eSpyre Knowledge Base

Search Engine Optimisation is a lengthy process that is usually monitored and fine tuned over a number of months. Keeping up with the frequent changes in search engine listings can be time consuming and tedious. It important that the process of search engine optimisation is done properly to prevent your website from being blacklisted and banned from search engines. The following list details some common SEO traps that should be avoided.

• Avoid hidden text or hidden links.
• Don’t use cloaking or sneaky redirects.
• Don’t load pages with irrelevant keywords.
• Don’t create multiple pages with duplicate content.
• Avoid “doorway” pages created just for search engines.
• Don’t utilize flash for your entire website. The search engines can’t find it!
• Avoid using a “splash” page with an “enter” link. Keyword-wise, they don’t rank highly.
• Don’t use JavaScript for your menus. Search engines don’t index JavaScript content.
• Don’t oversaturate your title and meta tags. Search engines will see this as spam.

• Don’t target the wrong keywords. This can cost you both time and money. Do your keyword research thoroughly, or it may be a good idea to pay someone to help you, before you optimise your website.

eSpyre provides Search Engine Optimisation services covering all price ranges and requirements. Unfortunately results cannot be guaranteed. If a company guarantees you multiple #1’s for your chosen keywords - run the other way. No company or individual has the ability to control a search engines listings.

Search Engine Optimisation is the answer to a steady flow of genuine website traffic. The more visitors your website gets, the higher the chance will be of sales and/or enquiries. Optimising your website will ensure that it is listed higher in search results for keywords chosen by you. Your website can perform a lot better if people are able to find it with greater ease.

• Make a site with a clear hierarchy and text links. Every page should be reachable from at least one static text link.
• Offer a site map to your users with links that point to the important parts of your site. If the site map is larger than 100 or so links, you may want to break the site map into separate pages.
• 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 tags and ALT attributes are descriptive and accurate.
• Check for broken links and correct HTML.
• If you decide to use dynamic pages (i.e., the URL contains a “?” character), be aware that not every search engine spider crawls dynamic pages as well as static pages. It helps to keep the parameters short and the number of them few.
• Keep the links on a given page to a reasonable number (fewer than 100).

Once you have made the decision that you require a website - the next step is to decide who will build it. If you have the technical knowledge, you can develop the site yourself, though if you’re like most small businesses you’ll want to outsource the work to a company. Be careful who you hire: a poorly designed website can do more harm than good. There have been many online ventures that have resulted in lost customers and ruined reputations. Below are some basic steps that when followed should help you make the right decision.

• What do you need?
  Be realistic about what you require. If you only need a simple company site with a feedback form, let this be known. Often companies will try and sell features to you that you don’t really need.

• Research Company Portfolios
  It is essential to thoroughly look through each companies portfolio to evaluate their potential. Not all companies have the same style of work, or the same prices. Ultimately you should be comfortable with the idea of working with a company in the long term.

• Evaluate Company Services
  If you want to sell products online, look for previous e-commerce experience or packaged e-commerce deals. If you’re considering a one-person firm, - does the developer have the required skills to create everything you need? On the other hand, will you get lost in the shuffle at a larger firm with lots of other clients?

• Think Ahead
  Over the past year, hundreds of Web Design businesses of all sizes have merged, cut back their operations or simply shut down. Although it’s impossible to know for sure whether or not a firm will be around in the future, you have a right to ask questions if you expect to build a long-term relationship.

eSpyre is an innovative web design and multimedia company located in Telford, England that was founded early 2007 in Australia. Services are provided on a global scale, though marketing focuses on the United Kingdom, and all projects are carried out with the highest level of professionalism.

eSpyre works with consumer and corporate level customers to harness the multi layered communication capabilities of the Internet. We aspire to get client messages across by combining design, technology and search engine friendly methodologies to produce unique online solutions.