Things To Tell Your Web Designer

A great web design service can make your website appear and feel fantastic. But how is this design likely to affect the ranking you achieve in the various search engines? It might have an enormous impact -- and a negative one at that.

Some web site designers appear to have a blatant disregard for search engine optimization (SEO). So below are a few points to consider - also to tell your online designer.

Content IS king

Generally speaking, designers hate text. Most of them really, really despise it. They think it is a joke: a thing that spoils their design. But people don't buy due to a pretty design. It is the words that persuade them, that provide the information had a need to create a buying decision.

It's also what that influence the various search engines. Unless you have sufficient content on your own site to check serious, then you will be ranked down by Google among others. You need a lot of text, from 100 to 1,000 words per page. Try having some sections which have plenty of content. Is that expensive? No, needless to say it is not.

There's plenty of content on the market that's free. It is possible to often use articles on your own website free of charge providing you connect to the writer.

You need, needless to say, articles which are relevant to your organization. If you are selling garden machinery, this short article is not actually relevant but there could be others which are.

And if necessary, you can either write articles yourself or get yourself a professional writer to accomplish it for you personally. It's actually the least expensive way to get yourself a high ranking with se's.

The copy of one's site must also make extensive usage of keywords. Optimising the copy for se's can be an art alone (and subject for another article). Nevertheless, you need to be sure your designers understand the significance of keywords, because they are vital to seo. They are basically the words people would use when looking for your website. So, if you are an accountant, your keywords may be: "accountant, accountancy, accountancy services" and so forth. Basically, in the event that you seek out "accountant", Google finds sites that utilize the word accountant a whole lot - in relevant context. Which means in real sentences, not only in lists.

Give the images relevant names and alt tags I understand of websites in which a bundle has been spent, the copy carefully crafted, the hosting is first class. There are several tasteful and relevant photos and pictures too. But nobody has given the images relevant names and alt tags.

The alt tags will be the words that appear in the event that you roll your mouse on the picture. It's good form to possess alt tags on pictures since it enhances usability. But it is also vital for search engine optimization. Google, for instance, reads the names of images and the alt tags and the outcomes will influence the page ranking. It's a straightforward thing to miss, on the assumption that no-one sees or reads the names and tags associates with images. But Google reads them, so calling all of your pictures image1, image2 and so forth is really a wasted opportunity. The names and alt tags have to be highly relevant to your field and contain keywords.

Get your words in the proper order There's evidence that Google provides better ranking if your keywords come in the beginning of a line or sentence. So "Accountancy service from Bill Baxter" is preferable to "Bill Baxter's accountancy services."

This applies not only to your body copy, but additionally to headlines, titles on pages, image names and alt tags. So it is something your designers might need to know.

Meta tags versus real content

Meta tags aren't as important because they was previously. They are a listing of keywords that tells the internet search engine what your website is about, devote the heading of the html page, rather than actually noticeable to a visitor.

But the usage of meta tags has been much abused by people attempting to drive traffic, any traffic, with their site (for instance, spammers and pornographers). So, Google and another se's now may actually place less importance on meta tags, and appearance more at the true content on your own site. Which means the written text, the copy.

You still require a set of meta tags containing keywords. But just how long if the list be? It's tempting to produce a huge list and cover all of the bases. There's some evidence, however, that less is more with regards to meta tags. With a long list, you're diluting the impact of one's important keywords. Just how many you ought to have depends on the type of one's business, but make an effort to keep it short and focused. And relevant.

No flash, no splash

Splash pages damage your search engine ranking positions since there is no relevant content to them. They annoy many visitors too, because they need to click through them.

Flash content is all well and good, but Google can't read it. So if your most significant marketing message is in flash, it will not be observed by the search engines. However, you can exploit this, by putting bits of copy which contain no keywords in as flash or being an image (not readable text). Remember, however, that using this method you're reducing the quantity of content on the website. And the search engines love relevant content.

Don't use frames

Don't worry if this implies nothing to you, just inform them this and do not take no for a remedy.

Frames are a proven way of installation of a website. A negative way. You can find better alternatives, such as for example tables. The issue with frames is easy: Google can't read what's inside them. Disaster. Google sees no text on your own site. You'll rank close to nowhere, regardless of how much cash you may spend.

Don't try to fool Google

It's tempting to make an effort to fool Google nonetheless it rarely works. Indeed, you run the chance to be blacklisted altogether. One common trick would be to put words in white onto a white background, in order that Google will read them, but a visitor won't see them. This way, they don't spoil the look. Google can spot this (it reads the html). Don't take action.

Your web design service should be ready to take these factors up to speed, even though they weren't alert to them before. Everything is really a balance needless to say. You might not need search engine traffic. I've written the copy for a cellular phone service launch where SEO was irrelevant - as all of the traffic was driven by way of a huge internet retailing presence, massive in-store marketing and among the world's most extensive CRM capabilities.

But if you want to drive people for your site through the various internet search engines, you should optimise your website. Content may be the key. But also for it to work, the look also offers to be right. That may mean sacrifices on the look front, however in business terms, it's worthwhile.