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Blitz
Ezine # 230 October 13, 2003
Advanced Search Engine Optimization - Meta Tag Help
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This is an archived issue. Some links and/or content may be outdated
The Blitz-Promotions News Letter
Issue no. 230, October 13, 2003
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Food for thought
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Link
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Blitz Comments
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Last
week we put in a note asking for some input into our ezine and
we got no response. So this week will be the last weekly issue
of Blitz. We will be making some changes and will continue to
send out a free issue, but it will be once a month. We'll send
it out on the first Monday of each month. You will need to sign
up for the newsletter again and Monday Oct. 27th we'll send you
details on how to subscribe to it.
Reminder
Oct 26th Daylight savings ends and don't forget to fall back an
hour.
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Food for thought
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Striving
for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing.
Author: Harriet Braiker
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Advanced SEO Techniques.
Meta Tags
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This week we're going to talk about meta tags. No matter what
anyone tells you their is really only three tags that are useful.
Many search engines 'say' they don't use some of the tags (like
Google with the description and keyword tag, but... in five years
of studying and tweaking sites, it may not have helped, but it
hasn't hurt, so I use them).
The
most important tag is the title tag. Take a moment and review
the spreadsheet you created over the last several weeks. Do you
notice a relationship between the title tag and the keywords you
were searching for... you should. Almost always, those keywords
will be in the title tag. That is one of the reasons that it is
important to focus a page around 2 or 3 keywords. Put your most
important keywords first, with the other keyword combinations
at the end. So how can you tell which words are the most important?
We always use the competition factor to decide this. The keywords
with the most competition always go first in that tag. Those words
will also be your "Anchor words", which we'll talk about
more as we go along.
So
your title tag would look something like this - for all the tags
make sure to replace the # with <
#TITLE>Keyword
1, Keyword 2</TITLE>
Now
include those keywords in your description and keyword tag.
#META
NAME="keywords" CONTENT="Keyword 1, Keyword 2">
#META NAME="description" CONTENT="Keyword 1, Keyword 2 - include
a selling sentence here">
Some
of the engines use the description tag in the results of their
search listings, so you want to compel folks to click on your
link. So add five or six words at the end of that tag to sell
your site.
After
you create the tag for your first page, continue until all the
pages on your site are done.
Tag
don'ts -
If
the word isn't in the visible text of the page, it is useless
to include it in the tags (and it may actually harm you).
Use seven words max in the title tag.
Don't repeat any keyword / phrase more than twice in any of the
tags.
Tag
do's -
Create individual tags for each of your pages.
Use your keywords in the tags - and only the one's your optimizing
the page for.
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This
weeks extra tip - make it your goal for the next few months to
change something on your website at least every week. Search engines
like fresh content otherwise their results will get old and stale.
Set a day each week to add a page to your site - you can get some
more ideas about doing this using the article below.
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Links you can use -
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Your
web visitor may not know as much as you think they do. At the
link below are seven things that may confuse them.
http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/library/us-tricks/?dwzone=usability
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Web Content--Why it Should be First on Your To-Do List
By Kevin Nunley
http://www.DrNunley.com
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If
you're going to have a website, you have to have content. Content
is a word with a broad meaning, encompassing everything you publish
on your website. Sounds pretty important, doesn't it? It is more
than important; it is vital. And yet, content has found itself
pushed to the back of the line behind technology and design.
In
print publishing there is a definite hierarchy, where content
reigns at the top. For instance, if one is to publish a book,
the content of the book definitely comes before the cover design.
But in the online world, content comes last, after the design
and technology that make a website. Where design and technology
once served the content, the content has become an afterthought
to accompany design and technology.
Because
technology changes so rapidly, we have to pay continual attention
to keeping current on new trends. Perhaps as a result, it is easy
to lose track of the importance of content. So on the web, technology
sits in the #1 seat of importance.
Next
comes design. We're so busy worrying that visitors will not like
the design of our site that we put too many eggs in that basket.
So many people have attractive, professionally designed sites,
and this does help draw visitors to the content. But if the content
of the site isn't what visitors looking for, the best-designed
site in the world isn't going to keep them there very long.
Last
on most peoples' priority lists is the content. The message and
content has become inconsequential, but only to the person(s)
who designed and implemented the site. To visitors, content is
still all-important, which is why we are starting to see a shift
in the role of content on the Internet.
Where
before the message was considered an afterthought, created after
the technology and design, it has started to take front seat again.
People are beginning to understand that the process of communication
becomes warped when the message and content of the site are ignored.
Because, when you think about it, the whole purpose of the technology
and design is to accompany the content, not overshadow it.
Good
content is crucial to any web site's marketing, search engine
results, ROI, credibility, and usability. Current studies show
that site visitors base the credibility of websites on content:
information focus, information usefulness, information accuracy,
information bias, writing tone, information clarity and readability.
So
how do you make the switch from focusing on technology and design
to making content your first priority? For an expert lesson, visit
http://www.alexthegirl.com.
This
site is a perfect example of someone who has put content before
everything else-- including sale oriented copy--and has enjoyed
tremendous success because of it. This freelance writer's site
contains a variety of inventive and enlivening essays about the
writer's life as she begins on her exploration of, well, life.
The essays are lighthearted and contain an element of innocent
fascination that has both intrigued and inspired thousands of
visitors. The site averages 40,000 unique vistors a day--with
NO promotion.
Alex
(the girl) also uses the site to display her portfolio and talk
about her availability as a freelance writer, but these things
are not the predominant focus of her site. The main focus of the
site is to provide something enjoyable for people to read, and
her essays have drawn people from all over the world; from professionals
to advertising execs, students to stay-at-home moms.
The
point is, this site provides nothing but exceptional content.
The design is minimal. The technology is minimal. Everything is
minimal except the content, which is unique and innovative. But
that's all Alex (the girl) needed to make her site a success.
Creating useful and engaging content must be factored into the
whole web development process. Your visitors don't just want to
come to your site and look at things; they want to research, shop,
communicate and interact. They want control, security, activity,
and an enjoyable experience.
So when you create the content for your website, think of what
will make visitors want to explore your site, not just give it
a quick glance. Offer content that will make them come back again
and again, such as articles, tips, news, forums, recipes, contests,
giveaways, advice, special offers and discounts, etc.
Know
your target demographic. Know what they want to see, so you can
give it to them. Your content is only as powerful as you make
it, so give it some real thought and make it great.
Kevin
Nunley provides marketing advice and copywriting. See his 10,000
marketing ideas and popular promotion packages at
http://DrNunley.com
Reach Kevin at kevin@drnunley.com or 603-249-9519.
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Tisa Enterprises
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