Things to Consider Before Beginning Your Web Project

• What is the project?

You need to determine what the project will entail. Some questions to have ready include:

• How many pages will need to be created?

• Are there images and/or design (such as a previous logo design) that need to be used, or will they be created as part of the project?

• Is there copy and/or content for the site? If not, how do you intend to achieve this?

•Will there be any Flash, multimedia, programming or scripting required?
(Depending on the answer to those questions may raise your prices.)

•When do you need the proejct completed?
Be sure that if you need an accelerated schedule, that you mention before the project is started.

•How much long-term maintenance is required?
Think beyond just getting the pages up on the website. You may need to make sure that your maintenance is covered.

What Is Search Engine Optimization?

Search engine optimization, or SEO for short, is making your website and the website's individual pages visible and relevant to both search engines and search engine users. How is this accomplished?

The Basics of Good Search Engine Optimization
Good search engine optimization is very basic. A successful search engine optimization campaign will contain these essential components:

• Content. Content is what drives search engine rankings, content is what brings users to your site, and content, when sprinkled appropriately with keyword phrases, will feed search engine spiders.
• Simple Site Design. Websites that are successful in the search engine results have this in common - they are all simply designed, with optimized graphics and easy to navigate. Simple, clean web designs are what search engine spiders and search engine users alike prefer, because it enables them to get to what they're looking for; which is - you guessed it - content.
• Well-written Meta tags. Meta tags are important and are a large part of a successful strategy. They need to be organized and well written with compelling, SEO copywriting and content that will make the user click through from the search results page.

SEO Basics
Content is king on websites for both your visitors and search engines.
If you focus on nothing else, you should focus on the content of your website's pages. Search engines want to provide links to relevant pages. Search engine developers are constantly tuning their programs to read and review the content of web pages to make sure that it really is about what you say it's about.

Web Design Code must be well written.
Valid HTML (includes XHTML and XML) can help your website get spidered much more than meta keywords and meta descriptions. Don't Give Up on SEO for organic search results. SEO takes awhile to see results with. Even if you ask a search engine to spider your website or a specific page, it can take days for it to show up in the results. And if you're optimizing an existing Web page that's already in the search engine, it can take even longer for your changes to take effect.

Don't get discouraged by your immediate rankings. Remember that unless you've chosen a very unpopular search term, it can be very hard to get a top 10 ranking in most search engines. Just be patient - the results are worth the effort.

Web Design for Search Engine Ranking

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for organic results in Google is especially competitive. The variables are numerous and complications can hold you down or even bury you in the search.

Do you have a great website that has little visiblity on the web? All dressed up and nowhere to go; or in other words, a website with visually attractive design, great product or services but no visitors? Even so, any business owner can utilize the power of the web through a well planned re-design and developed web design including SEO for better Internet Marketing.

Websites have to be search engine friendly. What happens if a search engine visits your website, but can't read your web pages? Nothing happens. That's the problem. The search engines can't spider your website's pages. They're just moving on to the next website, and your information is being completely ignored. As though you don't exist...

Search Engine Optimization

Needs:

1. Attractive homepage with standard text
2. Easily accessible buttons and links
3. Presentable colors to view without irritation
4. Organized code for quick downloading of individual web pages

The most cost effective form of marketing is through a website, if you employ an effective SEO strategy using organic search. In addition, your website design is how your business is perceived by your customers. Your website's image is in the mind of your clientele before they physically contact you.

Compete with your competition by making a lasting impression with a memorable web design!