Search engine optimisation ? it's the holy grail of website design, or, put another way, a buzzword which means "get listed on Google." Because lets face it; if your website doesn't show up on a Google search, you may as well not have one. It's like opening a shop on the moon.
So, how do you get listed? It must be very difficult, no? I mean, look at all of the website companies charging a fortune for "optimisation" services. Well, quite. You could throw away a chunk of your hard-earned paying someone to get you listed. Or you could just do it yourself. For free.
First things first: here's what you need to know about Google.com, the web's biggest search engine, and basically the only one you need to worry about. Google is like high school. It's a popularity contest. Google will only be your friend if you're one of the cool kids ? i.e., if you've got a lot of friends (or "hits" as we in the web-design business like to call them) already.
Here's how it works: you've got your website. Hopefully got it from us J It's all pretty and shiny and you love it. You want everyone to see it and admire it and love it just as much as you do. You wanna be an internet rock star. So you submit your site to Google. This is the easy part: go to google.com, click on the "about Google" link, and then on the "submitting your site" link. Then you sit back and wait, right?
Wrong. What Google does now is "scan" the web, looking for websites, which it then indexes on its search pages. But as I said, Google's fickle. It'll only go for the most popular sites ? the ones that are getting hits already. If you're not doing everything you can to bring visitors to your site anyway, you may get listed on Google ? but you'll be on page 14,562,572. Which really isn't helping anyone.
So, to get listed, you need hits. Here's how to get them:
1. tell people about your site
The more people you tell, the better. And I'm not just talking about telling people you think might be interested in it. Tell EVERYONE. Tell the postman. The man who sells you your morning paper. Tell that kid who keeps following you home from work every day. You need to get your web address out there. We don't care how you do it. Every time someone visits your site, Google sees. Soon you'll be creeping up them there listings?
2. Put your URL on your business cards
And your letterhead. Put it on your adverts, in your brochures, on your Christmas cards. Hell, get it laminated on a sign and hang it on your back. That's what we do. (I'm kidding) The more places people can come across your URL, the more likely they are to click on it. And clicks mean prizes? (Your URL is the address of your site, by the way. But you knew that.)
3. Get listed in online business directories
Yell.com (the Yellow Pages online), Touch Edinburgh, the West Lothian Council business directory? All of these give you the option to add your website address to your business listing. Once it's there, it's just waiting to be clicked. And we know what clicks mean..
4. 4. Post on message boards
There are online discussion boards all over the internet. Check out handbag.com (for girls), fool.co.uk (for money), or bigsoccer.com (go on, guess?) just for starters. Have a surf and you're bound to find something that catches your interest. Now all you have to do is join in the discussion ? and remember to add your website address to all your posts. Bingo.
5. Get a good signature
Not the kind of signature you write on your credit card slips ? the kind you add to the bottom of your emails. It should include your name, contact information ? and, of course, that all-important website address!
6. Get a good website!
OK, so this probably should have been number 1? Because attracting visitors is all very well, but if you attract them to a poorly designed website, they ain't never coming back. Make sure your designer knows what they're doing: get yourself a well-designed, functional website with something people want to see, and the visitors will come?.
Amber McNaught co-owner of Hot Igloo Productions Ltd., a website design and editorial services company offering writing, proofreading and editing. http://www.hotigloo.co.uk http://www.hotigloo.co.uk
scheduled maid service Northbrook ..If you've gone through all the hard work of a... Read More
So you have your website and you've done everything right... Read More
Before one can fully understand the importance and necessity of... Read More
Website promotion is no longer easy to do.But if you... Read More
If you own a website, you definitely want to improve... Read More
Viral marketing can work wonders for any business, web site... Read More
When you design a website you should create it so... Read More
Description: one way of jumpstarting you link campaign is to... Read More
Giving away content is a powerful way to get free... Read More
Web site owners are realizing Jack Humphrey's Power Linking isn't... Read More
You have permission to publish this article electronically or... Read More
I've been operating two small retail Websites for several years... Read More
Promoting your website can seem like a daunting, complicated task.... Read More
Every day, on line marketers are dreaming up new ways... Read More
Once your site is launched, half your battle is won.... Read More
Acquiring relevant backlinks to your website is one of the... Read More
If you're having problems generating a lot of sales at... Read More
Keyword can be classified into three categories :-Single word Keyword-Multiple... Read More
Do you want to achieve extra-ordinary success in your online... Read More
How to get your business exposed for free!Everybody in the... Read More
I was writing the final chapter of my book on... Read More
Reading the postings in different Newsgroups it becomes clear that... Read More
Giving away content is a powerful way to get free... Read More
What is web-marketing? Why does your business need it?The best... Read More
We have dealt with the tags so the search engines... Read More
reliable maid service Highland Park ..There's such a thing as taking search engine optimization too... Read More
Building links to your website is of huge importance and... Read More
How to market your business? It needs your continual effort.... Read More
So, you don't have a multi-million dollar advertising campaign? You... Read More
There are many ways to market your web site, both... Read More
I've been operating two small retail Websites for several years... Read More
My name is Barbara Mascio. I am the founder of... Read More
Web site traffic promotion on the cheap is labor intensive... Read More
Managing your online business from home is a great way... Read More
Google is the most popular and most used search engine... Read More
In many cases when you start a new website you... Read More
Let's face it, getting (and keeping) a good Google... Read More
If you are not getting traffic at your website and... Read More
Niche markets and mini sites are taking lately by storm... Read More
Contests and Sweepstakes.They are web advertising magnets that draw huge... Read More
Personalized search is a hot topic especially since Yahoo! and... Read More
There are many ways to promote your website for free... Read More
You are an attorney or other service or product provider.... Read More
What is the accepted standard for signatures? Who sets these... Read More
Every day, on line marketers are dreaming up new ways... Read More
Every web business should be using testimonials. Testimonials are extremely... Read More
What is endorsement marketing?Endorsement marketing is having famous or reputable... Read More
Creating a new website is only the first stage in... Read More
The Google patent application submitted in March, 2005 has generated... Read More
You have spent hours creating a HTML masterpiece, you have... Read More
Web Site Promotion |