Web Hosting Geeks' Blog » search engine ranking http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog Web Hosting Industry News, Latest Trends, and Analyses. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:48:19 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 SEO and Web Hosting – The Connectionhttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/09/02/seo-and-web-hosting-%e2%80%93-the-connection/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/09/02/seo-and-web-hosting-%e2%80%93-the-connection/#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:11:38 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=1092 Search engine optimization is the best way to get consistent traffic to your web site without having to continuously invest money in advertising and other forms of marketing and promotion. By optimizing your web sites properly you can bring in a steady flow of traffic and forget about marketing and other annoying and repetitive aspects of online business. In fact, many webmasters spend the majority of their time trying to find more ways to increase their search engine ranking and traffic. Unfortunately, many webmasters don’t realize they’ve already hurt their chances of being as successful online by choosing the wrong web hosting plan. Contrary to popular belief, there is a solid connection between web hosting and search engine optimization.

IP Addresses and SEO

For the advanced SEO expert that routinely does link building through various web 2.0 properties, the most obvious aspect of a web hosting plan that has an impact on SEO is the amount of IP addresses given to each webmaster. When search engines index web pages they do so with automated crawlers that index every aspect of the page and site, including the web site’s IP address. If you own a network of web sites and you would like to build a link network using these sites, then you will need to have a separate IP address for each web site. Fortunately, IP addresses are not a major factor for webmasters that don’t own a lot of web sites that are interlinking in the same niche.

Hosting Reliability and Features

Most people don’t realize that an unreliable hosting network can have a negative impact on a web site’s search engine ranking and site indexing. When your web site is down (as it often may be with unreliable web hosting) search engine robots will be unable to index your new pages. This may have a very negative impact on the amount of pages that are indexed for your site, and how often updated pages are indexed in the search engine results.

A powerful hosting plan will also be able to handle more software installations and tasks, which can be especially useful if you are using automated software for link building or to perform  other mundane tasks involved with SEO.

Robots.txt

The robots.txt file is another overlooked connection between your web hosting plan and your SEO efforts. The robots.txt file is a file that is located on your web server, which dictates how robots (particularly search engine bots) interact with your web site. If the robot.txt file is set to dis-allow all robots then your site will not be able to get ranked by any search engine, leaving you without any form of SEO traffic. Most hosting companies leave this file blank or do not include, so it is important to verify whether or not the robots.txt file is present in the web server that hosts your web site.

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]]> http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/09/02/seo-and-web-hosting-%e2%80%93-the-connection/feed/ 0 Best Domain Extensions for eCommerce Websiteshttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/06/01/best-domain-extensions-for-ecommerce-websites/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/06/01/best-domain-extensions-for-ecommerce-websites/#comments Tue, 01 Jun 2010 17:07:34 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=927 The internet industry is one that cannot be taught or learned in a short amount of time. The fact is that most of the people that set out to make money online will fail, unless they already have a product that is popular in the offline market. Those that do succeed from scratch, usually follow a strict game plan and adhere to guidelines set forth by professionals. However, in the world of eCommerce unpredictability is king, and there are few factors that remain constant throughout the course of an internet business.

Factors such as traffic, search engine ranking, page rank, and even returns on investments can vary. Yet there is one part of an online business that will not change, and must be selected carefully upon registering the domain – the extension of the business site itself.

The Significance of a Commercial Domain

Commercial domains (.com sites) are by far the most common kind of websites online, and nearly everyone strives to obtain a .com site before resorting to other alternatives. When a site has the .com extension it immediately is recognized as a professional web presence based on social stigma alone, so it is not surprising to see that the most successful domain names are those that have the .com extension. However, very few people know that the term – .com actually refers to a commercial website, meaning that the site conducts business on a regular basis and was established and developed for commercial reasons. However a .com domain is no the only ideal option when shopping for eCommerce domain names, as there are two other domain extensions that hold authority on the web as well.

.Net Domains for eCommerce

The .net domain extension saw it’s highest point of popularity in the late 90′s and early 2000′s when Netscape was still a commonly used browser. However as people began referring to the internet as the web, and the .com craze began, the .net domains quickly faded in popularity and are now rarely seen. The .net extension is used to represent a network, and is commonly used in eCommerce sites that are parent companies to several corporations, such as software companies.

.Org

The .org domains have stayed consistent in their popularity levels and are still commonly used around the world today to represent organizations. The .org domain can be used to represent regular organizations and non-profit organizations. When used to represent profitable organizations these domains often perform at a lower standard than .com and .net domains, however they can still be used to open online shops that represent certain organizations.

.Biz?

Although the .biz domain extension was originally created to represent businesses, there are few people that actually use them for this purpose, as most people view such domains as unprofessional. The .biz domains do not rank well in the search engine and therefore are not he best decision for an online business owner. When searching for a domain name for your online business, ironically it may be best to steer clear of the .biz extension.

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]]> http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/06/01/best-domain-extensions-for-ecommerce-websites/feed/ 1 The Important of Search Engine Optimization and URLshttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/04/06/the-important-of-search-engine-optimization-and-urls/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/04/06/the-important-of-search-engine-optimization-and-urls/#comments Tue, 06 Apr 2010 17:01:27 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=834 If you have been researching search engine optimization for some time now, then you have probably come to the realization that the domain name of a website can be crucial to it’s search engine ranking. In fact, it is possible to bring a site to the very top of the search engine for a specific keyword based on  the name alone. If you can manage to register a domain name that is an exact match to a popular keyword, then you can start seeing an instant flow of traffic with nearly no additional effort. Thus, the power of domain names in search engine optimization should not be underestimated by any means.  The URL of a website is perhaps one of the first factors taken into account by search engine web crawlers.

URL Optimization

The primary goal in URL optimization is to register a domain that will stick in the minds of your visitors, catch on virally, and be pleasing to the search engines. The only way to do this effectively is to execute proper keyword research and then base your domain name on that keyword. However, this will only allow you to target one keyword, as you cannot change your domain name in the future. This means you would need to register a new domain if you want to use the same method on other keywords, even if they pertain to the same niche. Obviously this could become quite costly, especially if you are purchasing .com domains. So what exactly is the solution the?

Keyword Optimized URLs

Instead of a registering a new domain to gain the same benefits of URL optimization, you could simply  create pages on your site that contain the keyword in the URL. For example, if your site is “mynichesite.com” then you could create a page with the URL “mynichesite.com/subniche.” This gives you a substantial opportunity to rank for the keyword “subniche.” This same concept can be applied to to the registration of sub domains, with an even more powerful approach. The following information should help you understand how to piece all of this together for maximum results.

Sub Domain URL Optimizaiton

While creating pages on your site that are URL optimized for a specific keyword may be beneficial, they do not hold as much power as a subdomain that is registered with the same keyword. In the above example, it may be more beneficial to register sub domain on your site by the name of “subniche.mynichesite.com”. Then you could also post pages on that sub domain that target the subniche keyword for example – “subniche.mynichesite.com/subniche” or “subniche.mynichesite.com/howtosubniche” etc etc. Combing the power of the main URL, a sub domain , and a related page is the best way to target specific keywords or sub niches within your niche. This method is recommended is you do not want to purchase a new domain for each subniche you plan to pursue. Securing an excellent domain name should be the first step in anyone’s search engine optimization efforts.

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]]> http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/04/06/the-important-of-search-engine-optimization-and-urls/feed/ 0 Search Engine Optimization – The Basics Explainedhttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/01/18/search-engine-optimization-%e2%80%93-the-basics-explained/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/01/18/search-engine-optimization-%e2%80%93-the-basics-explained/#comments Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:57:13 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=710 As the internet grows exponentially each day, it becomes harder to gain recognition as a small business owner. Having to compete with large corporations that possess seemingly infinite advertising funds is a difficult task to say the least. In fact, it would be literally impossible without a thorough knowledge in search engine optimization. Search engines are responsible for more than 80 percent of the traffic distributed on the internet. If your site does not rank highly in the search engines, then there is simply no way you can become a formidable presence in your niche. There are many secrets to be learned before you can master the art of search engine optimization, however learning the basics will give you the head start needed to compete with experts in the field.

Quality Content

When web surfers search for a phrase in a search engine, they are looking for an answer. The website that best solves this question, according to the search engine, will appear at the top of the search results. A search engine judges the usefulness of a website based on numerous factors. One of the ways search engines judge your site’s usefulness is the amount of time each visitor spends on each page. If your visitors only spend 30 seconds at your site before leaving, then the search engines will view your website’s content as relatively useless. Another way search engine’s judge the usefulness of your site is by calculating the number of links containing your website’s URL that exist on the internet. These links are called backlinks. The more backlinks in existence, the more useful your site appears to be. In order to boost your site’s search engine ranking, you’ll need to provide engaging content updated on a regular basis.

Keyword Optimization

Simply having useful content is not enough. You want your content to be based on keywords that will attract attention for your niche. Try to remember that you are targeting search engine queries, so you’ll want to include key phrases within the content of your website. Before you begin writing or buying content for your site, you’ll want to do some keyword research. Find out what the most popular current search phrases are in your niche. You’ll also want to choose a keyword that is not over-saturated with competition. You can find out all of this information by using keyword research tools provided by Google. You can even find out what the hottest keywords of the day are by using Google Hot Trends. Once you have decided upon your keyword, it is important to use the proper keyword density. Search engines frown upon spam content that is littered with over-used keywords. You want your content to have a keyword density of about 1-3%.  Make sure you place the keyword in the beginning, middle and end of each article on your website. It is also important to include keywords in the design of your website, within title tags, meta tags, and even anchor text.

Getting Indexed

Once you have created your website and filled it with useful content, you’ll need to get the attention of the search engine crawlers. To do this you can submit your sitemap to Google and a few other popular search engines. You can also submit your site to a few popular online directories and social bookmarking sites. As your popularity increases the search engine crawlers will begin to notice your site, and eventually your site will be fully indexed. It is best to have a site that is heavy in basic text, as search engine crawlers index this kind of information more efficiently.

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]]> http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/01/18/search-engine-optimization-%e2%80%93-the-basics-explained/feed/ 1 Simple Tips for Effective Search Engine Optimizationhttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/01/11/simple-tips-for-effective-search-engine-optimization/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/01/11/simple-tips-for-effective-search-engine-optimization/#comments Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:27:01 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=700 Obtaining a high search engine ranking is on the top of most webmasters’ priority list, however this task can be a daunting one, especially without the proper education. Proper search engine optimization requires much more than simple keyword density and good content. The following tips will help you obtain a high search engine ranking, and more importantly, keep it.

Visitors Before Crawlers

Most people become so engrossed with trying to please the search engine crawlers that they forget their primary focus is to build a large visitor base. Many webmasters do not realize that one of the factors search engines consider is viewer satisfaction. Every time a visitor accesses your site through a search engine, the search engine records how long each visitor stays at your site. If the visitors stay for a longer period of time, then your site is viewed as being more useful and therefore the rank rises. The best way to build a reputable site is to provide useful and engaging content, and to update the site daily with new information. Another way to promote a healthy visitor base is by providing simple site navigation.

Use Keywords Liberally

Keywords are probably the single most influential factor of search engine optimization. A single properly placed keyword can cause your sit ranking to boost by hundreds of page ranks.  However, using keywords does not mean simply using them in the content. In order for keywords to be used most effectively, you’ll want to use them within the actual design of your website. A good example would be using keywords in meta tags and title tags, or on the title of the main web page. Make sure each page on your site has a title that is relevant to the keyword you are targeting for that page.

Quality Content Over Quantity

Good content is what will ultimately will keep your visitors returning. However having a site full of useless content is not going to do you any good. Although search engines index your site based on the content you provide, it is important to note that the content has to be worded properly, and grammatical errors are taken in to context when the search engines index your site. A good way to make your site rank high is by keeping your readers engaged for longer periods of time by using what is called “sticky content.” Sticky content is content that engages the reader for long periods of time. If your site is littered with erroneous articles that are simply not interesting, it doesn’t matter how many articles you have, the users are not going to be interested in them. Focusing too much on keyword density can cause your content to appear “spammish”, which will be detrimental to both your search engine ranking and your visitor base.

Link Exchanging and Backlinks

One of the ways the search engines judge the popularity of your website is via backlinks. Backlinks are links on other websites that contain the URL of one of your site’s web pages. The more sites that have your link featured, the more popular your site appears to be. Backlinks are an excellent way to boost search engine ranking quickly. The best way to get a large number of backlinks is by link exchanging. Contact other webmasters by using the “contact us” section of their site, and let them know that you will feature their link on your site if they will do the same for you. It is important to get quality backlinks however, by having your link featured on sites that are authoritative in your niche.

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]]> http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/01/11/simple-tips-for-effective-search-engine-optimization/feed/ 0 Content Management Systems: Automating Your Website’s Successhttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/01/05/content-management-systems-automating-your-websites-success/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/01/05/content-management-systems-automating-your-websites-success/#comments Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:15:52 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=691 The single most important attribute of your website is it’s content. The content is what keeps the visitors coming back, and it is what attracts them in the first place. Without relevant and informative content, your website will fail to rank highly in search engines, and ultimately all of your efforts will be in vain. Most people assume that once they’ve populated their website with a decent amount of good content, then they can stop building the website and let the rest happen on it’s own. However this “set it and forget it” approach simply does not work on an ever-growing platform such as the internet.

When people surf the web, they are looking for something, whether it be entertainment, information or a product/service. If you are able to give them what they want then your website will be successful, however your success will be short-lived if you cannot do this on a regular basis.  In order for your website to continue prospering, it must be updated daily. However, the process of updating a website manually is a tedious task, and ultimately it is very time consuming. This is where the use of a CMS (Content Management System) comes into play.

The Capabilities of Content Management Systems

A content management system is an online application, used to manage, collect and distribute vast amounts of relevant content automatically. A good CMS gives the user a platform in which they can effectively organize, archive, create, edit, publish, gather and spin content related to their niche. Content can be distributed and published evenly across a website on a scheduled basis ( which is perfect for a blog or news-related site). Content can also be gathered from other websites using RSS feeds, and then automatically “spun” using innovative extensions known as “content spinners.” Digital media such as videos, pictures and music can be gathered and embedded automatically,  simply by selecting a few preferences. In fact, with a good content management system and a few blogging plugins, your entire website can be populated with hundreds of interesting pages in just a few hours!

The Simplicity of Content Management Systems

Judging by the features you’ve just learned about, you’d think that learning how to use a CMS would be quite difficult. In fact, the exact opposite is true. Content management systems are designed specifically for novice users, and every function within the CMS is controlled via simple settings and preferences. Users have access to unlimited options, as a good CMS is expandable beyond limits. Tasks that would normally require advanced web design knowledge can now be completed in a mater of minutes by even the most novice users.

A good CMS will not only help you populate your site with content, but it will also populate it with visitors, by automatically posting your content to many leading social bookmarking sites simultaneously. You may be wondering how massive this software must be to accomplish all of this, yet the most amazing part is that no bulky software installs are required, as the software is hosted online and can be accessed from any computer, including some mobile devices.

Life Without Your CMS

I am sure you’re impressed by the CMS features you’ve just learned about, however these features are only a small fraction of what can be done with a good CMS. Now that you know what these programs are capable of, try imagining how long it would take you to do just one task I’ve mentioned. For example, how long would it take you to submit every article on your site to 50 bookmarking sites individually? If your site has only 50 articles, and you submitted each one to 50 bookmarking sites, you would be sitting there for at least an entire day working. Now imagine accomplishing the same task, in the time it took you to read this article!

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]]> http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/01/05/content-management-systems-automating-your-websites-success/feed/ 0 Using a Generic Domain for SEO Purposeshttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/04/29/using-a-generic-domain-for-seo-purposes/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/04/29/using-a-generic-domain-for-seo-purposes/#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:58:54 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=309 Although having a website is easier and more affordable than ever.  However, actually getting your content in front of potential customers is becoming progressively difficult.  This is mainly because so many businesses and industries are being established online.  Regardless of what you specialize in, competition in the market is sure to be heavy.  Unless you have a budget to put forth thousands of dollars on advertising and SEO web design, there is a possibility that your site will just sit collecting dust in cyberspace.  Fortunately, there are numerous strategies that can get you one step closer to the traffic you desire.  Believe it or not, your domain name plays one of the most significant roles in increasing search engine visibility and bringing in quality visitors.  While some tend to go for flash or unique terms, this article will explain why you may want to keep your domain name simple with generic keywords.

Why a Generic Domain?

When registering a domain name equipped with generic keywords, you stand the chance to rank higher and faster than some of the most well designed and optimized sites.  This is a very crucial aspect of SEO.  Although search engines literally return hundreds to thousands of results, you want to find yourself at the head of the class instead of the last few pages or even somewhere in the middle.  Let’s be honest – how many pages do you sift through when looking for products or services on Google?  Probably not many.  Most web surfers don’t make it past the first two pages.  This means your web pages needed to be listed somewhere in the top 20 in order to be viewed.   One of the best ways to achieve this ranking is with a good, generic domain name.

How it Works

The average search engine is more like an advanced variation of the Yellow Pages.  You can typically find the exact product or service you’re looking for in the phone book underneath a generic name.  On the web, search engines like Yahoo function in a similar manner, delivering search engine results based on sites with URLs and content relevant to what is being requested.  For example, if your business “Computer Company” sells laptop computers, you can dramatically increase search engine traffic by using the generic term “laptop” in your domain name rather than the name of your business.   This simple strategy could put you light years ahead of competitors who focused on the trendier names.

Some organizations pay thousands of dollars on advertising but the internet has evolved tremendously.  With this evolution have come a variety of new ways to attract the increasing number of potential buyers.  There is a lot that goes into site promotion and to be honest, nothing is ever guaranteed.  While investing in quality advertising can prove beneficial, site promotion all starts with choosing a good domain name.  Savvy webmasters and businesses have learned that when it comes to securing their presence and gaining a competitive edge, the generic domain name is one of the best ways to go.

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