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| The Axandra newsletter archive - 20 July 2004 |
| Welcome to the latest issue of the Search Engine Facts newsletter.
This week, we're trying to find out why some web site visitors don't convert into sales.
In the news: Yahoo gains on Google, Ask Jeeves more than doubles its traffic, the BBC might create a new search engine and more.
Table of contents:
We hope that you enjoy this newsletter and that it helps you to get more out of your web site. Please pass this newsletter on to your friends.
Best regards,
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| 1. Facts of the week: Why visitors don't convert into sales - part 1 |
Even if you have obtained high search engine rankings for your web site under your important keywords, and even if you have hundreds of visitors per day, web surfers still might not purchase something on your web site.
Why do visitors sometimes don't convert into sales? We'll give you several reasons that can prevent surfers from buying on your web site.
Reason 1: Your web pages don't load fast enough
Web surfers hate to wait for slow loading web pages. If your web pages don't load fast enough, many web surfers will go away without taking a look at them.
No matter how great your product is: if your web site is not fast enough, web surfers won't see it. Fast loading web pages are crucial if you want to sell something on the Internet.
There are several things you can do to speed up your site. Of course, you should make sure that your web host provides fast and reliable servers. In addition to hosting your web site on a fast server, you can do the following to improve the loading time of your web pages:
- Reduce the number of graphics
A large number of graphics on your web pages can considerably slow down your page. For each graphic on your web page, the web browser has to make another connection to your server. If you cannot reduce the number of graphics on your web page, then try to combine several graphics to a single bigger one. Use the same graphics on your other web pages so that web browsers can load the graphics from the browser cache.
- Specify the dimensions of your graphics
Always make sure to include the height and width dimensions of your graphics in your HTML code. This means that every IMG tag should have the WIDTH and HEIGHT attributes specified. If web browsers doesn't have to figure out the dimensions of your graphics, they can already display placeholders and start displaying the text of your web page before loading the graphics from the server.
- Make the top of your page interesting
If a web page takes a long time to load, make sure that the top of the page contains something interesting because visitors will see that part first.
- Divide your tables
Web pages that use a single large layout table take a long time to render in web browsers. Break up huge tables into several smaller ones.
- Specify the dimensions of your tables
If you specify the WIDTH and HEIGHT attributes for your tables, then web browsers don't have to load the complete table code to calculate the dimensions of the table.
- Double check cell widths
Take a moment to check the individual widths of each table cell. If the total is more than the specified table width, then web browsers will have problems displaying your table.
It's important to know the download times of your web pages. In general, your home page should load in 20 seconds on a dial-up connection and the top of your page should be displayed within 5-8 seconds.
Fast loading web pages are the most basic factor of a successful web site. If your web pages are displayed and rendered as quickly as possible, people will have more time to read the actual content of your web pages and eventually they'll buy something on your page.
Now that people can see your web page content, it's important to keep them on your site. Next week, we'll tell you what you can do to turn web site visitors into buyers.
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| 2. Search engine news of the week |
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Yahoo Search gains on Google
"Google may be getting most of the attention among search engines, especially with its upcoming initial public offering, but new Forrester Research data on search habits shows Yahoo is still getting a big piece of the action. [...] Forrester believes use of Yahoo search will surge ahead of Google in the first quarter of 2005."
Google unveils 'Browse By Name'
"Google has launched a new Toolbar feature called 'Browse By Name' enabling users to navigate the web faster and easier by typing words, instead of URLs, directly into the Internet Explorer address bar. [...]
The new function can be downloaded at toolbar.google.com and is available in 12 international languages, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, German, Italian, Russian, and others."
Google acquires Picasa
"Google has acquired Picasa, a Pasadena, Calif.-based digital photography company, in a move aimed at further cementing its relationship with consumers. [...] It gives users a reason beyond search to visit Google every day."
Google to disclose financials, share price range
"Google is expected to give an indication of how much it expects bidders to pay for its shares in an updated initial public offering filing as soon as this week, according to potential investors."
MSN boosts email search tools with acquisition
"MSN has acquired the company which makes a 'critically acclaimed' personal search tool in its latest bid to enhance its search facilities against rivals. [...] The purchase represents the first acquisition MSN has made in the search sector, as it looks at new tools to improve its search capabilities."
Supply shortage could drive up cost of clicks
"Online advertisers' demand for exposure in the results of Google, Yahoo and other search engines, may soon outpace the supply and drive up prices, according to a new study."
Ask Jeeves more than doubles Internet traffic
"In the first month since closing on the acquisition of new search properties, Ask Jeeves increased its Web traffic 150 percent to become the sixth-most-visited Internet property in June, according to comScore Media Metrix."
BBC may launch low-cost broadband, search engine
"Mr Highfield also outlined plans to launch a BBC standalone search engine that would compete with Google and others. [...] The BBC's existing search services were to be welcomed, as search technology is currently dominated by American firms and thus there was value in spending public money on a UK-oriented web search service."
Search engine newslets
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Exposing click fraud
"Internet marketers facing higher advertising fees on search networks are becoming increasingly concerned about a form of online fraud that was thought to have been contained years ago. [...]
A growing alternative employs low-cost workers who are hired in China, India and other countries to click on text links and other ads. A third form of fraud takes place when employees of companies click on rivals' ads to deplete their marketing budgets and skew search results."
Will paid inclusion be banished?
"With MSN and Ask Jeeves eliminating paid inclusion listings from their search results this month, Yahoo is the lone holdout among major search engines to let advertisers pay to have their Web pages in its search results."
Software searches without being asked
"Why not have our computers find things for us before we ask, like a well-trained puppy delivering the morning paper? A team of entrepreneurs have unveiled a piece of software that purports to do exactly that."
So many pages, such feeble search
"Microsoft is just the latest tech outfit to tackle the info-overload problem. It's joining a host of others that have miles to go."
The limits of search
"Brendon Benzing, executive director, Yellow Pages and local search for AOL, explained that 'the average query is only two words today. In the future, it could probably be a lot more specific.' He continued that the search engine companies have invested billions in new technology, and that this should pay off in improvements over the next couple of years.
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"I went from 600 rank on Google to top 10!"
"Let me tell at first I was worried, I thought I was wasting my money. But I thought about it and took a chance.
To make a long story short, I went from 600 rank on Google to top 10 now on the forth oh July for my main keyword pepper spray! Thanks to ARELIS I have gotten over 500 link partners and growing and top rankings for my site safetyrus.com! Thanks guys great work, makes all my linking so easy."
Frank, www.safetyrus.com
Two new releases
We've just released two new versions of our top-rated web site promotion tools:
Want to be mentioned in this newsletter?
Just send us some words about your successes with IBP or ARELIS and you might get featured in this newsletter along with your web site address.
Tip: Need a new Internet service provider?
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Copyright © 2005 Axandra / Voget Selbach Enterprises GmbH
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