Many sites have tried Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) work in the past, but to limited success. Even when using well known agencies and consultants, it seemed like the goals couldn’t be achieved. The most common cause of this is that the site was not technically built right for SEO in the first place.
Before we can work on optimising your site, we need to know what we are working with. Are there factors that can be an obstacle to the overall project? For instance, what are the limitations to the CMS (Content Management System)? Does the site have to be hosted in a certain location? And this is why our Technical Audit is usually the first step of the actual optimisation procedure.
Reform Digital’s Technical SEO work includes:
Domain and Servers: Where is it hosted? Does the domain have history? Avoiding duplication and making sure that your pages are search and user friendly is key to successful optimisation.
Indexation & Feeds: Sitemaps, both the static kind and the xml type. For instance, if you have a steady stream of fresh content, is there an RSS feed for users to be alerted on the changes? We make sure all the links on the site work properly (no dead ends), and that sites are well optimised when they restructure / redesign.
Formats (server & webpage): IF flash is used, is it done in a way that hurts the site? How many sites are on your server, what kind of server is it? Is the navigation menu indexable?
Design: Are you maximising the use of CSS in order to trim down on coding? Do Javascript and Cookie usage affect SEO indexation? Our team of consultants have experience that goes beyond basic SEO, we have also worked as designers and database developers too, so we know what the obstacles really are.
Content: How does the site react to each major algorithm (Google, Yahoo, Bing & Ask). Can it be viewed in text only browsers, which see pages like search engine spiders do. How accessible is the content? Is it worded in the right way?
Content Management Systemt (CMS) / Database configuration: From making sure each page has a unique title tag to making sure every item is individually indexable. We look at the CMS set up and make sure that the site avoids any potential problems.
Tracking & Applications: Implementing and getting useful data from tracking programs and applications like Google Webmasters. We are familiar with most web analytics platforms, including WebTrends, Nedstat, Google Analytics / Urchin, Deep Metrix and several others.
Let us work with you on finding out how the site can reach its fullest potential. Contact the team at Reform for more info.