Advice required on how best to update my existing website

[silverpuresilver]

Happy New Year

New Year and new start - I have been advised that a budget may be made availble for me to update my website (I don't yet have a figure to play with). Obviously I can update it manually myself with products, prices and photos, etc.

I would be looking to spend some money on the workings of the website and I know that it could do with some SEO work on it, but I'm not sure where to start.

Could anyone advise how I would be best spending my(!) money, either on SEO or other major issues that I'm not fully aware of?

Thanks

Karen

[dave_n]

Hi Karen
You have a circular problem!

If you don't optimise for the SE's then your site wont be seen by customers to sell your goods but on the other hand if you don't update your site content then you may not sell new goods!

Where do you think your site is lacking?

[INDIZINE]

when you say 'might be available to you' - is this your own money or is it some funding? It would be best to find out the amount so you know what you can prioritise on or split it across what you need accordingley.

[silverpuresilver]

My web designer advised that funding may be available, and obviously they would like me to spend the money with them(!), however I am wondering where best to spend any available finance.

Whilst the site could do with some cosmetic 'freshening up', I am unsure if there is a more fundamental area that needs amending.

I am sure that the basic SEO workings of the site could do with updating - eg: we don't have page specific metatags, descriptions or titles, links page. Should I focus on these???

Could anyone recommend anything that our site should definitely be doing, that we are currently not? I understand that SEO is an ongoing project, but if there is something specific that our site is obviously lacking, I would appreciate some advice.

Thanks

[dave_n]

not sure I understand 'funding available from the web designer'...aren't you the customer who is paying?

is the freshening up driven by you or your customers?
people who own sites soon get bored with them after looking at them on a daily basis....that's not necessarily the view of customers!

yes you need to sort out your meta tags if they are not complete.

[awebapart.com]

I am sure that the basic SEO workings of the site could do with updating - eg: we don't have page specific metatags, descriptions or titles, links page. Should I focus on these???

Could anyone recommend anything that our site should definitely be doing, that we are currently not?
At the very least, and as one of your top priorities, I recommend that you make the titles page specific for each category and product page.

[INDIZINE]

Funding comes from the agency who manages it, not the desiger, but you will find that they are an approved supplier no doubt, and of course they want to keep you as a customer. However, you are at liberty to choose from any approved supplier if you wish.

[Ethernetworks]

I think the site looks really tidy.
Someone tell me if I am wrong - but the fundamental problem with any php driven site (especially dynamically displayed pages) is that it is notoriously difficult to crawl by spiders.
I wonder whether an initial html splash page would be advantageous that way you can meta tag it with better search engine results.

[silverpuresilver]

Thanks for all your messages.

Ok, so metatags and individual page titles would be a good start. Unfortunately, this was not something that was done at the outset, and once mentioned the designers wanted to be paid for the extra work.

My greatest hope is the the website gradually claws its way up the rankings, to avoid having to pay for ppc advertising.

Not sure what a php driven site is (or a dynamically displayed page), and why is it difficult for spiders to crawl?

K

[Catherine_WebsitesUK]

Hi Silver,

I am currently working with Business Link in the East of England who in some cases provide grants in order to improve your website or start a new one if you don't already have one.

If you website could use some improvements, then it would be worth finding your nearest Business Link contact. The grants are awarded under their 'Supplier Brokerage' scheme (this is a regional thing, so I will probably be out of your region).

You will need to prove that your business is really in need of this assistance, and that the improvements will make a substantial difference to your income.

It sounds as if your website is in pretty good shape - If I was you, I would invest any extra money you were thinking of spending into a good Pay Per Click campaign, or some additional online advertising.

Good Luck!

xx

[Catherine_WebsitesUK]

PS. You have a really beautiful site :)

[fisicx]

Replying to a 2 year old post probably isn't that helpful.

[dunerider]

Spend your money on seo, advertising and selling on other channels before looking at a site refresh.

sell first - use the profit to improve the site, win, win

[DotNetWebs]

Replying to a 2 year old post probably isn't that helpful.

Agreed - it smacks of desperation to me and probably to most other people who have been here more than 5 minutes.

Regards

Dotty

[Catherine_WebsitesUK]

Apologies, I didn't realise it was an old post - Just replied quickly to something I found interesting, and didn't want to push the post up top by replying to it yet again.

Dotty - would you mind telling me exactly what I am supposed to be desperate for? Ever since I started posting here you have been trying to raise an argument with me - Maybe it's you who is worried about the competition?

[Tin]

Guys, give the member a break please? Replying to an old (expired thread) is an easy thing to fall into if you're a new member, similarly it's also easy to contribute to an old thread if you've found it through the search function.:)

[DotNetWebs]

...Dotty - would you mind telling me exactly what I am supposed to be desperate for? Ever since I started posting here you have been trying to raise an argument with me - Maybe it's you who is worried about the competition?

Hi Catherine

I think you may be being a bit of sensitive here

I am certainly not just "trying to raise an argument with you" for the sake of it.

I have just looked through my recent posts and as far as I can see have have replied to you twice before. On both occasions IMO you were giving bad advice and I was just countering it in the thread.

1. When you suggested that an Alexa ranking was a good indication of traffic - I believe it is not and have said so to many other people in other threads.

2. To the post that was asking for an incremental back up solution you said "Save stuff in the right place and you don't need to worry about back-up's at all." - I replied "And how does that work for incremental back ups? Do you have a system?"

The very fact that you say "Maybe it's you who is worried about the competition?" implies that you may be using this forum to seek new business. There is nothing wrong with that of course and it's great to get 'stuck in' and participate with the forum.

I just think you have to realise that giving frankly bad advice [not needing to worry about backups] is going to get questioned by other members.

My desperation comment was a bit harsh and for that I apologise. I just think it doesn't give a good impression when new members, keen to get their post count up, seek out thread to answer without checking the date of the last reply. For some threads new posts may well be valid but for threads like this it is totally irrelevant.

Finally to your suggestion that I may some how may be "worried about the competition" on this forum - I have long since given up taking on work from other people and for several years have only worked on my own projects. Even if I wanted more work then I would not actively seek it here.

Regards

Dotty