SEO and Google
- Thread starter GameOfMoans
- Start date
If Google indexes a site and the URLs change, then I believe (though I could be wrong) you will get 404 errors until the site gets indexed again. This may not be exactly what's going on, but point is, get the site like you want it and then do the Google submitting and site mapping.
Just takes time, and not hours, but days or weeks.
I use Yoast Wordpress SEO on a couple sites and it seems to have improved the visibility. I'm guessing Squarespace has similar tools. Just takes time to get the maximum benefit from the content, metadata and keywording efforts.
One of my sites I just checked has never been submitted to Bing, but using the same search words was 3rd on the first page of Bing and not listed on Google's first page. The LinkedIn Company page was fourth on Google, so a LinkedIn page has it's benefits.
Just takes time, and not hours, but days or weeks.
I use Yoast Wordpress SEO on a couple sites and it seems to have improved the visibility. I'm guessing Squarespace has similar tools. Just takes time to get the maximum benefit from the content, metadata and keywording efforts.
One of my sites I just checked has never been submitted to Bing, but using the same search words was 3rd on the first page of Bing and not listed on Google's first page. The LinkedIn Company page was fourth on Google, so a LinkedIn page has it's benefits.
Browncoat
Senior Member
^ 100% correct.
Time is a site's best friend. For new sites, getting all your ducks in a row can seem like a tedious waiting game, but you're on the right track. You definitely want to correct those crawl errors to increase your site's credibility with Google. Once those are complete, remove the notifications from the Google dashboard and put up an XML sitemap. Then, just wait.
Adding new, regular blog content will help your cause, as will other things outlined in the SEO guide.
Time is a site's best friend. For new sites, getting all your ducks in a row can seem like a tedious waiting game, but you're on the right track. You definitely want to correct those crawl errors to increase your site's credibility with Google. Once those are complete, remove the notifications from the Google dashboard and put up an XML sitemap. Then, just wait.
Adding new, regular blog content will help your cause, as will other things outlined in the SEO guide.
Links (esp major important links) are quite important to Google search ranking. Google does try to filter links (trying to omit spam junk), but ranking is pretty hard to achieve if no one in the world thinks your site is worth linking.
You can find the links to your site at Google by searching on
link:specify your URL (see http://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/55281?hl=en )
Sites sharing genuine content seem much easier to attract links. Content also increases key words.
James, your site at http://www.jamesduncanweddingphotography.com
does not mention your location. Not city, not even your country. Not on any page, but not on Main page for search engines to find, for people looking for photography in your city. That seems a really big mistake. Who are you hoping to attract?
Sorry, I found it, way at bottom of page. Seems more important than that?
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GameOfMoans
Senior Member
Hi Wayne, it's on my contact page, with a google map. I also mention my location at the top of the gallery, and in the blog, every title has Edinburgh in it. Also there is text Squarespace request that get's crawled, e.g The title and subtitle, that are not visable on the page, but give location information and say that I'm a wedding photographer.
Admitted, it must be working, since a Google search for
edinburgh wedding photography duncan
shows you as the first two hits (one of which is "not found").
So I have to agree with you now. My thinking may have been nonsense, but it was as follows:
On the blog page, are those few instances of Edinburgh text? They act like images, and browser menu File - Find does not find the word Edinburgh either. Only text is indexed or searchable. Apparently this is unneeded though, the Title is working.
Same with the map, only text is searchable.
I see now Edinburgh is in the Titles, which is very good for Google, the most important key words, and is what is working for you, so don't change it, but Firefox and IE show it on short tabs, and truncates it out of sight of the reader. I wanted to see location or area served "in my face".
It seems the first consideration.
Looking in source, you do have the word Edinburgh often, but mostly in various meta tags, which Google indexing mostly ignores. Google indexes actual text words you actually say (as what is important at the site), not those words you include but hide and don't actually say. Other search engines might look at some of them? The About header does say Edinburgh (as searchable text).
My own notion was that people looking for wedding photography there would want to see Edinburgh first thing, and I'd probably be out of there if I didn't find it quick. I'd want location to be highly visible, prominently, first thing. Just one opinion.
edinburgh wedding photography duncan
shows you as the first two hits (one of which is "not found").
So I have to agree with you now. My thinking may have been nonsense, but it was as follows:
On the blog page, are those few instances of Edinburgh text? They act like images, and browser menu File - Find does not find the word Edinburgh either. Only text is indexed or searchable. Apparently this is unneeded though, the Title is working.
Same with the map, only text is searchable.
I see now Edinburgh is in the Titles, which is very good for Google, the most important key words, and is what is working for you, so don't change it, but Firefox and IE show it on short tabs, and truncates it out of sight of the reader. I wanted to see location or area served "in my face".
It seems the first consideration.Looking in source, you do have the word Edinburgh often, but mostly in various meta tags, which Google indexing mostly ignores. Google indexes actual text words you actually say (as what is important at the site), not those words you include but hide and don't actually say. Other search engines might look at some of them? The About header does say Edinburgh (as searchable text).
My own notion was that people looking for wedding photography there would want to see Edinburgh first thing, and I'd probably be out of there if I didn't find it quick. I'd want location to be highly visible, prominently, first thing. Just one opinion.
GameOfMoans
Senior Member
And an opinon that is most welcome Wayne, so thanks for looking and your explanation is helpful. Cheers
Do you upload your sitemap thru Google and Bing webmaster tools? There's some good analytics on there that will give you some idea of whats happening to your site and some very involved stuff that will bore you senseless as well!
It will at least give you an indication of whether there is anything wrong at a fundamental level, so you can eliminate any basic errors. Apart from that it's time and keep on producing content for your site on a regular basis...
It will at least give you an indication of whether there is anything wrong at a fundamental level, so you can eliminate any basic errors. Apart from that it's time and keep on producing content for your site on a regular basis...
GameOfMoans
Senior Member
Thanks Jules, yes, I need to get found, to get more business. But to get found, I need content...but without bookings, my content choices are harder but I've come up with a few so far, it's how far i can keep that going before I can update my blog with more shoots.....given where we are in the year, any bookings I get will be for weddings into next year now. But people get through it, so I need to find a way also.
Cheers
Cheers
JohnFrench
Senior Member
They call my work at least once a week.