Category: Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Updated SEO Tips

Updated SEO Tips

Search Engine OptimizationThe web is constantly evolving so your SEO (search engine optimization) plan needs to be revisited occasionally to make sure that your content marketing strategy as well as your traditional marketing actions remain relevant.  Here are some updated SEO tips to help in this regard.

Social Media Content

The line between the ‘web’ and social media content is fast becoming blurred.  Statics indicate that over 75% of the marketers now use social media as a promotional tool.  The thrust is on to make every tweet or Facebook post get higher ranking on SERP (search engine results page).  Currently, a brand name search is more likely to find the company’s Facebook or Twitter page before you find the website.  The social media effect on SEO is still well regarded so it is important that the relevant links are incorporated and managed as part of your SEM (Search engine Marketing) strategy.

Optimizing Mobile traffic

Having a mobile friendly site is vital and research has indicated that one in five persons possess a smartphone or tablet. Where your site does not support mobile you would be severely restricting your marketing reach.  Your website should be accessible and readable on any multi-media platform and device and should be SEO optimized as well.  With all the new technologies and process integrations now available, it has become obvious that mobile traffic has far exceeded desktop traffic.

Keywords and Phrase

Make your keywords and phrases more conversational. This means that the focus is on a set of words sometimes described as a long-tail or conversation.  This allows the SERP results to be more meaningful and accurate when matching consumer actions.  The focus is no longer on keywords but on important elements of what the browser is searching for.

Links and Brand mentions

Brand mentions are words on another site, not hyperlinks, that mentions or refers to your webpage.  These implied links and band mentions, inbound links, are highly considered when analyzing page ranking.   Marketing and establishing your brand is therefore crucial. A simple link would be creating a mixed URL structure (www.yoursite.com vs.www.yoursite.com) and adding the appropriate keywords.

Content

This is still the most important aspect of SEO optimizing.  The search engines need to make sense of your content so that it can deliver the most appropriate response to browsers.  This also includes the content on the related social media pages.  The new technique of content aggregation will now have the desired effect. *iMedia Connection describes Content aggregation as a practical way of finding, collating, amassing, consolidating, presenting, sharing, and displaying content around pre-specified set of criteria to appeal target audience”.

Voice search and video SEO are two other methods of SEO optimization that are now trending and it would be wise to engage in the research to have these incorporated in your SEO campaign.

*http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/33784.asp#singleview

Weird and Wacky Anchor Text is Appealing

Weird and Wacky Anchor Text is Appealing

Your website content linking doesn’t always have to be straightforward and straight laced. Often, using humor, turning a witty or funny phrase goes a long way toward gaining you higher search engine ranking. Website designers are even known to use misspelled phrases on purpose acting as anchor text, which is the links you see occurring in content copy the middle of a sentence, or perhaps as a header or sub-header.

Supply a Snippet

A good recommendation whenever you ask other websites to link to yours is supply a snippet of HTML code they can easily place on their page as well as request the same from them. This allows you to decide what the exact phrasing is providing the anchor text that links back to your site. Always vary your choice of anchor text phrasing when exchanging site links so you do not confine your choice to only one phrase.

Get Those Anchors Away

Use anchor text for linking internally on your site as well as for all external purposes. Always include an ample amount of anchor text links on your landing page, or main page, since this is the predominant page visited and will get the most hits. The appearance of “in-line” links in your text copy will compel visitors to click-through to your other pages. Do this because you will be providing visitors with additional useful information and will make their “stopping by “enjoyable. This will also help enhance your sear engine likability which improves your ranking. Using anchor text links is a great website design with a wink at SEO tactics, but when providing searchers with links to quality, useful information, you should receive “word-of-mouth” referrals. This will create additional site visitors based upon their associates having a productive experience at your site.

Make sure your anchor text links always make sense since they will be read by human beings. Also, search engines will read then just like people do.

Go Organic SEO or Pay For It?

Do you believe there are still a handful of online entrepreneurs who still believe their old marketing techniques will help them surpass the competition? There is a great need for some type of SEO-based intervention for these people who believe the inclusion of a “Click Here” link will provide the needed attraction compelling net surfers to visit your site. If you have been involved with a site that is in desperate need of changes, you may want to brush up on current SEO practices, you know, ones that are being presently used in the 21st century like organic search engine optimization or possibly pay-per-click.

Sounds Familiar, Huh?
Most commercial website owners have, indeed, heard about both organic and paid-for marketing techniques but, for some reason or another, fail to incorporate these into marketing any existing business. Want success? Follow a couple of tips using organic methods before shelling out any hard-earned dollars for Pay-Per-Click.

Organic is Long-term Commitment
Unlike methods used paying to get site traffic, organic SEO techniques depend upon building, and maintaining, momentum which will involve a long-term commitment. SEO tactics will bring you to accumulating link-building campaign information, creating relationships with other webmasters as well as getting noticed by certain respectable publications. You need to be in control and meet certain milestones that will return a realistic assessment about your present image and how effective your current optimization efforts are paying off.

Let the Pros Do What You Don’t
An experienced SEO expert will determine the best keywords to use. It’s best to consult with an SEO expert who is better suited to make changes in your marketing plan since it will be necessary to overcome all the adverse impact heaped upon you from either previous activity or conducting none at all. A professional will determine the best SEO practices suitable to meet your needs and goals – once these are established.

Nuts and Bolts Web Design can help with your SEO needs.  Call us at 302-533-7631 to discuss.

Search Engine Optimization Do and Don’ts – Part 2 of 2

There’s a great need for even the so-called experts to develop better SEO skills and knowledge. Many of the supposedly “good” SEO tactics when employed will actually get you penalized by the search engines. Here are a few more tips in this two-part series to get you on the right SEO road:

 

Do Keep a Uniform URL Structure.

You need to modify the URL structure of you web pages when presenting a dynamic site. Maintaining a uniform approach allows for easier indexing by those pesky crawling spiders. It is relatively easy to maintain URL structure in dynamic sites especially using platforms like WordPress which provides permalink options. Otherwise, use a URL rewrite in the .htaccess file.

Don’t Link with Poor Quality Websites.

It is a critical aspect concerning correct search engine optimization (SEO) efforts you include incoming links from very popular sites in your quest to raise your own ranking. Newbies seem to either fail to do this or do not recognize the importance having links from authoritative sites. Linking to poor quality or extremely unpopular sites can cause a loss or lack of credibility and could, indeed, get you banned by some engines.

 

Do Complete a Competition Keyword Report.

Visit competing websites ranking on the top results page to gain the answers to these questions: What is the number of sites using the same keyword? Can you determine the age of the sites appearing in the top results? What is the number of backlinks found in top-ranking sites? Do these sites use social media?

 

Do Create New Content Regularly.

Never ever use duplicate copy because search engines will penalize you severely. If you buy fresh content from an outsource, make sure it passes a plagiarism check such as Copyscape. Adding fresh, relevant and useful content regularly helps attract visitors and build credibility with search engines.

 

Do Use Google Analytics.

Web analytics gained a great deal of use in 2009. Google developed advance metrics combined with intelligence reports that energized free analytic tools. Use these in 2010 to build a plan for increasing site traffic and conversion rates.

Get a quote today for your Search Engine Optimization needs!

Search Engine Optimization Do and Don’ts – Part 1 of 2

 

Unfortunately, there’s a great lack of SEO skills and knowledge floating about. Hopefully, it isn’t contagious because there are some supposedly “good” SEO tactics that when employed will actually get you banned from search engine indexing. Here are a few tips to get you on the appropriate SEO path:

Never Use Flash for SEO Purposes.

Search engines cannot read and index this type of content. Avoid creating a Flash-only site because the search engine spiders will ignore it. If you have to use Flash, use it sparingly, for example, in the header of your website or to call attention to an offer. You should also offer an HMTL version.

Don’t Use a Lot of JavaScript.

JavaScript code also cannot be read by searchbots. Unfortunately, even a few lines of code may compel the search engine spiders to ignore the entire text block where the snippet is located. Search engines ignore JavaScript menus. If you must use JavaScript, place it on the server as an external file.

Do use a Robots.txt File.

Webmasters can gain complete control concerning how data is indexed by search engines through use of a robots.txt file. Also, using a robots.txt file will allow you to deny access to pages you do not want indexed. The file must be placed in the website root folder.

Do Target the Right Keywords.

One of the more common mistakes made by Internet marketers is targeting the wrong keywords, choosing ones that are believed to be associated with a website but actually are not employed by an average search engine user. Choosing the appropriate keywords will help increase traffic to your site. Make use of a keyword selection tool such as the one provided by Google as part of your successful SEO campaign.

Do Use Long Tail Keywords.

There are millions of websites struggling to compete for short search terms. This competition is extremely tough and can take more than six months of hard enacted SEO efforts to get ranked even in the tip 20 for short keywords chosen. Use long tail keywords where you can include product names or event use geographic-centric phrases along with short terms like tampagoldfish. You will find it much easier to gain higher ranking using long tail keywords.

Get a quote today for your Search Engine Optimization needs!