RESOURCES

Web Site Planning and Preparation

• Checklist for planning a successful web site
• New website planning worksheet for Chilla clients
• Website redesign planning worksheet for Chilla clients
• Articles to help with content writing
• WHOIS Domain Name Availability Search
• Web-safe fonts list and preview

Validation and Accessibility

• W3C Markup Validation Service
• W3C CSS Validation Service
• Web Site Rating Service
• Validator for Section 508 and Web Site Accessibility Guidelines

SEO and Internet Marketing Tips

Following are some good basic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tips and links to help get you started…

1. Link popularity – This is one of the most important factors in Google’s determination of rank, and it means the more industry-relevant sites that link to your site, the better your rank. So you should attempt to get your site listed on any site that is related to your keyword(s)/keyphrase(s). Some sites will offer a way to submit a link, on others you will just have to look for email or contact information and write to request a listing on their site. Some offer free listings and some will want payment for advertising space on their site. Do not waste time on “free for all” directory or listing sites that are not focused on your industry as those hold very little weight and your listings are usually dropped quickly as new ones are added. Consider listing your site on local and regional directories and business listing sites and post your link in blogs, online article and social networks whenever possible.
2. Keywords/Keyphrases – Having text on your site that uses your focus key terms is another important factor. The home page holds more weight than other pages. Note that text displayed as images or Flash is not considered by most search engines, so having plain text directly on the page that uses your keywords is best. If you use Flash on your home page, you may want to consider adding text below the Flash to increase keyword density on the page. Google offers some very helpful tools to help you determine the best keywords to fit your goals and budget.
3. Paid advertising – Google is the leading search engine, so it is best to focus on meeting their guidelines and using their advertising tools and services. You can increase your link popularity and adjust your keyword density for free, but if you are in a flooded market, paid advertising may be necessary to achieve your goals. Google AdWords allows you to maximize your advertising budget to get your results listed for your targeted keywords with “Sponsored Links” displayed at the top and right of Google search results as well as Google affiliate sites. With Google AdWords you only pay when a user clicks, so it is controlled and targeted advertising.

A good place to start is by visiting: http://www.google.com/advertisers/online/search.html. Follow the links and don’t hesitate to contact their sales team to ask them all the questions you may have. They are the experts and should be able to address all your questions and concerns and help you determine the best solutions to meet your budget.