Website Optimisation

[wizer]

In terms of design I think you have done really well. Nicer than Dan's!! :lol:

One suggestion. Enter something for each imaged 'Alternate Text' This is a small thing that helps with SEO.

 

[mailee]

Thanks Wizzer but you have lost me there mate?? I haven't got a clue what you mean about 'each imaged alternate text' ? I haven't the first idea about this webstuff, I just followed the instructions in Serif.

 

[ByronBlack]

mailee - no offense mate, but it's a big and difficult subject. If you want to improve your position in the search engines results page, you only have two options.

Buy some books and learn how to do it properly, or contract a professional to do it for you.

However, the very first thing you need to do is consider what the purpose of your website is, and who you are targeting. Once you have done that, you can start coming up with keyword phrases that you think your customers will use to search for services like yours (assuming the point of your site is to attract customers). When you have that list of keywords, use googles 'adwords keyword analyzer' tool to suggest other related terms you might not have thought of.

Pick some terms on the list that google's tool gives you and select ones that have low competition (displayed by a bar graph on the page) and ones that have a decent amount of searchers per month (at least a few hundred).

When you have chosen your keywords, you can then use these in your website copy - either by learning how to do this yourself, or better yet, go to www.elance.com and contract a freelancer to do it on your behalf.

Without first thinking about your customers and identifiying the right keywords, your website will never get listed in a good position.

HTH

 

[Dave S]

Agree with Tom there, Alan, it's not at all bad for a start.

A couple of constructive comments if I may -

• 1. the title text seems to be a different size on different pages.
  
  2. the header - the wood effect part at the top is a different height on different pages
  
  3. I see no mention of your location on the site. You need that for any search engine to list you against your location.
  
  4. You have given good prominence to photos of your work, but some of the pictures are distorted as they resize. Also, the dynamic replacement of pictures in the frame is rather flaky (I'm viewing in Firefox).

Overall I'd say you've got the right idea - the site is simple and pretty well laid out. I would suggest there is rather too much text on the homepage, though.

I agree with Byron, though, the whole search engine thing is huge in itself, and because the way Google and others work is constantly changing, even so-called experts can quickly fall out of touch.

But again I would agree with Byron, in that the biggest single problem most people have with their websites is not having a clear idea of why they have a site, what they want it to do, and who their target audience is. Get these right and you are well on your way.

HTH

Dave

 

[woodlandlad]

just read this thread and im no expert either but one thing that also works is to do the search of your site for your self over and again via all the search engines.it takes awhile but soon the engines see the site and it gets bumped up the listings and also if you are sel ling from the site then the more you sell then the higher you will rank.it has worked for me as i appear at top on most searchs but it has taken a few years.

 

[wizer]

That only works if you do it from a different computer (IP Address to be more specific) each search. The search engines are sophisticated enough to immediately recognise when a search is repeatedly coming from the same source. Getting everyone you know to search for your site will be beneficial.

There is no short cut with SEO.

Mailee: each image will have an alternate text field. You fill it with with a short piece of text describing the image i.e Oak Cabinet or Softwood Gate, etc

Search engines like this because they can index your images.

 

[mailee]

Well I have had a look Wizer but it seems I can't attach any words to the images unless I buy the full version of Serif. Problem is with my knowledge of website design is it worth me purchasing this? I am not sure, but think I will have a word with my friend who helped me design it.

 

[wizer]

I don't think it's worth it for alternate text alone. You should be able to edit the html files in notepad.
Have a look at this link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alt_attribute

The bit in quotes after ALT is the alternate text for that image.

 

[Jake]

I'd drop the "or even one of the many man made boards" (or whatever the exact phrasing is). Chances are that many of your potential leads will be looking for that kind of stuff. It reads as - you'd like to tell anyone interested in painted MDF to f off, but you might condescend to build it if you need the work.

 

[wizer]

On the gallery page, I think the thumbnails are too small. In fact I am not overly keen on the scroll bar style. I think a grid of thumbnails would look better.

 

[mailee]

Thanks for the advice guys I have been to see my computer guru and he has altered some of the HTML thingys in the site and it is coming up in the
google maps now. I have also taken note of the other comments you have all made and altered most of them. I have just noticed your latest posting Wizer, about the gallery page and will have a look at that one too. There is more to this going solo than meets the eye isn't there? :? I am a complete novice as you can tell but I am learning slowly. Thanks again guys, much appreciated. :wink:

 

[superunknown]

Are you getting a good response from your site or is it too early yet?

If you fancy trying an alternative slide show Flickr have a great one that can be embedded in a webpage, it looks very smart and its free.

 

[ByronBlack]

just read this thread and im no expert either but one thing that also works is to do the search of your site for your self over and again via all the search engines.it takes awhile but soon the engines see the site and it gets bumped up the listings and also if you are sel ling from the site then the more you sell then the higher you will rank.it has worked for me as i appear at top on most searchs but it has taken a few years.

I'm sorry, but this is simply not true.

Also, search engines algorithms do change,but it's pretty difficult to fall out of step if you are doing the right things - it all comes down to education.

Second point, the amount of copy on your website is crucial if you are selling a service or a product. More copy is proven to more succesful than short copy, for real evidence of this, see this link, the long copy was over 80% more effective in converting page views than short copy.
http://www.marketingexperiments.com/imp ... -copy.html


It's the copy that will have your keywords and shape your pages 'theme' that google will use to rate your website. If you don't have a lot of copy, google will not see your website as relevent to your keywords, you have to have supporting copy.

Mailee, I can't stress enough, that before you do anything else to your website, think about what you want to achieve with it. Is it just an information source that you give direct to prospects to see your work? Or is it to find new prospects through people searching online?

Both of those two aims have very diifferent SEO requirements. If it's the former, you only need to worry about making your website attractive, and convincing to your prospect, if it's the latter, you NEED, and again, I stress, you NEED to do some research on keywords and what people are searching for. THEN you can optimise your website, but not before you know what the aim of the site is.

For example, you are geogprahically tied, so all your keywords should feature your location, as it's not the amount of views you get to your wesbite that counts, it's how many useful 'targeted' visitors you get who can actually use your services. For example, if you optimised for 'joinery' you would get no business at all, as it's too vague, however if you optimised for 'pergola building wigan' (or whatever location you choose' you are more likely to get a higher ranking as it's a less competitive term, and the people that come to your website looking for that term are much more likely to convert to customers.

Alt tags, titles, paragraphs, headings, meta tags etc... are all just tiny aspects of the general optimisation, don't bother focusing on these until you know what your keywords are going to be, only then can you write compelling and persausive copy using those keywords.

Too many people just stick up a site, and then fiddle with or two aspects without thinking through the fundamental steps, and ultimately have a lame website that no one visits, 80% of my business was rescuing and fixing these websites for my clients - the fundamentals are so important.

 

[RogerS]

This is a really good thread being in the position of trying to create my own web site. The really tricky thing is defining those keywords and that's where I'm struggling!

Doing a bit of research would suggest that 'cabinet maker' isn't that sensible a choice of keyword but it seems to be used by many sites! Or is it the fact that 'cabinet maker worcester' would be more effective? Which then leads on to Brad's suggestion of getting on to Google Maps.

Where's that 'going round in circles' emoticon? :?

 

[hivisvest72]

In relation to the "Where's that 'going round in circles' emoticon?" comment - I'm afraid that's what SEO is - it's a continual process of refinement, monitoring, analysis and testing (although it can of course take ages to see any difference).

It's a science in itself and that's why there are plenty of companies charging lots of money for optimising sites. When I'm not woodworking, I'm a Senior IT developer for a major UK bank (and also build freelance web sites) - we deal with SEO agencies a lot, and there's so much work goes into it you wouldn't believe.

As with usability, accessibility and 'user friendliness', SEO is based on having:
- good quality, well marked-up (standards compliant, cross-browser compatible) html code,
- the content should be relevant, focused on the topic on each page,
- don't try to 'fool' SEs into indexing your pages higher, they will notice and the opposite will happen
- use an analytical tool (Google Analytics is the one I use) - with this you can see where people are visiting your site from, what they are searching for when they find your site, their physical location etc.

My over-riding rule is that if you do your research and find out what people are looking for, and come up with your keywords around your site to enforce the fact that you offer that service, then you're big step forward. Also, it will read well to 'real' users as well as search engines, so once they find your site they will find the information easily, and be more likely to take that 'commit' click, whether it's an application, or just a 'contact us' button.

Don't then try and labour the point with the keywords - as I said before, trying to 'fool' the search engines by repeating content over and over and putting loads of text hidden from the user will both frustrate users when they don't find what you are looking for and is likely to be spotted and penalised by search engines.

Hope all of that rant helps, just need to make sure my own sites are up to scratch with what I've said, after all you wouldn't trust a plumber with leaking pipes in his house!

Cheers

Alan

 

[RogerS]

Many thanks for the suggestions, Alan. The circles might be getting a little smaller :wink:

 

[bugbear]

As with usability, accessibility and 'user friendliness', SEO is based on having:
- good quality, well marked-up (standards compliant, cross-browser compatible) html code,
- the content should be relevant, focused on the topic on each page,
- don't try to 'fool' SEs into indexing your pages higher, they will notice and the opposite will happen

Yes; since google is trying its hardest to help its users find good content, if your pages have good content, SEO "comes out in the wash".

I happen to be at, or near, the top of googling bow saw, bowsaw, and "bow saw".

I'm sure if I'd set out with that as my (only) goal, I would have failed.

But I set out to help people make bowsaws, and I succeeded

BugBear

 

[CHJ]

Anybody any Idea why I come top of a google for:

Hobby Turner

With a few more associated hits:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=site:q ... n&filter=0

 

[wizer]

Chas a combination of good/simple site design, good content and frequent visitors. That's what makes you popular with search engines.

Similarly, if you search for Triton Router, you get Ray (Argee)'s site third down. For the same reasons.

 

[matt]

...and "Hobby Turner" is a very unusual search term.