Search Engine Optimisation

We are excited to announce the launch of StayStAndrews a website for the visitors to St Andrews whom are looking for local accommodation within walking distance of the famous old golf course (which is located just 3 minutes walk from this stunning town house).

This single page website is built using scripting languages such as PHP and MooTools*, it also utilises the MultiMap API**. The site comprises of several sections including; a description of the spacious town house including its many features, an image gallery, contact form and interactive map. The site has a single page layout with no refreshes and a quick load time it is a seamless experience from the moment you start your visit.

So if your interested in hotels or bed and breakfast accommodation in St Andrews (Fife) then why not consider taking a look at this luxury town house at the heart of the town. Whether you want to rent one room for one night or four rooms for 6 months then why not enquire today about this spacious property.

* MooTools – JavaScript FrameWork
** MultiMap Open API – interactive maps powered by Bing
Find out more about this website from Andy Kinsey Web Design

By now you I am sure are sick of my continual ramblings, so to give you a break I want to recommend some books which I have read (and re-read a few times). Now I can’t swear that everything they say is up to date, of the minute, or even still relevant. However this is not why you are reading them.

By reading these books you will begin to understand the industry and how we think, you may see some interesting trends which help move your site to the next stage, or maybe you will just realise that SEO isn’t quite the walk in the park it once was.

Andy’s Top 5 SEO Books:

Get into Bed with Google – This is one of my most treasured books, its pretty easy stuff to understand.

Don’t Make Me Think! – Ok its a usability book, but get the experience right and you should have the SEO right.

Professional Search Engine Optimization with PHP – there is also and ASP.NET
version of this book but as I’m a php developer this is the one that makes it to my shelf.

An Introduction to Search Engines and Web Navigation – Start from the beginning with this book, simple language in first few chapters leading to the jargon … it can be confusing if you flick to the end, so make sure you start from the beginning.

Finally, SEO Secrets – Ok this seems to be the next big boy, seriously appears to be worth its weight in gold. I’ve seen snippets from it and can’t wait for the full version next may … I advise you pre-order now.

Now none of the above are really that expensive and are well worth the few quid you will spend. I full advise you buy one or two of them if you are doing your own SEO or even SEO for a client’s website(s).

If you are a website owner you may prefer a book by our friends @boagworld, the Website Owner’s Manual I’ve read the pre-release ebook version and I can’t recommend this book enough. Paul Boag has done a fantastic job & When I can get my hands on the hard copy in a few weeks I will be sorting out a copy for each of my clients. I should add that this isn’t just for website owners it also has its place with designers and developers alike.

Want to recommend a book? Leave a Comment below with a like to the book on Amazon.

Last year I wrote a FAQ blog, which is one of the more popular blogs of last year. Since then I have collated many other questions from visitors and clients, so once again rather than repeat myself every 2 minutes, here are a few of the more common questions

Q.Does Using PHP or ASP effect SEO?

A. Short answer …. NO.
But I will explain why. Unlike what many people believe Search Engine Robot Programs (SERPs) are not effected by Server Side Coding. SSC’s such as PHP, ASP, Python and ColdFusion (amongst others), are generally used in conjunction with databases such as MYSQL. Drawing data from these databases and forming it into a static webpage.
And this is the key, the language used generates a static HTML webpage, which is what the user and the SERP will see. They do not see the complex structure behind it but rather the simple HTML it is delivered by the database.
Although used all over the net an example of php and MYSQL databases working together is this website.

Q. What is the most commonly used search engine?

A. Without a doubt the most commonly used SE is Google, though MSN Live from time to time says it is. Google has statistics to show that is has more than 300 million searches per day! and has indexed over 3 billion pages, however I believe this figure is to small by at least 10%!

Q. Other companies claim they have a “special relationship” with a search engine, does your company?

A. No. And I can promise the others do not. Yes, from time to time search engines use companies for testing purposes, but there is never a real relationship which will effect search engine results in any way, shape or form. If a company ever claims this type of relationship, I advise you cease contact as A) they are lying and B) they probably use black hat tactics.

Q. What is sandboxing? and why is it used?

A. Sandboxing is a tool of search engines, outed by google in 2004. It’s main purpose is simply to stop new “nothing” pages hitting the top ranks, i.e. before it has been fully indexed and ranked. This sandbox is normally only for a few weeks, just until enough pages are indexed to gain a full picture of the site. So why is it used? Well simply its used to remove the good from the bad, meaning ever page submitted or found has a rank and therefor the better and more reputable sites remain the top ranked.

Q. We have a password protected area, can it be indexed?

A. In short, not by an external SERP. This question is hard to answer fully. But in essence google will not search these “locked” areas, they will remain private. You can however set up your own search which will, an example is in a blog where you can lock the blog to members only which will have its own search robot.

If you have any further questions please feel free to ask them, using the comments below.