All posts in Search Engine Optimisation

SEO Case Study – Damp Proof North East

By On October 29, 2011 In Search Engine Optimisation With Comments Off Permanent Link to SEO Case Study – Damp Proof North EastPermalink

A lot of people talk about how good they are at SEO but few rarely provide evidence. I am not saying that these people can’t do it, but I thought it would be good to see a little bit of transparency in this area for a change.

I have already explained what you need to do in order to boost your site up the Google rankings for your preferred search, so I followed my own advice and here’s what happened.

  1. Up until I integrated a CMS with the site I had little idea of what damp proofing was so the first thing I had to do was to do some research. I asked the client what the key areas of his business were and found that ‘Damp Proofing’, ‘Timber Rot & Woodworm’ and ‘Basement Conversion’ were the main items to focus on. I then used the Google Keyword Checker to confirm the keywords I should be using in relation to the target market.
  2. Following this research I changed the <titles> tags and the page headings <h1>to match what I was targeting. The site’s name also lends itself to this too, so it’s in the URL. Although not important Google I also ensured that the meta descriptions were filled out correctly and described the business.

  3. Unfortunately the next hurdle I had to jump over was that the content on the site. The content was copied down from the parent company therefore it was not unique and it was not entirely relevant. I requested the content was rewritten by the client to be more relevant and I also edited to ensure keywords were in the text.
  4. I noticed that in particular in this trade that the directories ruled the roost. Top of the listings were sites such as Yell that listed all the damp proof companies. Yell is a great way to list your business but the by product of it is that you also have backlinks from a top site, of great inmportance to Search Engine Optimisation.
  5. Revisit. Just like with anything, don’t assume that the first time you do something it’s going to be perfect. I looked at rival sites and how well the site was doing and reviewed title tags and content to ensure it was going in the right direction.
  6. Patience. This was never going to be a five minute task that produced instant results. It took a few months to get from page 15 to page 1. I explained this to the client beforehand which meant that they were under no illusions I could work miracles.

The end result – Damp Proof North East is number one for all the key search terms and is receiving more visits and conversions than ever – another happy client!

How to get the best out of Google Analytics [Part 1]

By On August 4, 2011 In Analytics, Search Engine Optimisation With Comments Off Permanent Link to How to get the best out of Google Analytics [Part 1]Permalink

I set up Google Analytics for each of my clients in order to track visitors to their site. It’s free to use and is a very powerful tool.

I can probably conclude from most comments regarding the analysis is that;

Most people are purely interested in the number of visitors they are getting on a daily/weekly and monthly basis.

The only real conclusion you can draw from this is that a) the site needs more visitors or b) you’re happy with the amount of visitors on the site. From that you can take action accordingly, but surely you need to know more information to take the correct actions?

Google Analytics is broken down into different areas. I am going to write a THREE part series on how you can utilise this analysis and where you should be directing your efforts to improve the reach and accessibility of your website, they are as follows:

  1. TRAFFIC SOURCES – Search Engines, Referring Sites, Direct Traffic, Keywords
  2. VISITORS OVERVIEW – Location/New, browser (mobile)
  3. CONTENT OVERVIEW – Top Content, Top Landing Pages, Content Drilldown

So, onto topic number one…

TRAFFIC SOURCES

It’s important to know how people found your site in the first place. This can happen a number of ways.

Search Engines – Links from search engines such as Google, Yahoo or Bing.

Visitors will find your site by choose keywords. For example, if somebody was to search ‘Freelance Web Developer Newcastle’ then they would most probably find this website on the first page of the search results. From further analysis we can find out what keywords were used but that I’ll cover that in Part III.

Referring Sites – Links from other websites.

If you have a strong network or useful content on your site then you’re likely to see this number being high. Links from directory websites such as Yell or from other business sites will bring the numbers up.

Direct Traffic – Visitors type your web address into the URL bar at the top and press ‘Go’

This means that somebody must already know the address to your website; either getting it from a non-computer source such as a leaflet or other offline advertising or seeing it somewhere else on the web.

Qualitative Analysis

Of course Google only tells us a part of the picture and in fact is only supplying us with data. We need to do further analysis before we jump to any conclusions.

For example… Your site could be getting 1000′s of visitors per month and through that 100 transactions (whether that is enquiries or sales). From this information you can’t tell how the successful sub section of visitors found your site. This means it’s important to use other methods such as capturing the information in your contact form. You can then see the most effective way of attracting conversions to your site.

The key to referring sites is to ensure that the sites you are getting traffic from are relevant to your website and/or business. This means that once people are on the site they are likely to look around even further and it may result in a conversion. Numbers are not everything and having links from non-relevant sites may decrease the integrity of the site.

Search Engine Optimisation is the key to getting your website high up in search engines. If you’re not getting a lot of traffic through this method then you may be required to improve the viability of your website. There are many ways in which to do this – here’s a good start.

Sometimes raw data can be used however in the instances of direct traffic. If you have recently ran some offline advertising then this number should increase. If it isn’t then you might be able to conclude that your method of advertising isn’t working and therefore can change your strategy and potentially save you money.

So there’s something to think about when looking at your traffic sources, next up we’ll be looking at the visitors themselves and then onto the content.

Oh and I also have a little test for the observant people – what do you think comes under ‘other’?

Is your site optimised for search engines (SEO)?

By On May 2, 2011 In Search Engine Optimisation With 3 Comments Permanent Link to Is your site optimised for search engines (SEO)?Permalink

I was recently dealing with a relative’s website where the company who had made it for him had told him that it had been optimised for search engines. I had a quick check over the site and found out that in fact not the slightest effort had gone into it.

When I talk about Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) I am not talking necessarily getting a website to number one in the rankings, although that is the end goal.

What I am talking about is providing the best possible framework for Google to find your website. I see this fit into three categories.

Schematics. Ensuring that the meta tags (the information that is not displayed but describes your website) such as the <title> tag and the meta description and keywords are correct. Also <h> tags are used correctly and XHTML guidelines are adhered to. This should be done by the developer during the project and the client really should have no exposure to this, it should just be done.

Framework. When defining the website make sure that the page structure is correct. Ensure it is well thought out and don’t just have pages (or functionality) for the sake of it. This approach can also save you money during the build but having a clear and concise structure gives you the perfect building block to start with. Additional elements such as a site map should also be supplied. This is something that the developer and the client can agree beforehand – so the onus is originally on the client but the developer should help guide them through the process, probably having done many websites before.

Accessibility. The site should be accessible to both users and to the search engines. Page caching if using a Content Management System and optimised images will ensure the site is quick and increases the chances of people browse all of your site and then coming back for more. Google also credits sites which have fast loading speeds. This is developers territory and if they are dealing with advanced technology they should also know how to optimise it. One of the most important things following a launch of a site is to submit your site to the search engines – otherwise they won’t know you’re there!

Content. The website should have well presented, relevant information about their product/service. This is the only non-mechanical nature to a website and the whole point of the website in the first place – to get your message across. The designer/developer is responsible for good typography and layout but the content – well that is solely down to the client. Whether it’s the text on the home page or a blog article then the client must ensure it represents their company in the best possible way. If you, as the client, is not happy with that task then it’s the role of a copywriter, not a web developer to produce your content.

So – there’s my main focus when optimising for search engines. I have tried to avoid to go into the nitty gritty of it as I do on a project by project basis but hopefully it’s a useful overview.