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Have an Old Website That No Longer Ranks Well in Searches?

Google, Search, SEO / By /

p-google-search-boxFor years, many have believed the age of a domain name is a factor in Google search results rankings. We have seen anecdotal evidence that it seems to be true, to a point.  Google’s Matt Cutt’s answer to a related question in a Google Webmaster Tools video prompted this post.

Does this sound like your business?

  • Your domain name was registered several  years ago.
  • You had a website before a lot of others understood the importance.
  • Your website was doing pretty well in Google for many keyword searches
  • Lately, the last statement is no longer the case.
  • You are wondering why you no longer do as well in Google SERPS (Search Engine Results Page) rankings.

Does this sound like your business or organization?

  • You have not done any meaningful updates to the content on your website in years
  • You have not redesigned the look and layout of your website
  • Your photos and graphics are not optimized to be fast loading
  • You are not using Social Media
  • You have not included Social Media share & follow buttons
  • Your competitors have been doing all of the above

Take a fresh look at your website to see just what visitors are experiencing, and compare that to what they experience on your competitor’s or other similar websites.

Don’t just listen to us. See for yourself what Google’s Matt Cutts says in his video, “How can an older site maintain its ranking over time?“

Search Engine Optimization Benefits from YouTube Videos

Search, SEO, YouTube / By /

YouTube One ChannelNot many think of their YouTube videos as a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tool, but here at WebWise Design & Marketing, we do. A high percentage of our clients who use videos on their websites, or on YouTube, have experienced excellent improvement in SERP (Search Engine Results Page) rankings. Next time you do a search on Google, take note of the companies with YouTube accounts linked to their websites and how they rank in the search results.

To benefit the most effectively, start by creating a YouTube “One Channel” for your business, community, or organization, and upload your videos there. Be sure to include keyword search terms in your titles and descriptions so your videos will be found when people search.

Setting up a YouTube “One Channel” (an abbreviated version):

Do

  • Do: Create short, quality videos for display on your website and on YouTube
  • Do: Create and customize your YouTube “One Channel”
    • Use a properly sized, quality version of your logo.
    • Use the same color scheme as on your website. (Think consistency in marketing)
    • Enable the Overview tab
    • Link to your website
  • Do: Upload your videos on your YouTube “One Channel”
  • Do: Search Engine Optimize your YouTube Channel
    • Write keyword-rich titles and descriptions for your videos, and use relevant tags
  • Do: Judiciously embed your YouTube videos on relevant web pages

Do Not

  • Do not upload business or organization videos to a personal account, and likewise, do not  upload personal videos to a business account.
  • Do not use the default settings when customizing your YouTube One Channel
  • Do not ignore the fact that users present multi-device and multi-platform challenges
  • Do not upload videos that are not relevant and complimentary to your website content

Summary: DO use videos as part of your content and SEO marketing efforts. If done properly, you will reap rewards in more and relevant traffic to your website.

Of course, we are happy to help you with any or all of the above. Give us a call or drop us a note.

Websites Aren’t a “Build It And They Will Come” Proposition.

Google, Search, SEO / By /

So, you just launched a new website? Is it a month or more later and you are wondering where all the traffic is? Google, Bing, Yahoo, and other search engines don’t just “magically” know your website exists. After they do find you, if you and your web developer both have not done your jobs, you won’t be ranked very highly (or at all) for some time. Here is roughly how it should work.

Before you launch:

Some of you have heard me repeat this mantra many times. This applies for Google AdWords and for organic search results, here is what matters, “Landing pages, landing pages, landing pages.” On those landing pages, you need well-written “Titles,” Meta Descriptions,” “Headlines” and a first paragraph that contains the keywords for which you would like to be found. If you did not provide (or have your web developer edit and provide) well-written, keyword-rich content for your pages, those pages won’t rank well, if at all. If you want your website to be found for specific keywords, those words have to be well-placed on your landing pages. That, is a simple fact.

At and after launch:
  1. If your web developer does as he/she should,  he/she will create a sitemap.xml file that includes a list, of all, or at least the file names of the primary pages of your website. The sitemap.xml file should be submitted to Google and other major search engines. With Google, the correct way to submit it is using a Google Webmaster Tools Account. Google, Bing, Yahoo, Ask.com and utilize sitemap.xml files. The search engine robots will follow the page links in the sitemap.xml file, index the content on the pages, and depending on your content, will include some or all of your pages in their search index.
  2. From there, your pages have to “earn” their way toward the high ranking in SERPS that everyone hopes to have. Notice I said “hopes.” There are no guarantees for organic search listing results. Good content and a good web developer can influence how you are are ranked, but if someone promises you a number one position or any specific position, put your hand on your wallet and run.
  3. If an existing website (preferably, one that ranks well in Google search page results, aka SERPS) has a link to your website, Google and some of the other search engines, will at some stage find that link, follow it, and as above, index the content on the pages, and depending on your content, will include some or all of your pages in their search index.
  4. Claim your Google Places page! I cannot emphasize this enough. Claim your Google Places page!
  5. You should ask to get your website listed in any local community directory. The Chamber of Commerce in most communities will have a business directory. Ask for links from vendors, and from associations to which you belong.
  6. Review and choose the Social Media that best suits you, and engage your prospects and customers.

Those are the basics. Most of the time, it takes weeks to months before a new website will rank well. If you do what I outlined above you will likely be pleased with your ranking  much sooner than later.

If you have done all of the above, and are still not ranking well, don’t despair. Just take another look at your content. Rewrite it making sure you have your keywords placed properly, and they are written according to Google’s guidelines. Review the websites that are getting found better than you. You will likely find some clues that will help with your website. Keep at it. You can get to the top!

Here are two effective ways to jump start a new website, or a newly revised website.

Effective SEO as simple as one, two, three….and four

Google, Marketing, Search, SEO, Web Design / By /

Really good Search Engine Optimization is a complex process. That said, effective SEO can be as simple as one, two, three….and four. Do four reasonably simple things, and you can see your rankings in Google Search Page Results, aka SERPS, improve considerably.

So you want your web pages to get found well, and you don’t want to spend a lot of money or time to make that happen? Well, look no further.

If you have a webmaster, provide him or her with a title for each of your pages. The “title” should use keywords  describing the content on the page (that is, keywords that potential visitors would search for hoping to find what you offer). Also provide your webmaster with a good headline (that is similar to, and contains the same keywords as the title) for each page. And of course you need some text describing what you offer. Obviously, that text should contain the same keywords near the start of the first paragraph. Your webmaster should be able to take it from there.

If you maintain your own website, then you should pay attention to this list.

  1. Title tag
  2. <meta> description tag
  3. Page header <h1> tag
  4. Well-written text

For those of you who don’t know what those four items are, I’ll describe them.

1. The <title> tag defines the title of the document.

The title element does the following:
Defines a title in the browser toolbar (displayed at the very top of your browser)
Provides a title for the page when it is added to favorites
Displays a title for the page in search-engine result

2. The <meta> description tag provides a description of the HTML document (your web page). The <meta> description will not be displayed on the page, but Google will display (most of the time) the information in search results, and just as, if not more, importantly uses it as one of the “signals” in determining how highly your page will rank.

3. The header <h1> tag contains the “headline” for the page (also used as a Google “signal”)

4. The first sentence of the first paragraph should contain the same keywords. (also used as a Google “signal”)

As I said, basic SEO is as simple as one, two, three….and four. Do remember to do them for each of your pages. Of course there is much more you could, and should, do. If your webmaster isn’t doing those basic four things for you, tell him you would like to pay him or her for doing so, as it does take some time to do it right. In this case a little time and or money spent will reward you with higher search rankings.

Keywords, Ad Copy, Landing Pages – Triumvirate

Ads - Pay-Per-Click, Google, Marketing, Search, SEO / By /

Talking about Pay-Per-Click, Google Ads mostly, search results and landing pages is pretty much a daily thing around our office. Accordingly, it makes sense to talk about it here.

Years ago I had the opportunity, thanks to Andy Lewis, to be a part of a Webinar for "The National e-Commerce Extension Initiative" named "Maximizing Your Pay-Per-Click Campaign."  We concentrated on Google Ads when it was still known as AdWords. Why? It is my humble opinion that for most, a limited advertising budget is a reality. Google is the 500-pound Gorilla, and if you are going to feed web advertising money to anyone, it should be Google with over 72% of U.S. searches reported for February, 2009 according to Hitwise.

Last week I met with several representatives of one our largest clients, and discussed mostly Ads and Analytics for the better part of the afternoon. In both cases we talked about Keywords, Ad Copy, Landing Pages at length. Why? Having high placements in Google Ads or Google organic search results is directly related to those three powerful terms. They rule this world as surely as many of the Triumvirates of history.

The importance of Keywords, Ad Copy, Landing Pages, is a simple concept, while not difficult, that is complex in implementation when done correctly. The good news is, you don't have to spend in inordinate amount of time working on your Ads campaigns to get some immediate results. Very simply, just make sure your keywords are in your ad copy and on your landing pages (prominently). If you do that, you will see your Click-Through-Rate, aka CTR, improve as well as your placement.

If you, or your search professional, spend the time on your landing pages to write keyword-relevant "Titles," meta "Descriptions," Headings, and content including the keywords that potential visitors would using when searching for your product, service, or information, and you write quality ads, as well as conducting ad-variant testing, you will be rewarded with increased, targeted, self-qualified traffic. Serious keyword research, a knowledge of how Google likes your pages coded, and knowing how to write and place that code is part of what will take your Ads campaign to another level. Of course a thorough knowledge of Ads and your analytics program is necessary as well if you want optimum results. To that end, unless you have a lot of spare time, working with a search professional who has experience and successes on their resume is essential.

One of the cool benefits, is that, the time you, or your search professional, spend on your "landing pages" will eventually manifest itself as higher rankings in Google's search result pages, aka SERPs. Google sells relevance. Make sure your site search strategy, both PPC and organic, includes relevant keywords, ad copy, and landing pages.

By the way, WebWise would like to be Your search professional! Contact us today!

Keywords, Ad Copy, Landing Pages - The Triumvirate!