Frequently asked questions about websites and SEO

How do I evaluate a website developer?
There are a lot of people out there with different price points for the same type of website. It’s not just about looks and cost. Your website is a strategic marketing tool, and it needs to fit into your overall marketing strategy. It needs to be charged with accomplishing specific predetermined marketing goals and objectives, and communicate a consistent message that is tied to your overall brand and marketing. The Web developer needs to understand that.
If you agree to that philosophy, it’s important that you partner with a Web design firm who is accomplished not only in designing and programming websites, but is also a strategic thinker. The ‘jack of all trades’ developer can sometimes get you into trouble. Your Web developer needs to be accomplished in all aspects of website design and development (i.e., project management, design, content development, programming, search engine optimization, etc.). And, they need to be a strategic marketer so they can tie what needs to be done from a website standpoint into your company’s overall strategic marketing plans, goals and objectives.
Is there an easy way to make frequent updates to a site?
Five-plus years ago, you had to go back to the developer if you wanted to make any changes to your website. Now, sites are built with content management systems (CMS), an administrative software system that allows users with little to no knowledge of web programming languages to create and manage the site’s content. So, if you want to add a picture, new copy or a new link, you, as the owner of the site, can make those administrative changes without taking on additional charges by going to an outside vendor or consultant. So make sure your website is built with CMS.
What is search engine optimization (SEO) and why is it so important?
SEO is the process of improving the visibility of a website or a Web page through its structuring so that search engines, such as Google or Bing, can find, read and index them in the most effective manner. When done properly, SEO makes your website and its content attractive, relevant and visible to search engines and Web searchers. In short, it will help folks find you or your company. A good way to think about it would be if you decided to build a beautiful new house out in some rural part of the country, but you didn’t build any roads to get there. How would your friends and family come to visit you? SEO creates the road to your website.
Jonathan Ebenstein is the managing director of Skoda Minotti’s Marketing Services Group. Reach him at (440) 449-6800 or [email protected].