the website and how they are connected. Not just physically connected (by links) but also connected
by a theme or purpose.
The best way I know how to do this may seem very simple to you but it really works.
I use index cards. I like index cards (vs. trying to layout a map on paper) because I can shuffle
the cards around as much as I like. If I try to do all that shuffling on paper, I would just end
up with a huge mess and illegible handwriting!
So, let's go through the process of using Site Architecture on a website re-design.
1) Take one index card and write the name of one page from the website (i.e., index.html)
2 ) Repeat the process for each page on the website.
4 ) For this website, the index cards that I have are...
Page
Card 1
index.htm
Card 2
about.htm
Card 3
catalogue.htm
Card 4
custom.htm
Card 5
gift.htm
Card 6
policies.htm
Card 7
contact.asp
Card 8
handmade-diaper-bags.htm
Card 9
shopping-cart-handle.htm
Card 10
hooded-bath-towels.htm
Card 11
baby-washcloths.htm
Card 12
custom-bibs.htm
Card 13
personalized-burp-cloths.htm
Card 14
full-size-duvet-covers.htm
Card 15
toddler-pants.htm
Card 16
personalized-baby-blankets.htm
Card 17
secure-shopping.htm
Card 18
return-policy.htm
5 ) And the way they would end up (on my table top) would be...
Card 1 - index.htm
Card 2 - about.htm
Card 4 - custom.htm
Card 5 - gift.htm
Card 7 - contact.htm
Card 6 - policies
Card 17 - secure-shopping.htm
Card 18 - return-policy.htm
Card 3 - catalogue.htm
Card 8 - handmade-diaper-bags.htm
Card 9- shopping-cart-handle.htm
Card 10 - hooded-bath-towels.htm
Card 11 - baby-washcloths.htm
Card 12 - custom-bibs.htm
Card 13 - personalized-burp-cloths.htm
Card 14 - full-size-duvet-covers.htm
Card 15 - toddler-pants.htm
Card 16 - personalized-baby-blankets.htm
For this website, there are basically three main sets of categories.
Category One - the information about the company.
Category Two - the policies held by the company
Category Three - the products the company sells
Laying out the website using Site Architecture helps you to map out what may be missing and also
helps you to create the sitemap.
One tip I can tell you is to create your site architecture AFTER the keyword research. Why? Because
the keyword research (performed by any SEO firm) will give you the all important bits of information
on what the target audience is looking for.
Online and Offline Marketing
Tips
Not Your Usual
Marketing Tips
Not Your Usual Marketing Tips
Vol. 4, No. 12
December 5, 2006
“Publish or perish.” That’s the mantra in post-graduate academia. To be taken
seriously as a scholar, one needs to write a paper and have it published in some scholarly publication.
Well, it’s really not all that much different once you get out into the business world of
the entrepreneur.
Welcome to the concluding chapter of Volume IV’s Not Your Usual Marketing Tips from JDK Marketing
Communications Management.
I had a nice chat with “sales growth” guru Bob Janet (www.bobjanet.com) this past weekend.
After Bob graciously assigned me a cartoon gig (see Vo. 4, No. 11, http://www.jdkmarketing.biz/not_your_usual_marketing_tips.htm),
he talked up the benefits of having his many articles on sales growth and marketing picked up by
various publications representing a potpourri of industries. And how his speaking engagements have
increased due to the cachet and presumed expertise – certainly earned in his case –
that accompany one’s byline in a commercially or professionally established publication.
Other folks I know who are published – regularly, and that’s key – include Harvey
Smith (www.carolinabusinesscoach.com)
periodically in The Charlotte Observer; business trainer and hiring consultant Denise Altman (www.altmaninitiative.com)
in Greater Charlotte Biz; IT marketing “maven” Sally Phillips (www.mariner-usa.com)
who skirts around the literal definition of “publishing” by appearing, vocally, on Charlotte’s
local NPR station, WFAE-90.7 FM, with personal essays and observations; PR pro Patricia Pollack
(www.myteamofexperts.com) with an ongoing
column in The Business Journal; and web marketing SEO queen Esther Kane (www.eckweb.com),
who offers her professional musings in a blog, along with her monthly newsletter.
Yours truly has this “e-zine” run concurrently on Esther’s website and also in
Charlotte entrepreneur and business diversity champion Carl White’s website (www.lifeincharlotte.com)
and in his soon-to-be published magazine.
When you write what you know, it translates to readers that you know what you write. That’s
a glib way of saying there is a built-in respectability that comes with the distinction of having
your words “archived” in a forum presented for public review. It doesn’t necessarily
mean that you have to have a degree in journalism, either. (To my knowledge, the only one of the
individuals I’ve noted who do have such a degree is…me.)
If you can get your knowledge down in a reasonably syntax-friendly way, you can write for the media.
(And if you can’t or prefer not to tempt the grammar gods, there are professionals who can
“ghost write” for you. Such as, again…yours truly.)
Getting selected media to accept your musings may not happen the very first time out of the gate,
but it is do-able. Especially with said selected media always looking for informative – and
entertaining – subjects that will help fill space and provide their subscribers with good,
value-added material that reflects well on them.
Happy Holidays…until we meet again the first Tuesday of next month for the beginning of another
capital calendar compendium of Not Your Usual Marketing Tips.
The Internet has been heralded as "the great equalizer": on a browser window, any company,
no matter how small, can look as good as a large company with a long history of quality and service.
This situation presents an important challenge for small businesses: how can I convince my potential
customers that I am not an unethical, fly-by-night operation? The best way to do it is through a
properly structured "About Us" page.
Your "About Us" page must not only introduce your company to your potential customers,
but must do so in a way that it explains, beyond a shadow of a doubt, why they should trust you
and your company. Often, this means answering six basic questions:
Who is behind this website?
People are getting tired of large, bureaucratic companies and their "your-call-is-important-to-us"
service mentality. As a small business owner, you can give your customers the personal attention
they won't get from the big guys. Get that message across in your "About Us" page. Don't
be afraid to talk about yourself and your passion for the business, and by all means include your
picture. The central message you want to convey is that behind your business there is a real human
being who has his or her customers' best interests at heart.
Is this a real business?
Perhaps the best way to answer this question is to list your full physical address. There is something
reassuring about a "bricks-and-mortar" location, even if your customers will never visit
you. A physical address shows your prospective customers that you don't have anything to hide. Include
your full contact information, including your physical address, in a conspicuous location within
your "About Us" page.
How do they make money?
You know the cliché: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is". If you
don't make your business model evident to your visitors (in other words, if you don't show them
how do you make money) the first question they will ask themselves is: "what's the catch?".
If you offer too many things for free, or price your products too low vs. your competitors, prospective
customers will hold back. Use your "About Us" page to explain what your main revenue streams
are, and why do you charge what you charge. Remember to always talk "value", not "price".
How long have they been in business?
People tend to regard longevity and stability as important qualifiers to determine trust. Since
most small business (especially of the on-line variety) tend to be very young, it may be hard to
use the longevity card to solicit trust. If that is your case, you can talk about your past experience
instead. For most small business owners, their past experience is highly relevant to their current
businesses. Use your "About Us" page to talk about it, and how does it relate to and benefit
your current business.
How do I know they deliver?
The best way to show your prospective customers what you can do for them is through testimonials
from satisfied customers. Ideally, the testimonials should come from companies that accurately reflect
your customer's demographics. To be effective, these testimonials must provide some form of contact
information of those who offer them (usually, a name and a link to a website will work). Presenting
a small table with a list of previous clients and the type of work you did for them is also very
effective. Make sure you ask for permission before listing your clients' name (most of the time,
they will be more than glad to give you authorization, especially if you link to their websites).
Are they related to the business community?
Another way to establish credibility and trust is to belong to community, trade or professional
associations. These entities usually authorize their members to use their logos. For example, a
repair shop's website can use the seal of the ASE to emphasize that its mechanics are well trained.
Similarly, a business consultant's website can display a logo of the American Management Association,
or a real estate agent can display a logo of the National Association of Realtors. Use these associations
to your advantage in your "About Us" page.
Should I trust them with my private information?
People are very protective of their personal information, especially on-line. You should have a
privacy policy clearly displayed somewhere in your website, and you should link to it from your
"About Us" page (and also from your homepage). Aside from that, if you sell goods or services
on-line, it is a good idea to become a Truste privacy sealholder. By becoming a Truste member and
displaying the Truste seal in your "About Us" page, you will demonstrate that you abide
by Truste's best practices. This alone may make the difference between prospective customers buying
from you instead of from somebody else.
Some Implementation Details
If the information in your "About Us" takes too much space and makes your text too long,
you can always split it among several pages (you will then have an "About Us" section
instead of just a page). If you do so, create a small menu of options that apply only to your "About
Us" section. The links in that menu can be called: Our People, Our Business, Portfolio, Customers,
Community, Privacy, etc. The best location to place this menu is on a column to the right of the
page, since usually the left column or the top of the page are reserved for the main navigation
menu of the site. Finally, a link to your "About Us" page must be present in your homepage
(it doesn't have to be in the most prominent location or in your main navigation menu, but it has
to be visible and easily accessible).
Summary
On the web, it is very difficult to determine if a company is good and reputable. One way to help
prospective customers know that they can trust your business is through a good "About Us"
page. A good "About Us" page must answer the most common questions prospective customers
are likely to ask themselves to determine if they should give you their trust. Your "About
Us" page should be easily accessible through a link in your homepage. bd14582_.gif (185 bytes)
You can freely reprint this article provided that you include the following resource box:
Mario Sanchez publishes The Internet Digest ( http://www.theinternetdigest.net
), an internet marketing content site packed with useful articles and resources, and SEO Tutorial
( http://www.seotutorial.info ) where
you can learn the basics of search engine optimization in four easy steps.
Resources:
"About Us" -- Presenting Information About an Organization on Its Website (124 pages
PDF) Representing a company or organization on the Internet is one of a website's most important
jobs. Explaining the company's purpose and what it stands for provides essential support for any
of the site's other goals. This report contains 50 guidelines for improving the design of "about
us" areas of corporate websites, and is richly illustrated with 85 color screenshots from many
different websites.
For Web Designers
Quick CSS Tips for SEO
By Esther Kane
Here are a few tips that I've learned on how CSS can help with SEO and website design.
Tip #1
Bolding and/or italicizing text on a website page is great for SEO, it basically tells the search
engines that this keyword phrase is important. But, what if you want to bold text that you don't
want to be considered "important?"
Well, in comes CSS.
You can use CSS to bold a sentence or phrase and the search engines won't see it bolded (or italicized).
Tip #2
Search engines consider size 1 font to be "spamming". But, what if you just want to type
in a disclaimer in small text?
Well, in comes CSS.
You can use CSS to create your text in any size you like, as small as you like and the search engines
won't see it as a size 1 font.
Tip #3
Clean coding is SO important for search engine optimization. Many web designers really don't give
it the credit they should. One way to clean up coding is to use CSS to position your text (this
is instead of tables) or the dreaded " ".
Feel free to pass this this newsletter on to others who
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