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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Site Optimization/Neon Sky
Jason P. Smith, Photographer
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Orono | ME | USA | Posted: 9:25 AM on 08.01.09 |
->> I've been with Neon Sky now for about four years and have been really happy with everything, but have had trouble when trying to optimize the site for search engines. Does anyone have any advice?
If you want to check out the site's info: www.jasonpsmithphotography.com
Thanks,
Jason |
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Stanley Leary, Photographer
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Roswell | GA | USA | Posted: 9:49 AM on 08.01.09 |
->> Optimizing a site can be done, but takes time.
First of all all the images instead of generic numbering system, you improve the optimization if the file name is more like a keyword.
Keywords need to be how someone will search for you and depending on who you read on this topic about 900 words is maximum.
Text on pages increases optimization when it also works like keywords.
You may see the pattern here. Most search engines are looking for text that helps increase the experience for someone looking. So, if you list yourself as a corporate photographer in your keywords in your metadata, but have no images or text anywhere in the website with corporate in it, then you might as well drop this as a keyword.
Besides fine tuning the text through your website, you next need other websites to have you listed. This is like social networking. The more friends you have the higher you pop up on the search engines.
This is where having a blog helps compliment your portfolio website. Having a group of photographers on a blog together helps as well. Another way would be for say a wedding photographer, for example, to partner with a venue, a florist, and a caterer to have a blog about weddings. This helps each of the individual companies all benefit from the optimization it will do for their individual websites.
Now there are also companies who are on top of the optimization and how the search engines are always changing their algorithms for placement during searches. You can pay them to increase your placement. Quite expensive it can be for an individual photographer, but maybe more affordable to go in with a group like I mentioned above for those working with weddings.
I also recommend you talking with your clients who enjoy using your services and ask them twitter, facebook, post comments on your blog and theirs and anywhere else they can think of that they can talk about your work and services. This maybe the very best way to optimize your website.
The last point may give you insight into why so many companies have jumped on the social networking bandwagon. Optimizing their presence on the web is important.
Sending out e.Newsletters can help as well. If you using a html editor and have the content on your website, this way as they load your email it creates a hit on your website which the search engines recognize.
Last of all don't forget the traditional snail mail to promote your website. A postcard, ad in a magazine or someone else's newsletter can drive people to your website.
Remember the more people who visit your website for whatever reason they found you will increase your position in search engines. So, the point is you must drive people to the website more than just optimizing it with metadata. |
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Geoffrey Bolte, Photographer, Assistant
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Spencer/Worcester | MA | USA | Posted: 10:21 AM on 08.01.09 |
->> Jason, in looking at the Source code, there is some conflicting information. Much of the keywords and some important data have South Florida and anything relevant to there. Looks as though you are in Maine now, that could be hindering searches. Your bounce rate from your site could be high as people searching for a Southwest Florida Photographer might be finding you, and at the moment you are a Maine photographer. Bounce rates hurt search rankings.
Now I understand you are trying to be broad, but it might be hurting you
As Stanley has mentioned its not all about the metadata and what not, but also who is linking to your site. If you have your link on many prominent sites, such as SportsShooter, or in you info on ASMP, NPPA and WPA sites.
Take a look at the Photoshelter SEO PDF, its a great read and even though its a little geared towards Photoshelter it will give you some great tips and tricks, http://pa.photoshelter.com/mkt/seo-kit-for-photographers
I followed some of it and once google and other engines indexed the new updates in some searches I am in the front pages if not just off of it on the second. Then again it depends on the keywords and search. I am still doing some more SEO to make sure I am fully optimized. But I also have my link in a lot of other places that have staying power so it helps my ranking as well. |
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Jason P. Smith, Photographer
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Orono | ME | USA | Posted: 8:44 AM on 08.02.09 |
->> Thanks for all the advice.
Jason |
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Harrison Shull, Photographer
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Fayetteville, WV | Asheville, NC | | Posted: 9:55 AM on 08.02.09 |
->> I am a NeonSky user for years and have been very frustrated with SEO and the unfulfilled promises from NeonSky to make critical improvements. The hassle of changing over to a new website is all that keeps me there.
The most critical issue is that NeonSky - unlike Livebooks, AphotoFolio, and other photo web providers - does not support deep linking. So for one thing... you cannot send a hyperlink of a photo on your site to anyone in an email.
But an even bigger problem is that when people search for images at Google or other search engines, they will get a "match" but when they click on it - they are taken to your NeonSky front page rather than the image. Now, is that client willing to troll through your entire site to look for an image that they had expected Google to drop them directly into? If so, you are lukcy. If not, then you just lost a sale.
It is obvious that the search bots are going deep into my website and searching for info. They are finding very specific info that is only in the caption info of the images that I enter into NeonSky manually (another NeonSky beef - it does not xfer caption info from metadata). When I go to my Google analytics stats and see the search terms that found my site, there are many in there that are super photo specific to an image that I have posted online at my site. I can only imagine the disappointment when the searchers expectation of getting sent to the image from Google is met with getting sent to the front page of my site. If the bots can search deep into my site then why can't folks click directly into that spot on site.
I have spoken at length with several of the NeonSky folks including Jason. All I get are promises of making the upgrades but well over a year has gone by with no action. This is my only complaint about NeonSky. Everything else is great with them but I think that those searching for info to make a decision on which web group to go with should be aware of these SEO limitations. |
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