Seo - Misc.

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Just a simple seo question for our local experts. Does changing the font size within an H1 or H2 diminish its weight? Does this need to be done externally on a style sheet or can it be done the old fashioned way: using the <font> tag (for the CSS-challenged.)? -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #2

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Does changing the font size within an H1 or H2 diminish its weight?

Not to my knowledge.

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Does this need to be done externally on a style sheet or can it be done the old fashioned way: using the <font> tag (for the CSS-challenged.)?

You don't have to use an "external" style sheet. For individual pages you can include internal styles in the head section with the <style> tag:
<head>
<STYLE type="text/css">
H1{ font-size: 14pt}
</STYLE>
</head> -Jeff Blackwell

Re: Seo - Misc. #3

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Not to my knowledge.

You don't have to use an "external" style sheet. For individual pages you can include internal styles in the head section with the <style> tag:<head>
<STYLE type="text/css">
H1{ font-size: 14pt}
</STYLE>
</head>

Thanks, Jeffrey. I was not familiar with that tag. :o -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #4

I noticed a couple weeks ago that MSN is displaying "keywords" on the SERPs instead of the description. Does anyone know if they have made any recent SEO changes that correlates to this change. As a consumer, I hate it. I like to read the descriptions, not a bunch of spammy keywords!:( -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #5

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I noticed a couple weeks ago that MSN is displaying "keywords" on the SERPs instead of the description. Does anyone know if they have made any recent SEO changes that correlates to this change.

I have seen "keywords" being displayed as you mentioned but only on occassion.

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As a consumer, I hate it. I like to read the descriptions, not a bunch of spammy keywords!:(

Maybe the webmasters who wrote the spammy keywords will get the message. -Jeff Blackwell

Re: Seo - Misc. #6

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I have seen "keywords" being displayed as you mentioned but only on occassion.

Maybe the webmasters who wrote the spammy keywords will get the message.

Aren't most keywords lists spammy? Afterall, they are just a list of keywords. While the "description" was always displayed for my pizza coupon website, a few weeks back I noticed our description was replaced with our keywords list--we look as spammy as the next guy:mad: . -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #7

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Aren't most keywords lists spammy?

It seems like a large percentage of Meta Keywords Tags are "stuffed" and as such appear "SPAMMY."

IMO, "keyword stuffing" does more harm than good. ;) -Jeff Blackwell

Re: Seo - Misc. #8

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It seems like a large percentage of Meta Keywords Tags are "stuffed" and as such appear "SPAMMY."

IMO, "keyword stuffing" does more harm than good. ;)

Yes, I know mine is (pizza site), but we've had great ranking for 5 years...(back when keywords were "everything." I hate the way it reads on MSN right now, but if it aint broke...I don't mess with the keywords (even though they are probably no longer responsible for my ranking)

Does anyone out there use WordTracker? What do you think and how heavily should I consider my keyword search results in terms of KEI? As I was re-reading SEO-guy's tutorial (thanks Jeff!), I noticed it and decided to try it. Of course I THOUGHT I had already determined my keywords and now I am rethinking. Also, I'm a little unclear why they recommend searching keywords with the quotes. I thought the "exact" matched keyword sites would come up first when no quotes were used, but apparently that is not the case.:o

Any thoughts? -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #9

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Does anyone out there use WordTracker?

I use DigitalPoint's Keyword Suggestion Tool which provides WordTracker stats.

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Also, I'm a little unclear why they recommend searching keywords with the quotes. I thought the "exact" matched keyword sites would come up first when no quotes were used, but apparently that is not the case.:o

Using the "Quote" operator will only return results with the exact phrase. -SEO-LAD

Re: Seo - Misc. #10

Using the "Quote" operator will only return results with the exact phrase.[/quote]The thing that baffles me when I type is search terms and scrutinize the websites that came up in the lead spots is: The keywords typed in are highlighted and often they are not even all present (even when using quotes). I then search the page for the exact match and cannot even find it! Not on all sites, of course, but many. Usually the content is relevent, but still...where are the keywords in the document?:mad:

Well over-analyzation will make one nuts. As Jeffrey said to me in another related thread...optimize for your keywords and walk away! Good advice. Thanks for your help SEO-Lad.

I purchased Wordtracker for a day (which is a wonderful option..to be able to try it for one day, with minimal outlay. This is great for someone like me who doesn't do SEO for a living--thank GOODNESS--I HATE it!, but is trying to get ranking on their own site.) -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #11

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but still...where are the keywords in the document?:mad:

Most likely this is because the page content has changed but Google's copy hasn't been updated.

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Well over-analyzation will make one nuts. As Jeffrey said to me in another related thread...optimize for your keywords and walk away! Good advice.

I agree. Keep on truckin'. ;) -SEO-LAD

Re: Seo - Misc. #12

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Most likely this is because the page content has changed but Google's copy hasn't been updated.

That sounds about right. ;) -Jeff Blackwell

Re: Seo - Misc. #13

Notice how I cleverly titled this thread MISC, so I could keep coming back with more? Here's another basic question. Does the alt text in images count toward word density? Also, I would like to check the desity of some of my pages. I tried keyworddensity.com, but couldn't make heads or tails out of the results. Are there any others? -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #14

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Does the alt text in images count toward word density?

To my knowledge, "all" code on the page counts. ;)

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Are there any others?

Here are a few: http://www.seobulletin.com/blog/index.php?s=density -Jeff Blackwell

Re: Seo - Misc. #15

thanks for the help! (one of these days I'm going to stop re-inventing my website and actually publish and submit it! :rolleyes: What a learning process. -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #16

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thanks for the help! (one of these days I'm going to stop re-inventing my website and actually publish and submit it! :rolleyes: What a learning process.

We're here to help. ;) -Jeff Blackwell

Re: Seo - Misc. #17

Here's the keyword density I like best:

http://www.webjectives.com/keyword.htm

I know, some of them are like Greek to me, too! :confused:

Kathleen -KSA-Mktg

Re: Seo - Misc. #18

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Here's the keyword density I like best:

http://www.webjectives.com/keyword.htm

I know, some of them are like Greek to me, too! :confused:

Kathleen

THANK YOU, Kathleen. That one was the best I've tried! -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #19

Rainmaker,

Glad you like it :D -KSA-Mktg

Re: Seo - Misc. #20

Ok--you knew it was only a matter of time before I came up with some other trivial SEO question. In an effort not to disappoint...Here's my question:

I understand the logic that having links within your site to a certain pages gives it weight for SEO purposes. I've also seen references relating to keyword density and using keywords in links. Does that mean that: 1). within that page X which is optimized for keyword 'X', it doesn't hurt to have text links that include the word 'X' OR 2). Does that mean that links within your website that refer back to page X, need to have the keyword 'X.'

What I am asking is if I put a link in the footer of my pages to Page X (that is optimized for keyword X) if the text in the link needs to include the word 'X' or it can say a different word without affecting its benefit to page X.

Did that make any sense?? :confused: -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #21

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What I am asking is if I put a link in the footer of my pages to Page X (that is optimized for keyword X) if the text in the link needs to include the word 'X' or it can say a different word without affecting its benefit to page X.

The "anchor text" for the link should be the keyword/phrase for the page that it points to. -Jeff Blackwell

Re: Seo - Misc. #22

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The "anchor text" for the link should be the keyword/phrase for the page that it points to.

OK. To restate...it is not enough to be a link to that page, the anchor text of that link needs to contain the keyword (even though the link is located on another page that is not optimized for keyword 'X'.)

Thank you. -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #23

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Right. Links located on the "referring" page should contain the keyword/phrase of the "target" page. -Jeff Blackwell

Re: Seo - Misc. #24

Thanks. I will be so glad when this project is behind me--I'd rather be out in the field ANYDAY! Coding these pages is so tedious!:mad: When I am done I am going to put them up on the chopping block for critique...(since there is no face icon for biting nails....I guess I'll choose this one: :eek: ) -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #25

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Thanks. I will be so glad when this project is behind me--I'd rather be out in the field ANYDAY! Coding these pages is so tedious!:mad:

Are you coding page by page or using a CMS?

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When I am done I am going to put them up on the chopping block for critique...(since there is no face icon for biting nails....I guess I'll choose this one: :eek: )

It's not like that. Really. In fact, if it would make you feel any better you can email me the URL and I'll take a look at your code. ;) -Jeff Blackwell

Re: Seo - Misc. #26

OK, I don't even know what CMS is...does that answer your question?:eek: -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #27

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OK, I don't even know what CMS is...does that answer your question?:eek:

Oh boy! :p

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A content management system (CMS) is a software program [application] used to manage the content of a website. A CMS allows the content manager or author of the website, who may not know HTML the programming language used for the web, to create, modify, remove and organize the information and pictures on their website.--Source: Google.

-Jeff Blackwell

Re: Seo - Misc. #28

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Oh boy! :p

OK, well it's a little late for that! :rolleyes: Truthfully, it's not the ACTUAL coding that drives me nuts (maybe it's not ENTIRELY the coding, anyway)--it's the process. My pages keep evolving. Deciding the layout, flow, keywords, and BEING CONSISTENT throughout the pages is tiresome. I am one of those writers who can't read my own copy without editing it. As the next page evolves, I find myself going back to revise previous pages in light of new ideas. Also I am trying to optimize each sales page for a different set of keywords.

If these pages rank sucessfully, each page will have to support a reader who may be entering the site for the first time--whereas in the past, my pages simply flowed with each other, with ALL readers starting on page one. I find multiple entry points (and page slants) to add a read level of challenge to the project. -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #29

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If these pages rank sucessfully, each page will have to support a reader who may be entering the site for the first time--whereas in the past, my pages simply flowed with each other, with ALL readers starting on page one. I find multiple entry points (and page slants) to add a read level of challenge to the project.

Stand alone entry/landing pages are definitely the way to go.

As for site design are you using "includes" and "css"? -Jeff Blackwell

Re: Seo - Misc. #30

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Stand alone entry/landing pages are definitely the way to go.

As for site design are you using "includes" and "css"?

Well, I finally got on the boat and wrote an external style sheet--that helped tremendously. I am using quite a bit of the 'ol copy and paste and not reinventing the wheel on EVERTHING, but what are "includes?" -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #31

One point on that article you posted recently about putting together a successful site mentioned that each page should be no more than 10KB.

I started using "clumps" (for a lack of a better term) of sales text, so instead of duplicating a particular section that I thought was important, I would link each page to that named section. But later I didn't like the idea of forcing the reader to keep clicking out of fear I might lose them before they saw vital parts of the message. In the end I put MOST (not all) of the most critical points on each entry page, so if the reader never opted to click, they could just keep scrolling.

I didn't do a bang-up job trying to explain that, but if you followed it, do you have any thoughts on it? (basically a series of short pages relying on links to cover all points VS. each page being self-contained to close). The size on the self-contained pages is 15-18kb. -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #32

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I am using quite a bit of the 'ol copy and paste and not reinventing the wheel on EVERTHING, but what are "includes?"

Server Side Include (SSI): Data that is generated "on the fly" by the server for displaying on a web page. The data is stored in a text file, and pointed to by an "include" statement in the HTML programming. Commonly used for navigation menus. The text is "included" on the "server side" (versus the "client side," which is your computer).

I use "includes" for almost anything on a page that doesn't change. For instance;

Doctype Declaration
Charset
Stylesheet
Header
Navigation
Footer
Copyright

This not only saves a bunch of cut and paste work but it also makes Global changes very easy. For a Global change you simply change the one "file" which is being called via "include" and your done. -Jeff Blackwell

Re: Seo - Misc. #33

Here is an example of how I use includes in my pages. The code below is the raw code for my home page at www.resalebroker.com/
[PHP]<?php include ('includes/doctype.inc'); ?>
<head>
<title>Arizona Real Estate - Arizona Homes For Sale</title>
<meta name="description" content="Looking for Arizona Real Estate resources to help you make a more educated buying and selling decision? ResaleBroker.com is packed with helpful information on buying and selling Arizona Real Estate."/>
<meta name="keywords" content="Arizona real estate, Arizona Homes For Sale"/>
<?php include ('includes/charset.inc'); ?>
<?php include ('includes/az-stylesheet.inc'); ?>
</head>
<body>
<div id="color"><div id="container"><div id="content">
<?php include ('content/arizona.inc'); ?>
</div>
<div id="footer"><br />
<?php include ('includes/footer.inc'); ?>
</div><?php include ('includes/w3c.inc'); ?></div>
<div id="header">
<?php include ('includes/header.inc'); ?>
<div id="navlist">
<?php include ('includes/navlist.inc'); ?>
</div></div></div>
<?php include ('includes/copyright.inc'); ?>
</body>
</html>[/PHP]
Most, if not all, of the pages within that site share this same code. For each page all I have to do is change the content file being called by the include and I'm done. -Jeff Blackwell

Re: Seo - Misc. #34

VERY powerful--and extremely logical. The power of dynamic coding. My site uses Cold Fusion, but now that I understand the concept, I will study some of my pages to see if I can pick up the syntax. I have seen CFINCLUDE many times. -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #35

Once you get the hang of it I'm confident that you'll wonder how you every got along without CSS and SSI. ;) -Jeff Blackwell

Re: Seo - Misc. #36

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Once you get the hang of it I'm confident that you'll wonder how you every got along without CSS and SSI. ;)

OK. I'm officially using CFINCLUDE! Thanks! I did not use it as much as I would have liked because even the recurring groups of text have been slightly altered on each page for keyword density, but I love my 2 new footers! -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #37

One final question...If I target Page A for keword phrases X,Y, and Z. Should I put other keywords in my meta tag (and/or other variation on keywords) for that page or do these "trying to cover more bases" keywords dilute the effectiveness of my optimized keywords. Any opinions? -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #38

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One final question...

You can ask as many questions as you want. ;)

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If I target Page A for keword phrases X,Y, and Z. Should I put other keywords in my meta tag (and/or other variation on keywords) for that page...

No.

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...or do these "trying to cover more bases" keywords dilute the effectiveness of my optimized keywords.

Yes. -Jeff Blackwell

Re: Seo - Misc. #39

PERFECT. Thank you, Jeffrey. :D -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #40

Do the search engines differentiate between singular and plural or does it see the singular within the plural. For example, if I am optimizing for the word COUPON, would it see COUPONS in the plural or within my domain: WITHCOUPON.com or does it have to be an exact match? -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #41

Hi Rain,

SEO is such a tricky industry. Search Engines always changing they're crawlers :)

Talking about CSS and changing the <H1> tags. This does not affect the SEO because search engines see the "original.htm" without the style.

I was unable to read all the post, so I apologize if I step on anyones foot, but if you are using Cold Fusion, CFINCLUDE would be a viable option. I have developed on CFML Platforms, as well on PHP, and I use inlcudes when I can.

Nothing against SSI, but if your scripting language allows for global includes use them instead of SSI. The reason is they have more robust and allow for more control. -cs_obd

Re: Seo - Misc. #42

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IMO, the exact match would be identified first. -SEO-LAD

Re: Seo - Misc. #43

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IMO, the exact match would be identified first.

Here is why I asked:

Everywhere I have mentioned my site name: WithCoupon.com, I have created a link back to the home page. (obviously, I am optimizing for the keywords "Coupons" and "coupon.") It recently occurred to me, that I could have made only the "coupon" portion of my name the link (creating backlink text that says "coupon" instead of "withcoupon.com." )

Of course, I never think of these things BEFORE I have already done the work. Do you think it would be worthwile to go through my pages and change each of these links from "withcoupon.com" to "coupon"? Because of my lack of SEO experience, I cannot determine if there would only be a nominal benefit or a decent benefit from making this change.

Finally, will ranking for the singular "coupon" be of any use in ranking for "coupons" anyway (which is a much better keyword).:confused:

Advice? -RainMaker

Re: Seo - Misc. #44

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Do you think it would be worthwile to go through my pages and change each of these links from "withcoupon.com" to "coupon"?

Yes. The "anchor text" should be the keywords you are targeting for the landing page.

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Finally, will ranking for the singular "coupon" be of any use in ranking for "coupons" anyway (which is a much better keyword)

In my opinion, "yes". If you believe that "coupons" is a much better keyword is there any reason why you are opting for "coupon"? -SEO-LAD

Re: Seo - Misc. #45

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Yes. The "anchor text" should be the keywords you are targeting for the landing page.
In my opinion, "yes". If you believe that "coupons" is a much better keyword is there any reason why you are opting for "coupon"?

It is incidental because it is in my domain name which has many references and links on my site (in the singular form) and I was not sure if it would help because it is a subset of the word "coupons" (plural). -RainMaker