How to build a web page
Great web page designs for the eye and Search Engines
Designing your web site has gotten both easier and more complicated. Let me explain.
In the past, every time some new wiz-bang gizmo came out you needed to add it to your website, just to keep up. From Flash splash pages to JavaScript and all kinds of flippy, trippy, twirly things.
Fortunately, that is all in the past. Today, the best web site is a simple, fast loading site that doesn't annoy your visitors.
In a recent study, A & E, the TV channel, found that;
1. People don't use the drop down menus. Some didn't even realize the menus were there.
Navigating your web page is critical. If your customers can't find your products, they can't buy them.
2. People totally ignore huge graphics. The graphics you see on so many web pages.
Over the years of surfing the Internet we've developed the ability to totally block out banner ads and graphics designed to sell us (we hate to be sold).
The website design mantra for today is:
- fast downloading,
- easy navigation,
- easy on the eyes.
It's back to basics, which is a very good thing.
The other side of web site design, the complicated
side,
Today it is critical to design your web page
for the search engines.
Statistics tell us most of the new clients who
visit your web page will come from the search
engines. Some of this is market hype and some
of it is true.
If you're going to build a web page, or
have one built for you, you can get good placement
on the search engines, for free.
Just by using the right techniques in your design.
Its all in the layout, how the information is
arranged, what names you give to your pages, the
images, and so on.
For over seven years we've designed web pages
and taught others how to build a "search
engine friendly" web site. It's our specialty.
Take a look at some of our success
stories and give us a call to see how our
program can help you meet your goals (800) 606-1255.
The process is called Search Engine Optimization
(SEO). If you have the time you can learn
how to optimize your web pages yourself. It does
take a lot of time, but the results are worth
the effort.
If you don't have the time it takes, you should
consider hiring a good SEO company.
If you already have a web site and its not generating
the kind of traffic you want, chances are good
it's because your pages are not being indexed
by the search engines; you need SEO.
What to ask your designer?
If you're going to have a designer build a web
site for you, ask your designer a couple of key
questions:
1. What are the 8 places on your web page
that need keywords? (Answers below)
- Metta tags
- title,
- description,
- keywords
- Headings
- Image Alt (alternative) tags
- Page file names (URL's)
- The body text - keyword density
- Anchor tags - the linked text
2. What are the four most forgotten places
for keywords? (The answer)
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The Heading's - These are the large
type text at the top of different sections.
Many designers will use graphics for the
headings because they look better. The search
engines use the heading text to help rate
the importance of the page. They read test
not images.
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The Text - the search engines weight
Keywords found in text on a web page heavily.
For that reason you need to know how to
build the keywords into the text on your
site. Too many designers focus on images
with hardly any text.
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The Alternative or alt tags - Put
ALT tags on all the pictures on a web page.
Include the keywords if they can be used
to describe the picture.
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The Navigation - You need to know
how to build the keywords into the navigation
buttons. To be effective, they should match
the page title.
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If your designer either can't answer these questions
or insists on lots and lots of pictures, you might
want to shop around.
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