Absolutely Stylish - Search Engine Optimisation - Maintenance & Upgrade

Index

1. The optimisation process
2. Negative feedback
3. Optimisation examples
4. Update - Upgrade - Optimisation
5. The use of templates

Search Engine Optimisation (SOE)

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

The optimisation process is part of web site development and along with web site promotion and style development continues long after the initial publication of the website.

Potential clients visiting your website will make their minds up within seconds of their arrival whether to stay or move on.

Any single or combination of the following issues can create a bad impression of your business and lose you customers! Some of these design faults may interfere with the search engine indexation (compiling information) of your website. The result being the search engine "bot" will move on and your website will not be found.

"There is only one chance at a first impression"

Negative feedback - Examples of design faults which irritate users

• side scroll.
• font colour difficult to read.
• page changes shape as images load.
• images take a forever to load.
• page takes a long time to load.
• under construction signs.
• slow download speed
• uninteresting content
• unattractive appearance
• animations load slowly
• animations do not serve a 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 slow down access to the Web Site
• page layout confusing
• page content confusing because of too many graphics
• text not easily read
• pages too long
• pages using modern terminology (are they cool but you don't understand them) or full of spelling mistakes

Some months ago we received a phone call from a website owner who was about to run his first cycling tour in Indonesia. He requested I review his website because he was experiencing difficulty finding it. He had emailed prior to the telephone conversation for the same reason and I couldn't find it either.

We eventually found it and jointly critiqued his web pages item by item. The website was photograph / graphic heavy, very pretty and beautifully done. The web designer however had totally missed the plot, it simply wasn't optimised in any way for search engines indexation. After 2.5 hours the discussion ended with the question from my wife - "how much did the website cost".

The answer was $9000! We were stunned!

He had taken notes during our session and out of curiosity I checked his website some months later and found some modification had been done. It was easier to find but there was almost no mention of cycling. Advertising cycling, the primary role of the website. It is a Cycling in Indonesia business

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The effects of successful Website Promotion

The following website results demonstrate both successful search engine optimisation and promotion techniques.

Example 3
Skyline Neon Signs - The original single page website was built as a favour to the owner by a well meaning friend, unfortunately it couldn't be found.
The owner was becoming disillusioned by his diminishing trade enquiries caused by an ineffective website.
We changed this and created a powerful marketing tool by completely rebuilding the web page and email system. This website can now be found on the first page of many Google searches.
Attained:
Several No.1 positions in Google searches.

Example 4
Bicycle Shop - a new business on the scene contacted us 18 months resulting in the development website.

The shop specialised in BMX bike sales locally with very little promotion of other categories of bicycle. The website was receiving many visitors including visitors from Sydney which the owner had previously discounted from his promotion.

We made changes and expanded the parameters to included Sydney and other areas of NSW. The business now receives enquiries from other states

Attained:
At least 10 No.1 positions in Google searches and can be found as high as No.4 of a Google search producing 43 million + results.

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Update - Upgrade - Optimisation

The addition of extra content (update) now has the bicycle shop website rating very highly and easily found in many generic searches. The owners focus has changed to all bicycle types including womens and children's bikes along with the accessories that accompany them.

To initially gain (position) ratings we:

• Developed and designed.
• Optimised.
• Published
• Promoted.

To improve the websites ratings we:

• Re-wrote the existing page content (update).
• Added additional pages (update).
• Reworked the navigation system (update).
• Added additional sales and services (update).
• Added new photographs and graphics (update).
• Promoted

The process of upgrade and search engine optimisation is absolutely essential. Without optimisation website effectiveness is greatly reduced or non-existent.

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.

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Templates v custom design

Templates are often used by clients attempting to reduce overall cost and save time. We have been approached by potential clients who have pre-purchased templates.

Templates and their modification

1. Please be aware that a custom designed website may take less time to build than to modify a pre-purchased template thus creating lower overall cost.
2. A custom built website is designed around your image, products and services not like a template which pre-exists and is modified to suit.

Image Consultant services

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

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!

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