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[2003-05-30] Search Engine Submission Tips
Creating a Website is just the first step in having an online presence. Your site needs to be properly submitted to the major search engines as well.
[2003-05-30] Search Engine Basics: The Meta Tag
Now, I know what you are thinking; "surely we don't need to worry about Meta tags, as most search engines ignore them" and for the most part you would be right. The importance of Meta tags has diminished so considerably over the past couple of years, that I fully expect this to be the last article that I will write discussing their optimization. That's not to say that they are already a dead issue, but in the next 6-12 months their importance will be virtually extinguished.
[2003-05-28] SEO Corner - JavaScript and Search Engine Visibility
Question: I am using JavaScript on my site, and I am concerned that my site may not being fully seen/indexed by the search engines and the spiders. How can I find out?
[2003-05-22] Proper Use Of Meta tags For A High Google Ranking
Google is currently the web's most popular search engine. Getting a high Google ranking is a must if you want your website to succeed! In addition to being the most used search engine in its own right, Google also provides the search results for other mega-sites, including America Online. By following a few simple guidelines, you can watch your site climb up the Google ladder and your traffic will climb right along with it. This article will show you how to make effective use of meta tags to help your website climb that ladder!
[2003-05-21] The Keyword Lottery and How to Win
If you simply must have a page on your site ranked #1 on some search engine, build one with turnipberries as the keyword. You'll get a #1 position. And you can proudly show your friends what you have achieved. But if you show it to enough friends, one is bound to ask, "So what?"
[2003-05-21] Search Engine Optimization and Page Templating
Dear Ross
I wonder if you can advise on how I should set up a menu structure (template) for a new site in a way which is optimal for search engine positioning:
[2003-05-21] Search Engines vs. Database-Driven Websites - Optimizing PHP
Dear Jim
I have a question regarding a e commerce site using PHP extensions vs. html. That is, I have seen at this SEO site that there might be an issue with search engines being able to crawl this kind of a site, since these are javascript sites I think there might be reason to worry, is it true? What should I do?
[2003-05-21] Elevating PageRank and Choosing a Keyword Focus
Dear Ross,
I'm still not too clear on this whole PageRank thing that Google does. From what I can gather, the incoming links have no weight in the PageRank, only links leaving my site and going to other sites (so competitors can't lower your PageRank by linking to you with low-ranked sites). So, all I have to do is find all the highly ranked pages out there, and link to them? Or do they have to be in the same general category as my site? What's to stop me from creating several sites at several different domains, each under a slightly different yet overlapping category, and linking to the top PageRanked sites (to give my sites high PageRanks), then linking each of my sites together to get even higher PageRanks?
[2003-05-21] How do You Optimize a Web Site that Uses Frames and Server-Side-Includes?
Dear Jim,
"When creating things like a text menu with all the main links at the bottom of each page, does it create a problem for the spiders if you use server side includes? Can the spider find the links in that include page? I have a lot of stuff like the menu that are on every page and would like to put it into an SSI page to simplify maintenance."
[2003-05-21] Basic SEO Questions & Answers
Question 1: Are Internal Page Titles Important?
I enjoyed your article "10 Minute Search Engine Optimization" and found it quite timely as we're about to roll out a new version of our website...and I have next to no promotion budget!
[2003-05-20] Your Newsletter As Search Engine Superhero?
Newsletters are magical things -- they can attract customers, increase company profits, establish expertise and much more. But, did you know they can also help you increase your search engine rankings?
[2003-05-19] Emergency Marketing Response: The SARS Outbreak and Toronto Based Clients
The panic was real. Even before the World Health Organization issued its now rescinded advisory against unnecessary travel to Toronto, the media had hyped fears of SARS into plague-like proportions leading to significant declines in tourism and travel to Toronto. Conventions were cancelled, hotel rooms left vacant and empty seats at Jays games told the story of millions of dollars suddenly withdrawn from the downtown economy. Businesses based on providing services to tourists or other businesses experienced an immediate loss of revenue and are expecting to continue losing money until public perceptions change and visitors return to the city.
[2003-05-16] Emerging Methods for Effective Search Engine Ranking
Search Engine traffic has always been and continues to be one of
the best ways to drive qualified traffic to a web site --- it
presents information about goods and services when the interest
level is high and it can be acted on immediately. Up till now
opt-in e-mail marketing has been an effective complement to
search engine ranking campaigns; but the never-ending deluge of
Spam is rapidly ruining the effectiveness of opt-in e-mail and
helping to add luster to the value and cost-effectiveness of
search engine traffic.
[2003-05-14] SEO Corner - Frames, JavaScript and Search Engines
Question: My site has frames and JavaScript. How can I tell if it is being fully seen/indexed by the search engines?
[2003-05-12] Flash And Your SEO Rankings
Hi Dan:
I have recently changed the look of my website of four years, I have added a Flash page that seems to have deleted me from the search engines almost completely ( I was between 10th and 15th on almost all engines) with my URL so unique to the keywords... Hotelphotography.com. and a lot of submitting, I had good positioning.
[2003-05-12] Are Mini-Sites The Answer?
Mini-sites come in different flavors but all have one significant element in common. Each site is very tightly focused upon selling a single product or service. No Flash. No graphics. No links out. No banners or advertising of any kind. Nothing that detracts from the site purpose, which is to make the sale.
[2003-05-08] Selecting a Search Engine Optimization Company
There are many factors to consider when selecting a search engine optimization company. Unfortunately, many businesses that haven't previously used search engine optimization to promote themselves are unsure how to evaluate potential vendors, and many are intimidated by the entire concept. The following article, divided into five major topics of consideration, is intended to help in the selection process.
[2003-05-07] Search Engine Robots - How They Work, What They Do (Part II)
Why Isn't My Website In The Search Engine?
If your site isn't found in the search engines, it is probably because the robots couldn't deal with it. It could be something as simple as not being able to find the site, or it may be more complicated issues involving the robot's not being able to crawl the site or figure out what your pages are all about.
[2003-05-06] Who's In, Who's Out: The Continuing Saga Of The Search Engine Wars
There have been a lot of changes on the search engine front in the past year. So many that it's hard to keep track of who's still a major player and who isn't in the search engine game. With so many turning to "Pay for Submission and Pay per Click" models, there aren't a lot left that still accept free submissions. And of those that do,it's hard to tell exactly which ones are worth your time.
Let's review the list to see who's still standing, who's charging and who isn't:
[2003-05-05] Google Trauma: Dan Thies Rescues Reader's Site
Hi Dan:
So here is the Google problem. My website located at http://www.2linc.com was being reindexed by Google about twice a week. It then stopped being reindexed and has since reverted to an older cache of the site. When I resubmit the website to Google they index the site and then the cache becomes correct. After a few days Google's cache of my website reverts back to the old one again. Any ideas what is happening?
[2003-05-02] Overcome Your Search Engine Fear!
Many do-it-yourself webmasters and online entrepreneurs have been led to believe that search engine optimization is a black art, and that no mere amateur can hope to compete with the "experts." If you are among them, you're missing out on a great opportunity to drive free, targeted traffic to your website.
[2003-05-01] Search Engine Positioning: 3 Key Principles
It's not hard to find good information on search engine positioning... the hard part is telling the good information apart from the bad. Some of it is old, some of it is wrong, and a lot of it is just self-serving propaganda for someone's product or service.
[2003-05-01] Inspecting Your Web Site for Spam
Spam is an overused word. Describing everything from processed luncheon foodstuffs to the flood of advertising Email we all receive each day, the simple, four-letter word is as widely used as many other deceptively descriptive four-letter words are. Suffice it to say that SPAM is not counted amongst the most honorable words in the English language. The IT world has forced the English language to evolve very quickly as old words are applied against new technologies and ideas and thus, the word "Spam" has become synonymous with words such as "junk" and "waste". In the search engine optimization field, the word Spam is used to describe illegal techniques used to try to fool search engine spiders. This section will outline a few of the more frequent Spam techniques used by webmasters or unscrupulous SEO practitioners. Check your websites for any incidents of Spam and do your best to get rid of them as they could seriously damage your search engine rankings.
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