Archive for the ‘News’ Category
published by Dan in News
Aside from the alternate URL suggestion in case of typo error leading to a 404 message two other problems addressed by Google Toolbar for IE’s new feature include DNS errors and connection failures.
DNS errors - Typo errors can also result in non-existent domain names instead of valid URLs. For example: http://www.doublespark-seo.com.uk/ Instead of simply giving a “Server not found” error the new feature suggests similar URLs so that users will realise they actually mistyped http://www.doublespark-seo.co.uk/
Connection failures - Connection failures are inevitable even with good hosting. In case your server is temporarily down Google will automatically show a link to the cached version of your page. This is very useful indeed for pages that want their content (though not neccessarily the most updated content) to always be accessible. Note that this is the same cached page that shows up in the Google search results. If no cached page shows up in the Google search results it might be that you have disallowed caching. In my opinion this is perhaps the most useful of the three new features since we want to be able to give service to users as much as possible.
Popularity: 52% [?]
published by Dan in News
Google Toolbar for IE (beta) has some pretty nifty features including the newest addition to it which helps users in case something goes wrong so that they can still view your site and its contents. Basically, these new features have nothing to do with your site’s SEO but any webmaster will be happy to know that their site still stands a better chance of being viewed even when a user mistypes the URL or there is a connection problem. Basically the first problem that this new feature addresses are 404 errors with default error pages.
As we all know if an invalid URL is typed in the 404 message, which by default says something like “Page Not Found” is returned by your server. What’s cool about the new toolbar feature is that when this happens instead of simply returning the 404 message it suggests an alternate URL to the user so that the user knows where to go to in case of simple misspelling. Note though that if you customise your site’s error page, which is a common practice to increase usability, the new toolbar feature will not work.
It goes without saying that this a good thing in terms of usability and also traffic generation since users, turned off by the 404 message, will give your site another chance if given useful suggestions.
to be continued…
Popularity: 56% [?]
published by Dan in News | SEO Meetings
Web masters, web designers, SEO consultants and everyone else into information technology shouldn’t miss the Online Information Show 2007. The show will be held starting tomorrow till Thursday (December 4 - 6) at the Olympia Grandhall in London. The show features exhibits from 250 companies and a three-day conference from notable speakers.
The conference has three main topics with speakers giving talks simultaneously. Track one focuses on the challenges of Web 2.0, track two focuses on Information search and discovery, and track three is all about library and publishing. The second day brings new topics for tracks one and two so that those into SEO should try to make it on the first day of the conference.
In case you do miss the conference though you can still visit the exhibitors. To find out the full list of exhibits related to search simply view the 2007 Exhibitor List on the IMS website.
Popularity: 21% [?]
published by Gary in News
Along with two of my associates Leigh and Richard, I will be giving a presentation entitled “How To Make Search Engines Love Your Website” to the Chartered Institute of Marketing this coming Wednesday the 19th September.
This SEO seminar will provide you with essential principles and highly pratical techniques and tips to improve your search engine rankings and ultimately your profitability.
Devoted to Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) this seminar will provide answers to these questions and more:
- How do search engines work (and implications for your site)?
- How do you identify the right keywords and phrases.
- What are the design techniques that help (or hinder) SEO performance?
- How can SEO copywriting help?
- How can link building can help you boost your rankings?
- What is SEO monitoring and how can it help me?
- If you want to bring in specialist SEO help, where should you focus your investment?
Guest ticket are available at £15 each
Popularity: 18% [?]
0845 838 7448 
