What you should know about Search Engines

Sooner or later, if you have a commercial web site, you will begin to worry about Search Engine Visibility, and its technical counterpart, Search Engine Optimization. In a nutshell, when a potential client types a search enquiry on a web site like Google, then you want your web page to come up, preferably as the first “hit” or at least on one of the first 10 – 20 items. If it does, then you have good SE visibility. If not, then you may need to change your website and this process is called SE optimization, or SEO.

Your web site designer, or an SEO specialist, will make the changes to help this happen, but he/she can’t do it without your help. Before you meet, here are some things you should know:

It’s tough to be number one. As an example there are as many as 37 million responses for the search term “widgets.” Knowing that fact, what are the chances that your business will appear as number one on the list.

Winning can be just temporary. Suppose your designer creates a page that manages to mention “widgets” 3,492 times on one page, and you’re now number one. How long will it be before Widgets “R” Us changes its page to use the term 3,500 times? Besides, most search engines realize what you’re doing and will de-list you if you use blatant tactics like that; and your clients may get really bored reading it.

With that in mind, prepare for a meeting with your SEO specialist to consider presentation alternatives. Maybe your business specializes in antique widgets. A smart consumer will give up looking through 37 million results sooner or later and search for “antique widgets” (putting the words in quotes makes most search engines look for the exact phrase). Now you’re only competing with a much fewer 83 sites found on the first page. That’s a far easier task.

Consider other phrases that may describe your product. Make a list and prioritize them. Ask your clients how they found your web site. Bear in mind though, that asking clients or looking at your web site statistics (a topic for a future article) will only provide data about words and phrases that actually found your website. You need to investigate and determine those phrases that people may have used which unfortunately didn’t find you, because those are the ones you need to add.

Do you have a question, or maybe something you think we should discuss in future articles? Contact us at the number below.

For more information, contact Business Advisory Group. Tel. 905 381-1999 or check out our website at
www.smallbusinessadvisory.com

Local Social Capitalist receives Brande Scholarship 

BURLINGTON — Ellis Katsof, Executive Director of Transitions for Youth, is the most recent winner of The Brande Foundation scholarship. He is also the first person ever to win this scholarship without winning the Social Capitalist Award.

Katsof applied for the scholarship after reading about the Social Capitalist Awards in Fast Company. The Awards honour leaders who use their business models to find solutions to pressing social needs. The 45 Social Capitalist Award winners are then eligible to apply for the 25 organizations. Strict standards for social impact, aspiration and growth, entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainability determine the winners.

Upon receiving Katsof’s application, Brande Foundation staff began investigating the work of the Halton multi-service youth services agency Katsof leads, Transitions for Youth, and soon awarded Katsof the scholarship.

Dave Ellis founded The Brande Foundation in 1987 with royalties from the sale of his book, “Becoming a Master Student,” a best-selling college textbook. The Foundation’s mission is to sponsor projects and contribute money to a wide variety of non-profit organizations. It also provides these organizations with free life coaching and workshops to help leaders become more focused and effective. It is changing how we think about creating change.

News In Brief

Geosign® appoints new Chief Financial Officer

GUELPH — Geosign, a leading Internet media company focused on online publishing and targeted search has announced that Brandon Nussey will join the company as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) later this month. This appointment further strengthens the management team as the company moves forward with strategic growth initiatives including future acquisitions.

 Homewood Suites by Hilton® Toronto Oakville receives Award

MEMPHIS, TN — Homewood Suites by Hilton‚, the national brand of upscale all-suite, residential-style hotels, announced its Top New Hotel Performance Award winner during the 2007 Brand Conference held in Memphis, Tenn. The brand recognized the Homewood Suites by Hilton Toronto-Oakville in Oakville, Ontario, as the top performance hotel among all of the 28 Homewood Suites by Hilton hotels.

GTTA Board sets 2007 agenda in motion

TORONTO — Ontario Minister of Transportation Donna Cansfield addressed the first ever meeting of the directors of the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority (GTTA) March 23, welcoming its new board members.

They emphasized the importance of building on previous work completed across the municipalities, including inter-regional networks and collaborations. And in addition to setting administrative and management directives and procedures, they discussed initiatives that will improve transportation in the GTA, including a GTA-wide fare card system.

New Galaxy Cinemas to Open in Brantford

BRANTFORD — Cineplex Entertainment announced the development of a new eight-screen Galaxy Cinema for the City of Brantford. Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2007 with a targeted completion in the fall of 2007. Located at the Brantford Mall on King George Road, the cinema will occupy approximately 31,000 square feet of space. It will replace the existing six-screen cinema in the mall, which will remain open during construction of the new theatre and close just prior to the new theatre’s opening.

Waterfront Club at the chamber under new management

HAMILTON — The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce has announced a change of ownership in the Chamber Dining/Catering Operations. The new Waterfront Centre at the Chamber is now under the management of Mike Georgakopoulos.

“By transferring the ownership and management of the club operations, we can now focus on key business issues of importance to our members and less on the day-to-day food service industry,” explained Len Falco, President of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. “The Chamber’s office lease has been extended and we will continue to share this wonderful venue with the Yacht Club and the new Waterfront Centre.”

Toyota Tsusho Canada to Invest $6.4 Million in Woodstock

WOODSTOCK — The City of Woodstock, Toyota Tsusho Canada, Inc. TTCI is a subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho America, Inc. (TAI), and Green Metals Canada, Inc. (GMI) have announced that TTCI and GMI will invest $6.4 million in a new facility in Woodstock. TTCI and GMI will build a metal recycling facility on a 7.2 hectare (17.9 acres) on Beards Lane. TTCI is also investigating the construction of additional Toyota related facilities on the same site.

SP Data brings jobs and investment to Hamilton

HAMILTON — Since establishing their operation in Hamilton last April, SP Data has grown to 225 employees and have acquired a second floor of office space at 110 King Street in the downtown core.

SP Data is an inbound and outbound contact centre focusing primarily on the telecom and financial services sector.

The centre began sub-leasing 20,000 square feet of space on the 5th floor of 110 King West, downtown Hamilton on July 1, 2006. It now occupies 40,000 square feet.

Peter Hannam named Corporate Chair for Guelph Walk to Cure Diabetes

GUELPH — Guelph businessman Peter Hannam has been named the Corporate Chair for the Walk to Cure Diabetes to be held in Guelph on Sunday June 17, at Guelph Lake Conservation Area, in support of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). In his role as Corporate Chair, he will be encouraging Guelph and area businesses to support the Walk by either entering corporate teams or making donations.

Hannam was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes almost 40 years ago and has needed to carefully monitor his diet and insulin ever since

Another reason Hannam says he is supporting this project is because JDRF is operated almost totally by volunteers, and so a very large percentage of the funds raised go directly to research, and only a small portion is used for administration and fund raising.