Understanding how the Internet is used

You are here: Home > Growth, Marketing & Branding > How the Internet is Used

Combatting Website Invisibility

Understanding how the Internet is Used

The Internet is a wonderful tool but like most tools you must understand how to use it. Once you have access to the Internet you have a facility which allows all who use it to: -

• Sell their goods or services 
• Buy products or services  
• Seek and provide information 
• Publish books & articles 
• Tell your story 
• Market & Promote your business 

Do it right and you will attract visitors, do it wrong and no one will find you. Having a presence on the Internet is not a guarantee that you will be found or visited!

Web statistics tell us that approximately 80% of websites can only be found by the person who built it and the person who owns it, a sad indictment on those who created them.
 
Furthermore, that some 85% of visitors to websites have found their way there via an Internet Search Engine.
 
Developers of successful websites consider this, build the website, and arrange its content in a way that facilitates ease of scanning and indexing by search engine robots or crawlers.
 
The industry calls this Search Engine Optimisation.
 
With all those millions of websites out there in cyberspace, you have to do everything you can to make sure that your existing and potential customers find you before they find a competitor.
 
Search engine optimisation (or optimization) is the process whereby web pages are "optimized" so that search engines can find them quickly and index them in their search results.
 
The process involves various methods of coding the html of a web page into a structure that a search engine can read easily. When optimising web pages we use methods which make sure that each page being optimised has the correct page title, text links, alt tags in images, semantically correct mark-up as in h1, h2 tags and above all the content on the page is relevant to the message being delivered or conveyed to the customer/visitor.

Meeting Customer Needs and Expectations

The key to all of this is the customer, because by first optimising or arranging your pages for the benefit of the customer you will also be satisfying the search engine robot, providing you use the right techniques. When optimising pages ethical techniques should be used. What do we mean by this?
 
Write your pages for your users. If your site is about selling computers then make your content about selling computers. Use key words and phrases sensibly, add relevant page titles, headings and have your key phrases in your links and text.
 
NEVER use any black hat techniques such as cloaking, this means hiding text such as white text on white backgrounds or loading pages with irrelevant content or too many key words and phrases. It will do more harm than good in fact it can get your site banned!

Marketing your website properly

Ethical search engine optimisation involves following the guidelines set by the major search engines like Google. Ethical Optimisation involves creating a proper hierarchy with text links, a sitemap for your users (and the search engines), correct use of header tags such as H1, h2 etc., and plenty of good content in your pages that relates to your subject. Good Relative Content is King and gives you longevity. When the get rich quick types have been de-listed, banned and are long gone - a site that has good content, is well laid out and optimised will always win out in the long run.
 
There is no silver bullet, especially if you are on a tight budget. Hard work, skill and attention to detail make the difference between a good website and a bad one!

Gaining Importance on the Net

Optimising a website is only part of the process. A successful website will be well optimised and have a considerable number of link to that site. The number of in-bound links to your website will demonstrate how important Internet users consider your website. If you have a successful and important website you will be inundated with requests for you to link to other sites. Designers who are Skilled in Optimisation and Link building really are worth their weight in gold if you are looking for returns on your Internet Investment!

Maximising your returns from your Internet Investment

We Can Help

Search Engine Optimisation and link building will pay dividends - sometimes in as little as one or two months but more often over six to nine months. A website which is well constructed, has rich and relevant content and has many links to it will serve its owners well and deliver what the customer and owner needs.
 
In the same way that anyone who walks into a car showroom is usually looking to buy a car or they would not be there, then anyone who finds your website via a search engine is looking to buy what you want to sell.
 
There are a considerable number of companies out there offering Search Engine Optimisation, sadly few of them really understand the process and fewer can deliver what you need.
 
Don't get caught out if you want to make the best of your website then contact us – we really can help.

	Got stuck? View our On Line video help Videos are now available on-line to help you build and update your web site. If you're not sure what to do or want to find out how to use the more advanced options click on the link below to go to: My Site Help

	Go to Downloads Page

Build Your Own Website

	News Items - Quick Links Be Safe On-line - Antivirus   Be Safe Online - Passwords   The Portal Blog

Trouble Logging in?

	Community Websites Get your town / village on the web. Special offers for community based websites. Visit Cumbria's Leven Valley community website