Hello again,

Continuing in our Keys to Success series, we will now delve into the almighty search engines.

In order for your blog or site to come up in search engine results, the search engine must know it exists. Getting discovered, and indexed, by search engines is a critical first step to securing search engine traffic.

Contrary to the beliefs held by some, a search engine cannot simply “find” your blog or web site on its own. It must be led to the blog in some fashion. There are two general ways by which this can happen. You can either tell the search engine about your blog, or you can devise a means by which it will find you.

At first glance, it seems like just telling the search engine would be the optimal solution. At one time, this strategy was the easiest way of getting indexed. However, it is no longer the best way to go about things.

You can directly submit your site to Google, for instance. However, it may take the search engine months to get around to your request. At some point, in frustration, you might be led to submit the information again. There are fairly credible reports that frequent submission of a blog or web site directly to the search engine may actually lead to a penalty. They would prefer to find you all by themselves.

I have personally not noticed any problems with direct submission to MSN’s search engine. However, considering the variety of ways by which one can be found without utilizing direct submission, it does not seem necessary to tip off MSN in that manner.

This is a bit of an overview.  In the next few days we’ll get more into the meat of SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

Have a great day!

pj

Tags: website, design, creation, designer, webmaster, web development

Blogging, credible reports, google, keys to success, link popularity, msn, optimal solution, Page Rank, search engines, search engine results, search engine traffic, SEO, submission, Traffic, Training

Content Usability

Our next sub-topic on the “Keys to Traffic” (and a successful web site or blog) is Content Usability.  Usability, as it relates to online endeavors, can involve everything from site structure to color choices. With respect to written content, we will primarily be concerned with constructing posts that comport with readers’ preferences and expectations for written materials.

Internet readers tend be “scanners.” They generally scan a page or post and then make a determination as to whether or not to invest more time and effort in reading the material carefully. If their scan does not provide them with something to grab their attention and interest, they are more likely to click away than they are to continue reading.

Thus, content should be offered in a way that is easy for users to scan. It should also be provided in a way that encourages online reading. What does this mean in terms of practical considerations?

One should offer text in a size that is easily read. They should also offer content in the form of shorter paragraphs and make use of “white space” to make scanning easier. Long paragraphs are not as well-received as shorter ones.

The choice of a font should be based on readability rather than on whether or not one feels it possesses some greater aesthetic value.

Content usability is important and any blogger truly interested in maximizing the comfort and value of the user’s experience. That attention to detail can increase repeat visitation and total page views.

More on the “Keys to Traffic” tomorrow.  Stay tuned!

Pj

Tags: web development, webmaster, website, creation, design, designer

aesthetic value, Blogging, content usability, Design Tips, Essentials, link popularity, page views, readability, written content

Controversy

Continuing our series on driving traffic to your sites, I thought I would briefly touch on the topic of Controversy.  You see this in the newspapers, tabloids and more.  You have probably heard the adage, “Bad publicity is still good publicity.”  Nothing gets noticed quite like the controversial. If you are looking for a way to get some attention (and, thus, traffic), it is possible to do so by taking controversial stands on issues related to your topic. This can get you noticed in a hurry!

However, utilizing controversy as a means of generating traffic is not usually a reasonable long-term strategy. First, how controversial can you be on a regular basis? If your site’s success is based upon your willingness to take outlandish or controversial positions, you will put yourself in a position where you are forced to either constantly one-up yourself or becoming boring by comparison.

Second, intentionally taking a non-mainstream perspective just to get some attention risks alienating a portion of your potential audience. You want traffic, but you would probably prefer that not all of it came from people who want to argue with you! If you have a strongly held position that might create some controversy, don’t feel as though you have to hold back. Self-expression, after all, is what blogs are all about. However, you probably should not fall into the rut of using wild claims or inflaming rhetoric to drive traffic to your blog or web site. Instead, concentrate on authoring relevant, quality, thought-provoking content.

More on the “Keys to Traffic” tomorrow!

Have a great day,

p

Tags: website, creation, designer, webmaster, design, web development

authoring, controversy, drive traffic, mainstream, strategy first, Traffic, Training