Here’s my take on this, hopefully explained in a way that anyone (even non-techies) can understand. Let’s start from the worst moving up to the best…

DREADFUL: Image Link, no ALT tag, meaningless image name

Example:

SEO-usefulness: 0.5 (out of 5)

This link is not really doing you any favours. OK, it’s a link, but it’s not working very hard as far as SEO is concerned. Google – like all other search engines – cannot ’see’ images. So even though this link says SEOMoz, the words are part of an image. You can tell by trying to highlight it with your cursor: words that are images do not highlight as text. Therefore, Google can’t really tell what this is.

This image has no ALT tag, either. An ALT tag is a little bit of code that tells visually impaired people (and search engines) what the image is. So for a photo of a green apple, the ALT tag might say “green apple”. You can tell if an image has an ALT tag by hovering your mouse over an image. If there’s an ALT tag, the text will popup (some people call this ‘tooltips’).

Finally, the filename of this image has nothing to do with the website where it is pointing. The filename is “logo135b.jpg”. Unless someone goes onto Google and types “logo135b”, this is no help whatsoever. In fact, I encourage you to go to Google now and type logo135b in the search box. Does this give you any clues as to how image names can help with SEO?

POOR: Image Link, with ALT tag, meaningful image name

Example:

SEO-usefulness: 1 (out of 5)

I see this as the bare minimum when it comes to a link that is useful from an SEO perspective. Even though Google still can’t ’see’ the image, it can read the text in the ALT tag, and that text contains the brand name of the website it is pointing to (hover your mouse over the image to see). Furthermore, the filename of the image is “seomoz.png” – which also contains the brand name of the website it is pointing to. Luckily, in this case, the brand name and website URL have something to do with the services that the company offers. But if your company name is something like “Deep Blue” and you sell shoes, you’re not so lucky. There’s nothing in your brand or URL that tells Google – or human visitors – that deepblue.com sells shoes. So the usefulness of any links that mention the words “Deep Blue” are only helpful to you from a branding perspective. We’ll expand on this next…

FAIR: Image Link, keywords in ALT tag, keywords in image name

Example:

SEO-usefulness: 2 (out of 5)

If you simply must use an image link (for branding purposes/advertising), this is the way to do it. The ALT tag here is “search engine optimization resources” – and this contains keywords that people might use when searching on Google for such a site. The filename of the actual image itself is “search-engine-resources.jpg” – again, this contains keywords. Including keywords as part of the link is absolutely critical: Google sees this as saying “Hey, look over there on that site if you are interested in search engine optimization resources”. Naturally, this only works if the site you are pointing to actually contains search engine optimization resources. Google isn’t stupid.

You can further improve the usefulness of the image link by adding a text link directly under or next to it, something like the below…

MIDDLING: Text Link, keywords near the link text

Example:

SEOmoz.org – a good place to look for search engine optimization resources

… if you are interested in reading more about search engine optimization, you might look here.

SEO-usefulness: 2-3 (out of 5)

Now we’re getting somewhere. Google likes text, and text-based links. More importantly, remember that the success of Google is based on TRUST and RELEVANCE. So this is what Google uses when evaluating links. We’ll get to the TRUST part in a minute, but as for RELEVANCE, this is how it works: Google sees a link on a page, and if there’s nothing in the link itself to give clues about what the linked site is about, Google then looks at the text in the immediate vicinity to find out what the link is pointing to. It is common sense, really. The words around the link give context, and indicate that the link is relevant to that topic.

Now, ordinarily a link with a generic word like “here” (above) is a bit of a wasted opportunity. But luckily, this one has been partially rescued by putting some relevant keywords in the link title (hover your mouse over it to see). However, it’s still not as good as the link above it, and nowhere near as good as the following…

GOOD: Text Link, keywords in the link text

Example:

SEOmoz.org – a good place to look for search engine optimization resources

… if you are interested in reading more about search engine optimization, you might look at SEOmoz.

SEO-usefulness: 3 (out of 5)

Even better: use the keywords in the link text itself. This is a clear signpost to Google indicating that the linked site is all about the topic of search engine optimization. Equally importantly, it’s a clear signpost to site visitors that when they click on that link, they will find search engine optimization resources. This is almost as good as it gets in terms of relevance…

I say almost because relevance is not just about the words immediately in and around the link. What is on the rest of the page?

BETTER: Text Link, keywords in the link text, on a page about the relevant topic

Example:

As above, but in an article about SEO

SEO-usefulness: 4 (out of 5)

Naturally, if the rest of the page is about web design, and there’s a link to an SEO site stuck on, then this is not as good in terms of relevance as a link on a page/article purely dedicated to SEO. So if you think about my own blog (what you are reading right now), the links I have used as examples on this page are exactly what we are talking about: the text links above are a 4 out of 5 in SEO-usefulness for SEOmoz because this entire article is about SEO.

Think about how most links occur on static websites: more often than not, they are lumped into a page called “Useful Links” or something. Usually there is nothing on that page that gives any relevant info about those links. Now think about how most links occur on blogs: usually they are sprinkled throughout the text in an article about a relevant topic. With this in mind, is it any wonder why blog pages often appear high in search engine results*?

But wait, there’s more…

BEST: Text Link, keywords in the link text, on a page about the relevant topic, on a trusted site

Example:

As above, in an article about SEO, on a site trusted to be about SEO

SEO-usefulness: 5 (out of 5)

This is the Holy Grail of value when it comes to external links and SEO. Remember, I said we’d talk about TRUST later, so here we are. Google wants to give customers the best possible results, so it makes sense that a link from a trusted, relevant website is best. You would do the same: you’d trust a mechanic’s car recommendation more than you would trust a baker’s. At the beginning of this article, I said a link is like a vote of confidence, so a vote from a website that is well-established in its niche area is better than a vote from a site which isn’t.

If we look at the example of the SEOMoz links, if all other factors are equal, a link from my blog is not going to be nearly as valuable as a link from a site like Search Engine Watch. Search Engine Watch is all about SEO, it’s been online for many years, it has lots of relevant SEO links pointing to it, and it ranks high in search engines itself. In this sense, Google trusts Search Engine Watch more than it trusts me. Which is fine by me – I trust Search Engine Watch more, too!

So there we have it, the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to inbound links and search engines. Now you can make better use of adverts, partner links and hopefully make better links yourself, too.


* Search engines also like fresh content, rather than stale mouldy old pages… but that’s a whole other article!

NOTE: All comparisons and info below relate to Wordpress.org, which is the installed version that you download and install on your own hosting. I am not including Wordpress.com in this comparison, which is the hosted version of WordPress that you sign up / subscribe to. This comparison is for professionals and small businesses, and I don’t feel that WordPress.com is the right choice for this purpose.

Similarities between WordPress & Squarespace

There are a number of similar characteristics and functions of the two products; here’s a few of the most relevant ones. Both:

• Can be used for creating and managing blogs or a variety of different types of website
• Are cost-effective, starting at a few pounds per month for hosting/subscription
• Allow you to use your own domain name (instead of something like http://yourdomain.wordpress.com )
• Allow non-technical people to update the website text/content without much training
• Offer a lot of visual design flexibility, in which an experienced designer/developer (like me) can create polished, professional websites quickly ; however, there are some design limitations with both systems
• Use template-based designs that can be easily changed, customised or tweaked in future without affecting the content
• Have a number of search-engine-friendly elements built into the way the pages/sites are structured
• Offer the ability to have multiple authors/editors with different levels of editing permission
• Have the capability to use/embed Flash, video or other media within the site
• Have their own quirks – things that don’t quite make sense – but are easily worked around once you figure it out

So what are the main differences?

About Squarespace

Squarespace is a full-featured hosted content management system (CMS) designed for websites and blogs.  Users pay a monthly subscription fee to Squarespace in return for hosting the site and access to the content management system. You don’t download anything and you don’t need to find hosting: as soon as you sign up online, you can get started working on your site.

Squarespace Pros:

• The subscription fee includes full technical support from Squarespace. Response times have been quick in the past: anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.
• Cost effective: the lower level subscription rates are comparable to the cost of standard web hosting, with a lot more included.
• Very intuitive content management system: incredibly user-friendly (the best I have seen at this price point). It is clear that Squarespace developers focus a lot on usability.
• Offers scope for additional functionality (eg custom forms, private client pages) through built-in features & modules that are easy to set up, usually even by non-technical people. These modules are supported by Squarespace’s tech support in case of any problems.
• Basic website statistics are built-in, and conveniently accessed through the same login used for editing the site.
• All the infrastructure is managed by Squarespace. This means future product upgrades are applied automatically by Squarespace, so you don’t need to install anything or worry about whether you are using the latest version (you always are).
• Everything’s in one place: if something goes wrong, you know it’s Squarespace. With WordPress, you sometimes can’t easily tell whether it’s a WordPress problem or a problem with your hosting provider, making troubleshooting take longer.

Squarespace Cons:

• As a fully-hosted solution, you cannot shop around for better hosting deals: you are tied in to Squarespace’s hosting and prices.
• Some added features are only available through higher monthly fee subscription packages.
• Some features cannot be easily customised without a designer/developer’s help (custom coding).
• The statistics that come built into Squarespace are not as detailed as those from Google Analytics or other web analytics tools (note: you can install Google Analytics or other on Squarespace).
• Squarespace is not a huge company with thousands of developers, so product improvements and enhancements are not released as often as with bigger CMS products, nor as often as new plugins for WordPress become available.

About WordPress

WordPress is an open source blogging platform that can be adapted for use as both a standard website CMS and/or blog.  You need a suitable hosting provider and a downloaded version of WordPress to get started. Once this is installed, you login to your WordPress admin panel to work on the site.

WordPress Pros:

• WordPress is available free of charge, without having to pay a license fee or subscription, so the only cost related to purchase is the cost of web hosting. This means you can shop around for the best hosting deal, or move hosts in future should you choose to.
• WordPress is one of the world’s most-used and well-supported blog CMS platforms; it has an active support community and a development roadmap, with frequent upgrades that constantly improve functionality and security. Out of all the open source blog CMS platforms, it’s the one I recommend most.
• A huge range of 3rd party plugins is available to expand the functionality of WordPress. The variety of plugins available is far greater than the variety of modules available for expanding Squarespace. Plugins include website analytics/ statistics through Google Analytics (just one example).
• The fact that it is open source (rather than commercial) appeals to some clients from an ethical perspective. This means that you are free to use the product without many restrictions of commercial software, and are supporting the open source ideology.

WordPress Cons:

• The fact that it is open source (rather than commercial) is a barrier/turn-off to some clients. They want the assurances that come with a commercial organisation developing and taking responsibility for the product. They want to be able to hold someone accountable, and be able to contact someone whose job it is to respond, in case of any problem.
• Although WordPress is a popular platform, it is reliant on the pool of open-source developers for all product improvements and bug-fixes, who do this free of charge, primarily in their free time. Therefore, it can sometimes take a while for bugs to be fixed.
• The user interface for administering and editing is a bit less intuitive than Squarespace, and not as user-friendly.
• Most added features are only available as 3rd-party plugins or widgets: this means they are not supported by WordPress, and can sometimes cause compatibility issues when the WordPress platform is upgraded. And sometimes they are just plain rubbish, as there is no quality-control process. Anyone can develop and release a plugin/widget, so there’s a high chaff-to-wheat ratio.
• Because WordPress is an installed application, someone must manually upgrade the product whenever a new version is released. Failure to upgrade can cause security risks, but upgrading can create compatibility issues (see above).

So which is better?

There is no right or wrong answer: the best tool will depend on your own preference, and whether you have someone you can trust to help design/develop/administer/train on that particular platform. Because as easy as they both are to use, it can really help to have someone who knows what they are doing to work with you, at least in the beginning.

I see this question being asked a lot, and I’ve realised this is akin to asking a stranger ‘Which vehicle should I buy?’. What’s the answer: Ferarri? Hatchback? Lorry? Bicycle? Motorcycle? Without knowing what you will use it for, it’s impossible to answer. And even if you tell me you want a family car to cart your kids around and run errands, the best answer depends on factors such as whether price is more important than fuel economy, whether you have 6-foot-tall teenagers or triplet toddlers, and ultimately, which one feels most comfortable to you when behind the wheel.

So the answer to ‘which tool’ has almost nothing to do with which tool is the ‘best’, and everything to do with what it is that you are trying to achieve, and with whom. The very words ‘online collaboration’ could have lots of different meanings:

• I want to share documents online, and let others edit them
• I want to have meetings online instead of travelling for face-to-face meetings
• I want to manage a project that has lots of remote stakeholders, and easily keep everyone up-to-date
• I want to be able to easily track all of the things my team and our external partners are working on together
• I want a central place where all the discussions and files about a project can be stored and accessed

and so on.

Earlier this month I had the pleasure of attending Netsquared’s London NetTuesday meetup which was focused on online collaboration. A representative from Huddle (Andy, I think?) was there, and he did a good job of covering what are the potential benefits of online collaboration, as well as covering the main features available. I think Andy and I are in agreement that the best tool depends on many factors, so I’m going to summarise his and my tips on how to choose the best tool for your needs.

What is it that you are trying to achieve?

Are you trying to save time – if so, whose time? Increase a sense of unity within a team? Cut down on resource-heavy meetings? Stop things slipping through the cracks by centralising information? Move away from email? Any of these are valid goals, and it’s a good idea to make note of your aims before you even start looking for a product. Make sure you revisit this at every stage of the way to ensure you are still on track to achieving it.

What tasks/processes do you need to perform?

Make a list of all the actions you/your team need to do, and prioritise the list into essentials and nice-to-have. It’s important to be as specific as possible, and make sure you are listing human actions rather than technical functions. For example:

Good:
Ability for remote team members to communicate through text, not necessarily in real-time

Bad:
Online forum

Why? Because the former is open and could be achieved in different ways (forum, wiki, chat room, etc). Stating something like ‘online forum’ is limiting, and is a statement of the tool (I want a handsaw) rather than the need (I need to cut wood). Limiting yourself in this way closes doors that could have led to better ways of achieving the same thing.

Who will be using it?

Are they technical or non-techie, based in one location or geographically dispersed, mature Sales Directors or young Office Assistants, native English-speakers or not, enthusiastic communicators or isolated solo-flyers? Many tools available can perform the same function, but the best one for your needs depends on who will use it, and how often. Also be sure to think about how they will be trained on the tool.

Who will be supporting it?

Many people make the mistake in thinking that externally-hosted online tools need no user support within the business. I think this is the number one factor contributing to failure of the tool being used and adopted. While it’s true most of these tools are very easy to use, and most offer some level of support from the supplier, you should always factor in having someone act as user support within the organisation. This person needs to act as the point-person for questions, training, adoption & embedding. They don’t have to be technical – tech questions can usually be referred on to the supplier – but they do have to be patient, good communicators, and pro-active. In large organisations, it pays to have a ‘champion’ like this in each department, with one overall administrator/super-champion.

What is the scale / duration of your project?

If you just need something for a few team members working on a short, fixed-term project, you can afford to choose a tool without much research aside from the above. However, if you are looking to create a permanent extra/intranet or manage a long-term programme with many stakeholders, you should consider going through a full evaluation process, including setting up trial accounts and gathering feedback on a few products before making your decision.

What is your budget?

The costs of online collaboration tools range from free to several thousands of pounds. The more expensive ones are not always ‘better’, but they do tend to come with greater levels of tech support… and often, greater levels of complexity that you may or may not need. But don’t be put off by free/cheap fees: many online tools operate on a volume basis so you might be surprised to find complex, feature-rich products even at the lowest price point.

How quickly do you need it?

Many tools can be set up within a few mouse clicks, while others will require installation and configuration. Weigh up the benefits of quick setup on an entirely external server, versus those of having something installed that your tech support team can have access to. How will the data be backed up? Can we survive if the tool is temporarily unavailable due to maintenance? How easy is it to get our data in and out? Or do we just need to get on with it NOW?

Do you have other systems to consider?

Would it be beneficial for your online collaboration tool to link in with Outlook, Google Calendar, LinkedIn or Facebook? Do you have existing internal data storage systems that will need to feed into (or out from) your new online collaboration environment – how will this happen, and is it even possible? Can you achieve what you want by simply changing the way we use existing tools or bolting on new modules, rather than bringing another different tool into the mix? It’s worth bearing these important questions in mind because the answers can have long-term ramifications.

I hope the above will help you in evaluating which tool is best for you. In a future post, I will try to mention a few ‘best of breed’ tools that you might want to look at for various different online collaboration needs. Remember, the best way to determine which car is best for you is to take it on a test-drive: no amount of good advice can replace putting yourself behind the wheel.

After auditing the site’s current status, benchmarking it, comparing to their main competitors, and developing a plan for improvement, it has been fairly quiet over the last few months as they simply got on with making the changes.

I was thrilled to get an email this week indicating the first fruits of our labour: a nearly 15% increase in traffic from Google, and a whopping 31% increase in visits to the pages that we targeted as priorities for first-stage optimisation. This is only 5 months in, and there are still other improvements in the pipeline. But it sure does feel nice to have happy clients… and more importantly, happy customers who are finally able to find their site much easier than before.

Purrrrrrrrrr.