We all want our websites to get more traffic. And the best way to do that is to be near the top of the page in search results. But how do you get Google’s attention or Bing’s blessing? It’s all done via the mysterious process of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Here are 7 easy steps to increasing your SEO score and get more visitors coming to your website.

1. Start at the top — use your page title.

The title bar is at the very top of your browser is the first thing a search engine spider sees, so make it count. The limit is 60 characters, so be sure to include your site name, location and a few words telling more about the site.

2. Write hardworking headlines.

Extra! Extra! Headlines tell us what to expect! They also create curiosity about the topic. Headlines are also the first piece of content the search spider sees on the page and are very important for SEO. Use your headline to announce the page topic.

3. Provide navigation to the destination.

Nav links are the road signs of the web and search spiders look at them closely. They should be concise, descriptive and informative. For extra SEO points, nav links or web buttons should have a title with additional information about what will be found at the destination page. These show up as as a tooltip when you hover over the link.

4. Make your links logical.

Links inform visitors and search bots what to expect when action is taken, and are very valuable. Don’t miss this easy technique to enhance your SEO. Simply tell the visitor where the link leads using keywords. “Click here” is a wasted opportunity because it gives no information where it leads. More about using “Click Here”>>

5. Make connections.

Incoming links from other sites are the holy grail of search engine marketers. So are links to and from the other pages on your site. Cross-linking page on your site provides a way for the web visitor to get additional information easily. Link between pages wherever possible.

6. Always use alt tags.

Alt tags are short descriptions of photos found on website to provide information for non-sighted web users using screen readers. We often don’t notice them, but they are seen by search engine spiders and can add a lot of value to your SEO score. Be kind to the blind and make Google happy by using your alt tags.

7. Find the magic keywords and use them wisely.

Make a list of words you and your colleagues use when discussing your topic, then make a list of the words people really use when chatting or asking questions about it. If you have site stats, check to see what keywords people used to find your site. Use these to provide a base for your keyword list.

Don’t search for help — give Sirius a call.

These 7 simple steps will go a long way to improving your search engine placement and will bring more web traffic to your site. Each website crafted by Sirius Media has SEO built right in, with custom keyword research part of our small business website package. Ready to take your website to the next level? Just give us a call.

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As a designer committed to enhancing web usability and clear communication, I believe using “Click here” as a web link is a bad idea. And the WC3, the worldwide authority on web standards and best practices, agrees with me.

Here are 5 ways that “Click here” violates both web standards and best practices.

1. The link provides no usability clues, because it doesn’t tell you what you’ll be able to do or can expect to find when you get there.
2. It’s not accessible for the blind for the same reason.  Providing clues to those who use a screen reader to navigate the web is not just polite — for government and public agencies, it is the law. For the rest of us, including accessibility in our web designs is simply good practice for an aging population.
3. It’s bad for search engine optimization (SEO) because it tells search engines nothing about the purpose of the link. The words are generic when they could be hot, juicy, descriptive keywords. Using keywords in strong, descriptive links will beef up your SEO scoring.
4. You won’t find any lazier copywriting anywhere. This overused phrase is a cliche that focuses on the mechanics of using the link instead of the benefit the visitor will receive.
5. A web visitor deserves your respect, and “Click here”  implies they are stupid. This far down the road we do not need to tell people how a web link works. Hello — how do you think they got here?

“Click here” is just another way of saying “You idiot. Put your mouse or cursor over this blue underlined text to proceed to somewhere you know nothing about.” It’s like having “turn page” at the bottom right hand corner of a book instead of page numbers.

Please join me in stamping out the  use of  “Click here” for web links whenever you have the opportunity. Better yet, send me prime examples of “Click here” used online. I’m starting a collection.

1. Never stop learning

While I use most of my projects as learning vehicles, I find that this isn’t enough. You should never stop learning. What would you learn and how would your view change if you went to 1,000 meet ups? As designers, our minds need to be as flexible as possible. Learning something new helps us see more and more possibilities and make connections that previously weren’t there.

via Ten More Steps to Becoming the Designer You Want to Be – design mind on GOOD – GOOD.

A great list of reminders on what it takes to become a great designer.

These odd blocks are called QR codes and are a way to embed information such as web address, contact info or text message in a way that can be read by a smart phone scanner or even by a website.

Fast Company had an article about them called “What Business Card, Just Scan my QR Code” about how QR codes are used on nametags at SXSW to provide instant access to attendee social sites, share contact info and web urls. The article links to the blog post below with more specifics about how to use them and what they are:

The Three Rules of QR Codes

This post is an extension of three previous posts in which using a mobile device friendly landing page, QR Code size and content were discussed. If you see any additional examples, good or bad, please share them in a comment below.

2. Written content is still king/queen.
There needs to be enough written content on the home page to attract searches. Photos, and white space are elegant as all get out, and flash is sure fun, but they are empty space to your local search engine. Content should always on meeting web visitors’ needs, not pushing your message.

3. If it’s bad and it’s about you – ignore it.
Reputation Management is best achieved by ignoring bad reviews. If you get a bad review, don’t post comments to counteract it. That will only keep the bad review on top of the search results. Publish good information elsewhere and push that up in results. Use offense, not defense. Be proactive about providing new information to replace the old.

4. Keyword scores don’t count.
Don’t worry about keyword density scores. Focus on answering the user’s eternal question “What’s In It For Me?” Write for visual scannability with meaningful subheads and bold highlights to move the eye along.

5. If Facebook were a country, it’d be the 3rd largest on the planet.
If you or your business is not on Facebook yet, it’s time to join in and stake your claim.

6. Blog at breakfast.
Write when your thoughts are fresh, early in the day. Keep it light and on a topic your readers can understand. Use humor, quizzes, recipes, patterns, crafts, odd topics, frank opinions, share resources and other useful information.

7. Expand your search footprint to raise rankings.
Use subdomains (blog.sirius-media.com) rather than subdirectories (sirius-media.com/blog) to create a larger footprint for your site on search engines and increase ranking.

8. Establish search goals to measure effectiveness.
You need to establish search goals to be able to use search analytics effectively. What are you trying to accomplish on each page of your website? Include calls to action and measure the responses.

9. Take advantage of local business search listings.
Google’s local business listings are very powerful and free, but requires a business signup, not just a website.

10. Embed easy to use information with rich snippets.
Rich snippets are a way to include map information, business card, and calendar files on your website.

Not only that but Oswegans can follow the unfolding of events on with the Centennial Web site that opens on Jan. 19 at www.lakeoswego100.com .

“It will look great,” said Jamie Inglis, events specialist for the city of Lake Oswego. “There will be tons of stuff on it, the listing of events, ambassadors, a Lake Oswego timeline. It was designed by Fellene Gaylord of Sirius Media.”

via Happy birthday Lake Oswego

I just discovered this lovely article in the Portland Tribune that mentions the website I designed for the Lake Oswego Centennial www.lakeoswego100.com.

With a soft spot for local history, this project was very fun for me. The site features a trivia quiz, flash timeline, event calendar, downloadable history displays and a video history of the city of Lake Oswego. Frequent updates have kept the content fresh, including This Month in Lake Oswego and a trivia quiz that changes each week for 10 weeks.

All this great content is the result of the combined work of specialists, volunteers and City employees who are creating the celebration of the century all year long.

via A List Apart: Articles: Words that Zing.

I often find myself trying to explain to my clients how writing for the web is different than other types of writing. Often it boils down to the need to be direct and clear, use the active voice, include scannable subheads, usable links, and calls to action.

In this delightful article on A List Apart, Colleen Jones explains how words weave together to enable the web visitor to hit your ideal target.  This creative and focused use of copy is just as critical to a satisfying and usable web experience as visual design and information design.

Its the third leg of the usability stool.

She provides some great examples, particularly in regards to healfh care copywriting. Having spent a couple years as the web designer for OHSU’s Center for Women’s Health, I have struggled with crafting engaging and accurate health content that is actionable and not scary.She provides some great snippets from STD websites that show how varying approaches affected outcomes.

One struggle she doesn’t include in this article is getting buyin from the client, who often do include medical professionals and administrators who feel it should

1. just like the print version
2. written to their level of education
3. include every little detail.
4. look like the website they built in 1997

But that is the topic for another blog.

1. Illegible text. I can’t read that, it’s too small. And what on earth is that font called?

2. Busy backgrounds. Oh MySpace, why do you allow users to create profiles like that? My eyes hurt.

3. Obscure links. I’m confused, can I click on that or not? Oh I get it, you don’t want me to view other pages.

4. Flyouts that are too large. Holy crap Yahoo! This is a page within a flyout!

5. Drop-down menu navigation too many levels deep. OK, if I slowly move my mouse this way first… dammit Jim, I’m a doctor not a magician!

6. Complicated navigation. I just want to get to that page, the one over there! Oh I see, you want me to complete the maze first.

via The 65 Most Annoying things about the Web Today | UXbyDesign.org.

via TAO TE CHING – Chapter 06. Experience – ZENGUIDE.COM.

I’ve been thinking recently of the concept of how Twitter and Facebook, sometimes derided as a narcisstic form of communication, offer us flowing streams of observation. Many voices contribute to the stream, and it is always changing, yet always there.

Like a river. Like the Tao.

So now, if we wish it, our life streams can be mirrored in social media. Daily experiences come and go and are recorded. Inspiration, observation and education can easily be shared with others.

This flow has changed the way we experience our glories, laughs and disappointments. Within hours of losing my job last spring, I had many statements of sympathy and support. Plus a network of resources and friends to call on who were not at my last job. It gave me great strength and was empowering.

This week I offered support to friend who lost her mom, another who has family members facing cancer and learned about a benefit for a musician in Chicago I hadn’t met. And was able to help share information on how to share with victims of an earthquake. This did not feel self-centered to me, this feels like community. And it feels strong.

Yes, social media is a great marketing tool, and yes, there are some people who make money at it. But that’s not the point.

The point is creating a real community. The point is the flow of life, not money. The point is being together and helping each other out. The point is to enjoy the river’s flow and if you’re brave enough — dive in. Be embraced by the stream and let it support you. We are all in this together.

May we each be granted the gift of attention.