It’s important to optimize your Web site for the best search results

Editor’s note: Michelle Stockman works with Little Rock-based Arkansas Capital Corp. to promote entrepreneurship development around the state. Stockman earned a bachelor’s degree from Loyola University-Chicago in communications and fine arts, and earned a master’s in entrepreneurship from Western Carolina University. Her thoughts on business success appear each week on The City Wire.

In looking back through the past ten years it is hard to believe how far the Internet has grown. It used to be that people would learn HTML and post a simple Web site about their business or their hobby for fun. Those rudimentary Web sites were fun for a small audience. However, the Web quickly became the playing field for businesses to grow and capture new markets.

Through the maturing of the Web and the birth of search engines to help the average user quickly find what they are looking for, a new playing field has been created for doing business on the Internet. It is no longer acceptable to simply throw an elementary Web site onto the internet and call your responsibility as a business done.

Businesses need to look at how their Web site is going to be used and where people are going to find the information you have on your site. Starting with Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which is a process for maximizing traffic to Web pages or Web sites through natural search results (i.e. Google, Bing, etc.). There have also been numerous studies done to understand how the average viewer looks at a Web site, and a clear pattern has emerged on what should be considered when constructing a Web site.

To help small business owners create effective websites capable of competing for an online audience, there are 12 Web site tactics to keep in mind for the business site. These tactics include the following:
• Use headlines as this is the number one item that draws attention to your site. Also, do not include your headlines into graphics on the page as the web crawlers will not be able to read the text.

• Viewers only scan the first few words in the Headline, so get to the point quickly.

• People scan the left side of the site first (just like reading a book), so keep your headlines on the left.

• You have less than one second to grab the viewer’s attention.

• Under the headline, use smaller type as this will now engage the viewer into your content.

• Keep your site navigation at the top of the page.

• Use short paragraphs to encourage reading, long texts will disengage the viewer.

• Know that the first paragraph on any page will be read the most, so make sure you use your key words and information in the first paragraph.

• Ad placements on your Web site (whether internal or external ads to your business) are best at the top and left side of your page.

• People pay the most attention to ads placed next to popular content on the site.

• People read text ads more than graphic ads, except for when the ad is promoting something that is unfamiliar to the reader.

• Key words and their placement on the Web site, in the site code and within any blog, Tweet or facebook effort you engage in is critical. The better the use of key words, the more likely your site will show up in good rankings on the search engines.

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Stockman can be reached at [email protected]