| | | JUNE 2, ISSUE #1098 |  Web Search | | | | Blog Search | Add a Blog
Search 21,400+ Blogs
Grab a Blog RSS Feed
Blog Express for RSS Feeds
| | SiteProNews Blog | Read daily blog posts in the SiteProNews Blog by 4 of the Web's top writers, Kalena Jordan, Jerry Bader, Titus Hoskins and Matt Jackson.
| | Tools & Services |
| | Webmaster Tools | Web Page Analyzer
Meta Tag Generator
Keyword Popularity Tool
Link Popularity Checker
Search Engine Submitter
Internet Tools Directory
Site Resource Directory
| | SEO-News Forums | | Join the SEO-News Forums to post comments, articles and tips or learn from SEO experts. | | ExactSeek Toolbar | Get the toolbar with spyware scanning, webpage keyword analysis, web search on multiple meta engines, popup-blocking, Alexa site ranking, word highlighting, auto-upgrade and erase browser cookies.
| | Traffic Exchanges | | Get Free Visitors to Your Site with these Outstanding Services: 
TrafficZap 
TrafficSwarm
| | Site of the Day | | Minggl.com provides a unique toolbar for IE 6+ and FireFox 1.5+ that serves as a social interaction manager for handling information, communication, and navigation across multiple social networks. Features include fríend consolidation, automatic logins to profiles, continual mail, comment, and fríend activity notifications. Does your web site qualify as a SPN Site of the Day? Webmaster resource sites can apply via email: sotd@sitepronews.com
| | App of the Day | | SSuite Office MonoBase 1.0 (8.7 MB) allows the creation of personalized databases with any number of tables, fields, and rows. Access any ODBC compatible database of any size. Other features include custom reports, table filter, SQL query engine, simple graphical-user-interface, etc. Freeware for Windows 98/ ME/ NT/ 2000/ XP/ Vista. If you have a Webmaster App that you would like listed on the SPN site, send us an email with details to: wapps@sitepronews.com
| | SPN Partners | | UmbrellaNews - The Web's most comprehensive news site. Stories updated every 7 to 10 minutes. SubmitPlus - Post your site to 110 search engines... Gratis. Template Monster - The Web's number one website templates are available for immediate download. Online Site Builder - Providing high end web design, site management & digital media tools Web-Source - Your Guide to Professional Web Site Design & Development. TheCgiSite.com - A directory of programming resources. TechNewsletters.com - A directory of IT newsletters with ratings & descriptions. Alexa Toolbar - An indispensable tool for web professionals, providing Visitor Data, Site Stats, and Contact details for all the sites you visit!. NewWebDirectory - A new internet web directory of professionally reviewed web sites providing both freebie and paid site submission. FreeWebMonitoring - Monitor your web site's availability 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with email alerts and weekly web site statistics. DropJack.com - A new social content website similar to Digg. Submit original content or articles and news items that you believe are newsworthy. SmartWebGadgets.com - Useful gadgets and widgets for your blog or website. Enhance any web page with just 2 lines of code. Top 10 Exposure - Forget PPC. Get Google-Type ads for $3 - $4 per month and top 10 exposure across 100's of search engines & web directories. ExcellentGuide.com - Provides a directory of trusted, reliable and credible websites based on a unique credibility scoring system |
| |
Be Obvious. Be Simple. Be Smart:
Tips for Designing a Stellar Website
By Sarah Lamansky (c) 2008 |
You have the layout complete. The text is done. Let's Build! Wait. Make sure you have all your ducks in a row first before throwing up any old website. Stand out, be different, and showcase your product in a stellar setting. Check out these tips for designing a website that will quickly convert traffic to sales! Clean code with a crisp marketing message, coupled with a search engine friendly design might just knock the socks off any search engine that comes crawling your way.
Slappin' Ya in the Face Obvious
You'd be surprised by how many people say, "...but my phone number is right there!" ...But is it, really? Is your call to action on your website so pronounced that it practically hits your potential buyer-customer square between the eyes? If not, you might want to fix that. Studies show five seconds is all you've got to captivate your audience with a bright call to action, or a custom graphic to make it obvious. Hook, line and sinker them with a sheer cut, eye popping call to action! Whether it's a "Call Today", "Book It", or "Buy Now" - make sure the Pick ME cue is apparent and obvious to your target audience. The SPN website has a new look and feel with social interaction features, keyword & category search, RSS feeds and relevant blog posts by some of the Web's top writers. Get Ready to Rumble...
We're all human. Competition runs in our blood. Everyone wants to be first or "the best"... carry this attitude over to your website and you are sure to beat out your competition! Your website is your virtual store, and if you don't possess this thinking already, you need to. Invest in your website, as its seen 24 hours a day, seven days a week by potential clients all over the world. Be prepared and get educated, as a website is a terrible thing to waste. The good old days of tweaking things here and there and wham! ...top ten placements, is over. Invest your time and hire a good SEO firm to help you market your business the right way.
Find out who's the hottest in your industry and make it a goal to beat them. With over 180 million searches on the web today, it is imperative to research keyword phrases that your competition is going after. What are their marketing tactics and are they working? Do they have an email campaign located on-site? What are their credentials? Does the website provide coupons, discounts or hot deals? It's the internet my fríend, the competition is steep and all bets are off. So, roll up your sleeves, put on your gloves, and get ready to rumble! Or, research an internet marketing firm that specializes in both search engine optimization and website design that can fight the battle for you.
Simple Simon Wins
Being a "Simpleton" ain't all that bad these days. Just because the world turns at record breaking speeds doesn't mean your website has to. Too much going on, whether there are words upon words, or graphics up the wazoo, can do more harm than good. Be cautious before slapping up just any old image or using too much text to get your point across. We all know that "Content is King!", but Optimized Content reigns supreme. By strategically placing the right keywords in your Title Tags, Meta Data Tags and throughout the body of your website, your business will benefit. Clean design, concise code, and fresh marketing ideas that are clear to the end user will help you get the leads and generate the desired sales you are looking for.  |
Optimize, Optimize, Optimize!
Search engine optimization... what's all the hype about!? Internet competition is booming - open your eyes and smell the code! If you have a beautiful website, but it's not converting...you've wasted your time and money. A well built website with search engine optimization in mind is a goldmine at your finger tips. What's the first step in optimization? Researching and determining a líst of keywords that will drive traffic to the site and convert into sales. Test out various keywords, find out what your competition is and let it ride. For the keywords that don't convert, bag 'em. Expand your focus to reach broad based keywords as well as long tail keyword phrases. The narrower the keyword is, the more likely the user will convert on your page.
Widgets are In
What is a widget? Widgets aid in the process of interacting with your target audience. When your potential customer/buyer installs your widget on their webpage, blog or social media networking profile - you wín a valuable fríend! Widgets provide a great way to strengthen the bond between your existing customers and any newbies who are interested in your product. Get new customers and provide a widget for them to interact with you. Personalization is "key". Almost anything can become a widget - from games to stock tickers or audio players - put your thinking caps on and give your customers the option!  |
Smarty Pants Always Test
This is true. Successful websites are successful because webmasters test their work. A great way to test your website to see if your design is working is through the A/B Split method. These tests run concurrently, at least for a couple of weeks to gain true results. A/B testing provides real world, data-driven, unbiased results based on your target market. There is now even an easy to use A/B Split testing program through the Google Website Optimizer tool! Check it out and win big. Go ahead - be a smarty pants... you know you want to!
Time to Analyze
Yes, folks - it's time to analyze. You might think the hard work is done, but it's now time to see if all your work has paid off successfully. You've created this gorgeous website perfectly equipped with clear calls to action, clean code and search engine friendly site architecture - now what? Let it ride and hope for the best? NO! Test, test and analyze your findings.
Does your hosting company provide a stats program? If so, fire that baby up and analyze what is working, what can be tossed out and what needs to be amped up. Focus on unique visitors, time on site, referrals, and what keyword phrases are driving the most targeted traffíc. A stat program is your fríend, NOT your enemy. Embrace your website's analytics and learn from them to tailor your website, your search engine optimization and your business model after this information. Google also has a free analytics program that involves placing a simple code before the </body> tag on pages you'd like to track. Fast, effective and proven.
If you are a "do-it-yourselfer", I hope these tips helped you with the marketing of your business. If you are too busy and are looking for a firm to handle both the building of your website and the marketing - research a good SEO firm. Count on a professional internet marketing company to shine through and get your hard work to pay off. Good luck!
About The Author
Sarah Lamansky is a Search Engine Marketing Manager at Mannix Marketing, Inc. in Glens Falls, NY. Please contact us for all of your search engine marketing, website design/development and advertising needs. With a positive approach, streamlined goals, and over Ten Years in the search engine optimization industry, We Get You Found On The Web AND improve your sales. For website tips, advertising ideas or a FREE search engine optimization quote, please contact us. Got ten minutes? Let's talk.
Printer Friendly Version of this Article
| Recent Articles Posted on SiteProNews.com |
| Webmaster Resource Sites & Services |
| Top SEO Tools - A suite of the best online submission, reporting and SEO Tools available. Sign up for a frëe tríal. Add Me! - a pioneer in search engine submission, and the most popular. They provide frëe submission and paid submission.
WebPosition
WebPosition helps you maximize your site's search engine visibility by providing a complete SEO solution including rank reporting, keyword research, page optimization and submission. Download a frëe demo today!
| SEO Mindset Boost Your Ranking in Google, Yahoo and MSN! !
Build Your Traffíc with ABCSearch
Get $100 of FR-E-E qualified Visitors. Sign-up today and we'll match any initial deposit up to $100. Geo-targeting, full reporting and one clíck results! Build a Business Website in Under 5 Minutes.
Over 172,000 people just like you have used Exact Websites to build professional websites, complete with web pages, photo albums, email, links and 27 other features without ever having built a website before. |
|  |
No comments:
Post a Comment