Newsletter - June 2002

Who’s finding--or not finding--your web site?
Are you “searchable”? Who’s finding--or not finding--your web site?
Yes, we’ve all seen offers like this: “Guaranteed to submit your site to over 1,000 of the top search engines for only $100! ...or $300, etc. This is always a bad idea. You only need to be concerned with the top 10 (plus any niche directories in your area of business). Plus, mass submissions can be considered “spam” and some sites may actually delist you for this! Read on.

A search engine uses powerful servers and software programs referred to as “spiders”, “robots” or “crawlers” to comb the Internet and automatically catalog web site content. Some of the best-known search engines include Google, Excite, and Infoseek.

A directory is a listing of sites on the Web arranged in a hierarchy. For example, the top level will consist of generalized headings such as “Business”. Click on “Business” and you'll get a more detailed list of choices, let's say Finance, Shopping and Law. Click “Shopping”, and you'll get another, more detailed site, along with some general shopping sites. Click “Toys” and you can see toy sites. Click...you get the idea.

Fact: New sites are added to directories by hand! Yes, it’s true, believe it. Obviously then for best results your site should be polished before it is submitted. And it should be resubmitted after any major content or design updates. As a service to our clients, Cactus Juice takes care of these submissions free of charge.

Getting good placement on search engines is a tricky and potentially expensive process. Each engine uses different methods and algorithms for rating sites. What’s more, these rules tend to change as technology advances. As a basic service Cactus Juice configures new pages for optimal “listability”. Is that word? We’ve been honing our successful techniques for years and--hey, we really enjoy this stuff!

Flash tends to discourage usability
Flash is proprietary multimedia format created by Macromedia. Flash allows for animations, sounds and client interaction on web sites. Chances are you’ve visited a web site with a fancy trailer and the omnipresent “skip intro” link. Welcome to Flash.

Most Flash on web sites is bad because the technology tends to discourage usability. Three cases in point: 1). It makes poor design more likely. 2). It consumes time and money that would be better spent improving your web site’s content. 3). It breaks with the Web's fundamental interaction style.

Poor Design
My example above regarding “splash” pages is a great one. Most clients visit a site to be informed, entertained or to shop. Your competition is one second away, just a click of the mouse. And no one wants to wait through a intro movie every time they visit your site.

Eats Time And Money
Attractive flash production is not cheap, design rates start at about $50/hour in Portland and go up fast—you get what you pay for. An attractive spash page can easily consume 40 hours or more. You do the math.

Breaks Web Fundamentals
This is the biggie. A web site that is encapsulated in Flash is most likely not searchable! What’s more visitors cannot use their browsers built-in navigation buttons and “find” feature. Right clicking and other on screen status information is lost as well.

There Are Exceptions
Flash can be useful and attractive in some situations. Effective banner ads can be designed with flash. Product demos via animations look good in Flash (as well as Shockwave…but that’s another article). In general, if your site requires animations or multimedia-type inserts, Flash may be the tool.

Content is king
Always continue adding content to your web site. Content is king! Your data is an important commodity to many people. Updated content provides a service to your web audience. The better the content, the more visitors your site will pull and the more frequently they will visit! Once more, content is king...data is the future...the future began yesterday.

Content Ideas
• Add a map and directions to your office
• Build a direcotory of employee names, titles and phone numbers
• Add a shopping cart for online purchases of your products or services.
• If you have a shopping cart, consider adding order tracking or email shipping alerts.
• Create a “library” of industry related articles, links and tools.
• Include a “client's only” area for sensitive or premium content.
• Display testimonials from satisfied customers.
• Offer a sign-up form/page for customers to join your mailing list.

Put your web site to work
How many phone calls per week are from clients asking for directions to your office? How many brochures, reports and documents do you mail out that could be delivered via email or your web site? Are you taking phone orders? Online ordering can be built into your existing web site or Cactus Juice can build custom e-commerce solutions from the ground up. Put your web site to work!