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.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Wordpress
When I first created this website I made the site with a text editor. Making a site look really good with a text editor is quite a challenge but using a text editor means that you learn. Also, my experience with most website building programs is that they work really well until something does not work. Once something does not work you have choices:
There are a lot of good reasons to use a program to build websites. They are fast and easy. Sometimes you can find images that give your site a professional look. Lately I have been using Wordpress and I have to say that I am very impressed. It produces very high quality websites. There are all kinds of themes out there and some support modifications from the Wordpress dashboard. As open source software, Wordpress gives you access to the code that it uses. That means that if you do not mind using a text editor there are some amazing things you can do with a wordpress template.
I have been playing with Wordpress quite a bit lately. I keep an example blog too. You can check it out here.
- Call tech support
- Start over with a different builder
- Learn to use a Text Editor
There are a lot of good reasons to use a program to build websites. They are fast and easy. Sometimes you can find images that give your site a professional look. Lately I have been using Wordpress and I have to say that I am very impressed. It produces very high quality websites. There are all kinds of themes out there and some support modifications from the Wordpress dashboard. As open source software, Wordpress gives you access to the code that it uses. That means that if you do not mind using a text editor there are some amazing things you can do with a wordpress template.
I have been playing with Wordpress quite a bit lately. I keep an example blog too. You can check it out here.
Monday, November 16, 2009
A few free tools that every SEO consultant needs
There is a lot of great free software out there and I'd really like to thank the people who make it available.
When you develop and optimize web pages it is really important that they look consistent and things are positioned where they belong. Unfortunately different browsers use different rules. Microsoft has done a lot to ensure that Internet Explorer now complies with HTML standards however this means that it had to change. Although Internet Explorer 8 is available as a free download there are still people out there who use Internet Explorer 6. That brings me to the first tool:
IE tester is free software that mimics different versions of Internet Explorer. It is not perfect but my experience is that it works very well.
Designing webpages can be complicated when you don't use a conventional builder and it is nice to be able to make small changes without altering your code. Firefox is a great browser and it has a
great webpage development plugin. This plug-in allows the developer to change all kinds of parameters quickly and easily. I use it all the time and it is great. I have to thank my buddy Jay, the SQLite guru for that one.
The next tool that I'm very thankful for is Firebug, another plugin for Firefox. Firebug is very helpful in web development too but it really shines when you want to debug javascript. Javascript is great but finding errors on in javascript can be very tedious and unproductive. Firebug really helps.
Last, is SEO Toolbar. In search engine optimization it is really great to get information quickly and this Firefox plugin does it.
When you develop and optimize web pages it is really important that they look consistent and things are positioned where they belong. Unfortunately different browsers use different rules. Microsoft has done a lot to ensure that Internet Explorer now complies with HTML standards however this means that it had to change. Although Internet Explorer 8 is available as a free download there are still people out there who use Internet Explorer 6. That brings me to the first tool:
IE tester is free software that mimics different versions of Internet Explorer. It is not perfect but my experience is that it works very well.
Designing webpages can be complicated when you don't use a conventional builder and it is nice to be able to make small changes without altering your code. Firefox is a great browser and it has a
great webpage development plugin. This plug-in allows the developer to change all kinds of parameters quickly and easily. I use it all the time and it is great. I have to thank my buddy Jay, the SQLite guru for that one.
The next tool that I'm very thankful for is Firebug, another plugin for Firefox. Firebug is very helpful in web development too but it really shines when you want to debug javascript. Javascript is great but finding errors on in javascript can be very tedious and unproductive. Firebug really helps.
Last, is SEO Toolbar. In search engine optimization it is really great to get information quickly and this Firefox plugin does it.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Top 10
Looking at the title you might think this is a top ten list. Instead, this post is about getting into the top ten.
I have seen a variety of techniques discussed a dozen different ways but the simplest technique is the best.
1. Choose the expression you expect a user to enter into a search engine.
2. Enter that expression into the search engine.
3. Review what comes up.
4. Ask yourself if you can beat anything presently in the top ten.
That's it, that's all. If your site is as good or better than the results that do come up but you are not in the top then you have ten examples to look at and learn from. A big part of how search engines rank sites is based upon the links that sites have. Reviewing your competition involves finding out what links they have.
If you follow these simple steps you should be able judge if your site can get into the top ten.
I have seen a variety of techniques discussed a dozen different ways but the simplest technique is the best.
1. Choose the expression you expect a user to enter into a search engine.
2. Enter that expression into the search engine.
3. Review what comes up.
4. Ask yourself if you can beat anything presently in the top ten.
That's it, that's all. If your site is as good or better than the results that do come up but you are not in the top then you have ten examples to look at and learn from. A big part of how search engines rank sites is based upon the links that sites have. Reviewing your competition involves finding out what links they have.
If you follow these simple steps you should be able judge if your site can get into the top ten.
Labels: Blogging and Search Engine Optimization