Launching our new range of minisites

[retired_member3]

Is it just me then that can't see half the text on the menu buttons? I see the text on the blue background but it's like white on white (although I know it;s grey) below. Maybe my monitor settings but doubt im the only one.

 

[Brassneck]

Is it just me then that can't see half the text on the menu buttons? I see the text on the blue background but it's like white on white (although I know it;s grey) below. Maybe my monitor settings but doubt im the only one.

cheers for that. I know what you mean as I get the same with ie6 on my desktop machine but it works perfectly on every other pc I have tried with different browsers.

Thanks
Stephen

 

[paul]

Your time must be incredibly precious if you don't even have a few minutes to type in a few basic site-related keywords...

If it was 1 site with a dozen pages then I might find the time, but when you have a large number of sites those extra 2 minutes can be used much better.

Say creating a page takes you 30 minutes then you spend 2 minutes doing meta tags.

Lets be generous and say adding meta tags brings you in an extra 0.1% traffic. Why would you bother spending 5%+ of your time chasing and extra 0.1% traffic

 

[dock]

meta

Creating meta tags is the work of google I guess.

I thinks msn & ask relays on meta tags still.

But a small website is to avoid parking, and mature your domain right?

If you start taking care of minor things like mega tags, You can't make 40 sites in nearby time.

Get your sub heading right. make sure they are searched words.

 

[WaftyCrank]

I guess I'm foolish then The only time I would bother with them (title is not a meta tag) is if they are generated automatically. Spending time on them is a waste of your time unless you have little or no content on your page.

Oh my word you could not be more wrong.
If you don't think they are valuable then I feel you may be missing out on a lot of vital traffic.

They may not add the same weight they used to but it's the first bit the search engines see of your site and it's the description meta tag that google uses when it displays it's search results.

 

[DaveH]

Google tend to extract their own description rather than use the description tag. However .... meta tags are still important and the trend seems to be leaning back towards using the more. Meta tags are quick, free, effective and simple to implement.

Don't forget Google only account for 40 something % of all searches. Therefore whatever you can do go improve in other engines has got to be worth doing.

 

[WaftyCrank]

Google tend to extract their own description rather than use the description tag. However .... meta tags are still important and the trend seems to be leaning back towards using the more. Meta tags are quick, free, effective and simple to implement.

Don't forget Google only account for 40 something % of all searches. Therefore whatever you can do go improve in other engines has got to be worth doing.

Do they? I think you'll find that's not true.

Here is the the description tag for AcornDomains.co.uk home page.

<meta name="description" content="Domain Name Forum to Buy, sell and talk about domains in the UK market. Learn how to make money from your domain names using pay per click programs. Acorn Domains." />

The same as the one listed on Google search results?

 

[ScottJ]

Don't forget Google only account for 40 something % of all searches. Therefore whatever you can do go improve in other engines has got to be worth doing.

Not in the UK David, close to 90%


Google do use their own snippit dependant on the search term, at other times they use the meta description so there is no black/white there as far as I am aware.

 

[WaftyCrank]

And google share of the market accounts for approx 58% right now.

http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2119

 

[DaveH]

58% is close to 40 something %
OK so that was a old stat I'll admit that.

BannedFromTV - I take your point that Google does use meta descriptions which is why I said "tend to extract". With Google, you won't gain or lose rating whether you have a meta description or not. However meta descriptions are still important to other SE's.

 

[WaftyCrank]

58% is close to 40 something %
OK so that was a old stat I'll admit that.

BannedFromTV - I take your point that Google does use meta descriptions which is why I said "tend to extract". With Google, you won't gain or lose rating whether you have a meta description or not. However meta descriptions are still important to other SE's.

Actualy studies within the SEO world have shown that the <title> tag (not a meta decription I know) of a website is very important with users clicking on that website. If the keyword is powerful and relates directly to the search then they will click.

Similarly if not description is fielded on Google (i.e. you don't use a <meta description> tag then google wont display one) there is a higher probability that a search user wont clikc that particular link.

Also when pulling up search results, Google will hold a lot of weight to the description and keyword meta tags provided that other white hat SEO techniques are applied to the website in question.

In short:

• Use good title tags - they get the users clicking.
• Use Meta Descriptions and Keywords at all times.
• Meta description and title tags ALONE wont help your SERPs but they do help if other SEO factors are in play.

I've been involved in SEO for a while and it's really only this year that things have really clicked into place. Am I an "expert"? No. I'm a good at it? Yes but it really has taken a lot of finding out and practicing techniques and keeping on top of changes in the search field to get it that way.
There is a lot of good advice on the web for SEO, however there is a LOT of bad advice out there too which tends to over shadow the good. It's being able to see the wood for the tree (ironically the same thing Google does with its SERPs).

 

[murph]

Meta title is extremely important for SEO

 

[DaveH]

In short:

• Use good title tags - they get the users clicking.
• Use Meta Descriptions and Keywords at all times.
• Meta description and title tags ALONE wont help your SERPs but they do help if other SEO factors are in play.

I wholeheartly agree