Don't Let 'Em Fool Ya, Yahoo Uses Keywords Meta Tag

Anne Feher: Web Works SEO & Copywriter
Thanks, searchengineland.com, for letting us know. Our SEO copywriting team hears a lot of concerns and receives a lot of input from novice SEOs. First off, people usually want to jam-pack it with as many keywords as possible, no matter the length. Second, they think if it doesn't have every keyword that could ever be related to their site, that their SEO is shot.

A few weeks ago, news spread that Yahoo had finally chosen to get rid of the keywords tag. Many folks in the community breathed a sigh of relief, since it caused so much confusion and isn't even used by Bing and Google.

But, as Danny Sullivan of searchengineland.com let everyone know, Yahoo DOES still use the keywords meta tag to rank sites. However, they use a new algorithm for it that makes it the LEAST IMPORTANT piece of information used to determine rank. We encourage you to read the post script of Danny Sullivan's post, which is a direct response from Yahoo, to learn exactly how they use it.

Behold! Tava Energy.

New Site Brought to You by Web Works The search for a simpler way to live has inspired the launch of a socially conscious, environmentally responsible e-commerce retail company, Tava Energy. Tava Energy challenges everyone to be more environmentally responsible and plans to make achieving that goal convenient for the consumer. Tava Energy believes in the commitment of sharing your unique talent for the good of others and the willingness to work diligently at saving our planet - together. For more information please visit www.tavaenergy.com. Please check back frequently for our upcoming holiday promotions.

Delayed Gratification

Why Patience is a Virtue in the Game of SEO

By Web Works Coordinator & SEO Specialist, K. McMahon

Those new to SEO are often surprised when their juvenile domain fails to land on top of the SERPs after only a night's rest. Of course, this isn't an unusual assumption in a society driven by instant gratification. Unlike daily transactions, SEO is more of a long-term investment that needs some time to age. Frequently, inadequate ranking leads people to spastic meta data renovation. Yet, the initial impulse to prematurely revise meta data can hinder your ranking potential and ultimately, prolong the wait. The most effective way to strengthen ranking is to double-check the wealth of your content [make sure the content is supporting the main keyword on your page] and market your site outside the web. High Ranking contends in their article, "No Quick Fixes Where Search Engine Optimization is Concerned." As far as advice goes, just remember, good things come to those who wait.

What are They Going to Retouch Next, National Forests?

The following post is a quick post from Web Works Staff Designer, N. Tuttle, and is especially revealing after the current Ralph Lauren photo retouching controversy.

Although it's not something that comes up very often in small business web design, the omnipresent practice of digital photo retouching can hit very hard in a personal sense; it affects everything else around us. It's affecting self-perception, the social import of body-image, even our perception of places (it's not terribly difficult to move buildings around on a city skyline).

The question: Now that this wonder of modern technology lets us do so many things with images, do we really know what we're changing?

Read what the British are considering in this New York Times online article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/28/business/media/28brush.html?_r=1

A Splash in the Pan

Why Splash Pages are Only Cool at First

By Web Works Coordinator & SEO Specialist, K. McMahon

A splash page is essentially a design-oriented home page sans readable content. Generally, a splash page is chalk full of dazzling, flashy visuals that impress everyone except the Search Engines. Viewers (who have advanced internet connections) may be enticed by the use of flash and graphic ingenuity; however, splash pages are virtually impossible to optimize. Even if there's content on the page, it will be neglected by the Search Engines because it's perceived as an image. Splash pages are a suitable option for companies who only use their website as a reference for current clients and/or those who spread the word of their site in a non-internet fashion. To read on about Splash Pages, please check out Dee Sullivan's article, "SEO and Splash Pages".

Designer vs. Programmer

From Senior Web Works Designer, Bree Barry

In the web design world, the difference between designers and programmers is like peanut butter and jelly. They go great together, but they come from very different places.

Designers go to art schools and have Fine Arts degrees. Their education is spent painting, drawing and using photoshop. When they graduate, their skill set is one of intuitive thought, creative thinking, and imagining what the best look and feel is for their client's design. Programmers go to technical schools and spend most of their time in computer labs learning to "speak computer," or in other words, writing code. They know a whole different language that most of the world doesn't even know exists.

With the changing economy, businesses have found the need to streamline the two, into one person with two important talents, and Web Works is no different. Our designers not only design the sites, but build them into the fully functioning web sites that you see in our portfolio. We have some truly talented individuals on the design team that are able to think and design on multiple levels. Consider Web Works the peanut butter and jelly of the web design world.

Feeling Bloated?

Avoiding Website Bloat

By Web Works Staff Designer, N. Tuttle

Bloat is a problem that affects all websites. There is growing pressure to put applets, documents, music players, and all manner of (often) useless junk on websites.

While a website has to look interesting to be effective, a website that is cluttered with all manner of weather trackers, social networking applets, background music, etc. is not effective.

Taking a minimalist (or at least pseudo-minimalist) approach to website design can often yield great benefits. Properly used imagery can push an already well-designed but somewhat bare website from good to great.

Here are examples:

http://sixrevisions.com/design-showcase-inspiration/40-beautiful-examples-of-minimalism-in-web-design/