Getting your sites up in Search Engines.

Promoting one’s website or web blog is a never-ending task. Most people would ask me how do I do it. It’s not a secret actually, as far as the common tricks are concerned, but a rigorous and consistent effort for SEO is something that must be considered regularly.

I will discuss some of the basic aspects of good search engine optimization techniques I have used and have found quite effective. Note however that these methods might not be the best solution for you but it could provide you with a good insight on how to go about it and maybe refine your own style as well.

1) Content is still king. The more content you have, the more phrases and key words there are for GoogleBot to crawl and index. This is very self-explanatory. Corollary to this is the use of English as the primary language in your texts. Well, if you’re using Tagalog or some other local dialect, chances are, you’d only get hits from people who search for these words and you’ll only get a handful of them.

2) Don’t forget the basic HTML standards. Make good use of the < TITLE > tags. I’ve seen a lot of sites (even corporate ones) that have “Untitled page” as their page titles. Others bother to put titles but they end up placing something like “Yugatech.com” alone and not adding any more descriptive phrases in it. Be more creative and be more descriptive. It would make a lot of difference if you had something like “Yugatech.com - personal portal and online folio of Abe Olandres”. Everyone knows that META tags don’t cut it anymore but hey, it still is a good practice if you do. The least you could do is place the description, keyword and author META tags.

3) A text is a text and an image is an image. We are often tempted to put all sorts of images in headings and titles just to make use of the coolest fonts you just installed yesterday. It’s no biggie but GoogleBot won’t be able to read that like us. If you are so tempted and really wanted to put an image instead of just plain text, don’t forget to fill up the < ALT > and be as descriptive as you can — that one GoogleBot can surely read.

4) Get linked. The more inbound links you have, the more important Google will think your site is, and the higher it will rank it. But they must also be relevant links, meaning, sites with similar theme, interest and content.

5) Update, update, update. Google will only crawl your site again and again if you have fresh content.

6) Make it public. Like any other internet user, if you password protect your content or you require login to areas of your site, then GoogleBot won’t be able to get in and crawl it as well. This is especially true with member sites like forums and the like.

7) Target your keywords. This means you have to be realistic about the keywords you choose to achieve higher page rank or search results for. If you want your site to show up in the first page for the keyword “web blogs“, then you’re up against millions and millions of other websites who are also vying for the same. Why not narrow it down to something like “pinoy web blog“? At least you only have a potential half a million or so competing for it. Case in point: search for these two key phrases in Google and you will see two of my websites on top of the list.

Study/monitor your site stats. And I am assuming here that you have one. Check your stats and see what key phrases and words are often searched for. Then, double check it with Google to see what page your site is positioned. Then, update your content and add more of them or much better place them to each other. If you have pinoy in one sentence and blog in another sentence, why not write “pinoy blog” the next sentence. The closer and the more often these words appear on your page, the higher the probability that it is more relevant to the search keys.

9. There is more to Google AdSense than just making bucks. Some of you may be aware of Google’s AdSense and it’s older brother, Google AdWords. The idea here is that, AdSense takes into consideration the quality and consistency of content on a certain page. The kind of ads that appear in it will ultimately dictate the keywords which are most relevant to that page.

Republished from ym old article in Pinoyblog.

Add comment June 22nd, 2005

Web Standards and Web Design

Standards are made for conformance or interoperability between different organizations, institutions, formats, and others. It is also defined as a specification by which others may be measured. There are lots of standardization organizations, like the ISO (International Standards Organization) and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission).

The world wide web (or the graphical portion of the Internet as you already know) has also a group that leads in its standardization. The W3C (World Wide Web Constorium) was founded by the father of the web himself. Although it is not a crime not to follow the lead by the W3C, it defeats the purpose of establishing standards. Even most web browsers are designed to support such standards. Most notable are the present Mozilla browsers like Firefox, Opera, and Safari for the Mac. The current version of Internet Explorer (IE6) have issues of not being compliant.

Web Design

It is noteworthy to develop web sites that are standards compliant. Preferrably, we should create sites in XHTML (Extensible HTML) format that relies heavily on Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) for design and document layout. Many of the savvy web developers here are already practicing creating sites in XHTML, but for those who are new to this, here are some points to be noted.

First off, what is the difference between HTML and XHTML? Aside from the additional ‘X’, XHTML separate the function of “mark up” and “layout and design”. The mark up only identifies which part is a paragraph, a line break, a table cell, a header or others. We then use stylesheets to layout and design the pages. This way, we would not have a hard time changing our design.

Take this example. Assuming you created a static website containing about twenty pages you and wanted to change the background color. Normally, in HTML, you would change all the bgcolor attribute of everyone of those twenty pages. However, if you linked this pages into a stylesheet instead, you would have just modified the stylesheet once and you are done.

Aside from that, here are also things that are new to XHTML.

• Every XHTML documents should have a DOCTYPE declaration
• Every XHTML elements should be nested within the root element.
• Properly nest XHTML elements.
• Tag names and attribute names must all be in lower case.
• XHTML elements must always be paired with its closing tags, like <p>paragraph</p>
• Standalone tags like <br> should also be closed like <br /> and <hr />.
• Attributes must be quoted.
• Do not minimize attribute, like <input readonly /> should be <input readonly="readonly" />.
• Replace the name attribute with the id attribute.
• The title element and the xmlns are mandatory.
• If you use the lang attribute in an element, it should also have the xml:lang attribute

The W3C also has an authoring guide which one can follow in order to have pages that are easy to maintain, look acceptable to users, and can be accessed by those with disabilities.

The W3 Schools have references that covers XHTML tags, attributes, and events.

Add comment June 11th, 2005

Security Basics: PHP

For those who are using scripts like Moveable Type and Wordpress, they have little to worry about security since they only need to wait for patches and upgrades. But for those who make their own PHP scripts from scratch, Chris Shifflet outlines some measures and guidelines.

• The register_globals directive is a security risk, so do not rely on it as much
• Filter input and sanitize output
• Filter all foreign data
• Filter data using a whitelist approach
• Use existing functions in data filtering
• Use a sctrict naming conventions
• Try placing all modules outside the document root
• Try escaping all characters that can be escaped

For further information, download Shifflet’s PHP Security guide here. You may also want to visit the PHP Security Consortium.

Add comment June 6th, 2005

What’s a Good Domain Name?

The Internet’s domain name system (DNS) allows us to associate domain names with IP addresses to enable us to access one’s website easier. Christopher Heng suggests tips on how to choose your domain name. His tips and that of Jumpline.com are generalized as follows.

1. You are getting a domain name for your website. Most likely, your domain name should be your website.
2. Prefer brand name domains rather than generic name domains.
3. Choose a domain name that is as short as possible, if not then make it as easy to remember as possible
4. Try to avoid hyphenated names.
5. Avoid trademarked names.
6. Do not shell out too much money on pricy domain names since they should generally have competitive prices by now.
7. Register that name as soon as possible
8. Try choosing an appropriate Top Level Domain (TLD)

More on TLDs

According to the Internet Corporations for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the TLD is the rightmost label in the domain name. There are different types of TLD like the generic TLD (gTLD) and country code TLD (ccTLD). There are 14 gTLDs and more than 240 ccTLDs. So what are these gTLDs and what do they stand for?

• .aero - reserved for the members of the air transport industry
• .biz - restricted to business
• .com - commercial
• .coop - reserved for cooperative associations
• .edu - educational establishments accredited in the US
• .gov - United States government
• .info - information (unrestricted use)
• .int - international organizations established by a treaty between governments
• .mil - United States military
• .museum - reserved for museums
• .name - reserved for individuals (either nick, or real name)
• .net - network
• .org - intended for non-profit organizations
• .pro - reserved for credentialed professionals

As much as these gTLDs are for those intended users, some of these can be registered without restrictions, like the .com, .org, and .net. The same is true for the ccTLDs. Some ccTLDs require that one should reside in the specified country before he will be able to register that domain. Although .gov, .mil, and .edu are reserved for United States institutions, others can register it by having a second level ccTLD.

4 comments June 5th, 2005

Security Basics: Social Engineering

It has been said the the users are the weakest link in the security chain. This is especially exemplified in Social Engineering. This is a practice wherein a user is lured to give in sensitive information such as password and credit card numbers. This is typically directed at the users and not on a security hole. The success of many of virus and phishing attacks are due largely to social engineering.

Let us take the case of the Love Bug worm. The worm made an international sensation because it was able to infiltrate even the Pentagon. This is not because there were known security holes in the system of the Pentagon, but because of the psychological motivation of “love” which prompted users to execute the worm. Aside from that, social engineering also plays a big part in phishing or attacks directed at getting user information through e-mail, instant messages, or websites that asks for them.

These activities are not exclusive to the Internet. This include chain e-mails, like the case of “Bill Gates giving away his money” if you forward the e-mail and made it look authentic with a signature of a lawyer at the end of the mail; scams such as the “Nigerian Scam“; and even text scams.

According to Sophos, there are measures one need to consider in order to avoid phishing scams:

1. Never respond to emails that request personal financial information
2. Visit banks’ websites by typing the URL into the address bar
3. Keep a regular check on your accounts
4. Check the website you are visiting is secure
5. Be cautious with emails and personal data
6. Keep your computer secure
7. Always report suspicious activity

Recommended sites for more information:

http://www.fightidentitytheft.com/
http://www.windowsecurity.com/articles/Avoid-Phishing.html

Next on Security Basics: PHP

Add comment June 4th, 2005

Writing Good Website Content

Now that you’ve designed your website, what should you put in it?

To provide a reliable and interesting web content is one of the issues website content writers face.

Here are a few tips from Jeniffer Kyrnin of About.com:

1. Write relevant content. It may be tempting to write about your brother’s dog, but if it doesn’t relate to your site or page topic, leave it out. Web readers want information, and unless the page is information about said dog, they really won’t care, even if it is a good metaphor for what you’re trying to say.
2. Put conclusions at the beginning. Think of an inverted pyramid when you write. Get to the point in the first paragraph, then expand upon it.
3. Write only one idea per paragraph. Web pages need to be concise and to-the-point. People don’t read Web pages, they scan them, so having short, meaty paragraphs is better than long rambling ones.
4. Use action words. Tell your readers what to do. Avoid the passive voice. Keep the flow of your pages moving.
5. Use lists instead of paragraphs. Lists are easier to scan than paragraphs, especially if you keep them short.
6. Limit list items to 7 words. Studies have shown that people can only reliably remember 7-10 things at a time. By keeping your list items short, it helps your readers remember them.
7. Write short sentences. Sentences should be as concise as you can make them. Use only the words you need to get the essential information across.
8. Include internal sub-headings. Sub-headings make the text more scannable. Your readers will move to the section of the document that is most useful for them, and internal cues make it easier for them to do this.
9. Make your links part of the copy. Links are another way Web readers scan pages. They stand out from normal text, and provide more cues as to what the page is about.
10. Proofread your work. Make sure you check your content for misplaced quotation marks or wrong spelling and of course, grammatical errors. Any obvious mistakes turn off readers. So you should never, ever forget to proofread any material you will be publishing online.

Good Luck and happy content writing!

Add comment June 3rd, 2005

Branded cPanel Login

I’m sure a lot of cPanel users still don’t know that they can create a branded cPanel login or a Webmail login to integrate just anywhere in their website. All you need is cut & paste the code found here.

< ?php
#Login Configuration

#Webmail
#$protocol = 'http';
#$port = 2095;
?>

Just uncomment the first few lines of the code by removing the ‘#’ sign before the ‘$’ characters. The ones posted above are for cPanel and WebMail, so just select either one. Make sure your pages are in PHP for this to work.

Add comment June 3rd, 2005

Considerations in Choosing a Web Host

According to Joel Mangilit, IT and Web Design professor at the Graduate School of Business of De La Salle University, there are five attributes he condsiders in choosing a Web Host.

1. Easy to Use. This refers to the user-friendliness of the control panel. Learning FTP should not be a requirement.
2. Speed. Mangilit prefers fast connections where web pages loads fast.
3. Reliability. Hight uptimes is a must.
4. Tracking. There should be available site statistics.
5. Value. This is about price to performance ratio.

The Hosting Chart adheres to the following similar criteria in reviewing web hosts (aside from “General Impressions” which is arbitrary to The Hosting Chart):

1. Price Cost and Effectiveness. Again, this is about price to performance and quality ratio.
2. Reliability. This regards server uptimes.
3. Data Center. The Hosting Chart also looks into a Web Host’s data center.
4. Connectivity. Topologies, network providers, network redundancy, are also considered.
5. Customer Service. This looks into tech support and the availability of support.
6. Control Panel. The control panel must be user-friendly, fast, reliable, easy to operate, and packed with features.

Add comment June 2nd, 2005

LightPress

A fast, template-based frontend for WordPress.

LightPress is a frontend for the popular WordPress blogging platform. A frontend is the code sitting between the db and your blog’s readers, which manages all user interaction and displays the relevant content appropriately formatted.

More here.

Add comment June 2nd, 2005

SEO Secrets

Adrian Hanft of “Be a Design Group” writes writes about 5 tips on good Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

1. Don’t Fake Your Content.
The best way to gain recognition from search engines is to create unique and valuable content. Google can only be fooled so much by spam, fake links, and artificial inflation trickery. If you want the prize, you have to deliver the goods. That means you need to fill the site with relevant and valuable information. You need to corner the market on what you know best. Don’t ever let your client think that spam is a good way to generate business.

2. Avoid Flash
I love Flash and it hurts me to say this, but when it comes to content, Flash just can’t compete with HTML. Information in Flash is invisible to search engines. The information that search engines can see in Flash doesn’t benefit from the structure of an HTML document. Don’t abandon Flash completely, just make sure you have an HTML version of your sites that is packed with content. If your site is Flash only, you will have a hard time avoiding invisibility to the search engines. I think Flash is getting better at content management, so I will default to the experts there. You really have to know what you are doing to effectively use flash.

3. Start a Blog
Most organizations have humans working for them. Humans like to talk. Blogs encourage employees to talk, and talking online builds up a database of content. That’s a scary thought to an organization who is paranoid of leaks of top secret information. Customers don’t like comanies that keep secrets from them. A blog at least gives the impression that you are a customer friendly organization. You should be able to convince them that the risk is worth the reward when the following is considered: Blogs are a great way to increase customer service. In the event of a company mistake, it is great for damage control. It gives an otherwise faceless company a voice in the marketplace. The benefit to search engines is that you are building a library of relevant keywords, and hundreds maybe thousands of pages of industry specific content.

4. Search Engine Optimization Isn’t Magic
Don’t fall for the myth that there is a secret to search engines, and the only way to get good search results is too buy your way to the top of the search results. There is no substitute for quality content. You can pay for links and click-throughs, but wouldn’t it be easier to have quality content on your site? Don’t waste your money. Work hard on your site’s content, and search engines will notice. If you build it, they will come.

5. Link Management
I would stop short of recommending that you pay for links, but it is undeniable that having links to your site on other people’s sites is extremely valuable to search rank. This is where having original and valuable content really pays off. Just as search engines love good content, so do other sites. They will link to your site on their own. If you have a blog, you will start to build a good relationship with other blogs, and links will happen naturally. There are other sites that will give you links for free, but make that secondary to creating great content.

Add comment June 2nd, 2005