Site Help

SusanL · #1 (**permalink**) 11-23-2006, 09:19 PM

I would like to submit my site for all to pick apart. I also want to learn how to fix the things you do pick apart, so hang with me because this is going to take some time. I have never done any of this before and may/will not know what you are talking about sometimes. Well here goes this is my site that is 2-3 months old.

www.cookwareandappliance.com

P.S. thought I might add that I know nothing about writing or editing any kind of code. And I know nothing about Poll questions or Poll options. So if I should have set that up please let me know.

Thanks

Webnauts · #2 (**permalink**) 11-23-2006, 09:26 PM

Who have build the web site, if you have no idea about code? And how do you want fix what we will find?

SusanL · #3 (**permalink**) 11-23-2006, 09:52 PM

Hello,

The hosting company I have uses templates that are a great help. As for fixing things well I will be asking them lots of questions and get all the help that I can and have paid for. I believe in getting what I pay for and when I can get help here it will help me in knowing what I need to do to make my site better. The thing with getting help from a hosting company you have to know what to ask and remember that there are lots of things that they will not help with unless you ask the questions the right way. I also have found that doing searches on help topics works also. I know that my load time is too long and don't know how to fix it because I don't understand why it is slow other than the image files being to large and that I am starting to learn about how to make them smaller but it is slow work, trial and error. I hope this helps you understand where I am at and what I am trying to do.

Keimos · #4 (**permalink**) 11-23-2006, 10:43 PM

Hi SusanL,

Is your site still up, I keep getting a server error.

Keimos

Webnauts · #5 (**permalink**) 11-23-2006, 11:09 PM

I do not think that it is so easy if you are using a template system, as you can not have full control over it.

It would be easier to build a new web site instead.

SusanL · #6 (**permalink**) 11-23-2006, 11:15 PM

Hello Keimos and Webnauts,

I just checked and yes my site is still up. But let me know if you keep having a problem. I have no idea how to build a web site so for now this is what I have, but I am keeping that in mind as things grow.

davebarnes · #7 (**permalink**) 11-23-2006, 11:43 PM

SusanL,

1. If you are serious you will spend the money for Adobe's Dreamweaver and use that to edit your website.

Templates look like templates. That is, they look "cookie cutter" and "amateurish". Using templates is a sure sign that you don't know what you are doing.

2. The color scheme is putrid. A color that looks good on paper (burgundy) looks like muddy reddish brown on the web.

2. You have these meta tags:

Code:

<title>Cookware and Appliance</title>
<meta name="keywords" content="Cookware and appliance">
<meta name="description" content="Cookware and Appliance provides supplies to home cooks.  We offer names like Oneida, Baker's Secret, Corningware and other well known names.">

I would suggest that the format of the title tag be: benefit statement - company name.
The keyword tag needs to contain keywords. For example, Corningware.
The description tag is full of extraneous words such as: We like other well known names.

,dave

Webnauts · #8 (**permalink**) 11-23-2006, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davebarnes

SusanL,

If you are serious you will spend the money for Adobe's Dreamweaver and use that to edit your website.

Templates look like templates. That is, they look "cookie cutter" and "amateurish". Using templates is a sure sign that you don't know what you are doing.

,dave

There is also a similar and free software: http://www.nvu.com/index.php

Dubbya · #9 (**permalink**) 11-24-2006, 02:15 AM

Hi Susan,

If you're just learning html and need your site up quickly, keep using templates and learn how to tweak them to make them look the way you want.

There are tons of applications out there that help regular folks do some pretty amazing stuff. Some of them cost a ton, some of them are cheap.

Every Developer I've ever met has his or her preferences when it comes to software. Macromedia DreamWeaver, MS FrontPage, HomeSite Creator, Adobe PageMill. I know folks that still do everything in MS Notepad.

Go to your local book store, head over to the computing section and pick up a book on HTML. Keep asking questions and make a few mistakes. You'll learn very quickly. At the very least, you'll gain some valuable insight.

Download and try out a bunch and find what works best for you. Don't go dropping hundreds of dollars until you've tried out some free demos.

You might even consider an introductory HTML or web development course at a community college. The intro classes are pretty basic but move quickly and can save you a ton of time.

SusanL · #10 (**permalink**) 11-24-2006, 11:54 AM

Thank you all for your help. I have been looking at the tags and you are right some of them need some help. I have gotten conflicting information on tags but I think that I have decided that they are very important to get ranked higher faster. If I change the Title tag does that change the URL for that page?

As for the color that is not changable for me at this point because I don't know how to change it but I did think it worked well for what I am selling. I will look into the software that you all have mentioned and see what I have available right here. If I don't have what I need then I will go with the book store.

Dubbya · #11 (**permalink**) 11-24-2006, 12:30 PM

Changing the page title will not change your URL.

After a brief visit to your page, my concern would be the file size of your top graphic.

69Kb is too large and it's causing your page to load slowly. Once it's cached in the browser, the site moves along a lot better.

If you can, try to reduce the size of the image file.

SusanL · #12 (**permalink**) 11-24-2006, 05:02 PM

Hello davebarnes,

I have been looking at and working on the tags. Should each page have it's own title for benifits for that page? I have worked through the first 4 pages and have only change the title on the home page.

Webnauts · #13 (**permalink**) 11-25-2006, 03:48 AM

SusanL each title tag of each page must be unique and relevant to the page content.

SusanL · #14 (**permalink**) 11-25-2006, 09:04 PM

Should the company name be included on each one also?

Webnauts · #15 (**permalink**) 11-25-2006, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SusanL

Should the company name be included on each one also?

Sure. :)

Dubbya · #16 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 11:15 AM

Hi Susan,

If you're going to add the company name, always put it at the end of the page title. The closer your target keywords are to the beginning of the title, the better.

For example "My Page Title - My Company"

And try to keep the titles as short and descriptive as possible using around 60 characters.

janeth · #17 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SusanL

Should the company name be included on each one also?

No, every keyword you add to the title takes away from the other keywords being used in the title. Only used the keywords that you want to rank the page for.

You can rank for your page name without having to use it in the title.

janeth · #18 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 01:37 PM

I'm looking at the site in Firefox so not sure how it looks in IE.

First thing I see is the site is using to many different shades of red. I would pick one color of red and stick with it.

I would remove the link at the bottom of the page that says Powered by so and so.

I would put your telephone number in the header. The navigation under the header looks a little crazy I would either fix it so it lines up across the screen and make the font a little smaller or move it to the left side of the page with the other navigation.

I would move the navigation up to the top of the left hand column.

Your first line of text should tell me what you can do for me. I would I spend my time on your site and even more so why should I buy something from you. What's in it for me?

You should work the pictures in with the text instead of having them all in a line.

Move you css into an external folder.

Make your pictures larger and clearer.

Webnauts · #19 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 01:41 PM

Janeth did not check the company/domain name of our member here?

janeth · #20 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Webnauts

Janeth did not check the company/domain name of our member here?

I don't understand?

Webnauts · #21 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 02:00 PM

cookwareandappliance = cook+ware+and+appliance

janeth · #22 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Webnauts

cookwareandappliance = cook+ware+and+appliance

If those are the keywords she wants to rank the home page for then use them in the title but I would not put the name of the business in with the keywords.

The keywords in the URL will give the site a little boost, then the people that will link to the url without using anchor text will give the site more of a boost for those keywords.

But using the name in the title is a waste because she is not going to want to rank every page for those keywords.

Webnauts · #23 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 02:17 PM

But maybe you have not noticed that her company name is the name of her domain, what I mentioned above. Or did I miss something?

janeth · #24 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Webnauts

But maybe you have not noticed that her company name is the name of her domain, what I mentioned above. Or did I miss something?

My company name is the name of my domain name also. But I don't want that in my page title. The page title should be the keywords you want to rank the page for and nothing else.

Anything else takes away a little weight from the keywords you want to rank the page for.

Webnauts · #25 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 02:38 PM

OK Janeth. One more time.

Our member's company name is Cookware and Appliance.
These are also the targeted keywords. Shouldn't it be included in the title tag?

Think of SEO Workers, SEO Book and co. :)

janeth · #26 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Webnauts

OK Janeth. One more time.

Our member's company name is Cookware and Appliance.
These are also the targeted keywords. Shouldn't it be included in the title tag?

Think of SEO Workers, SEO Book and co. :)

Your only going to target those keywords on one page.

Your not going to try and rank every page for those keywords.

If you use the keywords in the title to many times the search engines will see it as spam and you can end up in the supplemental result.

If you are targeting the keyword "Free Recipes" then having the keywords "cookware and appliance" is going to take away some of the ranking power from free recipes.

Also with the search engines coming out with new filters you could get hit with a filter for having the same keywords in the title of every page. And stand a chance of the page looking spammy for using the keyword to many times in the title.

SusanL · #27 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 07:12 PM

Well I can see from above why I am having problems understanding these things. I will use cookware and appliance where I can and were it makes since with the rest of the page but other wise I would not need to use it and it would not help those pages any way. That is how I am understanding what was said about the title.

I would also like to thank janeth for the advise about the navigation bar. As for the reds being there I have no control over them, they are part of the template. I have been considering changing the template because others have said things about it not looking so good also.

I have recently come across other templates that I will consider but I don't know how to use what I have found because it is not part of what the hosting company offers.

I still have a lot to learn that is for sure.
The help you all have given is greatly appreciated.

olatokunbo · #28 (**permalink**) 11-28-2006, 05:09 PM

After reading the advice of all the resident experts,not being much of one myself,i,d pretty much like to say that as far as i,m concerned the plate of pasta looks scrumptious.

SusanL · #29 (**permalink**) 11-28-2006, 05:58 PM

Hello olatokunbo,

Thank you. If you look around on the site you will find the link to many recipes that I add more to each week. Let me know how it goes and if you try one of the recipes please send me a note as to how it turned out for you.

Webnauts · #30 (**permalink**) 11-29-2006, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by janeth

Also with the search engines coming out with new filters you could get hit with a filter for having the same keywords in the title of every page. And stand a chance of the page looking spammy for using the keyword to many times in the title.

So does that mean that if I add my company name SEO Workers in the title of every page, am I spamming?

Then we and Aaron Wall (SEO Book) will be soon banned.
That sounds horrible. Don't you think?

SusanL · #31 (**permalink**) 12-11-2006, 11:41 PM

I have made changes and would like to have my site looked at again. I did have the hosted by removed but it has shown back up again so I will be calling on that again. Please let me know if there are other changes that I could make to help my site.

Thank you

SusanL · #32 (**permalink**) 12-11-2006, 11:47 PM

I have a question and not sure where to ask it so I will ask here and please direct me to the right place. Like I have said I have never done this before. My site has been submited but I can only find the first page do I need to submit each page that has different content on it? I don't know if I should submit the pages with product for sale or not either or my recipe pages. Can someone please let me know more about this.

Thank you

olatokunbo · #33 (**permalink**) 12-12-2006, 12:39 PM

I am not to sure but i think that over a period of time the robot might pick up the diffrent pages based on content.

SusanL · #34 (**permalink**) 12-12-2006, 02:58 PM

How long does this take? Weeks, Months, or Years?

olatokunbo · #35 (**permalink**) 12-12-2006, 03:19 PM

It could be weeks or months but it's not uncommon for the search engines to pick up your other pages as well for diffrent reasons,usually caused by links on that page to another site.

SusanL · #36 (**permalink**) 12-12-2006, 03:24 PM

So am I understanding that it would be helpful to have links to other site on pages where I am selling things so that the search engines can find them and rank them better?

olatokunbo · #37 (**permalink**) 12-12-2006, 03:28 PM

Itcan be useful but that would depend on the quality and qauntity of the sites you are linked to,in general the more sites you are linked to,the higher your page rank.

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