Hi, Steven ~
I note that your domain has only recently been registered (June 16,
2003), so I would imagine you haven't yet submitted your site to
Google's search engine. If you have, there has hardly been enough time
to get it listed in Google's index which can take as long as 6-8 weeks
or even longer.
If you haven't submitted your site yet, it's a fairly easy and
relatively painless process. You just need to fill out Google's Add
URL tool which can be found here:
- ://www.google.com/addurl.html
Google also recommends that you submit your site to Yahoo! and the
Open Directory, DMOZ. "... you may want to consider submitting your
site to either or both of these directories. You can submit to Yahoo!
by visiting http://docs.yahoo.com/info/suggest/. You can submit your
site to Netscape's Open Directory Project (DMOZ) by visiting
www.dmoz.org. Once your site is included in either of these
directories, Google will often index your site within six to eight
weeks." (See: Google's "What else can I do to get listed in Google?")
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/1.html#B2
============================
Before You Submit Your Site
============================
I direct your attention to Google's Information for Webmasters.
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/guidelines.html
and then specifically to Google's Design and Content Guidelines:
"* Create a useful, information-rich site and write pages that
clearly and accurately describe your content.
* Think about the words users would type to find your pages, and
make sure that your site actually includes those words within it.
* Try to use text instead of images to display important names,
content, or links. The Google crawler doesn't recognize text contained
in images.
* Make sure that your TITLE and ALT tags are descriptive and
accurate."
While your site contains content which enhances indexing the site for
search engines, there are coding problems which could make it
difficult for any web crawler to read, and ultimately, to get you
indexed.
==================
The Basics - HTML
==================
Shari Thurow, a leading authority in search engine optimization, and
author of the book "Search Engine Visibility", remarked,
"Clean HTML is absolutely imperative for search engine indexing.
Browsers are extremely forgiving when it comes to displaying pages
with "unclean" HTML (unclosed tags, no quotation marks, etc.). Search
engine spiders are not so forgiving. Even something as simple as a
missing quotation mark on the <.a href="page.html"> can cause a spider
to not index text or a link." (See: Link Exchange Digest, July 3,
2003, "Clean HTML")
- http://list.audettemedia.com/SCRIPTS/WA.EXE?A2=ind0307&L=led&D=1&T=0&H=1&O=D&F=&S=&P=282
Differentiating between search engine indexing and search engine
ranking, she explained how errors in HTML can affect your ability to
be indexed, and ultimately, ranked.
If you need help with the basics of HTML, excellent information is
available from the National Center for Supercomputing Applications
(NCSA), "A Beginner's Guide to HTML" -
- http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/General/Internet/WWW/HTMLPrimerAll.html
A check of your coding shows some omissions which should be on every
page in order to facilitate indexing your pages.
1. DOCTYPE Declaration
----------------------
The first omission is a doctype declaration. DOCTYPES are essential to
the proper rendering and functioning of web documents in compliant
browsers. It is also essential for the search engines to understand
and follow the coding contained on your pages.
DOCTYPE is explained and discussed further in "A List Apart",
- http://www.alistapart.com/stories/doctype/
and in Web Design Group's article, "Choosing a DOCtype",
- http://www.htmlhelp.com/tools/validator/doctype.html
It appears you "may" have used Microsoft Office (I simply can't
determine with certainty whether or not you have) to generate the
coding, but you might be very surprised to see what your website looks
like browsers other than Internet Explorer 6.x.
Newer versions of Microsoft Word offer some DOCtype information and
schemas, but they do not deprecate well for older versions of Internet
Explorer and other browsers which are in use, so some knowledge of the
basics are necessary to ensure your HTML is readable.
2. Page Title & Title Tags
--------------------------
There is a reason Google mentions those title tags - it is one of the
first things the Googlebot (the index crawler) looks for. There are no
title tags on your web pages for the Googlebot to index.
Add those title tags and put them to work for you!
Here is an excellent chance to use those words and terms - right up
front where they can be seen. As an example, if you want your web page
to be found under the term "widgets", then you should be using the
word "widgets" within your title tag.
Use page titles to your advantage - instead of naming that page
"3.html", give it a relevant name, such as "services.html" or
"issues.html", which reflect on the information you have included
within the page.
3. ALT Tags
-----------
A check of your source code reveals you do not use ALT attributes in
your image tags. Search engines cannot read graphics, so using the ALT
attribute helps explains what you graphically depict.
It seems your graphics are included within the javascript you are
using; however, this is not a standard javascript, but seems to be
Microsoft's proprietary javascript. The only problem with using this
on your website is that not everybody is capable of seeing your site
as you have designed it. Even newer versions of Microsoft's products
are not always backwards-compatable.
There are also some who turn javascript off in their browsers, and
then they miss quite a bit of your site because of how it is coded.
This is another a working knowledge of basic HTML is necessary in
order to get your site indexed.
4. Metatags
-----------
Although there is no longer the heavy emphasis placed on metatags as
there once was, some search engines, such as Inktomi, do spider them.
Consideration should be given to make sure the keywords you want to
use - that is, those words you want visitors to find your site, exist
within metatags and within the content of your site.
4. Accessibility
----------------
Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 794
and 794d, set forth the minimum government standards for
accessibility.
Among these standards are such items as ALT and TITLE tags (as
discussed above), and website design which will enable those with
special needs to be able to understand your web site.
You might want to run each page of your site through Bobby, which will
give you a full context report on what portions of your site do not
meet the minimum standards. If you make all the corrections suggested,
it will greatly enhance any search engine's ability to crawl your
website as well.
The Bobby analysis page can be found here:
- http://bobby.watchfire.com/bobby/html/en/index.jsp
==============
Aesthetics
==============
1. What's Above the Fold
------------------------
While not as important for search engine crawlers as it is for your
site's visitors, you should have your important content appear "above
the fold". "Above the fold" means that first screen full of
information.
There are several important things that should appear above the fold:
* Your logo or company slogan to help establish your "brand".
* WIIFM (What's in it for me?). A list of some benefits your visitors
will enjoy by staying on your site. This should include keywords for
the search engines and should focus on the visitors.
What is the biggest benefit to your visitors?
* A navigation menu. Your visitor has come to your site for a purpose.
Don't make them hunt for your links - on any page!
And remember to try not to clutter this area.
Some good articles on effective Website design and discussion of
"above the fold" can be found here:
* NetLingo, The Internet Dictionary, "Above The Fold Defined"
- http://www.marketingterms.com/dictionary/above_the_fold/
* RMH Web Design: "Web Site Design: Designing Above the Fold"
- http://www.rmhwebdesign.com/articles/abovethefold.html
* SitePoint, "10 Tips to Building A Click-Ready Website"
- http://www.sitepoint.com/article/224
Other articles discussing the benefits of effective Website design can
be found by using the search term:
- articles: web design + above the fold
or
- effective web design
2. Text Navigation
------------------
Your text is included in your javascript, but you should include text
links to your other pages, preferably in the same place on every page.
Your mouseover effect does not work in all browsers, and in some, it
appears as a broken graphics link. This can be rectified in part by
adding the DOCTYPE declaration described above to help the browser
software decipher what you are trying to convey.
3. Right Justified Text
-----------------------
Because not everyone has the same monitor set at the same resolution
defaults nor the same software you have used to build your site.
Consequently, what appears reasonable to you looks awkward, with huge
gaps between words to some others. It is is harder to read than text
set flush-left/ragged-right. (See: "Eleven Common Web Page Design
Frustrations")
- http://www.newentrepreneur.com/Resources/Articles/12_Com_Mis/12_com_mis.html
===================
Establishing Links
===================
Google explains, "The best way to ensure Google finds your site is for
your page to be linked from lots of pages on other sites. Google's
robots jump from page to page on the Web via hyperlinks, so the more
sites that link to you, the more likely it is that we'll find you
quickly." (See "Submitting your site")
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/1.html
Articles on Link Popularity
---------------------------
A couple of excellent articles on how to establish the right kind of
links are available in Traffick's "Ten Steps to Building Links to Your
Site", Craig Fifield - 5/3/2002
- http://www.traffick.com/article.asp?aID=77
and "The Right Way to Improve Link Popularity", By Paul J. Bruemmer -
4/14/2002 -
- http://www.traffick.com/article.asp?aID=41
Notice both articles offer suggestions which can be easily adapted for
your site without resorting to link farms. They both point out the
differences and offer easy ways to get started to the kind of linking
search engines prefer.
=============================
Submission to Search Engines
=============================
You will want to submit your site to the search engines by hand, and
NOT use any automated system.
For directories, such as DMOZ and others, ensure you dig down deep
enough to make it into the appropriate category. That will both help
you get listed and once listed, enable you to be picked up by other
search engines who use those services.
=================================
Understanding The Search Engines
=================================
It's a fact of life that just about the time one figures they have
this search engine optimization thing all figured out, the search
engines will change their algorithms enough to make it all confusing
once again.
To keep up with the "thou shalts" and "thou shalt nots" of search
engine optimization, check in with both Danny Sullivan's Search Engine
Watch -
- http://www.searchenginewatch.com
and Webmaster World -
- http://webmasterworld.com
In addition, Shari Thurow's book, "Search Engine Visibility", with a
forward by Danny Sullivan of Search Engine Watch, is available on
Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Her accompanying website to use in
conjunction with the book is here:
- http://www.searchenginesbook.com/
The Link Exchange Digest, one of the first and longest-running
Internet marketing and search engine/linking newsletters, is an
excellent tool with information beneficial to most small business
owners, with contributions by successful small business owners. It is
free to subscribe, and there is always some helpful information to be
derived from each issue. You can subscribe by mailing to
led-join-request@list.audettemedia.com.
The Adventive lists have been taken over by Andrew Bourland under his
new enterprise, Up2Speed. Andrew Bourland who also started ClickZ and
other informative websites. The I-Sales, I-Search and I-Design lists
currently have search engine discussions going, and you may want to
subscribe to those lists to help stay current. The Up2Speed
subscription page is here:
- http://www.up2speed.com/
You may be pleasantly surprised with how many ideas and new "friends"
eager to lend a hand that you may find by becoming a subscriber to
those lists.
======================================
When You're Ready to Submit Your Site
======================================
After you are satisfied that the site is to your liking, you can
submit it to Google, Yahoo! and DMOZ.
Make sure you pay special attention to Google's admonitions under
Quality Guidelines - Basic principles about using unauthorized
computer programs to submit pages and don't use Submit It.
Some search engine sites to which you may want to submit your site:
* DMOZ -
- http://www.dmoz.com/
* All The Web -
- http://www.alltheweb.com/help/webmaster/submit_site.html
* Hotbot & Lycos InSite (requires registration)
- http://insite.lycos.com/searchservices/
* Yahoo! -
- http://docs.yahoo.com/info/suggest/
* Zeal -
- http://zeal.com/
===================
Search terms used:
===================
- website design tutorials
- basic HTML
- effective web design
- accessibility standards
- web design for search engines
Employing the suggested changes above and linking with other sites
which are NOT link farms should help you with getting listed - and
listed as you would like - and on your way!
Best regards,
Serenata |
