What do you suggest? I need some advice!

**giovani** · 10-12-2007 09:48 AM

Hi guys,

I recently launched a new website called Visit-Southwest-Florida.com. It is basically a travel guide fro tourists visiting SW Florida. I chose this area becuse my parents have a house there and we are there al the time. So i thought...might as well.

I really like the idea but obviously there are several VERY BIG competitors e.g.tripadvisor.com.

I've done all the search engine optimization and signed up to all their programs e.g. adwords. And considering it's still undergoing developments, my traffic isn't too bad but it could be better.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Take a look at my site (http://www.visit-southwest-florida.com/ what would you do?

Thanks in advance for all you help!!!

**Dylan Phelan** · 10-12-2007 10:23 AM

Hi

firstly, the link you gave isn't correct...get rid of the bracket

I had a quick look at the site... you say that you've done the SEO, but you title meta tag is just 'Home'.... you're gonna have to learn a bit more about seo. here's a link to a page i put together that will tell you the basics http://www.pbs-easybooks.com/basic-s...timization.htm

the adwords at the top of the page doesnt look very good.

i would put more of a left margin in your content... and do something else with that "all you could want to know...."
change the copy a bit and maybe use a different font

i also dont like that counter that you've got on every page... it really stands out

hope that helps

**Creadiv** · 10-12-2007 11:37 AM

I agree with Dylan, you need to get rid of the counter, it is tacky. If you are trying to see how many view or hit you are having on your site use the statistics program that your web host most likely supplies with its control panel.

Get rid of the google ads at the top. The moment I see a tacky box of google as on a informational site I am going to turn and run. Google ads can be modified to basically fit anywhere you want and to take on any styles that you want. Work them in so that people don't even notice them.

Work on the styling of your content panel, the area containing the text on the right. The margin on the left and right don't match.

Create a better header, the one you currently have is pretty boring. I am not saying that you need some elaborate graphic, but something a little more enticing may make your viewers want to stay and look around more.

The site is in pretty good shape but could uses so definte tweaking. Good luck with the project.

**giovani** · 10-12-2007 01:32 PM

Thanks guys that was all great. Those counters are already gone. It really does take somebody else to make you realise what has been staring you i n the face all along!!!

Done a few bits of tweaking. Going to work on the google ads, see what i can do with them.

Dylan- i read your page and it helped but i'm going to have to sit down when i've got some time and digest it properly. I'll do a bit of reading around too.

Thanks again!

**Dylan Phelan** · 10-12-2007 01:51 PM

sure... that page is a really basic intro. It's intended to introduce you to the most important aspects of SEO, you must then do further research... for now, rewrite you meta tags, using your most important keywords. That will be a good start

**Dylan Phelan** · 10-12-2007 01:51 PM

oh... and by the way, that link in your first post still doesnt work!!

**giovani** · 10-13-2007 04:32 AM

There you go it should work now!!! My bad.

I have written my meta tags (Description and Keywords) already. When i write the head tags, they appear at the top of the page once i've published it? This isn't really a good look. How do i get rid of them?

Thanks dylan, your help is priceless.

**Dylan Phelan** · 10-13-2007 04:53 AM

the title tag (the one that appears at the top) is your most important meta tag... it is the one that will come up as the title in search results. 'home' is gonna do nothing for SEO. write a nice tag containing keyword phrases that will be readable and make sense to your visitors...

**Dylan Phelan** · 10-13-2007 04:54 AM

keep the title tag to around 70 or 80 characters and the description tag to 170 or 180...
the keyword tag isnt that important anymore... just choose the most important keywords and phrases

**Dylan Phelan** · 10-13-2007 05:03 AM

for the title tag, something like this

"Visit Southwest Florida | Find accommodation, restaurants and things to do in Lee and Collier county"

Just a guide line... do some keyword research

Also... read your own copy!!!

spelling on the first line... "favourites" near the bottom... that's how we spell it. Don't you drop the 'u'

**giovani** · 10-14-2007 03:33 PM

Okay. I've changed my page title and that now comes up on the Internnet Explorer. However when changing my HEAD tag it appears at the top of the actual page in black text. I'd prefer it wasn' there, it doesn't look great.

Is it just enough to have changed the page title? If not is there any way i can prevent the title tag from being visible on the page itself?

Thanks.

**Dylan Phelan** · 10-14-2007 04:45 PM

the head tag??

"head" is just a section in your code... where your tags are.

The title tag isn't visible on the page...

you would just have something like this in the head section..

<title>Put important keyword phrases at the beginning of this tag. Max 70 characters.</title>

<meta name="Description" content="A brief description of the pages content. Use keyword phrases and try to use under 180 characters." />

<meta name="Keywords" content="Your most important keywords and keyword phrases.Choose carefully and use the most important ones. " />

**zoobie** · 10-14-2007 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by Dylan Phelan

for the title tag, something like this

"Visit Southwest Florida | Find accommodation, restaurants and things to do in Lee and Collier county"

Just a guide line... do some keyword research

I agree. Best of luck to you.

**giovani** · 10-15-2007 10:50 AM

Dylan, I'm slightly confused by all this tag stuff!!!!

I have a 'Page Title' field, a 'Description' meta tag, a 'Keyword' meta tag and a '<HEAD>' tag?????

What goes where? :0

**Dylan Phelan** · 10-15-2007 11:27 AM

hey

i just saved your page and had a look at the code... it looks fine...
i see you're using a site building tool.

All the tags are in the right place (which is in the HEAD section of your code)

Now you just need to write a better description; a bit longer, targeting "keyword phrases". you can do the same for your content.

oh, and i see the nasty adwords are back at the top of the page!