Building a good looking website is excellent, but if you do not ensure proper usability, you site will not be used effetively and thus, it will not be ranked for SEO (search engine optimization) as well as it should be. Check out these tips and please visit http://www.bosscherdesign.com for more details.
Section I. Accessibility
This section contains not only traditional accessibility issues, but anything that might keep a visitor from being able to access the information on a website. If no one can load your site, or the type is too small to read, all of the usability in the world won't matter.
1. Site Load-time Is Reasonable
Call me old-school, but I still like to see sites come in under 100KB (60KB is even better). If a site takes forever to load, most people will just leave. Yes, many of us have broadband now, but that makes our patience even thinner.
2. Adequate Text-to-Background Contrast
Dark-gray on light-gray may seem stylish, but I'm not going to ruin my eyesight to read your blog. Eyes and monitors vary wildly, so keep your core copy contrast high. Good, old-fashioned black-on-white is still best most of the time.
3. Font Size/Spacing Is Easy to Read
Opinions vary on the ideal size for text, but err on the side of slightly too big. Poor readability increases frustration, and frustration leads to site abandonment. Also, make sure your line spacing is adequate - white-space is a designer's best friend.
4. Flash & Add-ons Are Used Sparingly
No matter how great your site looks, people won't wait 5 minutes for a plug-in to load. Use new technology sparingly and only when it really enhances your goals. Sticking to standard HTML/CSS is also a plus for search engines.
5. Images Have Appropriate ALT Tags
Not only do sight-impaired visitors use ALT tags, but search engines need them to understand your images. This is especially critical when you use images for key content, such as menu items.
6. Site Has Custom Not-found/404 Page
If a page on your site doesn't exist, a white page with "404 Not Found" is a good way to lose a customer. Create a custom 404 page, preferably one that guides your visitors to content.
Section II. Identity
A key question when someone first comes to your site is "Who are you?" It's important to answer it quickly, and make the paths to obvious follow-up questions ("What do you do?", "Why should I trust you?", etc.) clear.
7. Company Logo Is Prominently Placed
Put your logo or brand where it's easy to find, and that usually means the upper-left of the screen. People expect it, and they like it when you make their lives easy.
8. Tagline Makes Company's Purpose Clear
Answer "What do you do?" concisely with a descriptive tagline. Avoid marketing jargon and boil your unique value proposition down to a few words. This is also a plus for SEO.
9. Home-page Is Digestible In 5 Seconds
In usability, we often talk about the 5-second rule. There's some disagreement over just how many seconds you get, but website visitors are a fickle bunch, and they need to get the basic gist of your home-page in just a few moments.
10. Clear Path to Company Information
The good old "About Us" page may seem boring, but confidence is important on the web, and people need an easy way to learn more about you.
11. Clear Path to Contact Information
Similarly, visitors want to know that they can get in touch with you if they need to. It's also hard to do business if no one can contact you. Preferably, list your contact information as text (not in an image) - it'll get picked up by search engines, including local searches.
Section III. Navigation
Once people generally know who you are and what you do, they need clear paths to the content that interests them. Information architecture is a huge topic, but these points cover some of the basics.
12. Main Navigation Is Easily Identifiable
Almost every site on the web has had a main menu since the first browsers came on the market. Make your main navigation easy to find, read, and use. If you have two or more navigation areas, make it clear why they're different.
13. Navigation Labels Are Clear & Concise
Don't say "Communicate Online With Our Team" when "Contact Us" will do just fine. Your main navigation should be short, to the point, and easy for mere mortals to grasp.
14. Number of Buttons/Links Is Reasonable
Psychologists like to argue about how many pieces of information we can process, but if you start to get past 7-or-so menu items, think hard about whether you need them. If you've got 3 layers of flyaway Javascript menus, do yourself a favor and start over.
15. Company Logo Is Linked to Home-page
This may sound minor, but people expect logos to link to home-pages, and when they don't, confusion follows. I've seen video of users clicking on a logo over and over, with no idea what to do next.
16. Links Are Consistent & Easy to Identify
The underlined, blue link is a staple of the web. A little artistic license is ok, but consider at least making your links either blue or underlined. Links should stand out, and you should use them sparingly enough that they don't disrupt your content.
17. Site Search Is Easy to Access
If you have a site search, make sure it's prominent. Usability guidelines tend to prefer the upper-right corner of the page. Keep the button simple and clear - "Search" still works best for most sites.
Section IV. Content
You've heard it before - Content is king. If you don't want the kingdom to crumble, though, content needs to be consistent, organized, and easy to skim through.
18. Major Headings Are Clear & Descriptive
Most people don't read online, they skim. Use headings (major and minor) to set content apart and keep it organized. Headings should be clear, and for SEO benefit, using heading tags (H1, H2, etc.).
19. Critical Content Is Above The Fold
The "fold" is that imaginary line where the bottom of your screen cuts off a page. Content can fall below the fold, but anything critical to understanding who you are or what you do (especially on the home-page) should fit on that first screen. Average screen resolution these days is about 1024x768, depending on your audience.
20. Styles & Colors Are Consistent
Make sure people know they're still on your site by being consistent - confuse them and you'll lose them. Layout, headings, and styles should be consistent site-wide, and colors should usually have the same meaning. Don't use red headers on one page, red links on another, and red text somewhere else.
21. Emphasis (bold, etc.) Is Used Sparingly
It's a fact of human cognition: try to draw attention to everything and you'll effectively draw attention to nothing. We've all seen that site, the one with a red, blinking, underlined "NEW!" next to everything. Don't be that guy.
22. Ads & Pop-ups Are Unobtrusive
Ads are a fact of life, but integrate them nicely into your site. Don't try to force ads and pop-ups down peoples' throats. Also, do people a favor and make your ads clear. If you blur the line between ads and content too much, your content may suffer.
23. Main Copy Is Concise & Explanatory
This isn't a lesson in copywriting, but look at your home-page - can you say the same thing in half as many words? Try to be concrete and descriptive and avoid jargon - nobody cares if you can "leverage your synergies".
24. URLs Are Meaningful & User-friendly
This is a point of some debate, but meaningful keyword-based URLs are generally good for both visitors and search engines. You don't have to re-engineer an entire site just to get new URLs, but do what you can to make them descriptive and friendly.
25. HTML Page Titles Are Explanatory
More importantly, your page titles (in the TITLE tag) should be descriptive, unique, and not jammed full of keywords. Page titles are the first thing search-engine visitors see, and if those titles don't make sense or look spammy, they'll move on to the next result.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Using press releases in search engine marketing
This is a great article that I thought everyone could use.
Newsworthy press releases help your business. What if you could get traffic and better rankings, too? The four easy steps outlined in this article help you get results.
By Pandia Guest Writer Laura Cunningham
(November 2004) First, let's discuss why it's important.
The standard method for press releases is pretty simple. You write your press release on something newsworthy -- a new product launch, announcement of new service, awards, or other item of interest.
Press release distribution
Usually, you run your press release through the proper channels, send it out over the wire, and it's complete. If it's a great release, it gets picked up on various sites and channels and possibly results in media calls.
Newsworthy press releases that are optimized with keyword-rich content are invaluable to your business. If properly optimized, press releases add the potential for increased traffic to your site from clients searching for your product and business, provide improved rankings overall and in News search engines, and increase your chances of additional press.
They may even enhance backlinks (links back to your site). Press releases also increase your brand awareness.
Once you release the press release over the wire, make sure to publish it on your website as well for double the impact. Not only is this smart for optimization purposes, it is good PR strategy as well.
Where to submit your press releases
You have written an excellent press release optimized for the search engines. Now, how do you get it to the search engines and your potential readers?
If you put the press release up on your site and add a link to it from a page already indexed by the search engines, they will find it.
You may also send the text as mails to web site and newspaper editors you believe will be interested in the story. However, make it personal to make sure it does not look like spam.
However, an even more efficient way of getting the search engines to index the press release is by submitting it to one of the online press release services. The search engines do spider those sites often, in search for fresh content.
The Pandia Metasearch
Directory has a list over Metasearch
3.pl?etype=odp&passurl=/Computers/Internet/Web_Design_and_Development/Promotion/Press_Release_Services/" >services that may help you disseminate press releases.
If you are on a tight budget, you may consider using the free PR Web wire service for your release. Pandia has used them with great success.
The Editor
Target editors
Once released over the wire, optimized releases help you get ranked in News search engines such as Google or Yahoo! News. Millions of visitors, including journalists searching for a story, search Yahoo! and Google News daily.
Since it is updated with fresh, new releases and articles less than 30 days old, the right target audience will find your relevant release with keyword-rich copy.
Editors looking for new fodder or information for a story may contact you as a source, or for fresh content, solely based on your press release being properly optimized and relevant.
However, make sure the press release is well written, to the point and easy to understand. Avoid hyperbole and jargon that outsiders might find it hard to understand.
Target your audience
As touched on earlier, optimized press releases also offer the benefit of targeting your audience. Effective press releases build brand awareness with your customers, target new ones and continue to build your reputation.
Optimized releases have the added benefit of driving potential clients to you. Your chosen keywords drive traffic to your site and build market exposure for your product or service.
How to optimize your release for the search engines
Why not get extra benefits from your press release? Add four simple steps and have a search engine optimized press release. It's simple. Follow the normal process for writing a release with the following additions:
1. Research keywords for your target audience/subject matter
2. Add keywords to the press release to create keyword-rich content
a. Add keywords to your H1 header tag
b. Add keywords strategically within your press release copy
c. Add keywords in links back to your site
3. Make sure density levels are appropriate (I recommend an 8-15% overall density)
4. Make sure your optimize the first 250 words of your content
And, that's it!
An optimized press release is an extremely effective marketing tool. You will experience significant traffic from potential clients, interest from editors and higher overall rankings on your selected keywords. Increase your brand awareness and get listed in the top News search engines. Optimize your release and see results!
Laura Cunningham is the SEM Copy Editor and Team Lead for the Copywriting Team at Websourced, Inc. She leads the team in writing effective SEO copy for over 1,300 Websourced clients. She has over a decade of writing, editing and publishing experience including both technical and marketing writing. Her marketing experience includes both B2B and B2C markets. She has implemented effective marketing and branding strategies including traditional and interactive marketing for various companies.
For more information about using press releases in SEO marketing please visit http://www.bosscherdesign.com
Newsworthy press releases help your business. What if you could get traffic and better rankings, too? The four easy steps outlined in this article help you get results.
By Pandia Guest Writer Laura Cunningham
(November 2004) First, let's discuss why it's important.
The standard method for press releases is pretty simple. You write your press release on something newsworthy -- a new product launch, announcement of new service, awards, or other item of interest.
Press release distribution
Usually, you run your press release through the proper channels, send it out over the wire, and it's complete. If it's a great release, it gets picked up on various sites and channels and possibly results in media calls.
Newsworthy press releases that are optimized with keyword-rich content are invaluable to your business. If properly optimized, press releases add the potential for increased traffic to your site from clients searching for your product and business, provide improved rankings overall and in News search engines, and increase your chances of additional press.
They may even enhance backlinks (links back to your site). Press releases also increase your brand awareness.
Once you release the press release over the wire, make sure to publish it on your website as well for double the impact. Not only is this smart for optimization purposes, it is good PR strategy as well.
Where to submit your press releases
You have written an excellent press release optimized for the search engines. Now, how do you get it to the search engines and your potential readers?
If you put the press release up on your site and add a link to it from a page already indexed by the search engines, they will find it.
You may also send the text as mails to web site and newspaper editors you believe will be interested in the story. However, make it personal to make sure it does not look like spam.
However, an even more efficient way of getting the search engines to index the press release is by submitting it to one of the online press release services. The search engines do spider those sites often, in search for fresh content.
The Pandia Metasearch
Directory has a list over Metasearch
3.pl?etype=odp&passurl=/Computers/Internet/Web_Design_and_Development/Promotion/Press_Release_Services/" >services that may help you disseminate press releases.
If you are on a tight budget, you may consider using the free PR Web wire service for your release. Pandia has used them with great success.
The Editor
Target editors
Once released over the wire, optimized releases help you get ranked in News search engines such as Google or Yahoo! News. Millions of visitors, including journalists searching for a story, search Yahoo! and Google News daily.
Since it is updated with fresh, new releases and articles less than 30 days old, the right target audience will find your relevant release with keyword-rich copy.
Editors looking for new fodder or information for a story may contact you as a source, or for fresh content, solely based on your press release being properly optimized and relevant.
However, make sure the press release is well written, to the point and easy to understand. Avoid hyperbole and jargon that outsiders might find it hard to understand.
Target your audience
As touched on earlier, optimized press releases also offer the benefit of targeting your audience. Effective press releases build brand awareness with your customers, target new ones and continue to build your reputation.
Optimized releases have the added benefit of driving potential clients to you. Your chosen keywords drive traffic to your site and build market exposure for your product or service.
How to optimize your release for the search engines
Why not get extra benefits from your press release? Add four simple steps and have a search engine optimized press release. It's simple. Follow the normal process for writing a release with the following additions:
1. Research keywords for your target audience/subject matter
2. Add keywords to the press release to create keyword-rich content
a. Add keywords to your H1 header tag
b. Add keywords strategically within your press release copy
c. Add keywords in links back to your site
3. Make sure density levels are appropriate (I recommend an 8-15% overall density)
4. Make sure your optimize the first 250 words of your content
And, that's it!
An optimized press release is an extremely effective marketing tool. You will experience significant traffic from potential clients, interest from editors and higher overall rankings on your selected keywords. Increase your brand awareness and get listed in the top News search engines. Optimize your release and see results!
Laura Cunningham is the SEM Copy Editor and Team Lead for the Copywriting Team at Websourced, Inc. She leads the team in writing effective SEO copy for over 1,300 Websourced clients. She has over a decade of writing, editing and publishing experience including both technical and marketing writing. Her marketing experience includes both B2B and B2C markets. She has implemented effective marketing and branding strategies including traditional and interactive marketing for various companies.
For more information about using press releases in SEO marketing please visit http://www.bosscherdesign.com
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Leaffilter Facebook Page
Announcing the launch of the new Leaffilter Facebook Page. Currently it can be found at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Leaffilter/125815137499202 But will soon be found at https://www.facebook.com/leaffilter . For more information on leaffilter, please visit http://www.leaffiltermi.com
Leaffilter was developed by Edward A. Higginbotham, LeafFilter™ gutter protection is the only in its industry that can stand behind its "nothing but water - guaranteed" motto.
They'll throw the scientific facts at you: the principles of surface tension, liquid adhesion, and reverse curves, the concepts on which most gutter protection systems are based. What they don't say, however, is that most of their designs are merely updated versions of systems originally patented back as early as the 1890's.
There is a flaw in applying these principles to gutter protection: water draws whatever is in it wherever it flows. Once leaves and debris are saturated by rain, they naturally follow water - right around the curve of these systems and directly into your gutter. The effect is magnified the harder it rains. As a result, they all know their limitations, some even trying to boost their effectiveness with "wide mouths" or oversized downspouts to compensate for the amount of debris they draw into your gutter.
In spite of all their shortcomings, these systems sell because people desperately cling to the hope that they can do something... anything... to stop them from the hassle of cleaning their gutters. Little do people realize how often they wind up trading one gutter problem for another...
Backed by a lifetime money-back warranty, it is easy to see why LeafFilter™ has become the discriminating homeowner's only choice for top quality, exemplary performance and long term peace of mind.
Its strong siphoning action promotes the self-cleaning properties of LeafFilter™. It washes away spores of pollen, dirt, and gummy or glue-like substances that tend to cover or clog other gutter protection products. Mud, mold, pollen, or even 30 weight engine oil hasn't clogged this filter! These types of substances often coat other products and cause them to fail.
For example, oil leaches out of roofing shingles and coats gutter covers in products like K-guard. These products eventually lose their water adhesive properties and shoot water over, rather than into, a gutter trough.
XELA FilterShield's exclusive technology makes LeafFilter™ unmatched in its ability to keep debris out of your gutter. NOTHING ELSE EVEN COMES CLOSE! LeafFilter™ is chosen nearly 100% of the time over competing brands of gutter protection systems. Consumers believe that LeafFilter™ ensures their gutters won't clog.
Does this statistic sound questionable? Test LeafFilter™ today against any other product on the market and become a believer! LeafFilter™ just hasn't failed. Once you try it, you'll understand why it's rapidly becoming the only gutter protection system homeowners trust.
Leaffilter was developed by Edward A. Higginbotham, LeafFilter™ gutter protection is the only in its industry that can stand behind its "nothing but water - guaranteed" motto.
They'll throw the scientific facts at you: the principles of surface tension, liquid adhesion, and reverse curves, the concepts on which most gutter protection systems are based. What they don't say, however, is that most of their designs are merely updated versions of systems originally patented back as early as the 1890's.
There is a flaw in applying these principles to gutter protection: water draws whatever is in it wherever it flows. Once leaves and debris are saturated by rain, they naturally follow water - right around the curve of these systems and directly into your gutter. The effect is magnified the harder it rains. As a result, they all know their limitations, some even trying to boost their effectiveness with "wide mouths" or oversized downspouts to compensate for the amount of debris they draw into your gutter.
In spite of all their shortcomings, these systems sell because people desperately cling to the hope that they can do something... anything... to stop them from the hassle of cleaning their gutters. Little do people realize how often they wind up trading one gutter problem for another...
Backed by a lifetime money-back warranty, it is easy to see why LeafFilter™ has become the discriminating homeowner's only choice for top quality, exemplary performance and long term peace of mind.
Its strong siphoning action promotes the self-cleaning properties of LeafFilter™. It washes away spores of pollen, dirt, and gummy or glue-like substances that tend to cover or clog other gutter protection products. Mud, mold, pollen, or even 30 weight engine oil hasn't clogged this filter! These types of substances often coat other products and cause them to fail.
For example, oil leaches out of roofing shingles and coats gutter covers in products like K-guard. These products eventually lose their water adhesive properties and shoot water over, rather than into, a gutter trough.
XELA FilterShield's exclusive technology makes LeafFilter™ unmatched in its ability to keep debris out of your gutter. NOTHING ELSE EVEN COMES CLOSE! LeafFilter™ is chosen nearly 100% of the time over competing brands of gutter protection systems. Consumers believe that LeafFilter™ ensures their gutters won't clog.
Does this statistic sound questionable? Test LeafFilter™ today against any other product on the market and become a believer! LeafFilter™ just hasn't failed. Once you try it, you'll understand why it's rapidly becoming the only gutter protection system homeowners trust.
Monday, May 16, 2011
How to increase Google Search Ranking
Google Page Rank is the star and everyone talks about how to increase it. However it is updated at long intervals of three to four months or even later. What is more practical is for the site to come first in the results page returned by Google to queries from viewers. When your site/blog comes up in the first few results then there is a rapid rise in traffic to your site..........
WHAT IS SEARCH RANK?
When a viewer enters a word or query in a search engine box it returns thousands of sites which have that word in them. Typically viewers will only see the first few pages and click on the first few links only. Your Search Rank is the number of your site in the list which appears in the Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs).
This rank depends on what keyword has been entered in the search box. When you optimize your site for a keyword it will rise in the list and appear in the first few pages. This is known as Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
CHECKING SEARCH RANK
You can check the Search Rank of your site for a particular keyword by entering that word in the search box of any engine and counting how many positions your site is from the top in the results returned.
You can also check your Search Rank for a particular keyword at Speedtester
HOW TO INCREASE SEARCH RANK?
1. Titles should contain your keywords. Research your keywords properly before applying them.
2. Put keywords in metatags.
3. Put your keywords in post titles and in bolded headings within the post.
4. Use keywords in alt tags for images. Use lists within your posts.
5. Make your post titles into readable links by enabling post pages in Settings---->Archiving.
6. Submit sitemap to Google.
7. Ping all the search engines after publishing a post using Multipinger sites.
8. Get site code validated for XHTML and CSS.
9. Make your site faster to load by putting less posts on the main page. Settings------>Formatting------->Show __ posts on main page.
10. Lastly SEO should be undertaken after all content has been added to the site and is a cyclical process without an end.
Read more: http://www.blogdoctor.me/2007/05/how-to-increase-google-searchrank.html#ixzz1MWdBoZ6H
WHAT IS SEARCH RANK?
When a viewer enters a word or query in a search engine box it returns thousands of sites which have that word in them. Typically viewers will only see the first few pages and click on the first few links only. Your Search Rank is the number of your site in the list which appears in the Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs).
This rank depends on what keyword has been entered in the search box. When you optimize your site for a keyword it will rise in the list and appear in the first few pages. This is known as Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
CHECKING SEARCH RANK
You can check the Search Rank of your site for a particular keyword by entering that word in the search box of any engine and counting how many positions your site is from the top in the results returned.
You can also check your Search Rank for a particular keyword at Speedtester
HOW TO INCREASE SEARCH RANK?
1. Titles should contain your keywords. Research your keywords properly before applying them.
2. Put keywords in metatags.
3. Put your keywords in post titles and in bolded headings within the post.
4. Use keywords in alt tags for images. Use lists within your posts.
5. Make your post titles into readable links by enabling post pages in Settings---->Archiving.
6. Submit sitemap to Google.
7. Ping all the search engines after publishing a post using Multipinger sites.
8. Get site code validated for XHTML and CSS.
9. Make your site faster to load by putting less posts on the main page. Settings------>Formatting------->Show __ posts on main page.
10. Lastly SEO should be undertaken after all content has been added to the site and is a cyclical process without an end.
Read more: http://www.blogdoctor.me/2007/05/how-to-increase-google-searchrank.html#ixzz1MWdBoZ6H
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