Archive for August 2009

E-commerce Web Design for Portland Businesses

By on August 28, 2009

If you have a company here in Portland selling products out of one or several stores, your business can experience a powerful growth in business by having a Portland Web Designer develop an e-commerce website for your business.

There are a number of reasons to consider investing in an e-commerce website.

  1. E-commerce websites expand your business beyond Portland to the nation and possibly even internationally, depending on where you want to ship your products. As the economy recovers, we could still find that the local economy here in Portland recovers more slowly than in other places. As a result, cities and states that are experiencing stronger economic recoveries have more expendible income and greater buying power. If these buyers find your website and search your products, you could see tremendous growth in sales not limited to the Portland metro area.
  2. E-commerce websites are open 24/7.  These websites are always open for business, always showcasing your products, always ready to process orders. If you decide to expand internationally, then people won’t be limited to time zone differences.
  3. E-commerce websites provide high value and return on your investment. The initial costs of having your e-commerce website designed by a reputable Portland ecommerce website designer will have high returns. Once the ecommerce website has been developed and you are online, the daily operational costs are only a fraction compared to the revenue that will be generated for online sales.
  4. E-commerce websites are secure. SSL encryption provides powerful protection for online ordering and credit card processing.
  5. E-commerce websites provide convenient shopping and ordering. People don’t have to drive to your store. they can find you online provided your website is search engine optimization SEO compliant. They can shop from the convenience of their own home, coffee house, or wherever they have an internet connection.

Global Link is a Portland based company specializing in ecommerce web design & SEO. Give us a call or use our contact feedback form to find out more how we can help you sell your products effectively online

This entry is filed under Ecommerce Solutions, Search Engine Optimization, Web Design and tagged , .

SEO Web Design for Seattle Businesses

By on August 28, 2009

SEO web design, or web site design that is search engine optimization complaint, is a vital necessity in today’s internet marketplace. If your website is not streamlined for SEO, you are loosing customers and that effects your bottom line. In today’s economy, businesses need to use every tool and resource at their disposal to grow their business.

In order for Seattle businesses to grow in todays turbulant marketplace, your website’s investment must be top priority. Too often businesses allow their websites to become outdated with old content, broken links and old technology. If your website has the equivalent of 70′s era yellow deep shag carpet, your business in trouble.

Global Link is a solid web design and SEO firm located in Portland, just down the road from Seattle businesses. We have clients in the Seattle metro area and we want to help more Seattle business succeed online. We cannot overstate how vital a solid Internet Marketing Campaign is and your website should be at the forefront of it. Seattle businesses that are not keeping their website’s updated will be left behind. The reality is, if your competition has a stronger, more up to date website with good content and is SEO compliant, there is a very good chance they will jump ahead of you in grabbing market share.

While the current economic landscape in Seattle is certainly challenging, it is important to remember that there are new customers searching for your products and services everyday online. Seattle is a major economic hub with an incredible number of customers searching online and buying products online. Your website must be fully optimized in order for it to be ranked highly in these Search Engine Results Pages so people can find your business and purchase your products.

Whether you have a website that sells products online, or points people to your business in Seattle, Global Link can make sure your website is effective and helping drive customers and buyers to you.

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Global Link is a Seattle Business web design & SEO company located in Portland.

This entry is filed under Search Engine Optimization, Web Design and tagged , , , .

Good SEO Web Design Check List

By on August 28, 2009

Whether you are designing a new website or redesigning a current one, it is vital that you make search engine optimization SEO a central focus and goal of your web design project.

There is so much fog out there in the SEO industry and many scam artists are making great promises of first page placement in Google, but they are nothing more than false claims.

In reality, good SEO that get’s results takes hard work. There are no short cuts to good SEO. That said, there are a few basic SEO best practices that are vital and foundational to any solid SEO strategy. Below is the “must have” SEO summary list.

Top to do tips for effective search engine optimization

  1. Write strong content with keywords. Know the words that people are using to search for and find your service or product in Google. You can use Google’s Keyword Tool to help you discover the top searched keywords for your industry.
  2. Make sure your web pages’ title tags are filled with accurate and popular keywords that describe your products and services.
  3. Fill in your website’s keyword and description meta tags. There has been debate whether to use these, but Google does look at them so it cannot hurt to make sure these are being used properly.
  4. Link building. If your content is valuable, people will link to your website.  Incoming links are important votes that tell Google you have a site that people consider valuable and important.
  5. Make sure there is little or no JavaScript in your main navigation menu. JavaScript can make it difficult for Google to find and index the pages of your website. Instead, you can make sure your web designer builds your navigation menus using CSS and no JavaScript at all.
  6. Logical and easy navigation. Make sure your website is structured properly so your pages are easy to navigate.

While this SEO check list is not exhaustive, it does cover the main starting points of a good SEO campaign.

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Global Link is a Portland web design and SEO company serving web design clients in Portland and the nation.

This entry is filed under Search Engine Optimization, Web Design and tagged , , , , .

Is your website designed for search engine optimization SEO?

By on August 28, 2009

It is vital in today’s marketplace and especially the Internet marketplace that your website meets all SEO standards. If your site was built years ago and not updated recently, then chances are very good that your website is not SEO compliant.

The reason why SEO is a vital necessity these days is that most all the traffic that comes to websites originates from search engines. Google has become a part of our everyday vocabulary and activities. The first place I go when I want to find a store, a definition for a word, etc, I go to Google. It used to be Yahoo, but Google is now the undisputed king of the hill when it comes to online searches.

So if your website is not being found by Google, then customers cannot find you either. there are several reasons why your website may not be optimized. 1) You’ve tried it, but found the field of SEO is daunting and confusing, or didn’t get any results and gave up. 2) Your website has little contect (text) and alot of graphics or Flash. Your website may look terrific, but it is essentially invisible to search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN.  The reason is Google cannot see any words within images. 3) Your web designer did not understand or implement SEO when your website was designed.

For whatever reason, if your website is not taking advantage of the powerful results of SEO and the potential of increased sales or a growing client base, you and your business are losing out.

Here are a few questions to help you know if your website is optimized. What is in your title bar? That is the blue band at the top your browser. This should have keywords that a customer would use to find your product or service. Also make sure your web page meta tags are filled out properly with keywords and keyphrases. There has been a lot of debate whether Google still uses meta tags. They do and it certainly won’t hurt by making sure your website is utilizing them properly.

Lastly and most important, make sure your website has a lot of well written and accurate content. This is the single most import and factor is good SEO. If your website is week on content, this is a great place to begin.

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Global Link is a web design and SEO company located in downtown Portland, Oregon. Contact us today for a free quote.

This entry is filed under Search Engine Marketing, Web Design and tagged , .

Web Design for Portland Small Business Owners

By on August 28, 2009

In today’s business environment, small business owners cannot continue with business as usual. Every day we here of another small business going under – or even a not so small business. Even the big dogs are going under. And while there are hopeful signs on the horizon, the forecast is there are a lot of economic storm clouds in the forecast.

Web Design for Portland small business owners is a necessity, not a luxury.

If you don’t have a website for your business, there is no better time than now to contact a Portland web designer and begin the process of having one designed. Or perhaps you already have a website but it is outdated. Now is the time as well to have your website updated with all the latest information.

Keep your website up to date with current information

How long has it been since you have updated your website? If you are facing a slowdown in your Portland business and are afraid of the added expense of upgrading your website, there is good news. If you work with a local Portland web designer, he or she should be able to work with you in helping you decide what the most important updates to your website should be and keep costs down.

Nothing can hurt a business more than when someone drives by the office or store front and sees overgrown grass, dirty windows and trash. However, many Portland Small business websites have their paint pealing off and weeds growing all around.

Your company’s website is by far the most effective and economical marketing tool your business has. So make sure you give your website the time, care and investment it needs.Take time to find the right Portland small business web designer that is hard working and committed to your success on the Internet.

Global Link is a Portland web design & SEO company that can help your business effectively market your goods and services online.

This entry is filed under Resources, Search Engine Marketing, Web Design and tagged , , .

Web Design for Portland Home Sellers

By on August 28, 2009

So you live in Portland and have had your house on the market for months, but the market is flat. Your real estate agent has your house posted at his agency’s website, but there’s no way to tell how many people have even found your house and the pics there just don’t do your home the justice it deserves.

Or perhaps you are thinking about selling your home yourself. Either way,  it’s time to give your Portland home an extreme makeover for the web and beat the Portland housing market.  Here are a few quick steps on how to design a website that will effectively market your Portland home on the web and get your website indexed by the big search engines.

First, you will need to have a website designed with the sole purpose of marketing your Portland home effectively online. Even though the Portland housing market is weak, the reality is people are still buying homes. So the key is to make sure your home stand out from the crowded field of homes for sale. The best and least expensive way to do this is to have your own website turbo charged using effective SEO.

Second, register a domain name for your Portland home that can include your address. For example: www.pdxhome-121burch.com, or something like that. if you put part of your address in your domain name, people will be more apt to write it down and refer to it later. Also, make sure your domain name is clearly visible on your home’s for sale sign in your front yard.

Third, you need to locate a Portland web design firm that understands SEO or Search Engine Optimization. This is the practice of creating your website’s layout, content, architecture and graphics so that search engines can index your pages and Portland home buyers can find you on the web.  Resist the temptation to find the cheapest web designer that can throw up a page or two with text and photos of your house. Almost anyone with a computer and simple software can design a website like that. But this will be a waste of time.

Fourth, have a good balance of quality descriptive text and quality photos of your home.  Portland home buyers will want to see the photos on your website, but search engines won’t be able to find your site if there is not well written and descriptive text.

A good Portland web design & SEO company can design a website that will meet all the above SEO standards and others that are beyond the scope of this article. The cost involved should only have to do with the design and hosting of your website and should be quite reasonable and a great value considering the high returns on your investment once your house sells.

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Global Link is a Portland web design and SEO company helping small businesses and individuals succeed on the Internet.

This entry is filed under Resources, Search Engine Marketing, Web Design and tagged , , .

SEO tips for Portland Real Estate Agents

By on August 28, 2009

Being a Portland based Realtor in today’s economy and housing slump means that you cannot afford to put your website on the back burner. Instead, you need to make sure your website meets search engine optimization SEO requirements in order for home buyers and sellers to find you and the homes you are selling in the Portland area.

First, If you don’t have your own dedicated website, get one

It’s not enough for you to have a page on a Portland real estate firm’s website where you are listed with other Portland realtors. Instead, it is vital to have own website focused on your own business and real estate listings in the Portland area.  Portland home shoppers can find out more you via your own website designed with SEO as a main goal. Getting a professional website designed for your Portland real estate business should be affordable. You don’t need anything elaborate, flashy or complicated. Instead a straightforward and professional SEO website where people can find you on the internet should meet your needs.

Keep your website fresh with new content

With the rise of blogging software and dynamic content being updated continuously, a Portland realtor can no longer rely on a static website. A static website is one with content that does not change, or is not dynamic. A professional web design firm in Portland can design a website that will allow you to publish your own content quickly and easily. You can post listings of homes in Portland including descriptions and pictures yourself, without relying on a web designer.

Search engines like Google, MSN, Yahoo and now Bling all rank new and fresh content better than old, stale content. Which means that Portland home shoppers will be more likely to find your website when they search for you on the major search engines.

One of the big deterrents to a Portland home buyer is the lack of pictures a listing has.  So make sure you take plenty of pictures and post them on your website. And remember to write descriptions about the photos since graphics are invisible. Good SEO practices dictate that you give each picture a caption and fill in descriptive text in the photo’s “ALT” tag. This way, Google will be more likely to index your image which will help your website’s search engine rankings.

Write articles sharing advise on buying a home in Portland

This is where you can share your knowledge and expertise about the Portland real estate market. As Portland home buyers and sellers find your information valuable, they will be more likely to contact you directly and hire you as their real estate agent. You can build trust as people see how knowledgeable you are about the Portland real estate market. You can give tips to first time home buyers informing them on the do’s and don’ts to home buying.

Link to helpful articles on other websites

You can also post links to valuable home buying and selling information from other websites.

Building links

As Portland home buyers find your website valuable with great content, other websites will link to yours. These back links will help your website’s SEO rankings.

Consider starting a Portland Real Estate Blog

A quick option to begin publishing content right away is starting a Portland Real Estate blog. You can go to blogger.com or wordpress.com to sign up for your free account and start blogging immediately. These blogs have strong SEO functionality built in so you know your posts will be indexed by search engines quickly, making it more likely that potential clients will find you on the Internet.

A Portland web designer for real esate companies will understand your specific needs and recommend the solutions that are right for you. Global Link is a web design & SEO company in Portland. If we can help you design your website or redesign a current with with SEO, contact us today for more information about our Portland web design services and a free quote.

This entry is filed under Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Web Design and tagged , .

Portland Web Design & SEO

By on August 27, 2009

Global Link is a web design firm based in Portland. Our office is in Old Town Portland right next to the Pearl District. While we are located in Portland and serve web design clients here, we also serve clients in a number of states throughout the nation.

We are a Portland web design company that has been in business since 2001. We have designed websites both large and small in many different industries. Clients in Portland have entrusted us to design new websites for their companies. We have also done extensive website redesign work for clients with existing but outdated websites.

We also provide search engine optimization and logical navigation so that your web site is easily accessible by search engines and visitors alike.

Our graphics and layout are highly optimized so your web pages load fast and are not “bloated” with two much heavy graphical content. It is important that the right balance of graphics and content are used. Too many graphics and not enough text can render a web site’s content virtually invisible to search engines. And not enough graphics can leave your site looking dull and boring. We strive to strike the right balance between these two areas of web design.

We provide web design consulting services as well as a broad range of other web design offerings. View our portfolio to see the businesses here in Portland who we have designed websites.  If you live here in the Portland area, feel free to stop by our office near the Pearl District for a free consultation to see how we can help you with your web design services.

This entry is filed under Web Development Services and tagged , , . | 5 Comments

How to Write Great Content for SEO

By on August 27, 2009

It cannot be overstated how important writing helpful content for getting found and ranked well in Google, MSN and Yahoo.

But simply saying that you should write great content is not enough. How do you know if Google will find your content great or not? How will search engines rank your text? And what about keywords, key phrases and keyword density? What about links? and the list goes on.

As you have probably experienced, the field of search engine optimization can get confusing and overwhelming quickly. So as a starting point, I would like to lay out a practical how-to approach to get you started in writing great content that should be foundation of any effective search engine campaign.

First, you should answer the following questions:

1. What is your industry? For the sake of this example, let’s say you have a store that sells outdoor products and accessories. You also have an e-commerce website that sells outdoor products online.

2. What is your website’s target audience? You should be able to define what kinds of visitors are coming to your website and why the are visiting it. In our example here, it would be outdoor shoppers and enthusiasts.

3. What information would your target audience find helpful and valuable? What content would keep them coming back? Make a list here of  topics that your customers and readers would find valuable. It could be reviews on products, weather conditions for certain destinations, reviews about certain destinations, safety and / or travel advisories about certain areas, real life experiences etc. The list could grow as you brainstorm. But remember to stay focused within your industry and don’t wander into unrelated areas.

4. What are you already knowledgeable about? Look at item #3 and list out what things you already know and can write about. Now prioritize these items by determining what you think your customers would find most valuable. You now have your “to do” writing list. You can begin by taking a topic and writing a blog post or a page about it; Keep the page to no less than 250 words and no more than a 1000 max. Next, make a list of the areas from #3 you find interesting but don’t know enough about. You can research each topic and as you learn, write and publish your work.

Notice I haven’t said anything yet about writing for search engines. The reason is you want to write primarily for your target audience and customers. If you have a website that your readers find valuable, then Google’s search will also find your site and reward your hard work by ranking you well in search engine results.

Once you get some pages posted and are feeling more comfortable about writing what is valuable to your readers and customers, the next step is to consider keywords.  While we haven’t focused specifically on keywords in this post, the reality is that Google will find and rank keywords in your text.

Of course, there is a lot more to Search Engine Optimization than what we’ve covered here. However, the important point to remember is that writing to real people should always be the primary focus of any winning search engine optimization strategy.

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Global Link is a search engine optimization and web design firm located in Portland, Oregon.

This entry is filed under Resources, Search Engine Optimization and tagged , , , .

Most Important Factor in Seach Engine Optimization

By on August 27, 2009

When considering an effective search engine optimization strategy for your web site, it can seem overwhelming in knowing where to begin. The SEO industry is awash with contradicting claims and promises of first page placement on Google, Yahoo and MSN.  There are self appointed SEO experts that can create real and lasting damage to your website causing it to drop in search engine rankings or banned altogether.

The good news is there are some common-sense SEO principles that should be central to any search engine optimization strategy – regardless of the size of your company and SEO budget. Without a doubt, the single most importand factor in any effective search engine optimization strategy is writing great content for your target audience. If you have a website with well written content that your visitors find valuable, Google will also find it valuable.

While you certainly should write with SEO in mind, you don’t want to craft your text for search engines primarily. Content written only for search engines sounds choppy, unnatural and will cause readers to bail out of your website quickly. Instead, your first concern should be writing helpful content for real people. As readers find your web site valuable and link to your web pages,  you will find yourself rising in search engine rankings as well.

Of course, there are other key factors in developing an effective search engine optimization stragey, but under-girding them all should be a commitment to writing great content.

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Global Link Technologies is located in Portland and  focuses on effective search engine optimization and professional web site design.

This entry is filed under Resources, Search Engine Optimization and tagged , , .

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