Search Engine Optimization
Based in the Ottawa area, we help our clients with their computer and Internet needs. Our specialty is modifying our client's website content to ensure that search engines such as Google, Yahoo! and Bing give it a high ranking. In addition, we offer assistance in the design of web stores to simplify the shopping experience and enhance revenue.
While search engine optimization (SEO) is our specialty our clients often have other computer related needs. Our expertise allows us to help our clients in a variety of ways. We also offer webmaster services, computer network services, data recovery and other computer services.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Google rank myth: web traffic
Myth: The more traffic my site gets the higher the ranking Google will give it.
When I first started learning about SEO I figured that this was the case however when you dig a little deeper you start to wonder...
Does Google or anyone else know how often your website is being viewed or for how long? Unless the site is on their server or has a tracking code in it (ie. Google Analytics) there is no way for them know with any certainty. That said, they do know how many web surfers hit your site from their search engine and their adwords but that is it. Using these criteria would not produce good search engine results which would be rather counterproductive. Would you use Google if you could find more accurate search results with, for example, Bing, Yahoo or any one of a dozen other search engines? Probably not. If anyone should know it's Microsoft because IE is still the most popular browser and it would be a simple matter to record what you do with it and send the data to their servers. They don't do that because that would be illegal... Besides if they did, MSN would be the dominant search engine and it isn't...
Perhaps you are still skeptical... Okay, let's assume for a moment that Google magically sees every little bit of web traffic. Unfortunately, this data is practically meaningless. Anybody who can program a server side language (Java, PHP etc.) can build a program that impersonates a web surfer. It's not hard. I've done it. At Chapters they have a book on programming web robots.
With a suitable web robot on your portable computer the next step would be to visit a place with wireless Internet (can you say "Starbucks"?) and run it. In fairness I've never done the Starbucks thing. I don't even like coffee. My point is that it would be remarkably easy to manipulate the results if this really was a factor.
Google keeps their algorithm for ranking websites secret so I maybe I'm wrong... :)
When I first started learning about SEO I figured that this was the case however when you dig a little deeper you start to wonder...
Does Google or anyone else know how often your website is being viewed or for how long? Unless the site is on their server or has a tracking code in it (ie. Google Analytics) there is no way for them know with any certainty. That said, they do know how many web surfers hit your site from their search engine and their adwords but that is it. Using these criteria would not produce good search engine results which would be rather counterproductive. Would you use Google if you could find more accurate search results with, for example, Bing, Yahoo or any one of a dozen other search engines? Probably not. If anyone should know it's Microsoft because IE is still the most popular browser and it would be a simple matter to record what you do with it and send the data to their servers. They don't do that because that would be illegal... Besides if they did, MSN would be the dominant search engine and it isn't...
Perhaps you are still skeptical... Okay, let's assume for a moment that Google magically sees every little bit of web traffic. Unfortunately, this data is practically meaningless. Anybody who can program a server side language (Java, PHP etc.) can build a program that impersonates a web surfer. It's not hard. I've done it. At Chapters they have a book on programming web robots.
With a suitable web robot on your portable computer the next step would be to visit a place with wireless Internet (can you say "Starbucks"?) and run it. In fairness I've never done the Starbucks thing. I don't even like coffee. My point is that it would be remarkably easy to manipulate the results if this really was a factor.
Google keeps their algorithm for ranking websites secret so I maybe I'm wrong... :)
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
What do clients want from their Web Professionals?
There are a lot of different techniques for getting your clients' websites better rankings and more traffic. While just about every client would like these things there are a few things that they want more.
First the client wants to be heard. When they are explaining their needs always invite them to provide more detail. At this point you want to confirm that you have heard and understood the client. The easy way to do this is to repeat the major points back to them. In some cases, for example when your client calls you and hangs up after telling you what they want for their website, this is best done by sending them an email. I like sending email regardless.
The first step confirms that you have heard the client in the short term.
The next step is to do the work. When the work is presented to the client do so in the context of their instructions. For example, "Last week you asked us to look into options for increasing the number of visitors to your website. Based on your criteria we think that a pay per click (PPC) campaign is the right approach." It's important that the client know what it is you are about to do for them.
After that, the work gets done and the results are analyzed.
This approach ensures that client feels heard at all stages of their interaction with you. As a bonus it helps avoid misunderstanding. Clearly, some clients do not want or need this much communication. This is often the case with clients that you built a solid working relationship with. In that case be sure to give them what they want. That said, with new clients if you are going to make a mistake it is probably best to provide a little too much communication than too little.
First the client wants to be heard. When they are explaining their needs always invite them to provide more detail. At this point you want to confirm that you have heard and understood the client. The easy way to do this is to repeat the major points back to them. In some cases, for example when your client calls you and hangs up after telling you what they want for their website, this is best done by sending them an email. I like sending email regardless.
The first step confirms that you have heard the client in the short term.
The next step is to do the work. When the work is presented to the client do so in the context of their instructions. For example, "Last week you asked us to look into options for increasing the number of visitors to your website. Based on your criteria we think that a pay per click (PPC) campaign is the right approach." It's important that the client know what it is you are about to do for them.
After that, the work gets done and the results are analyzed.
This approach ensures that client feels heard at all stages of their interaction with you. As a bonus it helps avoid misunderstanding. Clearly, some clients do not want or need this much communication. This is often the case with clients that you built a solid working relationship with. In that case be sure to give them what they want. That said, with new clients if you are going to make a mistake it is probably best to provide a little too much communication than too little.
Labels: clients and communication
Friday, June 19, 2009
A deal from Yahoo?
Yahoo has sold some domain names and some people are suggesting that the domains are going far too cheaply.
$380k for contests.com? Is that actually cheap?
My view is that things are worth what someone is willing to pay for them. If you have visited a GM or Chrysler dealership lately you may have noticed that the cost of their products has fallen a lot in the last year. The stock market may be a better example. Why would a company be worth more one day than the next? There are a lot of reasons but they all boil down to one simple concept.
When you auction anything, you get the correct value at that time. The reason contests.com did not go for $400k, $500k or a million is that nobody there was willing to pay that much. If the buyer had not made their bid then contest.com would likely have gone for even less.
It may look cheap or expensive but that does not matter. In terms of monetary valuation only money talks.
Victor
$380k for contests.com? Is that actually cheap?
My view is that things are worth what someone is willing to pay for them. If you have visited a GM or Chrysler dealership lately you may have noticed that the cost of their products has fallen a lot in the last year. The stock market may be a better example. Why would a company be worth more one day than the next? There are a lot of reasons but they all boil down to one simple concept.
When you auction anything, you get the correct value at that time. The reason contests.com did not go for $400k, $500k or a million is that nobody there was willing to pay that much. If the buyer had not made their bid then contest.com would likely have gone for even less.
It may look cheap or expensive but that does not matter. In terms of monetary valuation only money talks.
Victor