| LED Digest 2527: Usability Comes Before SEO |
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================================================== The LED Digest Moderated Discussion List "Effective Online Advertising, Since 1997" Data > Information > Knowledge > Wisdom www.GetWebContent.com/LED : the LED's Key Sponsor The Web's Most Experienced SEO Content Providers. www.SEOToolSet.com/training/ : the LED's Premier Sponsor Bruce Clay's Search Engine Optimization Training & Certification ================================================== List Moderator: Published by: Adam Audette LED Digest adam, led-digest.com http://www.led-digest.com .............................................. November 2, 2007 Issue no. 2527 .............................................. .....IN THIS DIGEST..... ====== NEW ====================== --== Usability Comes Before SEO ==-- ~ Grant Crowell "...the achievement of SEO...is largely due to the usability achievements...preceding it." ==== CONTINUING ================= --== Content Copied by Another Designer ==-- ~ Steve Pronger "I once had my review page copied word for word by another affiliate." ~ Chris Nielsen "...contact your local TV or newspaper..." --== Where are all the Female Designers? ==-- ~ Shelly Cole "I would *much* rather work with women than men..." =========== NEW ================================== From: Grant Crowell Subject: Usability and SEO - Does Usability Come First? I've noticed an increasing debate over in the popular search marketing forums on prioritizing website usability versus SEO. Some search marketers have summarized that SEO is ultimately dependent on usability; and for that primary reason, usability should come first, and SEO second. One example of this argument can be found here: http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/070906-083601 Other search marketers counter that usability and SEO are on equal footings and are inter-dependent on each other for their success. An example of this position can be found here: http://blog.cre8asite.net/archives/442 As someone who has done both SEO and usability on a professional consulting and development basis for a good number of years now (along with working with other well-established providers in both camps), here is what I have found from my own client experiences: The most successful web sites integrate SEO and usability in a combined, and overlapping role from the beginning of the planning stage, right through their development and final launch. But I would add this: Web search, as we know it today, is actually the end product from many previous online interfaces (dating well before the Web itself) that were developed and determined about through large amounts of usability testing, done by usability professionals and usability firms. Thus... Usability, while showing itself to be very interdependent on search in the Web space, ultimately does not rely on search to be successful anywhere to the degree that search must rely on usability. The Web and online space was not nearly as usable without search and search engines, but it even without a search function or search site, it had still obtained a substantial degree of usability and popular use. (Sites existed which featured well organized site directories, (as we see carried over today with Yahoo! Directory and Open Directory, which shows you can have a very successful web experience without relying on search.) So usability without search has already shown itself to be doable and successful (albeit on a lower level than what we enjoy today with search). Search without usability, however, would not have any near the widespread popularity or monetization of the reverse situation outlined above. Search's immense success can be largely, and perhaps chiefly, attributed to its usability component. Web search did not achieve true popularity with a mass audience until technology advances improved browsers, operating software systems, increased broadband speeds -- all items which are usability-based (just to name a few). In conclusion, the short history of the Web Search has shown that the achievement of SEO -- both for improving the relevancy of search results and helping turn search into a monetized industry -- is largely due to the usability achievements of the search space preceding it. That is why for the professional search marketer, usability should come first, and SEO should come second. I would be interested to hear if anyone else has their own position on this argument, either as a whole or the individual premises. My argument is certainly not meant as a slight to them or the profession (considering that I am a professional SEO myself), nor to diminish the role of SEO in website design. But what's true is that most search professionals have taken a very long time just to even acknowledge the important connection between SEO and usability. I would also argue that average professional SEOs understanding of usability is still not where it needs to be. And that, ultimately hinders the potential of SEO as much as anything else. Grant Crowell, CEO Grantastic Designs Read more on this issue at: http://www.grantasticdesigns.com/blog/index.php/2007/10/31/usability-seo/ ======== CONTINUING =============================== From: Steve Pronger Subject: Copied content > [A competitor] has copied my packages and price > list, which include search phrases, word for word, > and he is now moving up in Google for the same... > search terms which I'm sure is due to copying my content. - Sarah Hayes, LED Digest 2523 - http://www.led-digest.com/content/view/1936/190/ Hi Sarah. I feel your pain. I'm an affiliate of Ken Evoy's Site Build It. I once had my review page copied word for word by another affiliate. I contacted the guy and told him his review sounded rather familiar, mainly because I wrote it. He actually replied saying that he was most embarrassed and wanted to make it right. He thought it was ok to use my review as long as he added an intro and outro. Go figure. Of course I told him it was plagiarism and it was not on. Change it forthwith. He's since re-written it, but essentially, HIS review is basically my thoughts, ideas and experiences. Where his review says "I often get asked to recommend a website builder..." he's actually referring to me. A lot of my words remain. I would demand that he change it further but since then I've changed my review so much that it no longer resembles the original. But here's the kicker, his review page is #1 on Google for "site build it review." Mine is #11 (and the home page #12). Maybe plagiarism pays off after all. My advice? I took the nice-guy approach and got him to take action. But where did it get me? Maybe he was just plain ignorant. But in hindsight I wish I'd have just demanded that he take down the entire page. I'm sure if I complained to SBI they would have taken action (Ken?). Instead I actually gave him advice. Can't help myself sometimes. Check out www.copyscape.com They'll help you identify content theft and give advice on how to take action. Steve Pronger http://www.stevepronger.com -------- new post - same topic -------- From: Chris Nielsen Subject: Copied content In my experience, it's the first copy of the content that will remain in the main search listings and any duplicate content will be deemed supplemental results. But there is always a chance that the duplicate content could be found first, so I would take some action quickly. I would find out as much as you can about the thief so you really know who you are dealing with. It's surprising that they are so close to you, and would further reflect that they are clueless about what they are doing. It's one thing to steal from someone that is far away for you, and another to steal from someone who may show up on your doorstep...! But if you think the person will respond to your request to cease and desist then you could contact them directly. Email or written correspondence would mean they would not have to get as defensive as they would in a phone call or meeting. You don't want to spare them any pain, but cornering a wild animal is never going to make things easier for you. The other option that you could explore would be to contact your local TV or newspaper and see if they would be interested in running a story about this. They might even have an investigative team with hidden cameras that would confront the person directly. If you don't want to take the direct route, and since they are so close, it may be best to prepare a email that documents the problem and send it to their ISP and domain registrar. Most ISPs want nothing to do with this type of problem and if you have the proof their reaction should be to ask the person to remove your material, or just close their account completely, since the activity should be against their terms of service. I mentioned sending this to the domain registrar because some are getting more involved with cracking down on spammers and may also be interested in other illegal activities by their customers. And you can also contact Google to ask that the material be removed from their results. I don't know much about taking this route, but you can find more information here: http://www.google.com/dmca.html Good Luck, Chris Nielsen ContentGuarder.com ========= Begin Sponsor Message ========= Who *DID* Put The Jolly In Ol' St Nick? Santa's copywriter, of course! How incredible has that person's work been for the past four or five centuries? For SEO'd web content that's fresh as a Christmas rose and relevant as a reindeer, visit http://www.GetWebContent.com/LED today! ========== End Sponsor Message ========== -------- new post - new topic -------- From: Shelly Cole Subject: Female designers > It has been my general experience that men are more > open than most women in sharing their business expertise. > We women tend to be more reserved for some reason. > By asking men questions they have taught me more > than I ever could have learned... - Mary Findley, LED Digest 2522 - http://www.led-digest.com/content/view/1935/190/ It's funny, because I've had the *exact* opposite experience. Not to take this off-tangent (and I hope it's not), but I already belong to two Women-only (well, 99% anyway, one of them does have a couple of men on it) groups that share their knowledge and expertise like crazy. I wouldn't be where I am today because of them (and - because of them - I was surprised we were so underrepresented - I had no idea!). On the contrary, I've found that most male designers (and please - I'm not trying to male-bash here, but telling you my own perspective and experience with this) are ego-centric "I'm never wrong" and "you're just a girl, so you have no idea" attitudes. Every time. In the 7 years I've been doing this as a business, I would *much* rather work with women than men, because men are, well, thick-headed cavemen when it comes to technology. (Please revert to the parenthesis above! I'm talking in a designer's sense - not general - and this is *my own* experience - I know not all men are like this! I swear it!) It always struck me as odd, too, because I'm not the type to "look" for this behavior. In fact, on a personal level, I'm most likely to be found hanging out as "one of the guys" than going on a shopping trip with the girls. So when I encounter this behavior from men, it has always floored me, and I usually have this <:O look on my face. I guess I've been lucky to find the groups I am a part of when I did. Because if I hadn't, I probably *never* would have started doing this if all I ever encountered was the men that I have along the way. If it weren't for the women, I definitely never would have made it this far. > It also helps, up to a point, having a gender neutral name. > By the time they find out you are a woman, it's too late :) . This is something else I've taken into an account. I've actually *changed* my business name, because my old name seemed to give off the wrong "vibe" (used to be "Foolish Visions"). Ever since I changed it (two years ago), I've gotten comments like "Love your logo," and stuff like "I read it as Brass Balls. Man, I was plain curious!" (Al Toman - Digest 2056). It's definitely generated more interest in my business to see such a site name associated with a woman. Shock value? I don't know. I was warned that changing my business name was a *really* bad idea, but in fact, since I did it, my business has *increased* in a major way. I can barely keep up anymore. It makes me wonder if, by taking such a step and renaming myself in such a bold way, yet letting people *know* I was a woman, it made people more intrigued - because really the new choice of name reflected my personality and sense of humor more than anything (it's very tongue-in-cheek), and the clients I've gotten since then seem to be of the same mentality - so work has been FUN. Can't say I've done any church sites yet, but I haven't done any porn either ;) But I think that the "odd mix" of my biz name and my gender *has* proven itself to - at least in a small way - be a great boost to my business. Why? Dunno. But it's cool. Anyway, talking your all's ears off, I'm sure...but I'm lovin' this input :) ~Shelly Cole http://www.brassblogs.com (c) Copyright 1995-2007 Orange Wheel, LLC. 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