Search Engine Optimisation
There is more to having a successful website than pretty pictures and a few lines of text.
Your website needs to look good to both your human visitors and search engine spiders. There is much that can be done behind the scenes to help rank your website higher in search results and generate you more business.
We include basic SEO on all new websites we design. But we can also help if your website was designed by someone else or if your website needs a further boost to get you more vistors.
The content of your website is very important. Humans and Search Engines will scan the text and images on your website to see if relevant to the search term. Each page will need appropriate content that includes references to the keywords you want to be found for. Similarly, the META tags that are part of your websites code behind the scenes, will also need to include applicable keywords, written in the appropriate format.
With your website designed and optimised, we'll need to tell Google and other search engines its ready to be found. This requires a Webmaster Account set up for the domain, and a special Site Map uploaded to help the search engines find their way around it quicker.
Like it or loathe it, Facebook and Twitter are important ways to promote your website, for free. Don't be tempted to think of these solely as ways to sell and promote products directly though. Used correctly, they are a way to post interesting comments and random photo's that will help you gain an audience of followers that you can interact with. Of course, once you've gained a few 'Likes' you will be able think of ways to use them to your advantage. Both Facebook and Twitter provide an option to include your website URL, which is a plus for Search Engine Optimisation . With Facebook, you can also specify an address for your business allowing visitors to 'Check In' and find you using their mobile internet devices and mobiles. You don't even need to have an account with either. 'Share' buttons can be included on each web page so visitors can instantly promote your website on their own Facebook, Twitter and other Blog or Social Networking accounts.
Without doubt, one of the most important elements of continued SEO is getting other websites to link to yours. We're not talking about any old spammy directory; these should be other well designed and relevant websites. That's not to say all directories are bad; just make sure you choose who you set up links with carefully. Google frowns upon exchanging links with poor quality sites that are full of junk and adverts. An appropriate category on a well established website or business directory is fine. Many are free, too. Search engines like Yahoo, Bing and Google know how many websites link to yours, (and how good they are). So the more that do, the higher you should rank.
Google offers Local Business results, plotted on a map, usually at the top of the page. The intention is, that if someone searches for a service in their area; a list of results will be shown based on distance from the area searched. In theory, the business closest to you should be shown first. As you might imagine, this can be a valuable tool for any website providing a local service, or a shop.
Its important to know how your website is performing online. Google Analytics, for example, will tell you how many hits your website has had, where they came from and even how long a person stayed on your website. You can compare results for any given period, so its easy to plot your websites success or areas that need addressing.
You wouldn't walk in a shop that looked like it hadn't been painted for years, with rotten woodwork and out of date posters. If your website hasn't been updated for several months, Google will assume you've left town and boarded up the doors. Its important to make sure your website is updated frequently to keep visitors and search engines interested.
