Small businesses are always trying to find ways to market their website on a shoestring, cut corners, or follow the advice of well-meaning associates.  But sometimes cutting corners will cost you much more in the long run.

SEO with your online business website is as important as your feet are to walking.

On-page SEO is as important to your website as your toes are to your feet.

On-page SEO only accounts for 20% of your effective overall search engine optimization strategy.  Yes, that is a small portion but it should not be neglected.  Your toes account for a small percentage of your feet but if they are missing or not working as they should, your walking ability will suffer.

Still, I see so many small business try to save money on their website development and neglect to find a qualified SEO professional to take care of this critical 20% piece of their online marketing strategy.  They effectively cut their toes off of their feet and awhile later wonder why they haven’t gotten as far as their competition.

True, on page SEO is not equivalent to brain surgery.  It is possible to spend time researching for yourself how to best implement on page factors and improve your website rankings to support your greater goal.   If you have the time, go for it.  Just be aware that there is a lot of misleading information out there.

A word of caution… any technique that seems to be the “Holy Grail” of SEO is likely to either:

1. Be completely ineffective and waste of time & money, or…
2. Get your site penalized by search engines.

Everyone has encountered that situation or opportunity that seemed too good to be true.  Well, the same principle applies to search engine optimization.  So, before you go cutting off your toes with your SEO, get yourself educated.  Your website is part of your online business.  It is an investment in your business.  Invest in some good SEO so your website can do the job it is meant to do!

If you need to hire a professional SEO provider and don’t know where to start I recommend reading this article on 13 Questions to Ask an SEO Consultant.  It’s a good one!

Chris Darling and Methodic Pages…

I work with skilled and professional service based businesses who struggle with getting search engine optimized websites to represent their business online and want to benefit from the standing out from their local competition.

I am different from other custom built website providers because I bring a rare talent that integrates overall site layout, presentation, and on-page SEO with every project.

In working with me, my clients receive an interactive, highly optimized website that lays the perfect foundation for any online marketing strategy you decide to put into action.

If any of this resonates with you or your online business goals contact Chris Darling to get a free project based quote.

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Structuring your site navigation and internal linking using particular methods from the first days of development are going to save you future hassles.  Not only will it save you troubles in the long run but it will help your website rank better in the search engines.  You entire website will just make more sense to the search spiders and also to your real human visitors.

Silo navigation and linking is a method many websites use to help their website make sense.  There are 2 ways to use silo navigation and linking.  One is through category specific directories within your website where each relevant page resides in a parent folder.  The other is to just link relevant pages to one another in a daisy chain fashion which does not require them to be in a sub-directory.

Understanding the silo navigation method.
A silo is a tall cylinder shaped object used to store things such as grain.  It is taller than it is wide.  Okay, so I’m describing something you might find on a farm.  What the heck does that have to do with my website?  Well, when it comes to your website it is not so much an object as it is a method that will organize your site content so that it works better for the greater goal.

When you begin your website think about the big picture.  Consider the overall theme.  Once you have the theme, break everything down further into categories.

Using silo navigation and linking for your website comes in very handy when creating content for your blog also.  You can use the different categories and topics to help generate ideas for writing.

Let’s use a tutoring service as an example.  Tutors will provide one on one instruction in several different subjects.   Subjects include: English, math, general homework, science, etc.   Further down the category silo could be Math lessons, worksheets, answers, geometry, and algebra.  English categories could include grammar, spelling, vocabulary, literature, etc.

A silo navigation and linking structure will look a like this:

Silo linking will connect related content and pages to one another under a main umbrella topic through the use of hyperlinks.

A good silo navigation and linking structure for your site keeps content very organized and makes total sense to your visitor.  They can easily find what they are looking for.  The search engines are able to understand the overall theme to your website as well when all pages and posts are organized in a silo structure.

Silo linking will help your site rank for the overall theme as well as industry specific terms that will generate traffic.

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Plug-ins are available to give you additional functionality.  There are 5 plug-ins priorities on my list for every new WordPress installation.

1. All-In-One-SEO
2. Google XML SiteMaps
3. Akismet
4. WordPress Firewall
5. Antivirus by Sergej Muller

All-In-One-SEO
This one is very useful because it gives you an easy place to put in your Meta data specific to each page and post.  You can manipulate other options under the configuration panel however, most of the time, the default settings will do.

Gooogle XML SiteMaps
This plug-in really can’t make things any easier for you.  Simply install, activate, and click to build your first sitemap.  A sitemap is very important to include when it comes to getting your website crawled and indexed.

Akismet
This little plug-in comes with a WordPress installation by default.  You must manually activate it and enter your API key.  Just follow the links in the directions to set up your very own free API key.  Akismet helps to filter blog comment spam.  You will get tons of blog comment spam!  Some people don’t seem to have anything better to do.  Comment spam is not something you want on your website or blog.

WordPress Firewall
Since WordPress is so popular it does face security issues.  Writers of malware also don’t have anything better to do but try to hack your server, WordPress installation, and website.  Popularity usually comes at a price which is being a target of more frequent attacks and criticism.  Everybody wants to bring down the big boys!   Install the Firewall as an added protection against intrusion.

AntiVirus
This little plug-in will scan your WordPress installation daily and send you an email alert if it finds anything suspicious.  In addition to using this plug-in though I recommend you always keep your WordPress website updated.   The last wave of malware injected sites came when many folks let their sites age.  Hackers found the vulnerabilities and began their attacks.  But, the users that kept their installations updated were not affected as often.

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When choosing a domain name consider the following:

• Make it short
• Make it descriptive
• Make it memorable
• Make it with “.com”
• Make it out of your main keyword (s)
• Make it easy to say to someone without having to spell it out

If the domain name is too long then it becomes much harder for people to remember.  Plus, shorter domain names just seem to have more clout.  Honestly, I don’t have any data to back up that statement. It really is just my opinion. But think about it.  How many characters are in the websites you consider to be the best to spend your time on?

So, now you have a tall order here.  You have to choose something DESCRIPTIVE with as few characters as possible.  PLUS, make it memorable AND use your keyword or keyword phrase.

Sometimes your desired domain name is not available.  Other times you can get it but with a different extension on it such as “.net” or “.biz”.   I have included my opinion as to why you really want to get that “.com” domain.  Sure, snag up all the other extensions if you want but your main target should be that “.com” domain.

If your desired domain name is not available or you get news that it is available for a cool $2,500 then consider some other resources.  There are auctions available where you can bid on premium domain names that are already taken but you might really want.  Some of the available domains on auction could be closer to what you are looking for and more within your budget.  Two big sources for buying domain names on auction are eBay and Godaddy.

I always try to get a domain with “.com” because that is what people are most likely to remember.  One time I was looking for a pet sitter.  I saw their website.  It was a good website too.  I was very impressed with the owner’s Internet business strategy and website design choices.  A few days later, I was talking to a friend about this pet sitter website I came across.  We had access to a computer so I suggested we just go in there and type in what I thought the website name was.  It was the furry godmother something or other.  Anyway, I originally typed in “furrygodmother.com”.  What I got in return was not what I remembered at all.  It took me awhile to find the correct website but not every website visitor out there has the same persistent nature as I do.  It turned out to be a “.biz” domain PLUS it had a dash in between the words.

That brings me to another point.  You will see that my domain name has a dash between the words:  www.methodic-pages.com.  It is because I really wanted that name.  But, it is really difficult to explain to customers my website name with that dash.  It is not a very big deal if I am relying on search engine traffic.  But when relying on word of mouth or even having someone recall it from their memory, using the dash is not the best option.

After awhile my desired domain name became available without the dash so I scooped it up!  When I bought that domain name www.methodicpages.com I just had it forwarded to my original website.  Now, I don’t have to add in all that extra explanation when I tell someone my website address, problem solved.

If you are ready to start your search for the perfect domain name consider GoDaddy.  I am not a domain reseller but I am an affiliate of GoDaddy.  So, if you decide to buy your domain after clicking through my link to GoDaddy just know that I may receive a small commission for referring you.

A lot of online business owners start on a shoe-string budget.  They try to be a “Jack of all Trades” and do everything themselves.  After awhile they find that it is best to focus on what they are good at.  As a bit of success starts to develop the new Internet business owner wants to expand.  Now, the home made website has some major problems.

Does this sound  familiar?   Chances are, you’re someone who started everything with no money too, so you’re pretty skeptical when it comes to giving away your money in exchange for something that you could have done yourself.   But, if you want to excel at the very thing you are good at which is the product or service you are offering, it might be best to outsource your web design project.

It is a bit similar to hiring an accountant to do your taxes or even a handy man to build an addition on your house.

Professional web designers, coders, and builders will take care of all the little details and make your online business run much more smoothly.  What you get from a professional website developer compared to what you would see from an online “site builder” or even a replicated website are extremely different.  Most site builders just don’t meet your need for flexibility.  Replicated sites are just that, a repeat of something that is already out there.  A site from a professional developer will give you something unique, flexible, and effective.

There are two kinds of visitors that your site needs to speak to; the human visitor and the search engines.

If you require targeted traffic then your navigation and content must be readable by search engines. In order to turn that traffic into quality paying customers or even loyal followers of what you have to share then your navigation better be easy to follow, related to what the visitor came searching for, as well as worth those first 2 seconds of their time or they will split fast and never return!

The best way for the search engines to “catch” keywords and phrases in the written content of your page, is to keep the design simple and the message sensible.

Search engines can only SEE words, so if your site design is too complex (using frames, image maps, databases, trailing cursors, animated GIFs, etc.) chances are the search engines will not be able to read your pages. This will render your site invisible to them.

Even if they happen to make it through a complex design, typically the deeper pages will not be read. If this happens, your site may as well not exist.

Often, I see Webmasters who put too much emphasis on making their sites appear to be what they consider cool, without once considering their largest audience – the all mighty search engines!

Not to mention, a complex design will drive your human visitors crazy.

Perhaps the most annoying thing is audio that plays as soon as a website loads without a way to turn it off.  If you don’t believe me, then I dare you to check out this really bad website:
http://www.angelfire.com/super/badwebs/main.htm

When you get design and layout right and you will be headed in the right direction to owning a successful website.

Getting it wrong could cause your site to fail.

Okay, now you know what NOT to do.

Let’s look at the “TO DO” Tips.

Usable Tips for Building Powerful Websites:

1. Use a practical font, size, and color.

• After all, you want what you write to be readable by the human eye.

• Here are things that will cause your message to be lost by the human eye: fancy font, font that is too small or so large that it looks obnoxious, and colors that don’t contrast with the background well and are virtually unreadable. It’s best to stick with black or dark grey text on a white background for maximum contrast.

2. Make your pages easy and logical to navigate.

• Most people drill down what they are looking for through categories in main navigation menus. Consider using a search tool if you have a lot of information to share.

• Leave lots of white space and use links to help people easily find what they are looking for.

• Keep your site neat. Advertisements are more powerful when they are relevant to the page content.

• Navigation menus should be kept simple. The average online user is growing accustomed to looking for certain navigation components in specific spots of a website. So, rather than re-invent the wheel, stick with something that is tried and true. The more simple and logical it is the better.

3. Use a common design and layout for each page.

• Think about it, when you go to large well known sites, you know exactly where to click to find the very thing you are looking for. If those sites used a different layout on every page, it would be much harder to navigate and not as nice to use. Humans are creatures of habit so put things where they are expected and it will decrease confusion leading to ease of use.

4. Content vs. Images

• Never confuse eye-candy with content. Yes, pictures are worth a thousand words but too many can not only distract visitors but also slow down how fast your site loads. Use images to complement your message and remember that the search engines read text and words, not pictures.

5. Test your pages for “load time”

• Studies have shown that if your page takes more than 4 seconds to load, then you lose visitors fast.

• Test your pages on a dial up network if possible to ensure everyone who visits your site can actually access it.

• To decrease load time, try reducing the number of files per page, along with the size and quality of your images. Web based images do not need to be as large as those meant for printing.

6. Use a *professionally designed* header graphic, logo, and/or template.

• While it’s true that nothing beats great content, if you can have excellent design it will complement your message.

7. Be very clear on what your site or web page is all about.

• Why would someone visit your website? When they arrive, how will they know they are in the right place? Web surfers are very impatient people, and if they land on your page but don’t immediately know what it’s about or how it will benefit them to stay, guess what…they will keep moving!

• They will click the back button quickly unless you immediately capture their attention and spark their interest.

• The best practice is to put all your important information, content, and navigation links, right at the top where it is seen without having to scroll the page.

8. Protect your virtual investment.

• It’s a shame, but well-meaning Webmasters and Internet entrepreneurs are under attack from those looking to take advantage of a “technicality” for their own selfish gain at other people’s expense.

• Always include a legal disclaimer and privacy policy on all of your sites to protect yourself and your business. If you place affiliate links and testimonials on your website make sure you follow the new FTC guidelines.

9. Include *visitor-friendly* features throughout your site.

• Provide your visitors with an excellent user experience by implementing cool features such as language translation, search tools, page personalization, related multi-media content such as videos or audio files, HTML sitemaps, polls, forums, and even help pages.

• The best way to get the above features in place is to use a content management system (CMS). A popular CMS is WordPress. But other powerful ones to consider are Drupal and Joomla.

Put your visitors first and your income will reflect the effort!
Successful websites are pleasant on the eye, easy to read, use, and navigate.

There are a few different approaches to take with quality website design.   The graphic artist will tend to focus mostly on how it looks. The SEO artist will master keyword placement within the content of the site.  The technical designer or programmer will spend a lot of time making sure the dynamic or interactive aspects of the site work well.

It is very difficult to master all things when it comes to website design.  Methodic Pages takes a team approach to your small business website design project. Our team is virtual and our ring leader works locally with you to bring it all together.

Our specialty is integrating local website design services to small businesses while using global resources.  We use powerful platforms to fuel the content management of your website.  We find the best themes, layouts, and designs for your business image.  We even complete all of the keyword research and jump start your website into the search  engines by utilizing social, article, and video marketing.  We help you build your vehicle and then pump the fuel into it to make it run so to speak.