Search Engine Optimization or Are You Kidding Me?

I suppose with a title like that you'll expect that I must be a web wizard. Nope. I'm writing about this because I discovered (with the last Web site I created) that search engines couldn't find me. What the heck?

Search engine optimization (SEO) is an important aspect of growing most businesses. Now, I can't say that my business as an editor and a writer is dependent on people finding me through web searches, but there's just something about building a site and having it unsearchable that just kinda rankled me. The site that was completely in Flash. That means that all the 'parts' moved (that was annoying too, once I got beyond how good-looking it was).

One problem with Flash is that it loads v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y for people on dial-up. But the huge problem is that the search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, AOL and the others, can't read the words embedded in Flash. It just reads as an image. No words. Rats.

The company offered to sell me search engine optimization, but I didn't want to pay for something can do myself. Now I have another NEW Web site. And I am working on the SEO so that all the people who will never even WANT my services can find McKenzie Bookworks.

There are some great resources out there for search engine optimization, including books and Web sites. One sterling find was the Search Engine Optimization Journal.

Wordtracker is another super tool, but you'll have to pay for its use. I think it's well worth it.

I'd love to hear from you about your Web frustrations. Feel free to email me at mmckenzie@wildblue.net.

What the heck?

I never thought I'd blog; it seemed like such a waste of time. But now I find that it might allow me to create some useful content and stories for people I work with. OK, and for others who just happen to find me.

So, now I find myself creating a blog page when I should be working on my taxes. Yes, taxes. Did you know you can extend your filing season for months? I have. And after losing about four hours of work because my computer died, and had to be rest to factory settings, I am once again inputting tax data into an Excel spreadsheet.

I promise I won't be using this as a diary. Nope. Not that. This will be a place of information sharing. I do hope to get your comments as I go, but I also hope you'll be gentle in the beginning.