Here’s a run-down of the most common acronyms and terms used in SEO. (Sorry — Search Engine Optimisation.)

301 Redirect — A method used to redirect permanently moved web pages from an old URL to a new URL. This is important to ensure you don’t lose the authority gained at the previous address when you move a page to its new address (this is critical for SEO purposes).

Algorithm — A mathematical formula used by the search engines to decide where websites rank in the results pages. Algorithms are constantly changing and redefining which websites are the most relevant for a search engine user’s query based on millions (if not billions) of different factors, such as content, links, domain age and so on.

Authority — The credibility of your site in the eyes of the search engines. Authority can be built through relevant content, quality links and strategic SEO processes.

Bots — A shortening of ‘internet/web robots’, a bot is an automated piece of software that reads, analyses and files information from websites. Also known as ‘spiders’, bots ‘crawl’ and ‘index’ web pages so that search engines can find relevant pages for any given search query.

CMS — Stands for ‘Content Management System’. This is the ‘back-end’ interface which allows web editors to easily upload new content to their site.

Domain — Your ‘domain’ is the address people use to find your site (iewww.yourcompany.co.uk).

Domain Age — A site’s domain age indicates how long it has been in existence. Older sites are generally more ‘trusted’.

2 Measure and revise.
Though a company’s website is its most measurable marketing tool, many don’t read or understand the data available. “You can measure popular pages, popular routes through your site, what site they came from, what words they used to find you, and those are just the basics,” Bird says. “Your website can be a living focus group, where you test brand messaging and new strategies.”

3 Listen before contributing.
Before jumping into Facebook and Twitter posts, observe social media. “Use reputation monitoring tools to discover what people are saying online about your company, your industry and your competitors,” he says.

4 Integrate offline marketing.
“While we can argue about whether traditional or digital marketing is more important, neither is going away. What should not be in debate is that keeping these channels coordinated is important,” he says.

5 Dedicate resources.
“We see a lot of people start with a bang and then fizzle,” he says. “Keeping your website up to date was daunting enough before the two-way communication channels that are the multiple social media sites emerged – and don’t forget about mobile sites and apps. Whether you hire a firm or employ internal resources, maintaining your digital strategy is an ongoing responsibility, not a one-time project.”

You probably get contacted on a regular basis about your website, does it need updating? Does it need a redesign? How is it currently working for you? And most importantly does your current website have a CMS? Not all website companies really explain the power of CMS and what it actually stands for.

CMS stands for Content Management System; it is a highly powerful tool that works alongside your website. It gives you the ability to go into your website and amend the content, text, graphics and sometimes even lets you add additional pages into your current website for free. You take control over the messages you want to promote for your business, without having to go through the hassle of contacting your designer and asking them to do it for you.

Here at ABC Web Design all of our websites come with a CMS by default. We do not use jargon that is hard to understand and we try to make your website needs as straightforward and as user friendly as possible. You know your business better than anyone, and you understand the needs and wants of your website better than anyone too. Once your website is live, we believe you should have the ability to change the content at will. Our CMS can help with this.

This leads us nicely into Google and your websites Google Rankings. Google loves sites that are ever growing and ever changing, they see these as non-stagnant sites, if the content on your website is updated or changed, Google see these changes and help with your Google Rankings. We’re not saying this is the best Search Engine Optimisation route to travel down, or one of the most effective, but it does help a little.

Why not give one of our Website Consultants a call on 475 265 or visit our website ABC Web Design for more information. We’re here to help your business succeed on the World Wide Web.

And don’t worry if you are not the most ‘techy’ of people, if you can use a computer, can use Microsoft Word, you can easily use our CMS.

The first quality principle as part of any activity whether it be face to face or through a website is providing for communication and feedback. This principle is a key ingredient which all websites need to successful. In reference to web design programs the methods of communication with visitors or customers must be easy to navigate. The tools with respect to this capability may vary from various web design programs but the outcome is the same.

Another important principle is a website and the web design program must be user friendly. Part of this involves efficiency and navigation. Websites must be efficient in how they are structured. The capability of navigating through various parts of a website can result in a positive experience if the methods used are easily understood and recognized. Another aspect associated with being user friendly involves the capability of searching for information within the content of a website. Often the subject matter a visitor may be looking for is available on several pages of a website and they must be able to find those pages.

Defining a mission or purpose utilizing a web design program is the first step toward creating a website. There must be a defined mission to be achieved with a website and a web design program plays an important part of identifying the mission or purpose for visitors. The purpose of a website establishes the content to be included while the mission provides the connection in how the purpose will be achieved.

In terms of consistency there needs to be a consistent approach in conjunction with the purpose and objective for which a website was created. This includes using the proper fonts throughout a website. Fonts can be different sizes but they need to be consistent throughout a website in relation to how they are being used. Another important fact for websites is the need to keep it current. If a website is created and there are no changes to it to either add information or update the information already on it visitors would have no need to access the information being provided.

The perception of a website in terms of the quality of the information and structure will also play an important role in the success and ranking assigned to it. Businesses that have websites provide opportunities for customers and potential customers to communicate their opinions on services and products which they have purchased. Websites also provide opportunity to purchase products and/or services without the need to enter a physical store. Some of the basic characteristics on which websites are evaluated include the structure, quality and user friendly characteristics to name a few. Many businesses have websites for the same products/services. Any websites must have distinct characteristics which separate it from others providing the same products or services.

One last point to make is quality must be engrained in the structure and content of a website in conjunction with the purpose and mission established. If no connection exists it presents the perception that it is unprofessional. The consequences of a poorly structured website with a poor design will find that visitors will not be impressed and will not return. Losing visitors means losing potential customers. Poor web design will also have consequences in less traffic and ranking in search engines. Examples affecting good search engine ranking include the quantity and quality of visitors, quality backlinks and quality of the overall website and the content it provides. Poor design in these areas will have detrimental impact in search engine results and ranking.

Although visual design has a huge role in the web industry, an effective website design is much more than stunning pictures and appealing hues. There must be substance as well. Give your site with fitting content and update it on a regular basis. So if there’s a web surfer who stumbled upon your site when he’s looking for particular data, he will keep on repaying to you if there’s something different you can provide on your website.

Keep your website design current and absorbing to make one-time surfers frequent clients. Even if you are selling the same old service, keep the pictures up to date, give more details, and present new information on how they can aid readers.
Maintaining your website regularly can also help remove obsolete texts and dead links, which frustrate visitors and discourage them from even trying to browse the rest of your web pages anymore. Clean those out by altering the content and design of your website frequently.

Still, website design does little effect to the traffic of your website if it isn’t supported with a good SEO or Search Engine Optimization. Simply adding fresh content and layout won’t rank high on search engines, like Google and Yahoo. So before you can have visitors come back again and again to your site, you have to stay visible on the first pages of search engines to let them know that they can surf your website.

In today’s really aggressive online market, merely setting up a site doesn’t help you get customers. The keys to staying on top are continuous website design upkeep and great SEO.