The Plan The first two features to mention are so obvious that far too few people consider them in light of Search Engine Optimization. The name (URL) and then website itself.

1. Sorry, who? Whilst “Richard Olmshaw Computer Systems” may be a good name for your shop, it is not a good URL. We want simple & memorable. If people remember you and your site then you do not have to expose them to competition my making them perform searches for you. (I'm a viral marketing fan when it comes to URLs)

richardolmshawcomputersystems.com is doubtless available – but unless you know company are you likely to remember it? rocs.com – Initials are easier but Resource One Computer Systems, Inc. in Dublin has beaten us to it. olmshaw.com is available - but name alone does not suggest computing nor is it unduly memorable except to Mrs. Olmshaw. A compromise then (as most names are) olmcom.com is available – so let’s go for that. With all endings now available, you may wonder why we keep hammering venerable “.com”. Chiefly it is because it is still number one in minds of public – they expect web addresses to end in “com” so why disappoint them?

2. Great site – What’s it for? The next biggest issue of site is…the site itself. This is not as obvious a statement as you might think. Webmasters enjoy intricacies of design - and so fancy rollovers, complex Flash animations, 3D animations, java menus and effects all appeal to them greatly. This can get to be a problem. For me, you can draw line between a good webmaster and a bad webmaster is when selling his/her abilities with these technologies has become goal of site - rather than apparently simpler selling of product for company that is paying bills.

For me, key test is “3 L’s” – Loadable, Legible, and Logical. If any one of three is not answered, it’s a lost case whatever way you look at it. Slow loading Flash extravaganzas with no “skip intro” button will drive away anyone not equipped with a cable modem or with infinite patience. Plus they may well not run at all on corporate systems behind a comprehensive firewall or on still popular NT4.

Remember search engines cannot follow Flash menu systems in order to explore your site in search for content. (L1 failure) Other navigation systems with shopping lists of buttons or links – fancy or otherwise – bewilder and perplex. No one will hang around for you to make their head or their eyes hurt. (L2 failure) At same time going where you want to be on a site must not require a clairvoyant or a printed map. (L3 failure) This is where I would suggest you begin to find difference between “design” and just “building a site”. I always consider “multiple visits” factor too. Perhaps a putative fourth “L” should be “Liveable” as in can you live with site on a day to day working basis. This is because what is amazingly clever and really cool first time is “a major nuisance whilst you wait for that dumb-assed animation with headache music to finish” by tenth. Just keep Flash & Java non mission-critical and skippable. If they serve no specific function within your site other than “looking good” consider ripping them out all together even if your webmaster does get sulky when you tell them.

Top Search Engine Ranking

There are no hidden secrets on how to rank high with major search engines. All that is needed is a basic understanding of how search engines work and a bit of know how. Perhaps biggest contributing factor to a successful web site is incoming links or Back Links. Without links, your website will more than likely go unnoticed. So how should you accumulate these links? Below are a few basic methods to accumulate quality back links.

Before you get started

You MUST understand how search engines work. Over 90% of your business will likely come directly from search engine results. Therefore, it is absolutely essential to optimize your site for search engines. You could have greatest deals in entire world, but if no one knows about them then your efforts are wasted. Do a search on google for Search Engine Optimization (SEO). You will find tons of great information on how to create a website that is both user friendly and search engine friendly. There are also countless numbers of companies and freelancers out there who offer SEO services. Just be cautious of their offers and do your research first. Remember, NO ONE can guarantee top placement in major search engines, no matter what they say.

Where should back links come from?

1. Articles are a fantastic source of links and additional traffic to your site. There are countless sites online that want your articles. It’s a win win situation for everyone. When you write articles and submit them online, you are able to leave a link to your own site and sometimes even anchor text. I know what you’re saying, “I can’t write about anything.” I use to feel same way. But truth of matter is, anyone can write. You just have to find a topic that interests you. You can write about anything from dogs, to computers, to personal training, to web hosting, heck you can even write about writing. The bottom line is, articles are a valuable source of “relevant” back links to your site.

2. Submit to directories. There are literally hundreds of “free” and “paid” directories online. With 3 hours of painless work, you can have your site submitted to hundreds of great directories. There are many quality lists of directories that are regularly updated. One of my favorites is http://www.best-web-directories.com/ which is always updated and maintained.

3. Develop link exchanges with relevant sites. The major search engines such as google see incoming links from relevant sites, and give them more rank compared a link from an unrelated site. For example, if you have a website about pet care products, your link strategy should target pet related sites. Again with a bit of hard work and determination, you can develop a great deal of “relevant” back links.