All search engines are not created equally. You probably have a favorite, because it gives you good results or is easy to use -- or both.

Some search engines aren't even search engines; they're directories or catalogs of websites.  But the difference is subtle and not important to the average person.

Most of the directories use data from true search engines like Google, Open Directory, Inktomi, and Direct Hit for at least part of the results they deliver.

What makes the results different between all of them is how they read, classify, and rank various elements of the websites they include in their directories.

Some search engines (and directories) count the words on a page to determine what that page is about.  If the word "cooking" shows up more than any other word on that page, the search engine will assume the site is about cooking.

Other search engines may read the "meta" tags which are hidden code.  There is --or should be -- a meta Title tag and a meta Description tag on every page.   The meta Keywords tag is rarely used by directories or search engines anymore so don't worry much about it.

Others will give the most weight to the words in the title of a page, not the title that you see in your window, but the title that shows at the top of your browser.

The list goes on. Our job, when we design a website or when we maintain an existing website, is to know what's in that list.   We spend a lot of time and money keeping ourselves educated to the ins and outs of search engines.

For example, you may not realize that when you look at the text on some websites, it isn't really machine-readable text, it's an image.

No search engine can "read" images although some can read the "alt" text of an image. That's the text that shows up when you hold your mouse over an image for a second.

Having text in image format is essential for certain effects, such as rollovers (when you roll your mouse over something, then something changes).  But an entire page of image text will render it nearly invisible to most search engines.  So a search engine-savvy web designer will take that into consideration when designing a website.

A few search engines charge for submission (or speedier consideratio of your site). Charges range from $30 and up.

Google is now the most popular search engine and it's still free to submit.  Other search engines and directories have varying costs to submit that keep changing so much we've given up on listing them.

If your site is a good one and popular, Google will add it at some point because all search engines have "spiders" or "robots" that "crawl" the web, going from site to site, seeing what's there. If they come across a site that is repeatedly listed on other websites, they'll decide that it's a popular site and they may add it to their database.

Of course, once you do get listed, your work (or ours) isn't over. New websites are added to the Internet every day and many of those will be in competition with yours.  So, just because you're #3 in most searches today doesn't mean you'll stay #3 forever.

Keeping or improving a website's ranking in search results is often as much work as getting there in the first place.

If you'd rather we worry about this stuff because you have been lost since paragraph two, please check out our Services page. We offer a monthly maintenance plan that can be used to work on search engine ranking, as well as a tailored submission program for new and existing websites.

Contact us for a quote on Search Engine Optimization for your website.

You might also try Traffic Blazer for an easy and inexpensive way to submit to the major free search engines and directories. It will also give you a report of how search engine friendly your website is.

Sell, sell, sell!

That's what most businesses with websites want to do.  And if you have more than one product --or a product or service that has more than 2 or 3 variations-- you'll make it easier for your website's visitors to buy, buy, buy, if you have a shopping cart.

Shopping carts come in all sizes and shapes. We support two but if you purchase another kind that can run on a Windows 2000 server, you're welcome to use it on your website.

A few of the features to consider when deciding on a shopping cart:

- Does it show shipping before the customer has to buy?  That's extremely important to customers.

- Can you customize the confirmation e-mail the customer receives?

- Does it allow multiple pricing levels for a product.  For example, if you charge $2 extra for an XXL t-shirt, do you have to create a whole new product for each of your XXL t-shirts or can you assign a price to the size attribute?

- Can you edit your database online - without having to get into the website itself?

- Does it allow flexible layout? Or do you have to use a predefined template and certain colors?

- Does it have good documentation and a helpful user's group that can answer your questions?

- Cost compared to the benefits you need.

These days I recommend PageDownTech's PDShop ASP.net version or ASPdotNetStorefront.   They differ considerably in cost

With either, you will need your own merchant service account. In other words, you'll need to accept credit cards as payment.  Of course, both work with Paypal, but in the long run, having your own merchant account is usually cheaper (unless you're only selling $200/month or so)

We can help you get a merchant account if you need one.

Impulse buying is good (when you're the seller not the buyer) and a user-friendly shopping cart increases the odds tremendously that you will make an impulse "sale."

The primary reason online sales aren't completed, according to a recent study, is that the customer gets frustrated in their attempt to buy.  Too many screens to go through or they couldn't tell what shipping was going to be without forking over their money (via credit card) first, etc.

Make it easy on your customer and, therefore, more profitable in the long run for yourself by investing in a shopping cart system that's going to help make a sale - not lose one.

Depending on the shopping cart you choose, your costs can range from $39.95 to $2000 and up for the license to use that particular cart.  That cost is over and above any web design cost.  There are "free" shopping carts out there, but we advise you to remember that you get what you pay for.  You don't give away your product or service, do you?   Quality has a cost.

If the shopping cart you choose doesn't have a mail management program (many don't) to send newsletters and promos, we recommend Constant Contact.

$20 LogoWorks Coupon  

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