Content Management Systems Equal Business Suicide!

One of the fastest way to minimise your chances of web business success is to use a Content Management System (CMS). There are a number of open-source CMS products, such as phpWS, Mambo, Plone, Drupal, Geeklog, Siteframe, and phpNuke etc and and a plethora of proprietary CMS products espoused by individual web design companies as the answer everything from lack of HTML knowledge to rapid shopping cart deployment etc.

Expressing this in simple terms, its said that possibly as high as 80% of online purchases are made from leads generated by search engines. CMS systems place a huge handicap on achievable Search Engine rankings. meaning there is a direct, immediate and practically insurmountable conflict with business aspirations. There are multiple reasons for this.

Duplication of Content
Search engines loathe duplicate content. In the average CMS, there are numerous common design elements, images, HTML and/or JavaScript code blocks etc, which are portrayed across ALL sites using the same system, and this is not a good thing.

Many CMS systems make it hard to impossible to generate unique page Title, Description & Keyword meta-tags, meaning all pages can look identical in search engine results. Many CMS systems do not permit you to assign keyword-rich image names, or apply unique and specific image ALT tags, and the page file names are usually not directly controllable. Few CMS systems allow you to easily add anchors on specific pages, and to link to those anchors from other pages. All of this translates into losing you valuable search engine optimisation opportunities.

Shared IP Addresses vs. Unique IP
Proprietary CMS systems usually go hand in hand with a “total package deal” that includes web design, web hosting and CMS.

The hosting is invariable on a “shared server” meaning your site has the same IP Address as all other sites on the server. Should a situation occur Where another site or sites are offering very similar or identical products and services, there is a potentially serious conflict of interest which the web design & hosting company will probably not advise you of! The first
site is highly likely to be given priority rankings and treatment by the search engines, and all subsequent sites are highly likely to be consigned to oblivion as Search Engines will probably regard them as “duplicate content!” So two or more “Christmas gift shops” on the same “shared server,” or two or more “human resource consultants” face a problem they will be blissfully unaware of. Having a unique IP address assigned to your site is far more sensible!

Usability
Open-source CMS systems are written by geeks and nerds, for other geeks and nerds. It is painfully obvious that none are written by people with the faintest understanding of search engine optimisation, or an awareness of the old adage “form follows function.” As for “usability testing” there is no demonstrable evidence that any research and science has been applied to either the user or the administration interfaces! Unfortunately, the same criticisms can be levelled at the commercial CMS systems on offer.

CMS and Being Held To Ransom
In terms of the proprietary CMS systems, you are also seriously at risk of being captured and held hostage by your web design company, because they now “own” your site and you cannot easily escape without sacrificing your total investment. In this respect, use of CMS demonstrates a complete lack of business risk analysis. From that point on, you can also be
systematically milked like a cash cow for every amendment, change, edit etc that they carry out on your behalf! Believe me, it happens every day… and I’ve seen people charged $90 for a simple edit that took me less than 2 minutes to implement!

CMS Saves You Money?
Yeah, right!!! The overheads of managing a CMS are usually far in excess of managing a conventional site. Content percentage-wise, most sites actually change very little, and the majority of pages are static and do not change at all. CMS is total overkill for the average business site.

Stand Out from the Crowd
To succeed on the web today, you need to be a clearly unique entity, with original content, properly organised, logically described, and all pages must be optimised for a set of specific keyword phrases that accurately describe your products or services. Anything less is a compromise, and is to YOUR business detriment. A CMS system has a direct, negative impact on almost all desired outcomes – from minimising business risks, improving search engine rankings and prompt return on investment.

Article Source: http://www.articletycoon.com

10 Ways to Make Sure Your SEO Goes Out of Its Way for You

If they want to have success, companies should do everything they can to ensure that their SEO firm doesn’t provide lousy service. Here are 10 tips to keep in mind:

1. Be realistic.

Don’t waste your time or the SEO firm’s expertise by arguing about broad search terms. Don’t say you want to be in the Top 10 for-commerce. The SEO firm should ask: E-commerce and what else? E-commerce consultants? Please be specific.

2. Think long-term.

If you can’t help yourself and you want broad search terms, such as toys, think through what it may take to pull that off. Variations on your favorite term may be best in the short term. If you start looking a year or two out, then make sure there aren’t site design, programming and link popularity flaws.

3. Be open with log files.

Don’t shield log files from the SEO firm. Admit if your web analytics capability is poor. How can the SEO firm do a good job if your host company can’t provide decent statistics, such as the number of visitors from search engines and the actual search terms they use?

4. Change text.

If an SEO firm wants to change text, give the consultant lots of room. If a graphic can be modified so the words appear as text, be open-minded about the change. Chances are, it won’t hurt the overall look of the web site. SEO professionals grit their teeth when clients say they want rankings and then resist change.

5. Don’t sit on recommendations.

You may end up discouraging the SEO firm you’re paying if you hire them and then fail to review their suggestions.

6. Reply to e-mails, voicemails and other communications.

If an SEO firm contacts you, especially for a scheduled meeting, make a point to return the e-mail or call. Really, it?s a good idea to be available for strategic conference calls.

7. Stick to the program.

Don’t ask the SEO firm to optimize the web site and then expect them to provide Pay-Per-Click (PPC) guidance as well. If you can’t handle PPC on your own, pay the experts.

8. Keep statistics in perspective.

With many search terms and engines, it’s always going to be possible for some keywords not to rank. Don’t get hung up on what search terms didn’t pop in the Top 30. Focus on your traffic growth and conversions.

9. Know your limits.

SEO firms appreciate informed clients to a limit. Read the articles. Pick up an SEO book. Keep up with the news. But don’t hire an SEO expert and then tell them you’re an SEO expert. For example, you may be excited to learn about all of the SEO devices that could be at your disposal. Don?t blame the SEO firm for failing to use them all at once. Measured, gradual changes are best.

10. Take your company name out of title tags.

Do yourself a favor and make title tags available for search terms, not your long company name. Only keep it if it’s short and useful from a title tag proximity and density standpoint.

Author: Michael Murray

Prevent Your Work From Being Stolen –

Understand US Copyright Laws

Information has never been as accessible as it is now. Unfortunately, that same accessibility also makes it much easier for your original work (whether it is text, images, or music) to be copied without permission. A simple point and click of the mouse and it can be copied into a computer’s hard drive. As a Web site owner, it is important for you to know the basic rules that currently govern the Internet. Although this article is not meant to be a substitute for legal advice, it gives you some guidelines on how to protect yourself – and your Web site.

Notice of Copyright

Publication of works after March 1, 1989 no longer need to have a copyright notice attached to it in order for it to be protected under US copyright laws. However, if you wish to bring a lawsuit upon someone who is illegally using your work, your material must first be registered with the United States Copyright Office (Address: Library of Congress, Copyright Office, Washington, DC 20559-6000 Phone: 202-707-3000 Fax: 202-707-2600 Web site: http://www.loc.gov/copyright). It is highly recommended that you have a copyright notice along with terms of use on your Web site as a reminder to others and to give yourself additional protection in case of a copyright dispute.

An example might be:

© The Year or Years + Your Business Name
The material on this site is protected by US Copyright Laws
and cannot be used with out the express written consent of the owner.

Linking to Other Web Sites

Sometimes you will want to link to other Web sites, and other Web site owners may want to link to your site. While the laws for linking remain controversial, a good rule of the thumb is to always ask for and receive written permission from the Web site owner first. Some Web site owners – including yourself – may be upset to find their Web site is linked to a site in which they disagree with the material presented. Linking to someone else’s internal Web pages may be found unethical. Because the link may be bypassing the terms of use policies or paid advertising that appears exclusively on the home page of the Web site, it’s always as good idea to ask for permission first. It’s also a good idea to state, in your own terms of use, that linking to your Web site requires express written permission.

An example might be:

Linking to any page on this site requires the express written
consent of the owner. You may obtain permission by contacting
Your Name at Your E-mail Address.

Framing

If you use frames in your Web site, it is imperative to make sure that any links to external sites are opened up in a new window and not opened up – or “framed” – inside your own Web site. A Web site uses frames if one portion of the Web page remains static – usually the part of the page that contains the navigation bar – while the other portion of the page changes when a link is clicked.

Unless you have permission from the Web site owner, framing is indeed considered to be illegal. The main reason for this is because if a site is framed – that is, it opens up within your own Web site – the viewer may believe that he or she never left your Web site and think that the material displayed is your own.

META Tags

Special care should be used with the words used in your META tags. META tags are not something you see when viewing a Web site, but are embedded into the HTML coding behind the scenes. Some search engines look at the META tags of a Web site for keywords or phrases that a surfer might type into a search engine to find your Web site. For example, a Web site that offers Web design services might use “Web design” and “Web development” for their keywords. The use of name brand words or company names should always be avoided. For example, using the word “Macromedia” which is a company that sells Web design software or “Dreamweaver” which is the name of a software program that Macromedia sells, as keywords in META tags could certainly mean a potential lawsuit between yourself and Macromedia.

“Free” Images

We’ve all seen them – the Web sites that advertise “free” clip art, “free” backgrounds, and “free” images. The truth is, many of these “free” items have been stolen off of other people’s Web sites or taken from clip art collections and are subject to copyright laws. Unless you have a statement that says, I am the sole creator of the images and you have my permission to use them for whatever reason, you could be infringing on the owner’s rights.

Use of Music on a Web site

It is a direct violation of copyright laws to upload music to a Web site, even with a legally purchased music cd. Unless you have the express written consent of the owner, you could face a monetary lawsuit and criminal charges.

It is important to note that there are exceptions to the rules. For example, it is recognized that short words and phrases are generally not subject to copyright. There are also works that are in the “public domain” which means that they are free from copyright. For example, any works published before 1923 are considered to be in the public domain and can be freely used. Special rules also apply to copyrighted materials used for educational purposes.

If you would like to receive the permission to use a copyrighted work, but don’t know where to start, check out the Copyright Clearance Center (Address: 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923 Phone: 978-750-8400 Fax: 978-750-4470 Web site: http://www.copyright.com). They may be able to assist you in obtaining permission from the creator.

For some material, it may be a good idea to fill in the legal paperwork required to register your work with the United States Copyright office. These forms are easily downloaded and printed from the US Library of Congress Copyright Office at http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright. The fee is $30 US for most works.

The bottom line is: protect yourself and respect others. Protect yourself by adding a statement to your Web site that clearly states the terms of use. Protect yourself from legal liabilities while at the same time respecting others rights by asking obtaining their permission whether it is to use their material or to link to their Web site.

Choosing the Right Web Designer

Stop! Before you rush to build a presence on the Web be careful! So-called Web designers are popping up in all directions. Owning Web creation software does not make one a Web designer. For goodness sake, free web design software can be downloaded from the ‘Net in about 20 minutes.

For your site to look professional, function properly and meet search engine submission criteria you need a pro. There are so many Web designers available now… how do you make an intelligent choice as to who to use? Quite frankly, education, talent and skill are the keys.

The Benefits of an Educated Designer

A good Web designer will have some sort of formal education, whether it’s from taking online classes, self-study, or a taking a certification program at a local college. Some of the classes they should have under their belt are HTML and javascript – at the very minimum. Here is a listing of the education requirements to become a certified Web designer at one local college:

Logic and Program Design, Introduction to Programming, Web Layout and Design Concepts, Dreamweaver, Database Management, Photoshop, HTML, Flash, UNIX, DHTML, Javascript, CGI and Perl, XML & ColdFusion, Generator, Dreamweaver Ultra Dev, Illustrator and Fireworks.

There is much more to design than pasting clip art onto a page. Find out what kind of formal instruction your potential designer has. Not only should they be educated, but he or she should be continuing their education to keep up with the latest software programs and ever-changing technology.

They Have Skills but Do They Have Talent?

Finding a designer that has the necessary skills is one thing … but do they have talent, too? A Web designer needs to have that spark of creativity – which is usually a natural talent rather then something that’s learned.

Take the time to browse through the Web site and portfolio of your potential Web designer. Are his or her designs pleasing to look at? A designer has creative talent if he or she is able to coordinate colors to represent emotions and perceptions. For example, a feeling of excitement is portrayed with bright, happy colors, calmness with soothing soft colors, impact with vibrant, bold colors. We’ve all heard the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words”. A talented designer knows how to selectively insert graphics into a Web page to enhance and give greater meaning to the copy without it looking like a three-ring circus.

A good designer will be able to create fresh, interesting graphics from scratch, they won’t rely on over-used clip art and they won’t use other people’s designs.

The Value of Experience

Education is of utmost importance, but be sure that knowledge is enhanced with solid experience. Again, take the time to not only view the designer’s portfolio, but also interview their previous clients. Was the designer timely and efficient? Did they answer e-mails promptly? Did the designer make an effort to keep them up-to-date on the progress of their Web site? Are they, the client, happy with their Web site design?

Traffic, Traffic, Traffic

A good designer takes the time to educate him/herself on all the elements pertaining to design. Promotion is one of those elements.

Your designer should care about your target audience because the site should be designed with your target group in mind.

Does your main approach to publicity include the top 10 search engines? Then your site should be designed in a way that optimizes it for search engines. While your designer is not a positioning specialist, he/she should have the knowledge to optimize your site for placement. A search engine specialist can be called in to help with the delicate balance of keywords and meta tags that are essential in order for a Web site to get high rankings with the engines.

What about your Web site copy? Designers are not copywriters either. Copywriting is an entirely different specialty. Is your copy targeted? Does it accomplish your sales or promotional goals? Does it promote your business in such a way as to make your visitors want your product or service? Good designers know that the text is an essential element on your site. It plays a major role in search engine positioning and it certainly takes top priority in sales. Once again, a professional can be contacted to write the copy if need be.

Listens With Care

A Web designer should not only carefully listen to your thoughts and ideas about how you want your Web site to look, but should also ask questions and offer suggestions. He or she should also offer explanations as to why a certain idea might or might not work.

You Get What You Pay For

Web designer fees vary drastically. A good rule of thumb is to weigh the designer’s price with the amount of experience and the quality of the Web site that designer produces.

In summary, choose your Web designer with the same care as you would a building contractor for your dream home. Ask about their education and qualifications. Carefully review their work. Ask for references and use them. Remember that the design of your Web site is a direct reflection of your business. The professionalism of your Web site design might be the deciding factor that makes or breaks your success.