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Website Reviews for Alberta Small and Medium Sized Business

Article: A Website Review Can Spot 'Trouble' and Identify Easy Solutions

Is Your Site Restricting Search Engines From Finding You?

Not intentially, of course, but unknowingly your site may contain elements—or lack elements—that actually impede search engine spiders from finding your site. For example:

• Graphic-heavy web sites may look nice, but search engines read content, not graphic files. So if you have keywords that you want search engines to find, but they are "disguised" as graphic files, then they are invisible to spiders.
• Not only do you want plenty of content, but the "right" content throughout your site. Each page of your site, not just the home page, should be optimized for targeted key words and key phrases. Placement, proximity, headings, meta tags and several other factors contribute to keyword effectiveness.
  
  There is more of an "art" than a "science" to this. Use an experienced optimization specialist or SEO copywriter to implement these strategies properly (not using 'black hat' methods).
• Sites that use flash, or javascript to the exclusion of content will not get the search results that they may want. It's OK to use this technology, but it should be used to supplement content, not replace content. Also, heavy use of flash may slow page loading so much, that browsers, even if they find the site, may get discouraged immediately and exit before reading your message.

There are many other elements and practices that can help you to get better search engine results … and lots of resources on bookshelves and on the Internet that can help you implement these practices yourself. Or, you can hire an SEO practitioner to do it for you. In either case, if you delay, your competitors will be happy with you ;-)

Is Your Content Optimized for Usability and Conversions?

Most of us have an idea of what is meant by usability. You've experienced sites where you can't determine their purpose, can't navigate easily, and can't find what you're looking for. Navigation, structure and content should all be designed with the users in mind. Unfortunately, many sites fall down in this critical area.

I mentioned above thay your content should be optimized for keywords; however, if your content doesn't speak to your targeted audience, help them find what they are looking for, and compel them to take action, then all your search-engine-optimization efforts will be in vain. Your content should be blended to meet all these objectives.

What is meant by conversions? In simple terms, it means getting visitors to not just browse, but act on content and cues built into your web site. Some examples of actions that web owners may want visitors to take are:

• add items to a shopping cart
• subscribe to a newsletter
• book a tee time
• fill out a survey form
• enter a contest
• call a contact number or fill out a request form

There may be many other actions that you want visitors to take. By using skillfully crafted content, you can convert browsers into action-takers.

If you think that your web site isn't working as hard as it should, Apropel will evaluate your business site for optimization purposes. When Apropel reviews your site, you will receive a report outlining what optimization strategies are required to bring your web site up to the level of performance that you expect and deserve.

This may only require some tweaking of the content, coding or structure, in which case it may be inexpensive to correct. In some cases, corrective action may require a redesign (which need not be expensive either).

To get started on a website review for your site, or to simply make an enquiry of Apropel's services, please contact Doug.