ShaneDZ's Blog

The 52 Top SEO Tips - Here Are 10 of Them

2007-06-02T22:20:00.000-05:00

By David Leonhardt

From the obvious to the "Hey-I-never-thought-of-that-great-idea-before", here are 10 of the top 52 tips on how to optimize your website for its turbo-charge rocket ride up the search engine rankings.

Be bold. Use the tags around some of your keywords on each page. Do NOT use them everywhere the keyword appears. Once or twice is plenty.

Deep linking. Make sure you have links coming in to as many pages as possible. What does it tell a search engine when other web sites are linking to different pages on your site? That you obviously have lots of worthwhile content. What does it tell a search engine that all your links are coming in to the home page? That you have a shallow site of little value, or that your links were generated by automation rather than by the value of your site. Here is an example of deep linking, in this case to my personal happiness workbook.

Become a foreigner. Canada and the UK have many directories for websites of companies based in those countries. Can you get a business address in one of those countries?

Newsletters. Offer articles to ezine publishers that archive their ezines. The links stay live often for many years in their archives.

First come, first served. If you must have image links in your navigation bar, include also text links. However, make sure the text links show up first in the source code, because search engine robots will follow the first link they find to any particular page. They won't follow additional links to the same page. You can see this in action at the link to the home page on this web site monitoring page

Multiple domains. If you have several topics that could each support their own website, it might be worth having multiple domains. Why? First, search engines usually list only one page per domain for any given search, and you might warrant two. Second, directories usually accept only home pages, so you can get more directory listings this way. Why not a site dedicated to gumbo pudding pops?

Article exchanges. You've heard of link exchanges, useless as they generally are. Article exchanges are like link exchanges, only much more useful. You publish someone else's article on the history of pudding pops with a link back to their site. They publish your article on the top ten pudding pop flavors in Viet Nam, with a link back to your site. You both have content. You both get high quality links. (More on high quality links in other tips.)

Titles for links. Links can get titles, too. Not only does this help visually impaired surfers know where you are sending them, but some search engines figure this into their relevancy for a page.

Not anchor text. Don't overdo the anchor text. You don't want all your inbound links looking the same, because that looks like automation - something Google frowns upon. Use your URL sometimes, your company name other times, "Gumbo Pudding Pop" occasionally, "Get gumbo pudding pops" as well, "Gumbo-flavored pudding pops" some other times, etc.

Site map. A big site needs a site map, which should be linked to from every page on the site. This will help the search engine robots find every page with just two clicks. A small site needs a site map, too. It's called the navigation bar. See how the second navigation bar at the bottom of Last Minute Florida Villas is like a mini-site map?

There you have it: 10 of the 52 Top SEO Tips, a free tip sheet that comes with Don't Get Banned By the Search Engines:

There is a lot more to search engine optimization, and there are always more details when looking at an individual site. But these tips should help any website significantly improve its rankings.

For more free seo-related articles for reprint, please see our article directory.

Permission is granted to republish this article on your website on condition that you include the following byline with all hyperlinks intact:

David Leonhardt is an effective, professional seo consultant and a website marketing consultant. For a free quote, call 613-448-3931, or send us an email.

Keep It Simple and Swift! A Design and Life Lesson.

2007-05-24T20:59:00.000-05:00

I learned today that an old acronym still holds true in today's digital environment. KISS.

Rather than insult anyone, I prefer to expound on KISS as "Keep It Simple and Swift". Zen. In this digital age, the average person is either very busy or has a low attention span. Well, in both cases, you probably have little time to relay your message. In Ken Blanchard's and Spencer Johnson's The One-Minute Manager®, one message is clear: Don't bother talking a big game.

Talking is like playing on the harp; there is as much in laying the hands on the strings to stop their vibration as in twanging them to bring out their music. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Don't waste your time over-explaining and assuming that your audience is inexperienced and ignorant. If they have no interest in your site, essay or brochure, they won't bother with it anyhow. And interested visitors don't need the hype and persuasion. This is a Universal Truth.

Keep it Simple by keeping it well-organized.

In design, CSS code allows forthright, clean-cut formatting. The designs look organized, professional and still very creative. Flash can become excessive and chaotic. Too much fluff can drive people away if they are just there for info. Case in point: Look at successful sites like Google and Amazon and Wikipedia. They have little or no Flash and small unobtrusive graphical content. They have a lot of textual content that is well categorized and easy to read.

Studies show that if your site doesn't load in 4 seconds, a visitor will hit the back button and go to the next site on the search engine list. And according to ProBlogger's unofficial study, you might have only 96 seconds to relay your message to visitors. Safer to make your message readable in under a minute. Keep it Swift by limiting.

“Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication.”
~ Leonardo da Vinci

Less is more. Limit the info and your audience will appreciate it more. There will be time to explain more later if you limit the info. You will get more clicks if your home page opens quick and reads easy. We all love a swift, simple site (i.e. Google, Wikipedia, Amazon).

But if you HAVE to go big, make it small. (Say What?)

If you have to add some serious detail or a large graphic (to your site, brochure, design), think of William of Ockham, and Ockham's Razor. Lower the opacity of that amazingly large background, volume down or an 'off' button. Write and design succinctly. Plan that demo so it can be complete in the least amount of steps. Remember:

"Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily."
~William of Ockham

In the case of Search Engine Optimization, the rule applies everywhere. Against humans and algorithms, Keep It Simple and Swift prevails.

Thanks for reading,
Shane :)

Heroes Season Finale (and Spoiler!)

2007-05-21T23:59:00.000-05:00

Sadly, the series "Heroes", on NBC, has ended. It was fantastic! See it rerun on SciFi channel, Friday at 7pm. And they wrap things up completely (if a little fast).

And they leave you with the opener for the next season, which starts in June (I think).

If you can't wait til Friday, Catch up here at NBC.com. But the video posts in a few hours.

!!!!! SPOILER!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SPOILER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Matt Parkman (my favorite chunky mind-reader) fires off a few rounds at Sylar who uses his telekinesis to deflect them back at Matt. DL is still alive! Jessica gives up the power to Nikki who cracks Sylar over the head and Peter...

Peter explodes! You will NEVER guess who saves him.

!END SPOILER!

2007-05-20T20:59:00.000-05:00

I been doing a lot of research into Web 2.0. Like, what it is. Is it hype? Is it fact? Is is the Internet's manifest destiny? Well, I got the skinny at Tim O'Reilly's web site, oreillynet.com:

Web 2.0 Design Patterns

In his book, A Pattern Language, Christopher Alexander prescribes a format for the concise description of the solution to architectural problems. He writes: "Each pattern describes a problem that occurs over and over again in our environment, and then describes the core of the solution to that problem, in such a way that you can use this solution a million times over, without ever doing it the same way twice."

The Long Tail
Small sites make up the bulk of the internet's content; narrow niches make up the bulk of internet's the possible applications. Therefore: Leverage customer-self service and algorithmic data management to reach out to the entire web, to the edges and not just the center, to the long tail and not just the head.
Data is the Next Intel Inside
Applications are increasingly data-driven. Therefore: For competitive advantage, seek to own a unique, hard-to-recreate source of data.
Users Add Value
The key to competitive advantage in internet applications is the extent to which users add their own data to that which you provide. Therefore: Don't restrict your "architecture of participation" to software development. Involve your users both implicitly and explicitly in adding value to your application.
Network Effects by Default
Only a small percentage of users will go to the trouble of adding value to your application. Therefore: Set inclusive defaults for aggregating user data as a side-effect of their use of the application.
Some Rights Reserved. Intellectual property protection limits re-use and prevents experimentation. Therefore: When benefits come from collective adoption, not private restriction, make sure that barriers to adoption are low. Follow existing standards, and use licenses with as few restrictions as possible. Design for "hackability" and "remixability."
The Perpetual Beta
When devices and programs are connected to the internet, applications are no longer software artifacts, they are ongoing services. Therefore: Don't package up new features into monolithic releases, but instead add them on a regular basis as part of the normal user experience. Engage your users as real-time testers, and instrument the service so that you know how people use the new features.
Cooperate, Don't Control
Web 2.0 applications are built of a network of cooperating data services. Therefore: Offer web services interfaces and content syndication, and re-use the data services of others. Support lightweight programming models that allow for loosely-coupled systems.
Software Above the Level of a Single Device
The PC is no longer the only access device for internet applications, and applications that are limited to a single device are less valuable than those that are connected. Therefore: Design your application from the get-go to integrate services across handheld devices, PCs, and internet servers.

So when some site you are visiting claims to be Web 2.0, you know if they are or aren't (or lay somewhere in the middle). These 'Wa' concepts are slowly making their way into American-based companies and I am elated about that. We can accomplish so much more in a team than standing alone.

Inspiration from all different sources.

2007-05-19T14:45:00.000-05:00

I am amazed at the series "Heroes" on NBC. It has rich characters and a compelling story line. The season is almost over and I have seen all the episodes. Hiro Nakamura is my favorite.

Catch up here at NBC.com.

I am discovering that design inspiration comes from any source as long as you observe well. Take that idea and temper it with a professional hand and you will likely create something fantastic.
Live life, Observe well and Be happy.

I will listen hard to your tuition...

2007-04-29T23:20:00.000-05:00

I hope to "see it come to its fruition".

Yeah, I am studying CIW so I can take the test next week. I won the competition in case anyone was wondering and the prize is some training material and a free voucher for a CIW exam (I will try to redeem it for the level 3 exam). But I took a break to blog and find a pic of the Scooty Puff Sr. design from Futurama. Because "Scooty Puff Jr. SUUUUUUUUUCKS!!"

Knee Injury Status:

2007-04-28T22:31:00.000-05:00

A week ago, I had a dream that my knee was all healed up and it was like a superfoot. I was leaping about like Nightcrawler, jumping over friends and cars and such. Made my way to school by leaping the river and landing on cars/trucks/ the MCAT bus. I get to school, look down at my leg and it has the keen brace that Mr. P gave me (Mr P. at the Martial arts school).
It was steaming and glowing like some high-tech exoskeleton device. I loosen the brace and flop down in my chair like a sack of rocks. That's when I woke up. Refreshed, fun dream, nothing shocking though.

In two weeks (and 3 days) time, I am healing pretty quick (I have always been a decent healer) but today the knee starts popping and clicking. Making noise like a drumstick being ripped out of the bird. I am sure its nothing and I will just keep the brace and ace bandage routine up.

Well that's the status. Talk to you all soon.

What you might want to know about Sparta and "300" the movie.

2007-03-11T22:30:00.000-05:00

The greatest movie of this millennium is, in my opinion, 300! It's a Tootsie Pop, chocolate chewy Greek-story goodness with a sweet, candy-coated series of fight scenes. It is NOT for children. Violent, adult-themed movie with plenty of red in it. And appropriately rated 'R' by the MPAA. And if you read any good Greek play, it would probably have been rated 'R' as well.

Before I get into it, here's a little back-story on the geography. Thermopylae (which means "Hot Gates") is a pass between Mount Oeta and the Aegean Sea, roughly 20 miles north of Delphi.
It is said to have been the place where Heracles (Hercules to most of us) died wearing the coat his wife sent him, the coat which was stained with the poisonous blood of his friend, Nessus, a centaur. Nessus was ran through by Heracles by accident with an arrow that was tainted with the blood of Medusa. This blood ran through Nessus's veins and spilled all over the coat that Heracles's wife sent him as a gift. She had no idea. With the coat on, Heracles's blood began to boil and he jumped in a stream as a result of the pain. And the stream began to boil as well. The area contains a significant amount of hot springs in actuality and thus earned the name
Hot Gate, Thermopylae. Anyway....

In the year 480 BC, Persian King Xerxes landed his army of about a million slaves and troops. He planned to kick some ass to avenge his defeat at Marathon 10 years earlier as well as add Greece to the Persian Empire. Leonidas was the King of Sparta but Greece was in a democratic state. The other City-States decided to follow the Oracle of Delphi's cryptic advice and
NOT engage the Persians. But Leo wouldn't just wait for Greece to get rolled.

In the movie, he takes a few minutes to weigh the important things in life, family, friends, country, freedom. This scene pleased me because it showed me that the creators of the movie
were true to Greek writing. Often, in Greek writings, major decisions which carried major consequences were depicted as untimely processes and they were carefully conveyed. Movies today often depict characters making these decisions with little or no regard, no pensive
reflection. The creators of 300 showed a nice montage illustrating Leo's heavy responsibility. He instructs his captain to find volunteers to hike north and intercept the Persian army. The Spartan King disobeys the Greek Senate's orders and goes to defend his homeland.

According to Wikipedia, the City-State of Sparta and the Spartans were considered the protectors of Greece. Historically, Sparta was a Dorian (one of the original tribes of Greece) Military State and a super-power of the Mediterranean. They were born and bred to kill and
die. Spartans were Greece's version of a German Shepherd or Doberman Pinscher. With spears, shields and swords. Spartan kids learned to fight as soon as they could stand. They learned to wield a weapon as soon as they developed a grip. They trained and practiced everyday until they died on the field of battle.

Up to that day, they dealt out death to MANY of their opponents. The Spartans (as the Dorian Tribe) conquered all of Laconia (the southern isthmus of Greece's mainland), defending it against the Athenians and eventually the Persians. They were some B.A.M.F.'s

The movie 300 is about the 3 day battle at Thermopylae as depicted in the graphic novel ( AKA 'comic book' for you noobs) by Frank Miller (of "Sin City" fame). It starts a few weeks before when the God-King Xerxes sends an emissary bearing the crowned skulls of the Turkish royalty. The emissary insults Queen Gorgo, threatens Sparta and Greece, ticks off King Leonidas and dies. Leonidas the King then goes to Delphi to consult the Oracle (a young, doped-up Spartan virgin) to divine the outcome of a war against the Persian Empire. Secretly, the Persians pay off the Seers of Delphi (the priests who decipher what the Oracle is saying) and Leonidas is advised NOT to go war with Persia.

Without the aid of all of the rest of Greece, and against the orders of the Senate, Leo marches 300 volunteers to Thermopylae. The Spartans meet up with 7000 Arcadians (and other Greek loyalists) who rally to Leo to defend Greece. They funnel the Persians into the pass and proceed to slaughter them. The Greeks are betrayed by a deformed Spartan called Ephialtes. In Herodotus's tale (which is considered to be the original story), Ephialtes is a simple shepherd and shows Xerxes a goat trail that leads around the other side of Mount Oeta. Xerxes flanks Leonidas but not before Leo sends the Arcadians away leaving only the Spartan volunteers (the King's elite forces) in the final showdown.

Director and writer Zack Snyder and screenwriter Kurt Johnstad are true to the original Greek writers (and to the graphic novel). This story is a 'tragedy'. The Spartans "go to meet Glory". He is considered the quintessence of bravery in the face of overwhelming odds in Greece to
this day. The Battle of Thermopylae is mentioned in the movie The Last Samurai by Captain Algren, the main character.

The movie effects are amazing and the fights are mostly realistic. The entire movie was shot in a studio and all the cinematics (which are pretty amazing) are digital work. But it's the story that drives this masterpiece of the screen. It's the acting and the development of the characters that enrapture the audience. And the story is about Ancient Greece, so expect to see some flesh.

The movie has some incredible one-liners and other delicious hooks like the Queen's speech to the Senate and Senator Theron's reward. It is classic Greek writing so some might consider it predictable. But that is the beauty of this movie IMHO. It is True Classic Writing done with
a new style while preserving the integrity of the tale. My favorite stories are dearer to me when told by someone with style and flair.

Thanks to my sources, Wikipedia, Victor Hanson, Plato Dialogues, IMDB and the creators of the movie "300". You MUST see this movie. Nuff said!

Having much fun in Karate class

2006-11-03T22:29:00.000-05:00

So I am back in a karate class. Taking a hybrid of Tae Kwon Do/Hap Ki Do/Karate class taught by Master Boon Brown at Ancient Ways in Bradenton. I am totally digging it. For me and martial arts, it is all about the quality of the teacher. I think that in a few years and some more experience in different arts, Master Boon is who I will nearly become.

He is a kindred spirit (as Joe keeps telling me). He loves teaching and loves the martial arts. He is a computer wiz and plays video games too. He has been to the other side of the world and he is one of the most MELLOW people I know.

I get to class early today and I have some time to burn off calories. So I grab a jump rope and start skipping. I slapped my feet a few times before I got it right. I had to forget the damn rope and just skip. A small piece of advice: Forget the rope. Whatever you are doing, it's like skipping rope, so just forget the rope. You have done this a million times already, so trust yourself and forget the rope. Nuff said!

So the old class leaves and the next class begins. We are doing break-falls. We hit the ground on our backs and slap our hands to the side so as to Break our Fall. I have done this all too many times in my Aikido class many years ago. So I 'forget the rope' and just fall down. I challenge myself and start rolling backward and popping up in an attack stance.

Master Boon stops the class and I look at him with a guilty face, because I thought I might have done something wrong. He asks the class,"you guys see what Shane is doing?"

"I always learn something new from Shane. He teaches and learns without an ego. I can't wait to get him in a leadership class." I bowed low and thanked him. And I was elated!

To get a compliment from such an accomplished person as Master Brown is probably the highest
courtesy I have ever been paid. I like to fly below the radar most times, especially physical activities. I am a little chubby and the less attention the better.

I pushed my buddies, Mark and Tom to do a quiz after class. Tom was feeling a little under confident Mark's form was tip-top. but I coached him a bit and he got it! Way to go, Tom! :) Mark got his too. A real good night for all of us.

I am moving along nicely in class due to the efforts of a man named Todd. He has helped me A LOT. He has watched my form and corrected me on a number of points. He gave me pointers tonight and helped me knock out my grab defense quiz. He is always in class with his daughter,
supporting his kin. Pretty much my regular sparring partner.

Thanks again, Todd. You rock!