Title tags are an essential element for all web site pages. This is all too often overlooked in fact there are over 23million web site pages that are totally untitled.
Page titles are used by search engines as a strong indication of the actual page content. So an untitled page is very unlikely to be found for it's actual content.
Another problem is that often the same page title is used for all pages. This is the lazy persons solution but is just as bad as having no title at all as search engines will simply disimiss all page titles.
So if you have not really given that much thought to your page titles think again. They are essential to your web site pages appearing in good search positions.
A good page title will be no more than 65 characters (including space). This is the length that Google can display when it returns search results. The objective is to describe your page within that limit. But technically Google will index around 1100 characters. But short and sweet is the general rule.
A good description of your page, within the 65 character of displayed text is likely to obtain more actual visits to your website. Consider the two versions below and decide for yourself which is more comeplling:
1. Search Engine Optimisation - good web site page title advice
2. Services web design - search engine optimisation - good web site page title advice for your web site.
Both the above are fine but my adding the company name I have removed the important context of the page. If I were to use version 2 this is what would be actually displayed:
Services web design - search engine optimisation - good web site...
If I were searching for "page title advice" the above page title gives no clue that the answer to my search can be found on this page.
Think about your primary keyword for the page by considering who you have written your page for. What will people interested in your content search for to find it? Remember each web site page is unique i.e. each page of your website has an equal chance of being found for what it contains.
For more advice or for practical help Services Web Design - search engine optimisation
Monday 26 October 2009
Wednesday 21 October 2009
Link strategy to obtain more visits and gain page rank
Is a link strategy necessary? Yes and I have to say I was sceptical as it is a really gray area of SEO. On one hand you have Google stating that traded links have no value, whilst on the other you have SEO's doing it successfully. So who is right and is there a method of doing it right?
The approach of successful SEO's is to research appropriate link partners. For example if I sell hats then it would make sense that I link to someone selling scarves and gloves etc. This is useful to the visitor that have a found a woolly hat for winter that they may also want to keep their neck and hands warm too. It also makes perfect sense for them to link to me as well.
So the right way is to research suitable partners and approach them directly giving by stating how you see the joint benefit of inkling to each other.
We get 100's of requests from people using automated systems trying to generate links to their website. The email usually starts with flattery i.e. I came across your website and it would be super if you could link to us...
well we all love a bit of flattery! So then I look at the link and it usually something like "fashion watches" or "children's toys". So where is the advantage of having a web design / SEO company linking to fashion watches or children's toys. Well for the avoidance of doubt there is absolutely no advantage whatsoever to either party.
So be clear about who you want to link to and approach them with the reasons why they should link back.
In addition to this you should link first and do so in context to your content. Having pages of links will not work as the entire page is likely to be ignored. Similarly if they link to you from a links page then it too is pretty pointless. Importantly you need to create your link 4-6 weeks before a link back to you is made. This avoids Google's search algorithm associating the links as "traded"
Your link to them should look like this:
Our woolly hats will keep your head, that loses 20% of body heat, nice and warm regardless of the temperature.. But if you need to keep your hands and fingers warm why not visit [link goes here]. They have a great range of gloves and mittens...
So why not suggest some text to go with your link i.e.:
Our gloves hats will keep your hands and fingers nice and warm, but we all know that our heads loses 20% of body heat, so why not visit our friends at [link goes here]. They have a great range of hats...
The above can be added to relevant page content.
However.. Never buy links, use an automated system or subscribe to a link directory.
More free hints an tips can be found on our search engine optimisation page
The approach of successful SEO's is to research appropriate link partners. For example if I sell hats then it would make sense that I link to someone selling scarves and gloves etc. This is useful to the visitor that have a found a woolly hat for winter that they may also want to keep their neck and hands warm too. It also makes perfect sense for them to link to me as well.
So the right way is to research suitable partners and approach them directly giving by stating how you see the joint benefit of inkling to each other.
We get 100's of requests from people using automated systems trying to generate links to their website. The email usually starts with flattery i.e. I came across your website and it would be super if you could link to us...
well we all love a bit of flattery! So then I look at the link and it usually something like "fashion watches" or "children's toys". So where is the advantage of having a web design / SEO company linking to fashion watches or children's toys. Well for the avoidance of doubt there is absolutely no advantage whatsoever to either party.
So be clear about who you want to link to and approach them with the reasons why they should link back.
In addition to this you should link first and do so in context to your content. Having pages of links will not work as the entire page is likely to be ignored. Similarly if they link to you from a links page then it too is pretty pointless. Importantly you need to create your link 4-6 weeks before a link back to you is made. This avoids Google's search algorithm associating the links as "traded"
Your link to them should look like this:
Our woolly hats will keep your head, that loses 20% of body heat, nice and warm regardless of the temperature.. But if you need to keep your hands and fingers warm why not visit [link goes here]. They have a great range of gloves and mittens...
So why not suggest some text to go with your link i.e.:
Our gloves hats will keep your hands and fingers nice and warm, but we all know that our heads loses 20% of body heat, so why not visit our friends at [link goes here]. They have a great range of hats...
The above can be added to relevant page content.
However.. Never buy links, use an automated system or subscribe to a link directory.
More free hints an tips can be found on our search engine optimisation page
Friday 9 October 2009
New Twitter Widget w3c validation errors
Compliance to W3C standards is important step to search engine optimisation. For those using XHTML transitional code it is necessary to correct the code provided by Twitter in order to validate.
If you are using the old Twitter widget it does not validate. It is very easily corrected see post by Winning Inch.
But what is more concerning is that Twitter have updated their widget generator and it is more complex to correct. You will need to edit the Twitter code as indicated below. Essentially the supplied code errors are in red and the correction is black:
____________________
<div id="twtr-profile-widget"></div>
1. Add missing declaration: <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.twimg.com/j/1/widget.js"></script> to the following bad code:
<script src="http://widgets.twimg.com/j/1/widget.js"></script>
2. Move the following CSS link to the head section of your webpage anywhere between <head> and </head> tags:
<link href="http://widgets.twimg.com/j/1/widget.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet">
3. Last bit is to add the declaration: <script type="text/javascript"> to the following:
<script>
new TWTR.Widget({
profile: true,
id: 'twtr-profile-widget',
loop: true,
width: 250,
height: 300,
theme: {
shell: {
background: '#3082af',
color: '#ffffff'
},
tweets: {
background: '#ffffff',
color: '#444444',
links: '#1985b5'
}
}
}).render().setProfile('svcswebdesign').start();
</script>
____________________
If you want to cut and past code go to our website and use your browser "view" menus option to view the page source and you can copy the correct code directly.
To validate your page use the W3C validator if you need more help you can chat to us on-line using the "can we help" button on our website.
More free hints an tips can be found on our search engine optimisation page
If you are using the old Twitter widget it does not validate. It is very easily corrected see post by Winning Inch.
But what is more concerning is that Twitter have updated their widget generator and it is more complex to correct. You will need to edit the Twitter code as indicated below. Essentially the supplied code errors are in red and the correction is black:
____________________
<div id="twtr-profile-widget"></div>
1. Add missing declaration: <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.twimg.com/j/1/widget.js"></script> to the following bad code:
<script src="http://widgets.twimg.com/j/1/widget.js"></script>
2. Move the following CSS link to the head section of your webpage anywhere between <head> and </head> tags:
<link href="http://widgets.twimg.com/j/1/widget.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet">
3. Last bit is to add the declaration: <script type="text/javascript"> to the following:
<script>
new TWTR.Widget({
profile: true,
id: 'twtr-profile-widget',
loop: true,
width: 250,
height: 300,
theme: {
shell: {
background: '#3082af',
color: '#ffffff'
},
tweets: {
background: '#ffffff',
color: '#444444',
links: '#1985b5'
}
}
}).render().setProfile('svcswebdesign').start();
</script>
____________________
If you want to cut and past code go to our website and use your browser "view" menus option to view the page source and you can copy the correct code directly.
To validate your page use the W3C validator if you need more help you can chat to us on-line using the "can we help" button on our website.
More free hints an tips can be found on our search engine optimisation page
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