Deep within the science of Search Engine Optimisation, there are many things that can affect the ranking of your web site or blog. From little things such as Meta Tags and keywords, through to long term campaigns such as link building strategies. Have you ever thought about how you can put your domain name to good use?
Some SEO Consultants say that the domain name doesn’t really matter. However, many say that it does and I would have to agree with them. It’s not only the name of the domain, and including keywords but also the locality of the domain. For example a web site in English would be better with a .COM or .CO.UK domain extension.
The arguement then arises with regards to the value of a keyword domain name vs a branded domain name. Keyword domain names definitely help your rankings for that specific keyword or phrase, but this doesn’t mean that a branded domain name won’t.
Numbers in a domain name just dont really work, because people will very rarely use numbers in their search criteria. Dashes are still widely recognised in the SEO world and are therefore still acceptable
An area that could be opened up for debate is the length of registration of your domain. I personally beleive this is extremely important because it tells the search engines that the domain is more likely to be there in the next 2,4,5 or 1. On the same note, when you register a domain its always useful to find out if it has been registered before and see if it has been banned for any reason. Rebuilding the reputation of a banned domain name is a next to impossible task.
As you can see, there are many different ways that a domain name can help or hinder your SEO campaign and this is just one tiny part of Search Engine Optimisation.
Monday, 29 September 2008
Saturday, 27 September 2008
Why do so many small businesses fail?
According to the Small Business Administration, two-thirds of new businesses survive for around two years, and only 44 percent make it to four years. Why some businesses fail and why some succeed is often up for discussion, although there are some common mistakes that can sink a business in no time.
Give your new business venture a fighting chance by taking care to avoid these fatal errors:
Rushing into things you can't afford. Wanting to be the first to market with a new product, taking on added overhead, and the need to demonstrate revenue growth to anxious investors can all induce businesses to overextend themselves financially. Rather than head down this path, start with realistic goals, plan your sales channels within your budget (i.e don't spend money you haven't got on a web site and eCommerce facility and then rely on it to bring in revenue from day one) and allow yourself to grow as needs dictate. Let your revenue, not pie-in-the-sky projections, dictate your business decisions in terms of growth and strategy.
Poor capital structure. Look at the businesses that fail and you'll find that many of them took on too much debt. Learn to pay strict attention to your finances and keep careful records of all money coming in and going out. Even if everything's coming up roses today, trouble can still be right around the corner.
Poor Products in a flooded market. Trying to sell a sub standard product in a flooded market is a recipe for disaster. Make sure that your product works, and that it can compete in a volatile market. Remember, when selling on the internet that product appearance is everything. If your product looks better than its competition and you can easily distinguish that it will be an excellent investment for its intended use, then you are already on to a winner.
Lack of reserve funds. Failing to prepare for volatile markets and uncontrollable costs like energy-rate increases, materials, labor, natural disasters, and the like is another top reason many businesses fail. Make sure you protect your investment and keep enough reserve cash to carry you through market downtrends and seasonal slowness.
Bad business location. Don't let a cheap lease tempt you into opening your doors in the wrong neighborhood if your gut is telling you it's not right. Key factors to consider include competition (how many other similar businesses are located nearby?) and accessibility (is the area well served by freeways, public transportation, and foot traffic?).
Poor execution and internal controls. Poor customer service, accounting controls, and overall employee incompetence can all combine to bring down the ship. Make sure you and your employees place a premium on customer service to generate repeat business, establish protocols for how tasks should be accomplished, and remain continually in the know on all things accounting.
An inadequate business plan. Your business plan is your blueprint for success. A well-thought-out business plan forces you to think about the future and the challenges you'll face. It also forces you to consider your financial needs, your marketing and management plans, your competition, and your overall strategy for coming out on top.
Failure to change with the times. The only constant in business is change. Once mighty behemoths fall to earth while unknown upstarts rise to prominence. The ability to recognize opportunities and be flexible enough to adapt to changing times is a key ingredient to surviving and even prospering in the toughest business climate. Therefore, learn how to wear multiple hats and to generate new interests and areas of expertise.
Ineffective marketing and self-promotion. Customers can't walk through your front door if they don't know you're there. Learn how to cost-effectively advertise and promote your business through such tried-and-true methods as direct mail, ads in local newspapers, Search Engine Optimisation for targetted marketing, Web sites, blogs, even by sponsoring a local little league team. The number of advertising and promotional ideas that exist is only limited by your own creativity. Heavily relying on one form of marketing is asking trouble from the start.
Underestimating the competition. Consumer loyalty doesn't just happen; you have to earn it. If you don't take care of your customers, your competition will. Watch your competition as closely as you do your own employees.
Give your new business venture a fighting chance by taking care to avoid these fatal errors:
Rushing into things you can't afford. Wanting to be the first to market with a new product, taking on added overhead, and the need to demonstrate revenue growth to anxious investors can all induce businesses to overextend themselves financially. Rather than head down this path, start with realistic goals, plan your sales channels within your budget (i.e don't spend money you haven't got on a web site and eCommerce facility and then rely on it to bring in revenue from day one) and allow yourself to grow as needs dictate. Let your revenue, not pie-in-the-sky projections, dictate your business decisions in terms of growth and strategy.
Poor capital structure. Look at the businesses that fail and you'll find that many of them took on too much debt. Learn to pay strict attention to your finances and keep careful records of all money coming in and going out. Even if everything's coming up roses today, trouble can still be right around the corner.
Poor Products in a flooded market. Trying to sell a sub standard product in a flooded market is a recipe for disaster. Make sure that your product works, and that it can compete in a volatile market. Remember, when selling on the internet that product appearance is everything. If your product looks better than its competition and you can easily distinguish that it will be an excellent investment for its intended use, then you are already on to a winner.
Lack of reserve funds. Failing to prepare for volatile markets and uncontrollable costs like energy-rate increases, materials, labor, natural disasters, and the like is another top reason many businesses fail. Make sure you protect your investment and keep enough reserve cash to carry you through market downtrends and seasonal slowness.
Bad business location. Don't let a cheap lease tempt you into opening your doors in the wrong neighborhood if your gut is telling you it's not right. Key factors to consider include competition (how many other similar businesses are located nearby?) and accessibility (is the area well served by freeways, public transportation, and foot traffic?).
Poor execution and internal controls. Poor customer service, accounting controls, and overall employee incompetence can all combine to bring down the ship. Make sure you and your employees place a premium on customer service to generate repeat business, establish protocols for how tasks should be accomplished, and remain continually in the know on all things accounting.
An inadequate business plan. Your business plan is your blueprint for success. A well-thought-out business plan forces you to think about the future and the challenges you'll face. It also forces you to consider your financial needs, your marketing and management plans, your competition, and your overall strategy for coming out on top.
Failure to change with the times. The only constant in business is change. Once mighty behemoths fall to earth while unknown upstarts rise to prominence. The ability to recognize opportunities and be flexible enough to adapt to changing times is a key ingredient to surviving and even prospering in the toughest business climate. Therefore, learn how to wear multiple hats and to generate new interests and areas of expertise.
Ineffective marketing and self-promotion. Customers can't walk through your front door if they don't know you're there. Learn how to cost-effectively advertise and promote your business through such tried-and-true methods as direct mail, ads in local newspapers, Search Engine Optimisation for targetted marketing, Web sites, blogs, even by sponsoring a local little league team. The number of advertising and promotional ideas that exist is only limited by your own creativity. Heavily relying on one form of marketing is asking trouble from the start.
Underestimating the competition. Consumer loyalty doesn't just happen; you have to earn it. If you don't take care of your customers, your competition will. Watch your competition as closely as you do your own employees.
Thursday, 18 September 2008
Visability, Usability and Accessibility....
. . . Are all factors that determine the success of a website. Creating a web site that is accessible to all users, easy to use and easy to find increases your potential for better rankings, better sales and more qualified users.
As government and corporate awareness is increased it is critical that you create your website to be open to all users of the internet, taking into account any handicaps the end users might have, or, with the increase in mobile devices, what device and platform they are using to view your site.
An accessible web site can also reap rewards when it comes to Search Engine Optimisation. It can help your Search Engine Ranking Position which, in turn, increases sales or leads.
No matter how you put it, the Search Engines are the most handicapped users out there. They can't see or hear and they can't read into images on your site. They rely on good quality, relative content to gain an understanding on what your site is about.
As we always say, a good web designer will always tell you that your site needs to have at least one goal, and a good Search Engine ranking is an excellent place to start. This can lead to increased business from sales from people who actively search for your product or services.
Once a visitor has clicked through to your web site you need to make it easy for them to achieve the next goal or making a purchase. Make sure that the site is completely accessible for the end user.
In a nut shell, the three terms mean that:
a) Your web site is easy to find (Visibility)
b) Your web site is easy to use (Accessibility)
c) Your web site is easy to understand (Usability)
If you still are at a loss when it comes to ideas on how to implement these standards, think about frustrations that you have experienced when visiting web sites. How would you make life easier for you?
As government and corporate awareness is increased it is critical that you create your website to be open to all users of the internet, taking into account any handicaps the end users might have, or, with the increase in mobile devices, what device and platform they are using to view your site.
An accessible web site can also reap rewards when it comes to Search Engine Optimisation. It can help your Search Engine Ranking Position which, in turn, increases sales or leads.
No matter how you put it, the Search Engines are the most handicapped users out there. They can't see or hear and they can't read into images on your site. They rely on good quality, relative content to gain an understanding on what your site is about.
As we always say, a good web designer will always tell you that your site needs to have at least one goal, and a good Search Engine ranking is an excellent place to start. This can lead to increased business from sales from people who actively search for your product or services.
Once a visitor has clicked through to your web site you need to make it easy for them to achieve the next goal or making a purchase. Make sure that the site is completely accessible for the end user.
In a nut shell, the three terms mean that:
a) Your web site is easy to find (Visibility)
b) Your web site is easy to use (Accessibility)
c) Your web site is easy to understand (Usability)
If you still are at a loss when it comes to ideas on how to implement these standards, think about frustrations that you have experienced when visiting web sites. How would you make life easier for you?
Wednesday, 17 September 2008
PayPal. Ignore it at your peril.
Whilst we accept that PayPal isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, we highly recommend it as a solid and affordable online payment solution for any Internet business.
In today’s world we believe that no online merchant can afford not to offer PayPal as a payment solution. If you don’t offer PayPal payments you are throwing away business.
This is why:
Like it or not, PayPal is the largest Payment standard on the Internet. It’s what everyone uses. The awareness factor of PayPal has increased significantly since people have become more comfortable with buying online.
People often treat their PayPal accounts like play money. People leave money in their PayPal account so they can buy things online. Since this money isn’t in the customers bank account it often doesn’t feel like they are using ‘real money’.
The growth of eBay has created an population of PayPal dependant customers. eBay is the largest eCommerce site on the web and the integration of PayPal as the preferred method of Payment provides people with a payment solution they can trust.
In summary, having PayPal as a payment option on your site will increase your sales. People need an outlet in which to spend their “play money”, and as a business if you don’t offer this option you will lose out on business.
In today’s world we believe that no online merchant can afford not to offer PayPal as a payment solution. If you don’t offer PayPal payments you are throwing away business.
This is why:
Like it or not, PayPal is the largest Payment standard on the Internet. It’s what everyone uses. The awareness factor of PayPal has increased significantly since people have become more comfortable with buying online.
People often treat their PayPal accounts like play money. People leave money in their PayPal account so they can buy things online. Since this money isn’t in the customers bank account it often doesn’t feel like they are using ‘real money’.
The growth of eBay has created an population of PayPal dependant customers. eBay is the largest eCommerce site on the web and the integration of PayPal as the preferred method of Payment provides people with a payment solution they can trust.
In summary, having PayPal as a payment option on your site will increase your sales. People need an outlet in which to spend their “play money”, and as a business if you don’t offer this option you will lose out on business.
Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Search Engine Optimisation. Preparing for the UK recession.
Analysts in the U.K. are predicting an economic recession in the coming months, and with the cold, harsh winter looking bleaker than ever, the chances are you are thinking of ways to create new revenue streams to increase the number of customers and sales for your business.
As it goes, the definition of an economic recession is that there is zero or negative growith in Gross Domestic Product (or GDP). This in turn leads to unemployment through job losses, spending is cut and so on.
If you don’t currently trade on-line, now might be a good time to start thinking about it. eSoftware Solutions offer an all-in-one eCommerce solution which will put you in full control of your online store. Every main stream company owner will tell you that there are three ways to increase your profit:
* Increasing the number of customers
* Increasing the margin on products being sold
* Increasing the frequency in which products are sold
Taking these points into consideration, Search Engine Optimisation sits perfectly over all three. By driving targeted traffic to your web site, you are getting visitors who are actually looking for your products. If you can work with a good SEO Company you will see the growth of new customer numbers, who in turn will purchase your products.
Statistics show that more and more people are buying online, rather than going to high street stores. This not only means that SEO has become more and more cost effective, but it also means than the return on investment for SEO can be huge.
As with any advertising, SEO is actually only any good if its a continued investment.
So if you are looking to tackle the forthcoming recession head on, then give us a call on 0845 838 8588 or email info@esoftware-solutions.com for more information on our SEO services and how they can benefit you and your business.
As it goes, the definition of an economic recession is that there is zero or negative growith in Gross Domestic Product (or GDP). This in turn leads to unemployment through job losses, spending is cut and so on.
If you don’t currently trade on-line, now might be a good time to start thinking about it. eSoftware Solutions offer an all-in-one eCommerce solution which will put you in full control of your online store. Every main stream company owner will tell you that there are three ways to increase your profit:
* Increasing the number of customers
* Increasing the margin on products being sold
* Increasing the frequency in which products are sold
Taking these points into consideration, Search Engine Optimisation sits perfectly over all three. By driving targeted traffic to your web site, you are getting visitors who are actually looking for your products. If you can work with a good SEO Company you will see the growth of new customer numbers, who in turn will purchase your products.
Statistics show that more and more people are buying online, rather than going to high street stores. This not only means that SEO has become more and more cost effective, but it also means than the return on investment for SEO can be huge.
As with any advertising, SEO is actually only any good if its a continued investment.
So if you are looking to tackle the forthcoming recession head on, then give us a call on 0845 838 8588 or email info@esoftware-solutions.com for more information on our SEO services and how they can benefit you and your business.
Monday, 15 September 2008
100 SEO Days until Christmas....
I know, I know. I hate how Christmas comes earlier every year. The Christmas decorations appear in the stores in October with the Christmas carols playing overhead.
However, as an online retailer, whatever the thoughts of those with a lengthy present-buying list, for marketers and online retailers this festive period could be in for a treat.
The Interactive Media in Retail Group has published statistics that suggests 68 per cent of consumers are more likely to shop online this year, while almost eight in ten people plan for at least half of their presents to be bought online.
According to the report, even those consumers not buying gifts through the web are likely to be researching their purchases online, with 86 per cent using it as a research tool.
100 days is a long time in the world of search engine optimisation (SEO). Act now to make sure that when the consumers turn to the web their brands are highly visible, findable and possess a decent online reputation.
This Christmas is set to be an extremely profitable one for the web as cash-strapped consumers hit the internet to hunt down bargains. A little investment in SEO now and paid advertising closer to the time will reward web-savvy firms.
However, as an online retailer, whatever the thoughts of those with a lengthy present-buying list, for marketers and online retailers this festive period could be in for a treat.
The Interactive Media in Retail Group has published statistics that suggests 68 per cent of consumers are more likely to shop online this year, while almost eight in ten people plan for at least half of their presents to be bought online.
According to the report, even those consumers not buying gifts through the web are likely to be researching their purchases online, with 86 per cent using it as a research tool.
100 days is a long time in the world of search engine optimisation (SEO). Act now to make sure that when the consumers turn to the web their brands are highly visible, findable and possess a decent online reputation.
This Christmas is set to be an extremely profitable one for the web as cash-strapped consumers hit the internet to hunt down bargains. A little investment in SEO now and paid advertising closer to the time will reward web-savvy firms.
Your website...... untapping potential
How many companies or employees think to tell or remind clients about their website when they are talking to them? While they have their attention, this is the time to suggest they go there and sign up for the companies's really useful newsletter or check out the blog that is updated regularly with good information. Maybe the best way to get these people to the site is to tell them about how they can get to updates and downloads on matters any time of day or night; or even a shared work area if you are moving towards interactive solutions like Microsoft SharePoint? Maybe even suggesting that they add the site to their "favourites" and then back this up with some follow up having sown the seed.
Two telling questions for you ...
1. Is there anything on your new client or new business forms that would prompt your employee to mention the website when they are talking to a client at this stage? Do they know what they should be saying about it?
2. Do you always send an email to your new clients (having gathered their email address on that new instruction form or screen if they are happy to communicate some of the time by email - do we ask that question?) with a link to your website shortly after they have instructed you on a new matter? The easier you make it for them to link into your website the better - and this is the easiest way. Sending a link is better than sending a letter.
For those you don't already know ... to get them using it, you should be targeting a top 30 position on search engines like Google to begin with, as research has shown that people rarely look beyond three pages of search results.
There are many businesses out there that claim to give you No.1 spot on Google, or a top ten position on major search engines but how can they guarantee this when its not in their hands? Say, for example, that 20 Internet companies approach this SEO firm - their guarantee already hits a stumbling block. Search Engine Optimisation is often considered a science. The market is changing all the time with the search engines changing the goal posts on what it looks for in a website.
It's important that you look at SEO as an ongoing investment in order to get a real return for your money. Typically, enter an agreement where your site is reviewed once a quarter, or at least twice a year. If possible request a sample report to see what analysis is being performed on your site during these reviews.
Here are just a few examples of things you need to be do to get up those rankings. How does your website fare on each of them?
1. Get the right balance of keywords on your site, but remember that there is a fine balance between optimising your site for the search engines and legible content.
2. Reciprocate links with your business partners. Popularity breeds popularity!
3. Think about the structure of your website in terms of where pages are stored and what they are called. If you aren't sure about this then contact your designer.
4. Research phrases for your core services for the last 30-60 days. This is a service that eSoftware Solutions can provide for you.
5. Once you achieve a healthy ranking don't rest on your laurels. Search Engine Optimisation isn't a quick fix to promoting your website, it's an ongoing investment.
Two telling questions for you ...
1. Is there anything on your new client or new business forms that would prompt your employee to mention the website when they are talking to a client at this stage? Do they know what they should be saying about it?
2. Do you always send an email to your new clients (having gathered their email address on that new instruction form or screen if they are happy to communicate some of the time by email - do we ask that question?) with a link to your website shortly after they have instructed you on a new matter? The easier you make it for them to link into your website the better - and this is the easiest way. Sending a link is better than sending a letter.
For those you don't already know ... to get them using it, you should be targeting a top 30 position on search engines like Google to begin with, as research has shown that people rarely look beyond three pages of search results.
There are many businesses out there that claim to give you No.1 spot on Google, or a top ten position on major search engines but how can they guarantee this when its not in their hands? Say, for example, that 20 Internet companies approach this SEO firm - their guarantee already hits a stumbling block. Search Engine Optimisation is often considered a science. The market is changing all the time with the search engines changing the goal posts on what it looks for in a website.
It's important that you look at SEO as an ongoing investment in order to get a real return for your money. Typically, enter an agreement where your site is reviewed once a quarter, or at least twice a year. If possible request a sample report to see what analysis is being performed on your site during these reviews.
Here are just a few examples of things you need to be do to get up those rankings. How does your website fare on each of them?
1. Get the right balance of keywords on your site, but remember that there is a fine balance between optimising your site for the search engines and legible content.
2. Reciprocate links with your business partners. Popularity breeds popularity!
3. Think about the structure of your website in terms of where pages are stored and what they are called. If you aren't sure about this then contact your designer.
4. Research phrases for your core services for the last 30-60 days. This is a service that eSoftware Solutions can provide for you.
5. Once you achieve a healthy ranking don't rest on your laurels. Search Engine Optimisation isn't a quick fix to promoting your website, it's an ongoing investment.
eSoftware Solutions gets site links....
We are really excited here at eSoftware Solutions. Google has now crawled our site and built some page links.
What are site links?
Sitelinks are additional links Google sometimes generates from site contents in order to help users navigate a web site site. Sitelinks are periodically generated from your site's contents, if Google finds the site easy to crawl.
Site links aren't static. They make change from time to time, especially if the web site contains updated content.
What are site links?
Sitelinks are additional links Google sometimes generates from site contents in order to help users navigate a web site site. Sitelinks are periodically generated from your site's contents, if Google finds the site easy to crawl.
Site links aren't static. They make change from time to time, especially if the web site contains updated content.
Sunday, 14 September 2008
SEO... How long before I start to results?
Timescales for SEO can vary based on a number of different factors such as:
- The choice of keywords
- Keyword Competition
- The age of the domain name
- The content of the web site
- Page rank
I recently came across an article that set out a good plan for SEO, stating that the best solution would be to try and plan and start an SEO campaign 1 year in advance of you actually counting on that web site driving any revenue.
Everything in SEO requires some serious planning in advance and if executed properly and with patience will bring some wonderful returns.
- The choice of keywords
- Keyword Competition
- The age of the domain name
- The content of the web site
- Page rank
I recently came across an article that set out a good plan for SEO, stating that the best solution would be to try and plan and start an SEO campaign 1 year in advance of you actually counting on that web site driving any revenue.
Everything in SEO requires some serious planning in advance and if executed properly and with patience will bring some wonderful returns.
Friday, 12 September 2008
The use of SEO terms.....
We have a problem in the search marketing industry, and it's getting big enough to potentially threaten our livelihoods. The problem is especially dangerous in that customers seeking out SEO services are more confused than ever, which is unfortunate since SEO is no longer a new industry.
A big reason for the confusion is the misuse of industry terms. This wouldn't be so bad if it was just the general public using incorrect definitions. What makes the problem serious is that it's primary cause is people in the SEO industry who use words incorrectly.
Here are some common reasons terms get misused and why it's important for people to get them right:
100% Organic -
We have a problem in the search marketing industry, and it's getting big enough to potentially threaten our livelihoods. The problem is especially dangerous in that customers seeking out SEO services are more confused than ever, which is unfortunate since SEO is no longer a new industry.
A big reason for the confusion is the misuse of industry terms. This wouldn't be so bad if it was just the general public using incorrect definitions. What makes the problem serious is that it's primary cause is people in the SEO industry who use words incorrectly.
Here are some common reasons terms get misused and why it's important for people to get them right:
No standard definitions
Many of the misuses of SEO terms happen because people simply don't agree on their definitions. The most extreme example of this is the phrase "search engine optimization." Much of the bad reputation in the SEO industry stems from the fact that ordinary folks are confused by what search engine optimisation actually is, how you do it, and what its purpose is in the larger scheme of things. While company A will tell you that SEO is "submitting websites to the search engines" (blech), company B will tell you it's "manipulating search engine results to provide a more favorable listing for a specific website" (also blech).
Both of those definitions do a huge disservice to those trying to figure out what SEO is and whether or not they need it for their websites. It also makes it difficult for the rest of us to sell true, professional search engine optimisation services, which in part consists of fixing broken websites. After all, if someone thinks they simply need someone to submit their website or their keywords to Google and they will magically start appearing in the search results, they're not going to be interested in having an SEO agency fiddling with their website's structure and wording to make that happen. They'll instead find a cheap, incompetent SEO to do what they think they need. When nothing happens, they'll be one of the majority that believes SEO is crap, impossible, a rip-off, or that it just doesn't work for their particular industry.
But if the correct definition of SEO was being used consistently by all parties, more people would understand what it is and why it's necessary--and more so, why it's hugely valuable.
Lack of knowledge or just plain laziness
Too many articles, blog posts, forum threads and speaker presentations use words incorrectly. How many times have you seen people talk about getting a website to rank? Since the search engines judge the relevancy of individual web pages (not sites), nobody gets a website to rank. They may optimise the website as a whole, but it's the individual pages that will show up in the search results--or they won't. The reason why it's important to use these terms and the many other mis-used ones correctly, is again because it provides potential clients with the wrong expectation of what SEO is all about. If they think that their entire website is what will end up ranking, they end up with an incorrect picture of what needs to be done, or they think it's a simple practice of optimizing just their home page. In theory it sounds a lot easier to rank one website than to rank 1000 web pages, no? If only.
Old wives tales
What I mean here are phrases such as "search engine penalty." People bandy this one about to describe all sorts of things beyond the scope of what it actually means. From pages not ranking to duplicate web page content. (God forbid they just suck at SEO!)
The true definition of a search engine penalty is something that a search engine hits a web page with when it's determined (either algorithmically or manually) that the page has crossed the line from search engine optimisation to search engine spam. And believe it or not, it's not easy to spam the search engine by mistake. Most people know when they've crossed the line. Problems arise, however, when people use an incorrect definition of SEO to begin with, as above. If one believes that SEO is about tricking the search engines, then one can most definitely find pages of their website penalized.
Along the same line is the term "over-optimisation." There is, of course, no such thing since optimization itself means that everything is optimal. So if you keyword stuff, and find your page's ranking goes down or disappears completely, it's because you've implemented search engine spam on your page, not over-optimized it.
While I know that it will be impossible to get everyone in the search marketing industry to use all terms correctly (or to even agree with what the definitions are), my hope is that this article will at least encourage people to think carefully about the way they use industry words when writing or speaking with others. After all, if the very people who make up our industry can't get it right, how will others?
Article Source
A big reason for the confusion is the misuse of industry terms. This wouldn't be so bad if it was just the general public using incorrect definitions. What makes the problem serious is that it's primary cause is people in the SEO industry who use words incorrectly.
Here are some common reasons terms get misused and why it's important for people to get them right:
100% Organic -
We have a problem in the search marketing industry, and it's getting big enough to potentially threaten our livelihoods. The problem is especially dangerous in that customers seeking out SEO services are more confused than ever, which is unfortunate since SEO is no longer a new industry.
A big reason for the confusion is the misuse of industry terms. This wouldn't be so bad if it was just the general public using incorrect definitions. What makes the problem serious is that it's primary cause is people in the SEO industry who use words incorrectly.
Here are some common reasons terms get misused and why it's important for people to get them right:
No standard definitions
Many of the misuses of SEO terms happen because people simply don't agree on their definitions. The most extreme example of this is the phrase "search engine optimization." Much of the bad reputation in the SEO industry stems from the fact that ordinary folks are confused by what search engine optimisation actually is, how you do it, and what its purpose is in the larger scheme of things. While company A will tell you that SEO is "submitting websites to the search engines" (blech), company B will tell you it's "manipulating search engine results to provide a more favorable listing for a specific website" (also blech).
Both of those definitions do a huge disservice to those trying to figure out what SEO is and whether or not they need it for their websites. It also makes it difficult for the rest of us to sell true, professional search engine optimisation services, which in part consists of fixing broken websites. After all, if someone thinks they simply need someone to submit their website or their keywords to Google and they will magically start appearing in the search results, they're not going to be interested in having an SEO agency fiddling with their website's structure and wording to make that happen. They'll instead find a cheap, incompetent SEO to do what they think they need. When nothing happens, they'll be one of the majority that believes SEO is crap, impossible, a rip-off, or that it just doesn't work for their particular industry.
But if the correct definition of SEO was being used consistently by all parties, more people would understand what it is and why it's necessary--and more so, why it's hugely valuable.
Lack of knowledge or just plain laziness
Too many articles, blog posts, forum threads and speaker presentations use words incorrectly. How many times have you seen people talk about getting a website to rank? Since the search engines judge the relevancy of individual web pages (not sites), nobody gets a website to rank. They may optimise the website as a whole, but it's the individual pages that will show up in the search results--or they won't. The reason why it's important to use these terms and the many other mis-used ones correctly, is again because it provides potential clients with the wrong expectation of what SEO is all about. If they think that their entire website is what will end up ranking, they end up with an incorrect picture of what needs to be done, or they think it's a simple practice of optimizing just their home page. In theory it sounds a lot easier to rank one website than to rank 1000 web pages, no? If only.
Old wives tales
What I mean here are phrases such as "search engine penalty." People bandy this one about to describe all sorts of things beyond the scope of what it actually means. From pages not ranking to duplicate web page content. (God forbid they just suck at SEO!)
The true definition of a search engine penalty is something that a search engine hits a web page with when it's determined (either algorithmically or manually) that the page has crossed the line from search engine optimisation to search engine spam. And believe it or not, it's not easy to spam the search engine by mistake. Most people know when they've crossed the line. Problems arise, however, when people use an incorrect definition of SEO to begin with, as above. If one believes that SEO is about tricking the search engines, then one can most definitely find pages of their website penalized.
Along the same line is the term "over-optimisation." There is, of course, no such thing since optimization itself means that everything is optimal. So if you keyword stuff, and find your page's ranking goes down or disappears completely, it's because you've implemented search engine spam on your page, not over-optimized it.
While I know that it will be impossible to get everyone in the search marketing industry to use all terms correctly (or to even agree with what the definitions are), my hope is that this article will at least encourage people to think carefully about the way they use industry words when writing or speaking with others. After all, if the very people who make up our industry can't get it right, how will others?
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Monday, 8 September 2008
Patience is a virtue......
Wouldn't it be nice if Search Engine Optimisation was just about changing meta tags? In the modern age of SEO this just isn't going to happen. In order to acheive SEO success a combined effort of different long-term techniques are required - along with sustained patience. Many businesses fail due to lack of patience and understanding, and the same can be said with regards to SEO.
I have a client who expects SEO success overnight. Unfortunately this is often the case as people a) do not have the patience to reap the rewards from SEO and b) dont understand SEO.
Of course, there are quick fixes out there that can get you listed but they are more damaging in the long term as it wont be long until you are black listed for using black hat techniques, and quite frankly anyone who takes their business seriously will stay well clear of this route.
It is important to note that a business soley relying on SEO to bring in revenue will fail. SEO is an important part in a marketing strategy that should also include advertising campaigns in newsletters, television, papers and magazines. This helps attract the right customers to your site from niche markets.
Successful SEO requires long term commitment and patience. These top four tips can bring you closer to your SEO goals.
1. Conduct thorough research for keyword phrases use effective keyword programs such as Keyword Discovery or Word Tracker. The paid programs of their software will help you generate the best keyword phrases for your business.
2. Don't create a website that is overrun by graphics. Search Engine spiders will crawl right over these graphics and pass you by. Your website needs a reasonable amount of web content that is pumped full of valuable information. It needs to be clear and concise and should also convey your website message which needs to include the keywords you've selected to rank high for.
3. Relevancy Ensure that all your link anchor text and title tags are relevant to one another, as well as to the web content that is presented on your site.
4. Patience is a virtue (and often the point of failure in an SEO campaign). It will take almost a year or even longer before you begin to see any traffic from the natural results of search engines. Try not to let this get you down. Take this time to continue to improve your site and give the competition a run for their money. Eventually your persistence patience and positive thinking will pay off.
Always remember it doesn't matter how well you market your website you are not going to achieve overnight success. Just like most things in life taking the easy way out when it comes to marketing your business online isn't going to create you long lasting success. If you want an impressive future that provides you with plenty of reward, you need to spend the time and money and do things right the first time.
I have a client who expects SEO success overnight. Unfortunately this is often the case as people a) do not have the patience to reap the rewards from SEO and b) dont understand SEO.
Of course, there are quick fixes out there that can get you listed but they are more damaging in the long term as it wont be long until you are black listed for using black hat techniques, and quite frankly anyone who takes their business seriously will stay well clear of this route.
It is important to note that a business soley relying on SEO to bring in revenue will fail. SEO is an important part in a marketing strategy that should also include advertising campaigns in newsletters, television, papers and magazines. This helps attract the right customers to your site from niche markets.
Successful SEO requires long term commitment and patience. These top four tips can bring you closer to your SEO goals.
1. Conduct thorough research for keyword phrases use effective keyword programs such as Keyword Discovery or Word Tracker. The paid programs of their software will help you generate the best keyword phrases for your business.
2. Don't create a website that is overrun by graphics. Search Engine spiders will crawl right over these graphics and pass you by. Your website needs a reasonable amount of web content that is pumped full of valuable information. It needs to be clear and concise and should also convey your website message which needs to include the keywords you've selected to rank high for.
3. Relevancy Ensure that all your link anchor text and title tags are relevant to one another, as well as to the web content that is presented on your site.
4. Patience is a virtue (and often the point of failure in an SEO campaign). It will take almost a year or even longer before you begin to see any traffic from the natural results of search engines. Try not to let this get you down. Take this time to continue to improve your site and give the competition a run for their money. Eventually your persistence patience and positive thinking will pay off.
Always remember it doesn't matter how well you market your website you are not going to achieve overnight success. Just like most things in life taking the easy way out when it comes to marketing your business online isn't going to create you long lasting success. If you want an impressive future that provides you with plenty of reward, you need to spend the time and money and do things right the first time.
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