| Julie: | how about you Barb.. I don't mean to be a hog here |
| homeparentsADM: | (SOHO means Small office, home office) I see that alot on Netscape business section..strange, isn't it? |
| homeparentsADM: | Julie, you know so much more than me..keep going! |
| AnitaJ: | You're doing fantastic Julie!! :-) |
| Heidi: | OK. Sounds good. My alt tags usually say the same thing as my graphics. |
| Heidi: | adm, yes, that is strange. |
| Julie: | someone asked about entrance pages |
| homeparentsADM: | Donna, did you want Julie to look at your tags? |
| AnitaJ: | Yes, Julie, please can you explain entrance pages? |
| Donna: | If we have time,if not it can wait until next time |
| homeparentsADM: | plenty of time..just write your url.. |
| AnitaJ: | Donna, what's your url again please? |
| Heidi: | Thanks! You've definitely given me something to think about. |
| Julie: | Generally an entry page does no good unless it includes text.. otherwise it's just for looks.. splash graphics pages and spam pages generally don't get listed well |
| Donna: | http://www.magnoliaink.com |
| AnitaJ: | ahhhhhh I C |
| Julie: | a paragraph is enough to make a page relevant |
| Julie: | ok donna's description is excellent, but it should be last |
| Julie: | I can't cut and paste in here, or I would post it... |
| homeparentsADM: | (you must have a fast connection, Julie, donna's page is still loading on my computer!) |
| Julie: | Also, I would not capitalize every word in the description, type it like a sentence |
| Donna: | Somewhere I heard some search engines like entrance pages |
| Horselips: | mine too |
| BKSSecy: | I recently read an article about search engine position. It's at Top 7 Ways To Get Top Search Engine Positioning (http://www.top7business.com/archives/web/110398.html. |
| BKSSecy: | It discusses entrance pages. |
| Julie: | Rebecca, it is a touchy topic, and it depends on how you use them |
| Julie: | that should have its own chat |
| homeparentsADM: | we could have lots of chats on this, I think! |
| BKSSecy: | I don't use one. I just recently heard about them. |
| Julie: | The title on Donna's page is not descriptive at all |
| Julie: | it says Magnolia Ink |
| BKSSecy: | Are meta tags extremely important to search engine ranking? |
| homeparentsADM: | ah...you have a good service, Donna, it should describe what you offer! |
| Julie: | well unless someone is specifically looking for that business, they will have no idea what that is |
| Julie: | Rebecca, yes, on some engines it is |
| AnitaJ: | So you could change it to Magnolia Ink: Printer Cartridges, etc etc etc? |
| BKSSecy: | Then I guess I need to figure out how to put them on my site. |
| Julie: | Magnolia Ink: some hype here about your cartridges |
| Julie: | yes Anita |
| Julie: | and the keywords are not sperated by commas, so they are read as one very long phrase and will do no good |
| homeparentsADM: | maybe, Magnolia Ink, Save money on your inkjet cartdridge refills?? I'm not too creative. :-) |
| Julie: | good barb |
| AnitaJ: | discount inkjet and printer cartridges and refills? |
| BKSSecy: | My title is BKS Typing / Secretarial Services - "Helping you just when you need it!" Should I change that? |
| homeparentsADM: | oh, that's better, Anita..I like that. |
| Julie: | Rebecca, that is good also, but what do you help? |
| BKSSecy: | Typing and secretarial services. |
| Julie: | how many people type help in a search engine? |
| AnitaJ: | Rebecca, how about adding the word outsourcing? or subcontracting? or something like that? |
| Julie: | YES |
| BKSSecy: | That's a good suggestion. I'll do that. |
| Donna: | thanks for the suggestions |
| Julie: | Donna, just add the commas and change the order and you are all set |
| BKSSecy: | If you were looking for someone to create brochures or postcards for you, would you consider my business with what you know about it? |
| BKSSecy: | I think the name might be slowing me down. |
| Julie: | Rebecca what is your url again? |
| Donna: | thanks,I'll have to ask Tammy to do it when she gets back |
| Julie: | the name is fine |
| BKSSecy: | http://members.aol.com/bkssecy/private/help.htm |
| AnitaJ: | Perhaps you should add brochures, postcards, marketing materials in your title somewhere? |
| BKSSecy: | Good suggestion. |
| BKSSecy: | I started my business with plans to do medical transcription and run errands for offices. Now I'm turning more to desktop publishing and printing. I might change my name (except for BKS). |
| Julie: | ok first of all Rebecca, your home page has nothing on it but a link for people to leave and go to the mommy mall |
| Julie: | the only place you want them to go is to your site |
| BKSSecy: | It had a link to my prices and services. |
| Julie: | but my link is more obvious |
| BKSSecy: | Is that link gone? |
| BKSSecy: | Hm. |
| Julie: | get that off your home page |
| BKSSecy: | Where should it be? |
| Julie: | links should be on the last page of your site, as people are leaving |
| BKSSecy: | I originally had everything on one page. Should I switch back to that? |
| Julie: | if they get distracted in the beginning, they may never see your site |
| TriciaB: | We use this time for business to help us, sp. |
| Julie: | no, a nice introduction about what you offer would help.. I'm not an expert on copywriting, but good text on the home page is vital |
| BKSSecy: | Good. |
| Julie: | we should try a late evening chat, after kids go to bed |
| BKSSecy: | I'll just move your link to the bottom of the 2nd page then. Right? |
| homeparentsADM: | that's a good idea, julie! |
| Julie: | anywhere but the first thing on your page |
| AnitaJ: | BK, you might consider taking your page off aol |
| homeparentsADM: | and, submit each page, not just your main url.. |
| Julie: | The only link I would put on my home page is one that was paying me :) |
| AnitaJ: | you can host a small web site for next to nothing in expenses these days |
| BKSSecy: | I am currently looking at different hosting services so I can register my domain. Any suggestions? |
| homeparentsADM: | infoseek won't list geocities unless you email them..right Julie? |
| Julie: | Rebecca, it all depends on what you want to pay and what you need |
| Julie: | right Barb |
| BKSSecy: | I want to pay as little as possible and get as much as possible. :) |
| Julie: | don't we all |
| TriciaB: | Susan and I use simplenet. Easy to work with. |
| BKSSecy: | I really don't need much. |
| BKSSecy: | I just need the basics, whatever that is. |
| BKSSecy: | A place to call home. |
| Julie: | Esosoft, simplenet, there are a number of very basic low cost hosts... |
| homeparentsADM: | I'm generally a bit prejudiced about linking to geocities sites..hate to say, but somehow, they don't seem as "professional"... |
| Julie: | get references from people who have their sites there |
| BKSSecy: | Can you each send me info. about your hosting? BKSSecy@aol.com |
| homeparentsADM: | that could be another chat,!! Hosting your site! Too many ideas for chats! |
| BKSSecy: | Do any of you feel that the presence of hyphens within the URL slows traffic? |
| Julie: | oh yes, hosting is a good topic, because each person has unique needs |
| BKSSecy: | i.e.: bkssecy vs. bks-secy |
| homeparentsADM: | I wanted to throw out 2 urls that might help..both are from About.com Websearch site. |
| Julie: | no, the Mommy-Mall.com does very well |
| BKSSecy: | Thanks Anita. |
| Julie: | that is an excellent site |
| homeparentsADM: | Search Engine Submission Tips - Web Search - 11/27/98 at http://websearch.about.com/library/weekly/aa112798.htm |
| Julie: | everyone should bookmark websearch.about.com |
| AnitaJ: | BK, while I don't think hyphens are good, my sunset-harley site does very well |
| Heidi: | sp, aren't you getting my private messages? |
| BKSSecy: | Any suggestions about bkssecy vs. bks-secy? |
| Julie: | Rebecca, what is BKS? |
| homeparentsADM: | and, Search Engine Registration Tips - Web Search - 11/27/98 at http://websearch.about.com/library/weekly/bl_981127a.htm |
| Janet: | how about continuing with a meta tag re-do? we could work on them, then critique next week? |
| homeparentsADM: | tricia, we still have time, unless Julie needs to run? |
| BKSSecy: | Tricia, when did you get a site? I thought you didn't have one. |
| Julie: | no, I have bribed my kids with cookies and milk |
| Horselips: | thanks Julie and Barb - another great chat |
| homeparentsADM: | oh, good idea, Julie...this hour goes so fast...maybe part 2 of meta tags, then! |
| BKSSecy: | Mine has been bribed with the Godzilla movie. |
| Donna: | Sorry,I wasn't any help,but thanks all |
| Julie: | Tricia, want me to look real quick? |
| homeparentsADM: | mine all went to a neighbors house! YES! |
| AnitaJ: | I'll try to fix that algoflash site! |
| TriciaB: | Had one since November, Rebecca, just not listed (Yet?) |
| BKSSecy: | Ah so! |
| Julie: | Donna, you are a help.. everyone is... |
| TriciaB: | Yes please... http://solutions.simplenet.com |
| BKSSecy: | Tricia, can you e-mail me your URL so I can peek at it? BKSSecy@aol.com |
| homeparentsADM: | Donna, you helped...it helps to look at different pages!!! |
| BKSSecy: | Got it here instead. |
| Julie: | Solutions Office Support - Home Page |
| Julie: | that is the title... it could be more descriptive |
| BKSSecy: | Is it best to have e-mail routed through your domain? Or does that matter? |
| Julie: | what do you do? |
| BKSSecy: | Thank you. I just don't know what I need, and what is frivolous. |
| BKSSecy: | Maybe when I get hosting information from you guys I can figure that out. |
| Julie: | Include 2 or three things that you focus on in your title |
| TriciaB: | Alot. Grin, Mainly Mailing services for companies, desktop publishing and now I am a stylart dealer. |
| Horselips: | Julie - on Tricia's page - what might be gleaned from the description to use in the title? |
| Julie: | I would include your most popular services.. or say temporary office help |
| Julie: | The description is excellent |
| Julie: | but it should be after the keywords |
| Julie: | and you have way too many keywords |
| TriciaB: | Okay. I do so much for clients that it is hard to make it simple because I don't want to lose a potential client. |
| BKSSecy: | For anyone who wants to answer, would you be more inclined to hire a temp. secy to come to your office or to send work out to a service? |
| TriciaB: | I think outsourcing is big here in California. |
| BKSSecy: | I'm trying to decide if I want to offer in-office assistance. |
| Julie: | Tricia, don't try to include every keyword on your home page. Treat each page on your site as a potential entry point and customize the tags for each page |
| TriciaB: | Okay |
| Julie: | split up pages if you have to.. the more pages you have, the more possible listings |
| BKSSecy: | If you have multiple pages covering multiple topics, should they all be listed in the search engines? |
| homeparentsADM: | and submit each page..the search engines don't find all your pages!! |
| Julie: | yes, always list every page |
| BKSSecy: | ok. |
