Daily Archives: August 11, 2008

Ways to Optimize Your Web Site

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Ways to Optimize Your Web Site
By Malcom Chakery
Copyright 2008
Search Engine Optimization is a technical process which is used to raise the rank of a website in the search engine index. SEO makes a website easier for the search engines to read and also helps the users in finding the best websites to read. It is an easy and cheap way to get more traffic on a website. SEO helps the different pages of a website to get a good rank in the search engine.

Let’s discuss ways to optimize your web site-

Content should be strong
Every search engine wants to give the best and most relevant results. That’s why they regularly review the sites and the content on them, in order to make sure that every search result is ranked according to its worth.  Therefore, the first thing you should focus on your website is its content. The content should be strong and relevant to the subject and keyword phrase used by the website.

Use HTML
This is a very important step in the search engine optimization but it is often by the web site developers. A valid HTML format of the web site is a very simple thing to do but it is an important in order to optimize your websites. It has been found that a site in a valid HTML format gets spidered much easily and widely.

Decide on good keyword phrases
Choosing a perfect keyword phrase can be a difficult task but it is very important for optimization of a website. You must try to come up with one keyword phrase for every page of your website. The phrase should be focusing on the content of that page and should be relevant to the content on it. Also, use that phrase in the title of that page as that will enable it to appear as a link in the search engine.

Use the key phrase wisely
A website developer should make sure that the keyword phrase is used enough times in the content of the page. The keyword phase should come at least twice in every five hundred words in order to make it visible to the search engines. But on the other hand, one should not even load a web page with the keyword phrase as it will look like that the website developers are trying to cheat the search engines in increasing its rank. So, use it carefully and wisely.

Don’t optimize the whole site with one keyword phrase
Sometimes, the website developers take the easy way out and optimize the entire site with just one keyword phrase. This is the wrong way to do it. In order to optimize your site successfully, you should try to come up with different keyword phrase for each separate page of the site. This will increase the rank of the website and will also bring more traffic to it.

SEO – What is SEO?

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SEO – What is SEO?
By Malcom Chakery
Copyright 2008
SEO is the abbreviation of the term “Search Engine Optimization”. This is a technique by which a website owner can make his website more search engine friendly. This means that SEO is a process which enables a site owner to get better and more traffic on his site. Normally, a net surfer will log in to a site he sees first and will not search for more than one or two pages for one search.

The site that comes up first will get the most traffic. This makes it important for a website owner to get his site in the first few options of a search result. This is where the SEO can help us. SEO can help a site get better traffic by increasing its ranking on the search engines. SEO ranks a site on the basis of its relevance in connection to the popular keywords. It makes a website easy to read by the search engines as relevant to the search.

SEO also helps a website by targeting other types of searches engines also like industry specific, local and image search engines. In order to increase the market relevance of a site, SEO first analyzes the algorithms of searches and the common topics that people search for. A SEO operation involves everything that will make your site rank high in the search engines. This involves the presentation, coding, structure and troubleshooting of problems of the site. If not given attention, these things can stop the search engines index to spider a site completely.

But some sites also apply some not so good tactics like link farms and over-loading a site with irrelevant keywords in order to increase the rank of their website. This is called the Black hat SEO. This is a major problem for the search engines as it decreases their image by putting up spam or unnecessary sites on the primary pages of a search results. That is why search engines are always on the look out for such sites and ban them from their indices.

SEO as a term is also applied to the Search Engine Optimizers who are the professionals which carry out the search optimization projects for the companies. These are the professionals which work as an SEO consultant only or can also take part in the broader marketing program for the company. In order to perform a good search engine optimization operation for a site, a consultant may have to make some changes in the HTML code of the site. That is why, the SEO tactics are incorporated in the site at the time of its development and designing.

In today’s cut-throat competition, every site owner wants his site on the number one rank of every search engine. And this is where the SEO comes in to help them. But while doing the Search Engine Optimization on your site, you must remember to be careful about the content on your website also as it is very important to have good information on your site.

5 Tips to Design a SEO-Friendly Website

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Search Engine Optimization is very important for any website. If you want to design a SEO-Friendly web site then you must follow the following tips-

Use Good Keywords
This is probably the most effective way to make your web site SEO friendly as this is the first criteria to get a good SEO ranking. Therefore, you must find a good key phrase for every page on your website. Don’t optimize the entire site with one common key word or phrase as it may prevent the different type of data from different pages from coming up at the right time. For example, suppose that your website is on different types of textiles and in it you have given information about all types of textile and have also included the information about different countries which export them. Now, if suppose you just keep one key- phrase i.e. “Textiles of the world” for the entire site. Now, your website will only be visible for the people who want to find out about the different types of textiles. People, who want to know about the textile exporting countries, won’t be able to see the pages on your site giving that information. Therefore, you should keep a different keyword or phrase for every separate page.

Refresh the content frequently
If the content on your site is old and stale then you will lose the traffic on it. Therefore, you must keep refreshing the content on the web pages on regular basis. It has been observed that the web sites which have updated and add new content on regular basis are counted among the better and trustworthy sites by search engines and surfers both. Updating your content will also help your website get better reviews and the increase its reputation. A popular site among surfers automatically improves its ranking in the search engine indexes.

Your Content should be unique
If you want to rank high in the search engines then your website content should also be good. The content should always be unique and new. This is also important for getting repeated visits on your site as nobody will visit your page if the content on it is stolen from another and apparently much better site.

The phrase should not be too popular
The phrase that you want to choose for your web pages should be a popular one but not too popular as that can be counter productive for your website. It may seem like a good idea to choose an extremely popular keyword phrase for your website but you should remember that such keywords are extremely competitive. Therefore, you should choose a phrase that gives you a chance to compete and higher your rank.

Use the phrase in the title
The title of your website and every webpage is the most important. You must use your keyword phrase in the title to make it visible for the search engines. Also, this way the key phrase will appear in the address bar and the search engine will be able to show it as link.

How Much to Spend on a Website Design is Not a Simple Matter

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How Much to Spend on Website Design is Not a Simple Matter
By Malcom Chakery
Copyright 2008

If you are about to have your website designed or possibly considering redesigning an already existing website, you probably have given thought to how much you should or want to spend on the project. Naturally, the choice isn’t easy, mostly because when it comes right down to it, how much you spend can make all the difference in the quality and the success of a website. So, how do you decide what to pay for your investment and how do you know if you are getting your money’s worth?

A Website…Your Property On the Web
As you will note, I used the word “investment” because your web site is exactly that: an investment in your business and your future. You might compare the building of a web site to purchasing a piece of land, only it’s your piece of property on the web. And, as everyone knows, your property and its location, makes a tremendous impact on how much it’s worth. Therefore, view your website as an investment, for once it’s been built, your Internet piece of property can continue to increase in value.

How To Choose a Web Designer
When preparing to choose a web designer, there are thousands of web designers who are excellent at what they do, but many just throw something together with little thought about the end result. They may not consider marketing aspects of a business or what steps to take that will get a company noticed. Keep in mind that your website is a reflection of you, so you want to be sure the designer you choose represents you in a way that makes you proud. If you have a great site that has been optimized effectively, and you implement the right marketing strategies, you will most definitely attract new business. And when all is said and done, if your site is built well, your traffic will steadily increase and your business will flourish. The bottom line is that you want your site to generate income.

How Much Does It Cost?
One huge challenge that confronts most business owners is getting past the big question: “How much does it cost?” In a competitive market such as the Internet, you have to consider that opening a portal to your business demands a unique approach and sometimes costs a little more than you anticipated. However, when it comes to your business, limited or cheap thinking can stand in the way of your success. Think for a moment about buying a new automobile. You can buy a car that is merely functional or you can buy one that is well designed, attractive to the eye, and functional all rolled into one. In other words, you can buy the cheapest car on the lot or the most expensive, but whatever choice you make, is one you have to live with for a long while. Naturally, you want a car that does more than just get you where you want to go; you want one that reflects your personality and your style, holds the road well and makes you proud. Similarly, you can purchase a web site for $5,000 or you can choose one that costs $70,000. One is going to be just functional, while the other is going to give you superior performance. The choice is yours.

Building a Web Site
Now that you’re ready to hire a web designer, you’re very clear on the fact that your business is one that can do well on the web, and you want to build traffic as rapidly as possible. You have something of value to offer and you want your visitors to come back again and again. You also want to be sure that the people who visit your website are targeted visitors who want your product or service. Here again, good design, navigation, SEO and marketing are all part of the package. Keep in mind that you might like to have millions of people visit your site but you don’t just want browsers. Yes, it’s great to get lots of traffic, but whether you get ten visitors a day or 10,000 a day, your goal is to make a sale. And, unless your visitors are converted into buyers, your site isn’t worth much.

What to Pay for Your Web Site
If you want the best web site, you have to be willing to pay for it. Those who look for a web designer and expect to pay little or nothing are fooling themselves. The truth is, you do get what you pay for. And what you’re paying for is good design, search engine optimization, marketing strategies and ease of navigation. So, when considering a designer, give thought to whether the designer you have chosen has a reputation for creating a site that has appeal and whether the designer is able to get the number of targeted visitors you want at your site on a daily basis. When you think about the millions of people surfing the web, you want to be sure that you can expect your share of the wealth. In brief, you want your conversion rate to be high.

What is Your Site Worth to You?
It’s nearly impossible to put a value on your site because the value of a good website is limitless. When it comes right down to it, how you determine how much to spend on building a website means considering all the important facets of a web site such as design and navigation, link building, hosting, a good marketing strategy, SEO and a host of other details that go into building a great web site. Good web developers’ work hard to create something special on the web, so investing in a good web site is always money well spent. After all, if you have a web site that brings in targeted traffic and converts to a large return on investment, it will be very well worth whatever you spend. Remember getting what you pay for is truer on the web than in just about any other industry.

About the Author
As the Founder and President of Chakery Design, Malcom Chakery has extensive knowledge and experience in the workings of a web based business operation. Possessing great amounts of expertise in regard to marketing, web design and development, Malcom is extremely comfortable handling all details regarding the day-to-day operations of a web site as well as the sales and support of his many high profile clients. With a clear plan in place regarding operational procedures, all aspects of web design, marketing and promotional activities are managed and overseen by Malcom before they are completed. A stickler for detail, Malcom believes in providing greater than expected support, superior customer service, and innovative programs, making sure to go above and beyond customer expectations. You can contact Malcom by phoning him at 1.866.614.7774 or by e-mailing at malcom@chakery.com. You may also visit him on the web at www.chakery.com

Why Many Websites Fail!

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Here’s a statement that may shock you.  No one gives a darn about how great a web site is designed!   Does that surprise you?  Well, in truth, all anyone cares about when they hire a web designer is whether they can solve their problems and get them new clients. Ask any visitor to a web site what they want from a site and in all likelihood they’ll tell you that they just what to find the information or the product they’re after.  So, in fact, it doesn’t matter if a site has great graphics or is filled with fabulous flash animation because the bottom line is this: When designing a web site, your only concern is whether the web site does what it was meant to do, which is to get new business.

85% of Internet Users Are Searching For Answers!
In today’s high tech world, studies clearly show that more than 85% of Internet users will use the web for locating services and information.  Which means, in order to bring in new business, a web site must have certain qualities and features that keep customers at the site.  Yet, even though most web designers understand that a site is supposed to be functional, when it comes to building and developing websites, many web designers focus more on designing a flashy site than they do on building and developing a site that is functional and helps a business grow.

The Most Important Quality of a Web Site
Naturally, the design of the site should be aesthetically pleasing, but it’s function and content is still the primary key for a successful web site.  No matter how well a site is designed, if it doesn’t appeal to visitors, it will not translate into sales, and that’s what most clients are after.  That doesn’t mean that a web designer can just throw something together and put it on the web.  Of course, the appearance of a site is vitally important, but how the site is presented, its ease of navigation and the content that is used to entice visitors are the most important qualities of a web site.  Too many designers still believe that a fancy design is more important.  What they discount is that if the message doesn’t communicate effectively, a visitor will quickly leave.

Fancy Flashing Graphics Detract From a Site’s Appeal
When a new visitor lands on a website, of course initially they are interested in a unique, attractive site.  They may marvel at the intricacies of the site since most people tend to like pretty things.  But when it comes to the value of the website, the majority of visitors are more interested in what the site has to say and what it has to offer.  And although many designers know that flash is out of date, they still insist upon putting it on a site.  Flash and fancy graphics are simply annoying to the visitor and do nothing to hold a viewer at the site.  Simply stated, fancy graphics detract from a site’s appeal and just drives traffic away.

What Draws People to a Site?
If you are web designer, think about your own shopping habits on the web and what draws you in when visiting a site.  Does anything about a fancy site make you buy?  Do you stop at a site that has overdone flash and graphics and think to yourself that you want to make a purchase?  Or is it the easy navigation, attractive colors and interesting content that appeal to you most when you’re browsing the web?  When you stop at a site that has a ton of pop-ups and ads all over the site, does it make it more appealing?  More than likely just like most visitors you will click away as fast as you came rather than waiting for the ads to finish.  People shopping on the web do not have patience for ads and pop-ups.

Does The Color On A Site Matter?
Very often people ask me if color on a site matters. Yes, color on a website absolutely matters.  In fact, it is proven that physical changes take place when individuals are exposed to certain colors because colors have the power to stimulate, excite, and even depress.  In fact, certain color combinations can be advantageous to a business.  While we all have our own color preferences, if you pay attention to what feels inviting and what conveys a message that draws a person in, you’ll choose your colors more wisely.  For the most part, it’s best to keep some of the site’s background clean and white, as it’s far more professional and easier on the eye to see clean space.

What Type of Content & Graphics Works Best?
When writing for the web, you have to consider that web writing is different from other types of writing.  The content that is included on a web site should be professionally and grammatically prepared, but not overly done.  If your company doesn’t provide the writing and your client doesn’t know what they want to say on their web site, choose a reputable writer to work with.  And don’t worry about putting too much content on a site, because if someone comes to the site and he or she likes what they are reading, they’ll read on.  And besides, rich content with good key words and phrases is good for search engine optimization.

Making a Site Interactive
Feedback on a site is always a good way to find out what a customer thinks about the site and the product or service.  Give customers an opportunity to voice their opinion about what’s on the site by including a space for comments.  That way, you and your client gain insight into what the visitor thinks and allows you to learn how you might improve upon the site.  In addition, with all the concerns we have today about identity theft, you should provide easy access to the company, as clients and customers feel safer when doing business with a company that is easy to reach.  Provide access to contact information, and include e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, etc.

How to Make a Site Appealing to the Client & The Shopper!
How you build and design a web site is crucial to the success of your client’s business and should evoke trust, confidence and positive feelings.  Rather than concerning yourself with creating something flashy, it’s far better to create something functional that leaves your client feeling confidence in your ability to convey their message effectively.  Your primary concern should be to help your client increase revenue, bring in more customers and convert anyone visiting their site into a buying customer.  In brief, your website design services should help a client maintain and retain customers.

About the Author
As the Founder and President of Chakery Design, Malcom Chakery has extensive knowledge and experience in the workings of a web based business operation. Possessing great amounts of expertise in regard to marketing, web design and development, Malcom is extremely comfortable handling all details regarding the day-to-day operations of a web site as well as the sales and support of his many high profile clients. With a clear plan in place regarding operational procedures, all aspects of web design, marketing and promotional activities are managed and overseen by Malcom before they are completed. A stickler for detail, Malcom believes in providing greater than expected support, superior customer service, and innovative programs, making sure to go above and beyond customer expectations.  You can contact Malcom by phoning him at 1.866.614.7774 or by e-mailing at malcom@chakery.com.  You may also visit him on the web at www.chakery.com