Read http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a243c8b2-d79b-11de-b578-00144feabdc0.html

Harpreet Seehra

Search Engine Optimisation Engineer

Studio 2 Online – Search Engine Optimisation Midlands

1. Neat and attractive
2. title tags and meta tags. Optimise the meta tags utilising the keywords in the descriptions as well as the keywords. Even though these are not said to be very effective these days they are still a key element of optimisation.
3. Implementation of the header tags; H1, H2, H3 are key elements a webpage source code where keyphrases can be effectively utilised.
4. Optimise the alt tags to include meaningful descriptions of the image while using the keyphrase smartly
5. Use the title tag of the image to display the keyphrase. Remember this is text that is visible so needs to make sense to the visitor who may hover over the image.
6. Sensible navigation; place the navigation at the top and in the side of the web page layout. Including some basic navigation at the bottom is also very effective. The more ways in which the search engine can find your web pages the better.
7. Include a html sitemap which contains links to all the webpages of the site. This way a search engine robot can easily crawl through all the pages of the site and no webpage is lost!
8. Neat URLs – have neat web addresses to each webpage. A web address with keywords separated by hyphens is much more presentable and easily crawlable than a webpage that contains odd characters like ? / & …. . You can use url rewrite tools to change any nasty urls into neat and concise ones.
9. Use the robot.txt file to block any unwanted duplicate content as this can be detrimental to the rankings of the website.
10. Keep the focus of the webpage content around your keyphrase chosen for that webpage. While this may seem obvious it is often overlooked while optimising. Your web copy must include the keyphrase enough to show the search engine robot the relevance of the webpage.
11. Include an XML sitemap; a very effective strategy that notifies  search engine robots which pages to crawl within a website.

Mariam Shariff.

Search Engine Optimisation, Midlands

I mentioned in my last post that there were rumours that Google may use page load time as an indicator over the next year or so. This may have been introduced sooner than we think or Google may be highlighting these issues to site owner in order for them to resolve them, before it is implemented properly.

Those of you who use Google webmaster tools will have noticed the introduction of the “Site Performance” section. This highlights average page load times over last few months and offers suggestions on how to improve the problems that it has highlighted.

The “Crawl Stats” section has already been a part of webmaster tools for quite a while.  You can view  a graph which shows stats on the number of pages crawled per day and  page download time over the past 90 days

This is something that you should definitely keep an eye on . I noticed that the rankings for a couple of sites dropped last month.  The crawl stats showed that a lot more pages were crawled in October than last month and that the bots spent a lot more time downloading pages last month when compared to October.

To be cont’d..

Harpreet Seehra

Search Engine Optimisation Engineer

Studio 2 Online – Search Engine Optimisation Midlands

The 1 million pound scheme will be funded by both public and private money. About 1400 protected access points will be located around the town by the council in order to generate a “Wi-Fi mesh”. The population of Swindon will be able to access wireless Internet without paying for it.

Swindon seems the place to be at the moment. Remember the council got rid of all it’s speed cameras earlier this year. No speed cameras and free Wi-Fi, not bad eh?

However, Swindon is not the first to offer free Wi-Fi to its population. The tiny Polynesian island nation of Niue gave its 2,000 inhabitants free Wi-Fi back in 2003. Hmm, if it came to a choice between Swindon or Nuie for free Wi-Fi, which would you choose?

Is this the beginning of a trend? Today Swindon, tomorrow the World! But one thing’s for sure, this is yet another example of how the use of the Internet is growing all the time and the importance of making sure your business is well positioned to make the most of the opportunities this offers.

Harpreet Seehra

Search Engine Optimisation Engineer

Studio 2 Online – Search Engine Optimisation Midlands

Launched by ex Blue Peter Presenter Valerie (Here’s one I prepared earlier) Singleton, and with the support of Help The Aged, SimplicITy is designed for people who are inexperienced  with the web and computers. It does not contain login screens and drop down menus. With only six buttons on the ‘Square One’ homepage it guides users to complete primary tasks such as sending and receiving emails, browse the web, chat to friends and family, store photos and write short documents. What’s more there’s not a bit of sticky back plastic to be seen!

Once this significant audience is online and searching for what they want, it’s a market that businesses and SEO experts should look at targeting.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1227143/SimplicITy-Computer-just-functions-unveiled-technophobe-pensioners.html#ixzz0WemsTJQF
 
Harpreet Seehra

Search Engine Optimisation Engineer

Studio 2 Online – Search Engine Optimisation Midlands

For example Chinese and Arabic.

Follow this link to read more http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8333209.stm

Harpreet Seehra

Search Engine Optimisation Engineer
Studio 2 Online – Search Engine Optimisation, Midlands

Let’s use a natural metaphor for a moment to discuss the subject of search engine optimisation.  Imagine the following…

• A tree is the search engine results page (SERP)
• The branches of the tree are the different positions on the SERP
• The acorns on the top branch are your potential customers
• The squirrels at the bottom of the tree are the different websites

The squirrels might all use different techniques to get to the top branch, but only one will get the acorns. In their hurry to get to the acorns some squirrels may use weak branches, but they will break and the squirrel will go crashing back to the ground. The winner will be the squirrel who makes sure it uses the sturdiest branches.

This is the same as search engine optimisation. There are unethical techniques you could use to try to speed your way to the top, and for a brief period you may get the results you want. But eventually you will coming crashing back down to the bottom of the SERP’s. To reach the top, and stay at the top, you will need to use effective ethical organic search engine optimisation techniques and that’s where we come in.

To find out the various packages offered by Studio 2 Online, a specialist search engine optimisation agency in the Midlands, give us a call now on 0116 275 8456 to speak to one of our search engine optimisation team or arrange a no obligation meeting.

Remember, once you have got your acorns, your aim is to keep them, which is the reason why you need a search engine optimisation campaign rather than a one hit wonder.

Long live Scrat!! (for all you Ice Age fans)

David Morris

Studio 2 Online – Search Engine Optimisation Midlands

Many ISP’s would prefer a hierarchal model, where data such as videos pass through at a reduced speed. The US Federal Communications Commission doesn’t want this and wants to maintain an Internet where all data is handled in the same way. Google, ebay, Facebook and other major business users support this. They make the point that this impartiality towards all types of data helps businesses compete on the basis of content only, where users can make independent choices without the added complication of differentiating one type of data from another.

Others feel that a hierarchal model is the best option in order to maintain the smoothness of the net as traffic inevitably grows in the future.

Should this happen there may well be an impact on SEO. It could mean that a website without any video data, or perhaps even Flash, may have an advantage over a website that does. This might add another level of complexity to the application of search engine optimisation to a website. 

Early days, but worth keeping an eye on. 

Harpreet Seehra

Search Engine Optimisation Engineer
Studio 2 Online – Search Engine Optimisation, Midlands

The article (follow the link below) examines statements made by Rupert Murdoch about his proposed strategy to use paywalls to make money from online versions of The News of the World and The Sun, as well as other more upmarket elements of his publishing and media group.

Just bear in mind this is written from the perspective of a rival who has no love for Mr Murdoch and his News Corporation empire. However, some very interesting issues are raised. So, is Mr Murdoch leading the way to establishing a more profitable model, or will it, as Mr Richmond and those bloggers adding their comments suggest, all collapse around his ears?

 It seems when it comes to paywalls in the mass media, it’s a case of ‘watch this space’.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/technology/shanerichmond/100002791/murdochs-paywall-is-a-gift-to-the-competition/

Harpreet Seehra

Search Engine Optimisation Engineer

Studio 2 Online – Web Design Midlands

As conventional media continues to suffer from falling revenues this is now being looked at by other businesses and websites. A typical example is where a website offers basic information for free, but requires you to subscribe to get access to more detailed information, archives or reports.

The increase in interest has led Google to recently announced a paywall service by creating a “micropayment platform” – an advanced version of the Google checkout.

So does it work? It’s fair to say that views are mixed. Some claim that this provides the website owner with a valuable new regular income stream, and the subscriber with added value information that is of interest and easily available to them. This may well be of benefit to those looking for specific information on a regular basis.

But others point out that an upfront subscription may put potential customers off right at the start, losing nor gaining income for a website. It could also be a deterrent for people wanting the information on a one-off or infrequent basis.

However, with Google now throwing it’s weight behind the idea it will be interesting to see if paywall becomes a successful strategy.

Harpreet Seehra

Search Engine Optimisation Engineer

Studio 2 Online – Web design Leicester