Metatags

Posted on June 16th, 2005 by Administrator


Simply relax. You are going to learn that right usage of META tags is not that unnecessary and important, as it is declared in many manuals – online and printed.
Keywords, as well as meta tags were invented to describe content of a webpage to search engines, to simplify their work and to give content weight to pages of mostly graphical filling. The system was right and cute, it served well until spammers started using this for their own, cheating needs. As a result of spammers’ activity, search engines were forced to almost completely exclude keywords and meta tags from page analysis in order to keep search results clean and relevant. For this reason only content wins the competition nowadays. However, this doesn’t means that you should immediately exclude meta tags from your site – they are still a powerful tool for web positioning.
Keywords. ( )
This is the most spammed tag. It is usually floated with same words many times, it is filled with words that are not related to website content, but generally popular in the web. Here are a few simple rules, which can help working with it:
Any keyword mentioned on site must be included in this tag and vice versa – if you type a word in this tag – it must be somewhere in visible content of this page. Try to specify exact keywords if it’s possible. It is not recommended to use common, frequently asked words – your page will get lost in surrounding mass of other pages. Don’t repeat one words two or more times. Even a couple variants or word combinations with same word can be safely used up to 3 times. Exceeding this limit can be considered to be spam and if you will repeat it 5 times – problems are guaranteed. Some search engines regard 2 identical words written with capital and without it as two different words (e.g. Music and music). Remember that the majority search terms are typed with small letters – capitals. Thus it is more likely that surfers will search for “music” than for “Music” or “MUSIC”. However, presence of two variants of the same word should be good in this tag. Remember about possible misspells in typed keywords. There are a lot of frequently made mistakes in popular words. If you have such a keyword on your site – include it’s wrong variant. For instance, word “comprehensive” is often typed as “comprehansive” and so on. Stop using dots and commas. Search engine robot can regard several keywords as a phrase, and, besides, robots usually read less than 200 symbols in this tag, so each symbol and space is valuable for you. The tag should be placed as higher as it is possible in page code. Robots usually ignore frames and JavaScript, so the higher this tag is, the lesser is chance that your “keywords” tag will be missed by robots. In case if your site is related to any region – mention this in your “keywords” tag. For instance “Colorado” or “Memphis” – this will help your site to get better ranked in case if surfer types wanted region of company or shipping location.
Description
This tag is much easier to fill, even though it has its own difficulties. Your general goal is to make description attractive. Of course it must point certain site. Numerous descriptions like “Make money!” or “Learn how to earn online!” are not linked with any specific site and makes not much sense in general, because throng of sites is using both phrases and moreover it looks like spam. Description should be plain. The majority of search engines read up to 170 symbols in this tag. Why write more? And finally you need more space to describe what you have – divide one page in three and describe each peace of information separately, even though some search engines give priority to short pages.

No Comments »
Filed under: HTML and Page Coding

Optimization for Directories

Posted on June 16th, 2005 by Administrator

Problem: You have a site, good inbound links, well-optimized and frequently updated, but search engines don’t spider it well. This concerns usual, not optimized, sites too.
Solution: Good indexing depends on several factors – optimization, site structure, site features (frames, sitemaps, etc.), but one of important factors is directory listing – and we shall talk about it.
So, good indexing includes listing of your project in one, several or all of the following directories: Yahoo!, Open Directory Project (Dmoz), About.com, Snap, LookSmart and Go.com. This directories can become good source of visitors, but it is very hard to get listed in there. Taking a lot of time, the probability of that your site will be listed is very low. I hope that the following guide will help you with right and successful listing in directories, what may lead your site to better rankings in search engines.
It is extremely important to get listed in human-edited directories, because some search engines (including Google are using them to fill their SERPs and directories). For instance Google is definitely giving some privileges to sites listed in DMOZ (Open Directory Project) and Google Directory is a copy of DMOZ.
Last WebSnapShot.com statistics shows that the majority of search engines are actively using the ODP directory to improve their search results. Yahoo! is using it’s own Yahoo! directory.
How to submit your site in human-edited directories?
When you submit a site in Yahoo! ODP or even Infoseek Channels, an editor (human) visits your site to appreciate it and decide whether it is necessary to list your site or not.
Now you may have understood why standard optimization tricks won’t work out here.
Editor’s check
Editors of a directory will visit your site to check, whether your site is appropriate for category you have submitted it in, whether it is corresponding to title and description you gave, whether site content is actually interesting. Moreover, each directory has its own appraisal criteria.
Read a couple of tips that may help you to appreciate your own site before you start submitting it.
It is good to have your own domain. Some directories dislike sites hosted on free hosts through dash, sites hosted on subdomains, etc. (e.g. freehost.com/yoursite or yoursite.freehost.com)
Check your site security – FTP, access through web, etc.
The name of your site must correspond your domain name.
Leave your contacts. It facilitates contacting you in case, if editors will decide to give you a suggestion. Site with contacts is better anyway.
You may have copyright, disclaimer and information protection links (if necessary).
Make sure that there is no broken links, images that won’t load, Java Script, php, perl, asp, mysql and other error messages and malfunctions.
Filling in a registration form.
Each directory has it’s own rules, which you must follow in order to get listed. It is strongly recommended that you WILL read them. This will increase probability of getting listed and guarantee that your domain will not be banned forever.
Look through your registration data from editor’s point of view. Have you chosen the right category that corresponds the subject of your site? Check title and description to be consistent with subject of your site. Have you filled in a form completely?
If there is a comments menu – write why your site is better than others. Write why the directory will be better with your site.
Better listing tips.
The majority of directories list sites in alphabetic order, so it is better to start your site’s name with a letter, which is closer to the beginning of the alphabet. For instance if your site is about insects, then it is better to call it “An insect” than “Insect” – first variant will be listed higher.
Search results are ranked in relevancy order, so it is necessary to include one-two keywords in title and description of your site.
Second try.
The majority of directories will check and appraise your site during a certain period of time (it may be displayed during registration). As a rule, it takes not longer than a month, but, for instance, Yahoo! promises to do it during 3 months in case of free submission. In case if you haven’t received a reply or a note from editor and didn’t got listed – contact editors or staff of a directory for information.
Say that you respect their time and efforts, but that they have made a mistake. Explain that your site is very good for their directory (for instance you have a lot of visitors and you will put a link to this directory in case if you will get listed). Say that you gave re-requested listing by filling in another form and that you are waiting for reply.
Some extra tips.
Submit index page of your site – it is more likely that other will be rejected.
Don’t submit your site too many times – this will probably irritate editors and won’t help you to get listed.
Don’t try to get listed in a directory, which haven’t got an appropriate category for your site.
Submit your site to the directory it really corresponds, otherwise it can be rejected.
Don’t try to register an “under construction” site. Complete it and then submit it.

______________

The majority of things, which I have mentioned will take hours and hours of work, but good listing is worth it, because it helps your site to get better rankings in search engines, increases traffic and popularity of your site.

No Comments »
Filed under: Directories and Submitting

Search Engines Algorithms: Link Popularity Analysis

Posted on June 16th, 2005 by Administrator

It’s not a secret that good links increase traffic. But just few of webmasters I know understand that it is already not enough to have just good inbound links for good ranking of a project in search engines. The time has come, when it is necessary to pay attention to common link strategy for each site. The matter of all this changes is Google and other search engines that are trying to keep their SERPs (Search Engine Result Page(s)) clean and quality. Quality search results mean that search results will be in accordance with search query. This subject was discussed on Search Engines Strategy Conference by Teoma/AskJeeves vice-director Paul Gardi, development manager of Fast Software/Alltheweb Ralph Michelson and technology director of Google Craig Silverstein, which have discussed measuring of relevancy of the site in general and links in particular.
Top managers have recommended “good company” for better ranking of our sites. All mentioned search engines are measuring “reputation” of sites you are linked with. Craig Silverstein said that they would like to use more “human” approach in work of algorithm to appraise site value according to used keywords or key phrases. Craig said that they have recently started developing and testing complicated mathematic models and programming solutions to define value of certain website from the point of view of other surfers.
It is important to note that Google is already appraising quantity of inbound and outbound links on and to your site, their “popularity” and defines whether your project is in some “web resources community”, united with same subject in world or local scale. “The more you simplify our job, the more we like you”, Craig said. So, recommendations are rather easy – exchange links with “respectable” websites, make sure that your link partners are using keywords related to your site’s subject, be consistent using keywords on all pages of your site and very attentive writing descriptions around your keywords and links.
Undoubtedly, algorithm of links appraisal is not the one and only criteria to appreciate your site. There are many other aspects, which are taken into account by algorithm.
Theoma/AskJeeves – Paul Gardi says that “We start with text analysis, appraise it and appraise common popularity of a site by comparing and ranking sites according to the quantity of inbound links. But due to spammers activity they appreciate not just quantity, but quality of links. This means that sites having large amount of inbound links from quality resources are given priority over sites having a lot of poor links. The more quality links you have – the more your site’s priority is. At last search engine confers you high rank.
In order to form Thematic Communities we add appraisal of click popularity to appraisal of direct hit. This means that Teoma/AskJeeves appraises the whole community of sites united by common subject. Presence of “respectable” sites in such community is very important for the community in general. “We always keep eye on which resources are chosen by Thematic Community to be “experts”.
Paul says that for good Teoma/AskJeeves ranking it is necessary to optimize all pages, don’t get in a “bad company” and be sure that links descriptions are telling about something really important.
Ralph Michelson from Fast Software/Alltheweb said that their algorithm separately appraises inbound and outbound links, tendency and consistency of site’s subject. The next step is ranking and classification of links description content. As a result algorithm forms static structure that can probably accurately appraise your internet project.

No Comments »
Filed under: Link Popularity FAQ

12 valuable tips for writing effective ads for Google AdWords Select

Posted on June 16th, 2005 by Administrator

If you are using Google AdWords for promotion of your projects and resources - this article is for you! I will tell you how to make maximum profit of funds you invest in AdWords companies. This article is unique, because it is based on my own experience in building successful AdWords ad sets. It has amazingly increased CTR of my ads and decreased expenses. If you are a business nick, who value time and money, who understands that productivity of each ad can be decisive for the whole business – this 12 tips are for you and nobody else.

1. Choose right auditory.

To receive right targeting, choose language and countries, which surfers are interesting for your business. For instance, I have excluded all countries, where English-speaking population is less than 70%. This step is very important, because Google surely doesn’t knows whether the surfer understands your ad or not – but the ad is shown and your money are spent. The second reason to do so is actual need of certain products or services in certain areas. Learn the market. For instance if you advertise some products of Canadian origin – you should exclude Canada from countries list, because the product is definitely cheaper in Canada (shipping expenses are excluded), so surfers will prefer local stores.

2. Choose keywords carefully.

Use square brackets on both sides of a keyword “[…]”.
For instance: [car] [car rental]
Your ads will be displayed if the search term will exactly match the search term specified in brackets only. The ad will not be shown for other search terms. For instance your ad will not be shown if surfer will search for “car pictures” or “toy cars”. Otherwise your ads will be shown at any search terms including “car”. You don’t want to show your car rental ad for “toy cars” search term, aren’t you?

3. Test many ads at the same time.

Always test 2 (or more) ads at the same time. This trick is called “A/B selective test” in printing industry.
Continue with this process until the maximum possible CTR is achieved.

4. Keep you eye on efficiency and investments improve of each ad.

Google is watching ratio of each ad. But it doesn’t watch conversion ratio. To watch coversion ratio use special test-links. For instance, attach affiliate link to each ad. Make sure that ad improves investments.

5. Include target keywords in ads.

Include target keywords in the title or description of your ad. Google will highlight surfers’ search terms in your ad with bold font.
When people watch search results, they are looking for keywords they have typed. Found keywords are highlighted with bold font. This feature definitely helps to attract surfer’s attention to your ad. That is why ads with target keywords and keyword phrases are much more efficient than others.

6. Sell profit.

Allocate one or more profits in your ads, which surfer will receive. For instance, “earn more money”, “how to look young”, “burn fat”, “become healthier”, “live happier” and so on.

7. Include words, that attract attention.

Start your title with a word that attracts attention. For instance “Free”, “New”, “Wholesale”, “Limited offer” and so on. But always keep your ads in consent with Google editorial guidelines.

8. Use words that evoke emotions and enthusiasm.

Use powerful words prompting to the action of sentence, which evoke emotions, enthusiasm and response. Here are some examples of powerful words: free, cheap, wholesale, special offer, tips, tricks, improve, open (for yourself), learn, finally, free shipping, etc.
Here are some examples of phrases, which evoke action:
Buy now – save 50%
Download free trial right now
Wholesale ends tomorrow
Use only those phrases, which really fit your business, otherwise Google can reject the ad.

9. Sell UTOs (Unique Trade Offer(s))

What makes your product or service unique, better than your opponents’ ones? Underline this in your ad text! For instance one of the first descriptions of Amazon.com was “The worlds largest book store” – this IS the powerful UTO.

10. Insert links to relevant entry pages.

If you promote specific product or service – male special page on your site, to drive surfers coming from ad to. Your goal is to transform a surfer into a buyer – include interesting, relevant, unique information in this page. Usually, well-done, shapely-made entry page is a 90% purchase guarantee. This conversion value falls down to 30% if you send surfers to the main page of your site, because sometimes it is hard to find the product they are looking for, especially on sites with throng of links, multitude of flashing banners and large images.

11. Exclude common words from your ad.

Exclude common words, such as “in”, “on”, “for” and so on from your ad. Delete each unnecessary word. This includes visible relevancy of your ad.

12. Scare off the “freebies-hunters”.

Scare off those surfers, who hunt for freebies and free stuff, having included price into description of your ad. This will increase ratio of conversion and decrease average price for each surfer coming from ads. This will also decrease visible CTR of the ad, but this is the way, how it should be. Your aim is to attract as much buyers as you can – not those, who will just click your add (thus spending your money) and immediately get away.
Conclusion.

Remember that advertisement is an endless chain of experiments. Always watch your advertisement texts ratio. Don’t stop experimenting with various keywords and texts too increase conversion ratio and decrease average price for attracted surfer.

No Comments »
Filed under: Google AdWords and PPC

Choosing right keywords for your site

Posted on June 16th, 2005 by Administrator

One of questions, extremely frequently asked by novice webmasters and site owners is “where to find right keywords for my site?”. This question is asked along with such as “How to build successful SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategy?” and so on.
Your first goal is to understand what kind of keywords and keyword combinations you need to receive. There are a lot of services that will give you plain list of keywords, which all your opponents already have. But if you really need to get in that tight niche of business – your goal is to overpower your opponents with your brain. Yes, there is just few keywords related to “apple” – “fruit”, “apple-pie”, etc. But did you know that you can get thousands of words and word combinations using one convenient tool? It will give you all known combinations with word you seek, make lists of keywords comprehensible and easy-to use. So, what is the best solution for your business?
Actually, the right answer for this question is always just a click away from you. Do you know what WordTracker is? Except of the “Most popular search terms” list it contains a couple of extremely valuable tools that will definitely help you to make search engines friendly website. You can check any needed word for popularity in top search engines, get similes, which may be searched along with your general search term and get misspells for popular words frequently made by surfers and so on.
Wordtracker is chosen by SEO professionals every day. I’m also a habitual visitor of this service. Let me tell you a couple of interesting facts about Wordtracker, except of what I have already mentioned.
- Built-in easy FAQ, which makes wordtracker most comprehensive professional keyword tool in the web. You will always receive quality support and quick help learning secrets of effective work.
- The Wordtracker academy. Tests for search engine marketing knowledge, valuable tips and tricks. Expert wordtracker tutorials, featured keyword articles, wordtracker keyword resources.
- Downloadable keyword reports, that can be also sent to your e-mail.
- You can add unique wordtracker ideas to your own software and web applications or build them based on wordtracker database.
As the Wordtracker team says – “To start using WordTracker, is like to jump in a sport car, while others are still driving old vehicles”.
You can enter and start successful keyword projects using the following link:

Wordtracker Keywords Search Tool

No Comments »
Filed under: Dealing with Keywords

Protected: SEO Professionals

Posted on March 14th, 2005 by AnnadaPadhy

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:


Enter your password to view comments
Filed under: News, Optimization News

Protected: Driving Northern School Virginia

Posted on February 19th, 2005 by nagaraj

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:


Enter your password to view comments
Filed under: News

« Previous Page