SEO or Advertising Space

[CPL]

I have a potential valuable piece of space at the top of all my web pages and the question is:-

Should I use this space for SEO rather than try to get contextual advertising revenue for it?The site isn't going to launch until next week so i don't really want this link crawled but here is the address; test.pubs.positive-dedicated.net/functionRoom.php

Many thanks

CPL

[grishamist]

If you want to boost up traffic to your site, Search engine optimization is the best choice, advertising is a part of off-page optimization so a full package for you.

[jobster]

advertising might be your best bet as with that small space not much effective on-site seo could be done

[CPL]

Thanks guys, Jobster are you saying that:-

The most valuable and sought after website real estate space that external advertisers pay for is no good for internal advertising?

That having an optimised image such as pubs function room.jpg, in this popular, above the fold space is a waste of time?

That Alt tags with a great description of the site so close to the top of the page would not help google find out who we are and what we do?

I understand it's a very small space but there are quite a few pages, hundreds of thousands if you count the different search combinations.

As I said, the site isn't going to launch until next week so I don't really want this link crawled but here is the address; test.pubs.positive-dedicated.net/functionRoom.php

Many thanks for your input.

CPL

[Crawdad]

How well monetized is the site? Does the site make more off of the traffic it receives or from advertisers waiting like hungry wolves in the wings?

It's about making money. Which option will bring up the sites profit?

Optimizing is fine, just make sure you are optimizing the right thing.

[advancedmerchant]

SEO!

Get your site popular first, or your advertising will not generate any revenue anyway!

Maybe use that spot for a promotion of your services.

[CPL]

Thanks again guys, good feedback:-

Crawdad, the site is launching next week so is new and not monetized and it's intended that it will work from licensee subscriptions. However, contextual adds will show if visitor searches for something and there are less than 6 results.

Good point advancedmerchant, however, I have a 15,000 - opt in customer database from an existing 7 year old website on a similar theme and 500 + paying subcribing licensees. the new site is an attempt to rebrand. I can make it popular to some extent from the old site.

Site is:- test.pubs.positive-dedicated.net/functionRoom.php

Thanks again

CPL

[Markll]

If your site content is well delivered and relavant. The single best SEO strategy is a well rounded well executed marketing campaign.

SEO tactics are not gaurenteed to last whereas a solid foundation of branding through marketing and advertising is.

Spend your money on the future. Don't get suckered into an SEO fixation.

[CPL]

Mtheory, thank you for your feedback, absolutely right, I am currently spending in excess of £3,000 per month on a well executed marketing campaign including the old site, new site build, off-page PR specialist and online advertising.

It's just that I have this 468 x 60 piece of real estate that I'm not sure what to do with. Thanks again.

CPL

[bsmiffy]

Hi great idea for a site, i actually thought of some thing like the job section as it's sooo hard to find good bar people especially in my village.

Any way back to the site, it's a bit on the grey side for me so adding a bit of colour with a banner be it your own or an ad sounds good.

If you can get the traffic as you say then i would put an ad there if not you might need to wait until you have the traffic.

Good luck

[CPL]

bsmiffy thanks for the feedback. Agreed, 2nd comment I've received on the site being a bit "bland looking". I'm working on it. I feel that good quality information is most important. However, I'm aiming to get as many pub and bar websites up to this standard asap:

test.pubs.positive-dedicated.net//Microsite/video.php?publicanID=559

The job section is there on the right of the search pages just not active yet. (hopefully next week).

Another one on the fence between ad and seo. Good stuff, :) Thank you again.


CPL

[GP200]

For the sites function the design/look is good. "Bland" doesn't really come into it.

The info is presented clearly and is user friendly and this should be the priority for a business subscriber site.

Regarding using the space for SEO or advertising seems a bit of strange question to me. Regarding SEO above the fold, CSS means your content can be presented in the order you want to spiders so I wouldn't worry too much on that score.

If by SEO you mean an internal link/links or text in your top banner space versus an external advertising banner I would think what suits your users best?

It's a new or redesign with an established user base you want to move over to the new website, think of the users visiting the new website or new website version.

You want them to feel at home as quick as possible.

What will they be looking for?

[jobster]

you mentioned SEO, nothing about internal promotion, if this is your aim then yes this is a great place for internal promotion, but in terms of pure on-site SEO, one image no matter how well optimised is only going to effect your rankings minimally

[SEO]

SEO!

Get your site popular first, or your advertising will not generate any revenue anyway!

Maybe use that spot for a promotion of your services.

Seo is definitely the most important. Without visitors absolutely everything else you do is worthless (unless you use PPC of course). You can have the best website in the world, but if you're not getting any traffic it's not going to make you any money no matter how well placed your advertisements are.

[CPL]

OK in light of what has been said, and thank you all for your comments, I have decided on the following. It's not completed yet with some links and meta info to work on but it's a start. Hopefully, the internal link banner I think adds colour and credibility.

Now I don't mind google finding me.

Welcome to the pub and bar online revolution. Pub and Bar Network (http://www.pubandbar-network.co.uk)

Any site feedback or SEO tips before I launch will be gratefully received.

Thanks again for taking the time in helping me decide on the internal linking option.

http://www.citypublife.co.uk/Pub%20and%20Bar%20Network%20logo%20for%20WebProWor ld.jpg

[SEO]

Just one thing immediately grabs my attention with regard to on-page SEO.
I would change the 'Home' text link to the main, targeted keyword - e.g. 'local events' or 'pub & bar'.

P.S. I have sent you a PM.

[Webnauts]

SEO!!!

[CPL]

SEO thank you for your comments, I have replied to your PM but not sure if I did it correctly. Webnauts, your posts always carry a lot of weight and as you can see, for the banner at the top of all the search pages, I have listened to all, and even on the microsite I haven't been tempted to put in the obligatory contextual ads.

You can actually find contextual ads but they are only there in the results if we can't find 6 or more venues doing what the site visitor is searching for. Example:- If anybody cares to follow the search through, Regular Events > Boat Race > Skip Map - you can see we have added contextual google ads as a last resort to find the visitor something. (I know, hit and miss but I feel better than nothing) Therefore, we are not upsetting our subscribing licensees. We will show these ads only if less than six "organic" results are shown giving visitors a range of choices.

So our strategy is ads yes if it helps but no if it doesn't. "Philosophy, less is more" Advantages:-

keep visitors happy, at least lets them know we are trying to produce results.
keep subscribers happy.
potentially more revenue (we will see).Against the norm but I think the right approach. Anybody with any further suggestions, thoughts, pros and cons etc. I think a lively discussion could develop - is SEO more important than advertising on the site? What comes first, chicken or egg? Again, thanks to all contributors to the thread.

Welcome to the pub and bar online revolution. Pub and Bar Network (http://www.pubandbar-network.co.uk/)

PS. The search facility - but non-scalable - Citypublife (http://www.citypublife.co.uk/searchindex.htm) worked phenomenally well for London and we are proud at what we have acheived for our subscribers, visitors and ourselves with that. The Pub and Bar Network is an attempt to take the idea nationally or even world wide, so those of you out there looking for a business opportunity / alliance, please feel free to contact me. I'm open to ideas. (sorry if this is the wrong place to mention that, moderators please feel free to delete if it doesn't comply).

http://www.citypublife.co.uk/Pub%20and%20Bar%20Network%20logo%20for%20WebProWor ld.jpg (http://www.pubandbar-network.co.uk/)

[full house]

Better use it in your SEO.