Web Design and Search Engine Optimization.

The difference between a successful SEO campaign & an expensive failure comes down to basic web site design. Sites that pay attention to site layout, navigation, content, presentation, and location are more likely to attract, and retain, visitors than those in which these elements are insufficiently planned.

Purpose
A site's purpose defines its design and function. Does the site offer basic information about the business, or does it provide regularly updated news and information about the industry? Does it have an online store, or was it designed so clients and customers can interact with the business? A web site's purpose influences campaign setup & structure, so give the question serious consideration.

Content
Good content is the backbone of any successful SEO campaign, but appropriate content varies depending on the purpose of your website. Content should be relevant, easy to find, and easy to read. The reading skills of Internet users vary widely. Unless the web site is intended to attract very specific people, keep content at a grade eight to ten reading level. Most importantly, content must provide site visitors with the information they want.

Site Navigation
Good content is useless if site visitors cannot find information easily. A good website is easy to navigate, and makes it easy to locate information. If the site is small, a menu of links to the site's key areas should be on every page. For very large sites, it may be necessary to include a search tool.

A site that isn't easily navigable frustrates Internet users quickly. Site visitors will quickly leave, and are unlikely to return. Although planning the navigation and layout of a web page takes time, it is one of the most important elements of a successful SEO campaign.

Layout and Appearance
The physical design of a web site says volumes about the professionalism of a business. A cluttered site with unusual fonts and a garish background looks, quite frankly, awful. Keep the background white and clear unless you have a very good reason to choose otherwise. A simple layout and color scheme often looks better than a complicated web page. Each page on the site should be consistent with the appearance of the home page.

Unusual text colors should be avoided. Bright purple text may look good on a personal website, but it gives a business site an unprofessional appearance. Strange color choices for text also make a site's content difficult to read. Small font sizes also make reading a chore, and site visitors will leave sooner than risk eye strain. A font size of ten to twelve is recommended.

Avoid the temptation to use excessive graphics. Graphics greatly slow down a website's loading time, increasing the chance that site visitors will lose patience and go elsewhere. If the home page takes longer then fifteen seconds to load, it's taking too long.

Be Browser Friendly
Internet Explorer is the choice of most Internet surfers, however, there are other browsers available, such as FireFox and Netscape Navigator. The website may not appear properly when viewed in these browsers. The site can either be "tweaked" until it appears properly in all browsers, or an alternate site can be provided for non-Internet Explorer users.

After Launch: Staying the Course
SEO Management is an ongoing process. After the campaign is launched, it & your website must be regularly reviewed & updated based on performance metrics.

Above all, have patience. It takes time for a new SEO campaign to start generating consistent traffic & conversion. It may become apparent that you need to change your keywords, content, or other factors as the campaign develops. No matter what changes need to be made, they should always reflect the purpose of the site.

SEO and Design

10 Common Design Mistakes to Avoid

Web design mistakes can have a tremendous negative impact on both Search Engine Optimization & business growth. Your prospects are visiting your web site specifically for the content. But the appearance and usability are also critical factors. If a visit to your web site is a positive experience, you have a much better chance of converting prospects to clients.

In the early 1990s, commercial web sites weren't very common and just about every "live" site was considered acceptable. With tens of millions of sites online now, users will not tolerate unprofessional and disorganized sites that don't provide the information or solutions they are looking for and expect.

1. Lack of Focus
Too many web sites leave visitors wondering what the site is about. Be sure your home page explicitly conveys what you do and the value you offer, and entices them to explore other pages for additional information.

2. Text-heavy Pages
Reading online is much different than print. Use the following to break-up blocks of text: shorter, more focused paragraphs; headlines and subheads; bullets and numbers; a few well-placed photos or graphics; and appropriate white space.

3. Legibility Issues
Dark fonts on dark backgrounds, light fonts on light backgrounds, and tiny fonts that strain the eye are obviously poor choices.

4. Navigation Issues
A clearly obvious navigational panel makes sense doesn't it? But common sense isn't always common practice. How easily can a newcomer navigate your site?

5. Inappropriate Graphics and Photos
Photos and graphics can visually enhance the appearance of your site as well as support and substantiate your copy. But don't use load-intensive graphics or photos of your corporate office which are relevant to no one.

6. Outdated Information
Nothing screams "unprofessional" any louder than outdated information.

7. Too Many Clicks Needed
We're all impatient and in a hurry. Our online waiting threshold is much less than off-line. If more than a few clicks are required to get to a page, you'll lose a prospect every time.

8. Lack of Contact Information
This also seems obvious, but I have searched numerous web sites for contact phone numbers - and I am amazed how many times I was unable to find one. Just because a web site is online doesn't mean a prospect only wants to contact you online.

9. Form Frustration
The large majority of online forms are too lengthy. Get rid of questions/fields that simply are not needed. And don't identify one as mandatory if it really isn't.

10. No Privacy Policy
In the age of rampant spam, we all want to be certain we are offering our e-mail address to someone who will protect it carefully. If you ask for an e-mail address on one of your forms, let your prospects know that you will not sell or distribute their address to anyone.