| Optimising your website requires many different skills | | | | about us page is nice to have but trust me these are |
| and tactics to come together for your website. First, | | | | very rarely if ever read. The same applies to scripts |
| let's look at your websites homepage. There are lots | | | | which are not necessary like background music or |
| you can do to increase your rank on search engines, it | | | | snow falling on the screen. Incredibly tacky and |
| still amazes me how few websites make even the | | | | annoying for visitors. |
| most simplest of changes which could have incredible | | | | As a professional designer for many years I know that |
| effects on their sites placement. | | | | flash websites are just not going to rank as well as |
| If like all websites, unless you are in the dark ages, you | | | | their 'html' counterparts. The reason is rather simple, |
| have images on your website then make them work | | | | search engine spiders can't trawl them as there is no |
| for you. By editing the 'ALT' tag you can give the | | | | code there for them to read. They are also looked |
| images a name which contains keywords so to be | | | | upon rather unfavourably as not everyone can view |
| useful when search engines spiders trawl through your | | | | them unless they download the plug ins necessary to |
| sites html code. If your website was on classic car | | | | view flash video. Although this is becoming more |
| sales and you label your images as 'car 1' this will have | | | | common and more and more people are downloading |
| very little impact for the spiders but if you try naming a | | | | the plug ins, it just is not currently viewable by |
| picture of an Aston Martin as 'classic Austin Martin' this | | | | everyone as the standard 'html' websites are. It's all |
| would only serve to help your sites rankings. But also | | | | looks but no substance. |
| important to naming your images is that not all visitors | | | | Now we get onto keywords, the hot subject. Choose |
| to your website will see it the same way that you see | | | | key phrases rather than individual words. Think what |
| it on your screen. Some businesses and users do not | | | | would people type to find your website. Ask friends |
| view images on sites and turns those functions off. By | | | | & family too. If you sold cars in Kent, UK don't |
| turning images off on their browser this allows for | | | | choose 'cars' as a keyword, try 'Kent secondhand |
| faster speeds when visiting sites and controls what | | | | cars' or 'car dealerships Kent', about 10 to 13 key |
| employees can see. By giving 'ALT' names to images | | | | phrases are sufficient. Don't keep repeating words |
| that say what they are you will enhance the visitors | | | | over and over again. Also, unless you are a major |
| experience as well as helping to increase your ranking. | | | | corporation such as Nike or Xerox, you need not |
| When working with images on your website, you will | | | | mention your companies actual name in the keyword |
| need to optimise images either using a program like | | | | or description tags. |
| Photoshop or one online. When a visitor to your | | | | The description tag should also contain some |
| website has to wait for photos to load, they may | | | | keywords in there and be about 25 - 30 words but |
| quickly decide against waiting even one second longer. | | | | don't over do it. This description is important as it |
| Remember, the longer it takes for a page to load the | | | | shows up in searches. This brings me onto the title of |
| quicker the visitor will want to leave. Keep page loads | | | | your pages. Don't just say 'Home', put in a few |
| within a few seconds if possible. | | | | keywords there too. This title tag is shown above the |
| Now look at your website. Many web surfers will visit | | | | description text on search engines so write wisely. For |
| a website for only a few seconds before they make | | | | a car dealership it would be more effective for a |
| a decision of whether or not this site will have what | | | | visitor to Goggle to see a title tag that says 'Find |
| they are looking for. Some surfers don't even wait for | | | | second hand cars in Kent, everything from cars, 4x4's, |
| the page to load before leaving a website. You need | | | | to trucks' rather than 'Dales Motors'. See what I mean, |
| to give them a reason to stay by telling them the most | | | | which would you click? |
| important information in a quick and fast way. Think of | | | | It is very important to make sure you do not have any |
| a newspaper, they can not tell you the whole of the | | | | 'dead links' or 'broken links' from your website either |
| newspaper on just the front page. They put headlines | | | | linking within your site or to another one. This infuriates |
| that guide you through the paper. These headlines | | | | visitors and does not look good when search engines |
| grab your attention. This same process can be used | | | | come to dead links while trawling your website. |
| for website optimisation. Try bullet pointing the | | | | Dreamweaver can check for broken links with it's own |
| information so visitors can quickly see what your site | | | | software but there are many free online broken link |
| can offer them | | | | checkers out there. |
| Put navigation links on the bottom of your sites pages | | | | As we end this article on Optimising Your Website, I |
| too. Very useful if you have pages where users need | | | | would like to remind you to keep your sites navigation |
| to scroll down a long ways. | | | | simple and its purpose clear. Do not add useless |
| Don't add useless pages or extras that distract visitors | | | | extras which will only distract visitors and maybe even |
| and confuse them. Your website will be wanting to | | | | persuade them into not coming pack. |
| either get contact details or sell something. Having an | | | | |