Posts Tagged ‘domains’

It’s time for some feedback based on small business client comments about Google, and search engines in general. After 10 years designing custom websites, I realize that most customers still wonder about getting noticed by Google.

Here are 4 things that can make a difference:

1. Aging: Any new site must endure a probationary period before being taken seriously by search engines. Do not expect your new website to achieve instant fame in days, or weeks. It usually takes months because many sites are here and gone quickly, so only time proves your website is online for the long haul.

2. Domain Term: Having a www domain registration for one year is less than ideal considering today’s pricing at less than $10 a year for a domain name. My recommendation is 2-5 years, or 10 years if it fits your budget. Long term registration confirms your intentions to be online well into the future and taken seriously.

3. Content: Sites should be designed for visitors, not search engines. Yes, there are techniques to improve ranking, but over optimizing a site may ruin the visitor’s experience. In most cases, sites less than 5 pages may not be considered adequate coverage for any given subject.

4. Fresh content – Adding new content, and often, gives search engines a reason to return to your site more often. Your value in the internet community will be graded by your ongoing development of information or products for the benefit of your visitors.

Are there more? Certainly more can be done to optimize a site for your prospects which in turn improves your chances for getting noticed by Google.

I am releasing a how-to ebook soon on small business website self-promotion. The guide provides free resources and advice for promoting your website in just 30 minutes a day. Email me from my main site if you have any questions, or want to reserve a free preview copy of the book.

Many small business owners spend very little time doing proactive planning. An annual physical for your personal health makes sense. Don’t overlook giving your website a checkup each year, also.

My advice is based on problems reported by custom website design clients. To stay online you need a www domain, monthly hosting, and the design. Protect your investment. Your checkup should take 5 minutes, or less. To find the status of your www domain quickly visit GoDaddy WhoIs each January to prevent any surprises.

Enter your domain name in the search box, and then press “Go” to verify that all data is current. Be aware of the creation date and expiration date for your domain. Have you changed credit cards in the last year? Don’t let your domain expire or have your website disappear because hosting payment is outdated. The next one is critical.

Are you listed as the Administrative contact? Confirm that your email address listed is current. If either is untrue, contact your service company to have this corrected. Renewal warnings or problems in your registration are only sent to the administrative contact, so make sure it is you and your email address is active.

Contact me if you have problems and want advice for your website status.