Search Engine Optimisation - SOE

The optimisation process

Optimisation: "To make the most effective use of" - Macquarie Dictionary.

Example:

Bicycle shop "A" - a new business on the scene contacted us 18 months ago which resulted in the development of business website.

Most of the shops trade was coming from BMX bike sales. The owner of the shop wished to promote the BMX product in his local area and exclude Sydney. We complied with his wishes but had reservations caused by restriction placed on his business by the promotion of the BMX bicycle. Very little promotion was done for other categories of bicycle.

The website received many visitors but couldn't be found by using the word "Sydney". The owner raised this issue so we made changes and expanded the parameters which included Sydney and other locations.

The use of many generic terms now has the website rating very highly. The owners focus has changed to all bicycle types including children's bikes along with the accessories that accompany them.

Updating and optimising the website

To accommodate the change in the business plan and gain better ratings we:

• Reworked the navigation system.
• Added additional pages.
• Re-wrote the existing pages.
• Added additional sales and services.
• Added new photographs and graphics.

The website was expanded and completely updated with none of the original pages being lost, merely changed. This process of optimisation is absolutely essential. Without optimisation website effectiveness is greatly reduced or non-existent.

Examples of faults which irritate users:

• side scroll.
• font colour difficult to read.
• page changes shape as images load.
• images take a long time to load.
• page takes a long time to load.
• "under construction" sign.
• how quickly it loads
• how interesting it is
• is it attractive to look at
• is it easy for clients to navigate and find their way around
• animations load slowly.
• animations used solely as decor and don't serve any useful purpose.

• poor navigation system making it difficult to find what you want or  you can't find your way back to a previous page.
• can't find the navigation system.
• false home pages which prevent access to the Web Site.
• is it easy to read
• is the page confusing because of too much content and graphics
• can the text be easily read
• is the page too long
• are the pages using modern terminology (are they cool but you don't understand them) or full of spelling mistakes

Some of these issues can also interfere with the search engine indexation (compiling information) with the result that your website cannot be found. The search engine 'robots' may move on without cataloguing your web pages if it is difficult to read the code.

Potential clients visiting your website will make their minds up whether to stay or move on within seconds of their arrival. Any single or combination of these elements can create a bad impression of your business and lose you customers!

First impressions count!
So we Optimise!

Search Engine Optimisation (SOE) is part of the initial website design process. Optimisation starts in the planning stage when the design concept is being committed to paper and the pages are being sketched. The process along with web site promotion continues long after publication of the website.

The graph below shows the growth in the first 10 week period of the Absolutely Stylish Image Consultancy website after publication in mid October 2007. This website now rates No1 in many Google, Yahoo and MSN general searches

Our role as web site designers is to ensure your website can be easily found when potential clients search for your products or service.

The use of templates

Templates are often used by clients attempting to reduce overall cost and save time. We have been approached by potential clients on several occasions who have purchased templates only to find that they weren't suited to their business without heavy modification.

Template modification

Often a custom designed website takes less time to build than modifying a pre-existing template creating higher costs.

Custom build

A custom designed, built and optimised website for your business takes into account further expansion.

Image Consultant

Absolutely Stylish utilises the services of an image consultant to advise on age groups and the psychological affects of colour and layout.

Search engine friendly / people friendly

The aim of Absolutely Stylish designers is to create a quality website which is both friendly to search engines and your potential clients.

The design, development and promotion of your website is a team effort!