Articles

[1] How to get people to discover your website

Meta tags

This is the term used to describe an "invisible" collection of words or sentences used to describe the content of your website that help search engines index or catalog your website. Meta tags are programmed into and hidden in your websites source code... they are specifically for the search engines - not the viewer.

Not all submitted web sites are added to their databases, a lot depends on a variety of factors such as the volume of submissions and the evaluation of your website. Considering that a 'spider' must index around 4 billion web pages one by one, before they start over again, (about 3 months or more) it can take several weeks before your submission starts to show up on the search engines.

If your website, is not showing up well or is really difficult to find - hand it over to a professional developer to get it checked and optimized.

Search engine optimisation (SEO)

This is the necessary meta tag creation, programming and tweaking done by professional web builders to get your website listed near the top of those searches.

"92% of people using the Internet query search engines" Nielsen Net ratings

Note: It typically takes at least 3 months for Search Engine Optimization to work properly. The larger search engines offer paid "instant submission" programs for a monthly maintenance fee. If you are willing to wait, then all you need to pay for is your meta tag creation, and the one-time submission fees and your website should stay at the top or close to the top of most search engines on its own.

Get a website that works!

[2] If you build it, will they come?

So you've decided you need a web site...

The first question is why do you need a website?
The next question is what do you expect from having a website?

Have you done your marketing research to determine that a website is a cost effective method of marketing your company?

Once your website is built, how will you market it AND who will you get to build it for you? Should you try to do it yourself, get a friend to do it or go to a professional?

Here are some tips to help you choose:

1. D.I.Y
This is the least expensive option, however, least expensive does not always equal most cost effective. If your website is just a 'fun family blog' type thing - go ahead have a go. If it is part of your business marketing strategy - think again!

Consider - if you think you can effectively build your business website, do you also - film and produce your own TV ads, fix your own cars and trucks, do all your own accounting, paint your own offices ... etc? If you do all those things, when do actually get time to work ON your business and just when is it right to bring in the professionals...?

Okay, so you do have some spare time..
Do you understand these terms: HTML, PHP, Googlebots, FTP, SEO, Applet, CGI, CDF, CSS, dpi, kerning, marquee, DHTML, XHTML, SOAP, W3C - all web programming terms.

Hey and this stuff ( below) is some of the real fun stuff you get to build your site with:

function hs(el) {if (window.RegExp && window.encodeURIComponent) {var ue=el.href;var qe=encodeURICom ponent(document.f.q.value);if(ue.index Of("q=")!=-1){el.href=ue.replace (new RegExp("q=[^&$]*"),"q="+q e);}else{el.href =ue+"&q="+qe;}}return 1;}//

...and you thought web designers just pushed around pretty pictures?

If you are not sure consult a pro as you may only have to go back later and hire one to do it over again.

2. Get a friend to do it for you

So everyone has a "friend" who can build web sites... That's great. But one word of caution - make sure your friend has the expertise and the experience to do the job right.

Do you consult other 'friends' to get your teeth fixed - they may not be a professional dentist but have done a bit of this and that, or how about a getting a friend to build your home extension - this one is a dentist and managed to throw down a concrete slab and pop a shed on it...!

If you are about to market your business 24/7/365 to 1,018,057,389.00 internet users in the world or just a mere 53% of the Aussie population - 17,690,762.00 - this is not a potential market to be sniffed at!

3. Hire a professional web development firm

Firstly - do some research.

Look at their portfolio of past work.. Find out who else they've worked with and what their experience has been like. Meet with them and make sure they have the credentials to know what they're doing and the communication skills to be able to work together with you to achieve your goals.. Also, ensure that they include an SEO service.

Get a website that works!

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