Everyone can use some advice now and then, from the neophyte to seasoned web veteran. If you’re new to web design, then tips are crucial to your understanding of how things work, how they should be crafted, and how to do things the right way. If you’re already an expert, then tips and advice can at least reinforce that you’re doing things right. Besides, who doesn’t like a little positive reinforcement now and then?

These six (6) tips aren’t “Web 101″ advice, but they’re not Graduate level either. They’re just good, solid advice for crafting your website to elicit positive results, both from your visitors as well as from search engines.

1. Content means content

If you create content, make sure it’s useable and searchable content. To put this another way: text means TEXT! Catch phrases, company slogans, site/personal/business messages, even addresses – if it’s meant to be displayed as text, then display it as text. Do NOT embed text in images. Sure, it may look cool when you create it in Photoshop, but search engines can’t read text embedded in images (at least not yet). Take some time and learn how to use style sheets if you want to stylize your text. That way you can not only make text look pretty, you also leave it visible to search engines.

2. Act as a Visitor

If you’re building a website chances are you’ve used the web to look for something. You’ve visited a site to buy something, research something, or look at something. You’ve experienced the hassles of searching and you’ve either easily found what you want or you’ve spent more time than necessary finding it, so use that knowledge to your advantage. One of the most useful things to remember when building a website is that search engines want what users want: useful, relevant, easily searchable and understandable content, site organization and information. Make it as easy as possible for people to buy, for people to learn, for people to do whatever it is you want them to do on your site.

3. Keywords in Page Titles and Descriptions

Okay, so maybe this IS a little Web 101, but it’s still very relevant, and falls in line with #2. Be sure to use the words people search for in your page titles and page descriptions. Don’t “stuff” keywords in there, but DO use them.  If you sell custom widgets to pipe fitters in the greater Philadelphia area, then the page showcasing those widgets should be called “Custom Widgets for Pipe Fitters in Greater Philadelphia”. Clear, to the point, and a phrase like “custom widgets Philadelphia”, a solid targeted search phrase, is in there. As far as how “much” to say, a good rule of thumb is to keep page titles to 70 characters (including spaces) and page descriptions to 250 characters (with spaces).

4. Link to YOUR Own Stuff

Internal links can be as important as external links. Besides, you don’t want to send visitors somewhere else for information as that means, quite simply, they’re leaving YOUR site. Once they’re gone, they may not come back. If you can at least recreate content found elsewhere versus just linking to it, then do that, but organic content (that is, content YOU create versus content you rip from somewhere else) can make a huge difference and it is always a good way to keep people coming back for more. The web was built for sharing information, but if you DO use someone else’s content ALWAYS give credit where credit is due – it’s not only the right thing to do, but you may make a few friends, and receive reciprocal links, in return.

5. Create a Foundation for your Site

Okay, this is a little high level, but it’s an often-overlooked part of creating your site. We’ve discussed linking, page titles and descriptions, and the importance of site content. This tip relates to site structure and organization. Think of the “Three Click Rule” – that is, it shouldn’t take a visitor more than three (3) clicks to find the content they want. Now, carry that over to how your site is organized from a folder and sub-folder standpoint. The closer your pages are to the root of your site (that is, the main entry point of your site), the easier it is for search engines to find the pages. In addition, from a URL and linking standpoint, this URL [www.YourDomain.com/products/custom-widgets-philadelphia-pipe-fitters.html] is much easier to crawl, not to mention understand, than this one [www.YourDomain.com/products/custom/widgets/pipefitters/philadelphia.html] as the page is sitting closer to the root of the site.

6. Dashes, Not Underscores

One final simple suggestion: use dashes in page names instead of underscores. Not only do people process dashes as clear separations of words, but search engines (particularly Google) see words separated by dashes as completely separate terms. However, words that are separated with underscores are seen as a single term.  Therefore, use custom-widgets-philadelphia.html and NOT custom_widgets_philadelphia.html.

So there you have it. Are there any questions about any of these? What about YOUR suggestions?

Last week, I offered three reasons to give a Do-It-Yourself website builder a try. While many of the emerging builders perfectly fit the needs of business owners desiring a hands-on approach to the website design process, it’s not for everyone.

There are many reasons to consider going the custom web design route, especially if you have more complex needs and are willing to invest more resources into the overall process.

Without Further ado, take a look at three reasons to go the custom website design route:

1.) You don’t even want to entertain the thought of doing it yourself

Let’s face it. When the lawn needs mowing, you’d rather make a call to a landscaping company than head out there to start yanking on the mower chain. (I’m right there with you on this one…no judgment.) Just because you can do it yourself doesn’t mean you should.

More importantly, as a small business owner, spare time is likely something you don’t often encounter. I was talking with my hairdresser about the builder vs. custom route the other day and she said, “I have no idea where I would find the time in my day to do it. Besides, I’d rather be doing what I love…cutting hair.” Therefore, if you’re a person already pressed for time, custom is definitely your solution.

2.) You have some specific needs for your web design

Don’t get me wrong…website builder tools can meet the needs of many, but for those with specific needs, a custom design is the right choice.  Here are a few reasons why:

• You have a WordPress blog (or perhaps a Drupal or Joomla CMS) that you’d like to integrate into your website design
• You already have a shopping cart application, and want to carry it over to your new website design
• You’ve envisioned a website that has lots of advanced Flash applications
• You’d like to integrate a Pay-Per-Click campaign and need the help of a web design professional
• You need a custom database, or segmented log-in pages

3.) You’re not quite sure what you want…

If you know you need a website, but you’re having trouble envisioning the look and feel, tapping the creative mind of a professional is a very enticing choice. Or maybe you have a loose idea of what you want, but would like to see and hear some different options from a well-established web design professional. This is probably one of the biggest benefits when it comes to going the custom route, not to mention the SEO advantages that come along with seeking the expertise of a professional. P.S. If you’re looking for some inspiration to get your own creative juices in motion, this is a great place to start: www.smashingmagazine.com

Whether you go with a website builder tool like  Newtek SiteCenter, or opt for a custom solution, the fact is, there is a solution for everyone, and we’d be happy to help you.

We’d love to hear from you. If you just completed, or are in the process of completing a new website using a builder tool, do you have any tips to share? Same question goes out to those of you currently working with a custom web designer.

As a service provider, we’ve always wanted to do one important thing for our customers, which is to help them succeed. As simple as that may sound, it’s what drives us each day.

Establishing a strong web presence equipped with a full array of ecommerce capabilities is key to not only succeeding in business, but cultivating and growing that business.

Understanding that, we’re proud to announce the launch of Newtek Web Services, (NWS) a one-stop resource for the online business community, specializing in web design, ecommerce, merchant processing, web hosting, payroll services, small business loans, insurance and so much more. If it can impact your business, chances are, we offer it.

Whether you’re a business owner looking to grow in 2010, or a proud mom-and-pop shop owner looking to raise online awareness, we can add value to your organization. It’s OUR job to identify your needs and fill in the gaps with reliable, high-quality services backed by superior technical and customer support. The launch of NWS is our way of filling a crucial gap – helping you stand out on the web.

In the last decade we’ve witnessed a categorical shift in the way business is done. More specifically, we’ve seen two concepts emerge in the internet space:

1. Providers (like NWS) have streamlined their business models to meet ALL of your online business needs. Whether you need a basic brochure website or a full ecommerce site, we can support your needs…with ONE phone call. As a division of Newtek Business Services, we’re able to provide you with every tool you need to succeed, both from an infrastructure standpoint (financing, insurance, payroll etc.) to your customer-facing online presence (web design, ecommerce, weg hosting, payment processing, etc.)
   
2. It’s a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) world. All you need are the tools and support, which is where we come in. With our Storefront Builder, you can select from 1,000 different design schemes to build your own unique website, and control the maintenance of your site – updating and editing your content whenever it’s convenient for you. In business, things can change in a minute and you need to be able to stay ahead of the curve to stand out. Fresh website content is key.

It would be an immense understatement to say we’re extremely excited about the launch of Newtek Web Services. Thanks for joining us as we set out on this new venture. Check back here often for valuable content that will provide you with tips, tricks and resource lists spanning the realm of business and ecommerce.