Links, links, links: why links are essential in SEO
Successful search engine optimization strategy has two prongs: on-page and off-page optimization. On-page optimization involves a competitive keyword analysis identifying which keywords your target audience is using, and which keywords you can best compete for. We then implement those keywords throughout your title tag, content, file names, and other meta tags.
Off-page optimization is gathering quality links to your website using those same keywords in the link (anchor) text. This step is often neglected by many clients we speak with. However, off-page optimization is as important as on-page, if not more so. The quality and quantity of links from external websites, called “inbound links,” is paramount. If you look at the SEO industry consensus, the half of the to 10 factors have to do with inbound links.
Here is practical advice on how to gather internal links
- Send individually addressed emails to your colleagues, friends, vendors, and clients. Let them know about your newly optimized site, and ask them if they would link to your site.
- Tell them what you would like the link to say. This is extremely important. Let’s say one of your top keywords is “Denver ski shop.” When you ask your friends to link to your site, say: “The words used in the link itself are important to search engines because indicates what my site is about. So please use the phrase ‘Denver ski shop’ as the link to my site http://www.example.com.”
- As a general rule, avoid link farms and paid links. Natural links from colleagues and clients are more…well, natural. Search engines are always tweaking their results to reward real, natural, quality links.
- Utilize our link building services: we provide link building services to our clients through our partnership with one of the top 10 link building companies in the world. Your links are obtained from the right partners based on a thorough research of your competitors and potential business market space. We also keep in mind these quality guidelines
- No Frame Sites
- No Java script pages
- No link farms
- No redirected sites
- No sub-domain sites
- Keywords in anchor text
This comprehensive, two-pronged approach has helped us get a variety of clients and keywords into the top ten of Google search engine results pages. Contact us today about optimizing your site for maximum search engine penetration.
eye9 Design is a leading Denver, Colorado SEO company providing affordable web site search engine optimization to clients across the nation.
Does the age of my site matter? How to fight the Google “Sandbox Effect”
As they say…”communication is the basis of every relationship.” Unfortunately in your site’s relationship with search engines, that communication is definitively one sided.
It is a given that you want Google to rank your site well. Unfortunately, Google at best only hints about what it wants from your site in order to rank it high in the SERPs (search engine results pages). That is why SEO (search engine optimization) community has closely studied different techniques to identify those that produce higher rankings.
So what about the age of your site? Does it matter?
Absolutely.
As a matter of fact, a consortium of leading SEO professionals ranked it the #4 overall factor affecting your position in the SERPs. Some SEO’s have even developed theories about the existence of a “Google Sandbox” which acts a bit like a probation period for new domains.
If you have a domain that is several years old, this should come as good news. Working with an aged domain makes our work as an seo optimization firm easier. However, if you are starting a new website, this is far from a death knoll. As a matter of fact, it emphasizes the need for effective search engine optimization.
In this article I will address in detail the following questions
- What is the Google Sandbox, and does it exist?
- How can I get out of the Google Sandbox?
If this level of detail is beyond what you are interested in pursuing, here is the bottom line: the age of your site does matter. Since the age of your site is basically beyond your control, it is even more important to address those factors you can control. We help you strategically select a set of target keywords through a database analysis, implement those keywords throughout your meta tags and content, and gain links from other websites. If you optimize a newer site, as the domain aging process takes care of itself you will have positioned yourself for success and maximum return on investment.
For those of you who desire more information…read on!
What is the Google Sandbox, and does it exist?
To start things off, here is a good definition from webpronews.com
Some programmers have viewed Google as uncomfortable to rank newer websites until they have proven their viability to exist for more than a period of “x” months. Thus the term “Sandbox Effect” applies to the idea that all new websites have their ratings placed in a holding tank until such time is deemed appropriate before a ranking can commence.
Why would Google depress the rankings of a new site in the SERPs? SoftwareMarketingResource.com provides a very plausible explanation (condensed here).
As the SEO community figured out the basic elements of Google’s ranking algorithm, inbound links, original content rich with keywords, and the proper use of anchor text, search engine spammers began to take advantage of these elements. Search engine spammers would setup websites that were in clear violation of Google’s policies with the knowledge that eventually their website would be banned from the listings…The idea for spammers was a simple one. Capitalize off of Google’s traffic for as long as they can (before they get banned), then do it all over again with a new website. The method was extremely effective and easy to implement…
To solve this problem, Google determined that it would compromise…All new websites that were launched would be put on probation. As time passed, and as the sites continued to pass any spam filters they ran, the website will not be held back from performing well in the rankings. Eventually, after quite a bit of time had passed, a site would be allowed to “leave” the sandbox and join the rest of the established websites.
This is a very logical explanation for why Google would want to use a sandbox effect, but it certainly does not prove that they do! Depending on who you read, Google has debunked or basically confirmed the existence of the sandbox effect. So what should we make of all this?
- Age matters. This has strong consensus among leading SEO professionals (“…not the date of original registration of the domain, but rather the launch of indexable content seen by the search engines”)
- Many SEO professionals have observed, especially in competitive niches, that it can take 3-6 months or more to see real progress in the rankings. Whether this is due to a sandbox effect, or simply that newer domains key factors like lack aged backlinks…you be the judge.
How can I get out of the Google Sandbox?
The same principles apply whether you are in a probationary period (if it exists) or if you have a finely aged 10 year old domain. We help you strategically select keywords and implement them in the essential areas. This is the foundation of our seo optimization process.
Here is how it works
- You submit a list of keywords related to your website/services/products
- We run these keywords and related variants through our database of data from all the major search engines
- This analysis tells us two important things about your keywords and related variants: the amount of traffic and the level of competition
- Based on this data, and the relevance of the keywords to your site, you select a set of keywords
- From these keywords, we optimize the following tags: title, description, keywords, and alt
- We have you or your copywriter create SEO rich paragraphs for inclusion on your index page and/or landing pages
- Links…links…and more links: it is essential that you obtain links to your site from other sites (called “linkbuilding,” we are available to assist you with this)
Conclusion
So there you have it. Google will always play “hard to get” when it comes to the specifics of how domain age or any other factor affects your rankings in the SERPs. However, by following tested and proven seo optimization techniques we help position your website for success. Maximize your return on your website investment and optimize your site for search engines today!
eye9 Design is an seo optimization firm based in Denver, Colorado.
Advantages of CSS Web Design over Tables
Web sites are comprised of a series of text files that contain a system of code called HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language). Your browser reads these text files and then displays the content accordingly onto your screen.Traditionally HTML files of a web site were coded using tables. Tables are similar to a Microsoft Excel spread sheet: a series of rows and columns with the content placed within the individual cells. The issue with table based web sites is that the content is not separate from the structure of the website. This means that when a change needs to be made to your website (such as a new color palette or layout) every page needs to be re-written on an individual basis.
The alternative to tables is a newer method of coding called CSS – a.k.a. Cascading Style Sheets. In this method the web pages are created with the content, but without any (or very little) structure or formatting. Each individual page then references the single CSS file for structure and formatting. Then changes to the visual appearance of the site can be made globally from one single file.
Other advantages of CSS over tables include:
- Faster loading times than tables
- Extremely flexible for design choices
- Cross-browser compatible
- Search engine friendly
- Easier to maintain than tables
- More accessible on mobile devices than tables
- Accessible to those using assistive technologies
These advantages of CSS lessen the time required to code the website, reducing the overall cost to our clients. In addition, CSS also allows site wide changes to be made within moments. This means that website maintenance is quicker and less expensive than with traditional websites created with tables.
eye9 Design is a Colorado web design company providing innovative and affordable website solutions.
What you can do to increase your SEO rankings
Did you know you have an essential role to play in your search engine rankings?
The tips below apply whether you just had your site optimized for search engines and want some “next steps,” or you simply want some “DIY” SEO optimization ideas.
There are two essential things for you to do to ensure your website climbs its way up the search engine rankings and stays there.
- Links, Links, Links: We have taken care of the “on-page” factors by optimizing your meta tags and content. The other half of the equation is having websites linking to yours! Without both, you will have limited success. Here are some tips for getting links.
- Send individually addressed emails to your colleagues, friends, vendors, and clients. Let them know about your newly optimized site, and ask them if they would link to your site.
- Tell them what you would like the link to say. This is extremely important. Let’s say one of your top keywords is “Denver ski shop.” When you ask your friends to link to your site, say: “The words used in the link itself are important to search engines because indicates what my site is about. So please use the phrase ‘Denver ski shop’ as the link to my site http://www.example.com.”
- As a general rule, avoid link farms and paid links. Natural links from colleagues and clients are more…well, natural. Search engines are always tweaking their results to reward real, natural, quality links.
- Content, Content, Content: Create a page for each of your top few SEO terms. If “green car widgets” is one of your important terms, create a new page with an article all about your widgets. Be sure to put “green car widgets” at the beginning of the page title (the words that appear at the top of the browser). Also, mix your other related SEO keywords into the content of the page! After you have created the article, link to it from different places where the term “green car widgets” appears: the sitemap, content text, and SEO text. For an example on how to create and link to internal content, go to www.eye9design.com.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
It usually takes time for Search Engines to move you up in their rankings, especially if you have a new site and few links from other sites. In the mean time, consider using Pay Per Click (PPC) marketing from Google, Yahoo, or MSN (the ads that appear on the right hand side of the page). While your goal is eventually to have your listings in the organic results (the main content area), strategic PPC campaigns with well written ads can drive relevant traffic to your website.
Contact us today about supplementing your search engine strategy with PPC advertising.
eye9 Design is a Colorado SEO company providing SEO optimization services to our clients in Denver, Colorado and around the world.
CMS – the freedom to manage your own website
Over the past several years, we have observed a strong trend towards using content management systems in website design and ecommerce development. Increasingly, clients ask for the ability to manage their own website.
First of all, what is a CMS?
CMS stands for Content Management System. As the name indicates, it is a back end tool (invisible to the website visitor) that allows you to update text, pictures, and links without any knowledge of HTML. Some CMS systems even allow you to add audio, video, and PayPal buttons.
Why use a CMS?
If you frequently update your site with news, product information, product pricing, pictures, or other information, a CMS makes sense. It also makes “cents!” Having a CMS allows you to update your content, and focus your budget towards filling holes in your web strategy. For example, have you considered how much potential business you are losing by not having a search engine optimized site? Or, for ecommerce websites, adding expanded product profiles and user interface improvements (like picture zoom in/out) can increase your sales.
Can a CMS work with any website?
There is a CMS for every major website language.
- HTML: we recommend Contribute, Adobe’s (formerly Macromedia) best selling editor. It is simple for us to integrate with any HTML website, and is unmatched in ease of use. Features include the ability to include PDF’s in your web pages, add audio/video files, include PayPal buttons, and more.
- Example of Contribute in use: Zahr & Associates
- PHP and PHP eCommerce: we recommend Mambo, an open source CMS. It is widely used and widely documented, which allows us to adapt it for just about any need. Mambo is our CMS of choice for eCommerce web site design.
- Example of Mambo in use: Billygoose.com
Implementing a CMS
Whether you already have a website, or are just about to get going, a CMS is an important tool to consider. It gives you freedom in managing your own website, and allows you to redirect budget dollars towards essential improvements of your website.
Google Goes Universal
Last week Google made the most significant change to its search results in years. I have devoted increased space to this change so you can be informed about what is changing, why it is important, and what you can do about it!
What is changing?
Google actually has multiple search engines for blogs, news, products (formerly known as “Froogle”), books, and more. In the past you would see a small area under the search box highlighting results from other Google search engines. If you search for terms about John Grisham’s “The Broker,” you might see Google Book Search results above the normal results. Now, Google is incorporating search results from some of their other engines into the normal results….hence the moniker “Google Universal.”
Many in the SEO community are calling this search “predictive.” Google is trying to predict based on the actions of other searchers what kind of information you are looking for.
Here are some examples of how this predictive search works:
- David Beckham is easily the most recognized athlete in the world. He is known for his golden foot..and also his golden looks! He is a consistent favorite of photographers and tabloid writers. Notice a search for his name returns image results in the #1 position, and news at #2!
- Search for Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” and you will find Video results in the 3 and 4 positions. Also, you will see Google suggesting “thriller lyrics” as a relevant search, and including results from that keyword phrase! Talk about predictive…
- Other notes:
- While Google is becoming more “universal” in its results, notice the tabs which allow you to switch to other Google search engines entirely (Images, News, etc). Tabs that are visible vary with each search as Google tries to predict what kind of information you are seeking.
- Blog, news, image results and more can appear in any position in Google’s search results.
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Why is this important?
- First of all, Google is the search engine market leader and expanding its dominance. Anything they do matters!
- Secondly, this means that effective websites will leverage content in a variety of media. Focusing only on textual content may get you bumped to a lower page as blog, news, or video results take the higher positions.
What can you do about it?
How can I optimize my site for the “New Google?”
- Leverage your content through a variety of media. Do you have a series of white papers you could turn into a blog? How about images from your last industry conference, with seo optimized file names? Commercials can be turned into YouTube videos, and press releases can be sent to free press release websites.
- Contact us today about how to optimize your site to take advantage of these media.
Want more information?
This video, from Barry Schwartz at SEORoundtable.com, provides an excellent walk through of the changes.
Content is king for SEO Optimization
Search engines operate based on algorithms that are highly guarded secrets. These algorithms decide your value and relevance based on certain factors both on your website (“on-page” factors) and how the rest of the web treats your website (“off-page” factors). SEO experts will approximate the weighting of the different factors. However, since these algorithms are secret, and are always being optimized themselves to deliver better content, we cannot be sure of the exact numbers.
That being said, this much is certain: the two most important factors are content, and inbound links. And what is the best way to obtain inbound links (besides a bunch of money)? Good content. Thus, helping clients write content that is informative, actionable, and optimized for the search engines becomes the most significant task of the SEO consultant.
The halls of SEO higher learning echo with whispers of rumors and speculation. Some optimizers engage in endless tweaking and trickery in order to achieve better results. However, search engine companies such as Google, Yahoo, MSN, and Ask.com have hired the best minds in the world in order to defeat these search engine spammers, and deliver relevant and authoritative content. All it takes is an adjustment of the algorithm, and all the trickery adds up to nothing but wasted time.
Good content is always a good idea. Your clients will thank you for it, and the search engines will rank you for it.
eye9 Design is a Colorado SEO company specializing in SEO optimization for Denver, Colorado.
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