A family friend recently launched a new website for his company and asked me to take a look at the finished product. It's beautiful and professional; it sets the right tone for his customers and makes it easy to contact the company for more information.
It's not going to perform well in search engines, though. One quick look at the source code—the "stuff" that Google sees—let me know.
Just what are Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM)?
While they appear confusing—and, in the past, may have been considered a luxury—Search Engine Optimization and Marketing are becoming increasingly necessary for your business and your website to do well on the web. Economic and social conditions are influencing the use of the web for information, research, and shopping. Therefore, your website needs to be relevant to your business and goals—and easily located among the growing sea of competitors.
Digett is pleased to announce that Cindy Becker, whose lengthy list of accomplishments knows few bounds, is now a Google AdWords Qualified Individual. Sure, you can read all about the requirements at that link, but here's what's important:
"We'll make you number one on Google in 48 hours!!!" "Our techniques will drive 100X more traffic to your site!!"
We see the wild claims all the time. Chances are, they're bogus; if they're not, then the techniques are suspect. Legitimate search engine optimization practitioners refrain from making such wild claims, leaving them to those who are less reputable. Besides, you should never trust someone who wantonly uses multiple exclamation points.
I recently attended a workshop series called UX Intensive, hosted by Adaptive Path. For four days, I and about 100 other web enthusiasts examined four key elements that contribute to a successful website design: Design Strategy, Design Research, Information Architecture, and Interaction Design. I've put together a list of four insights to better web design, one for each day of the week.
