Comments and criticism needed on new website

[Basita]

Hi everyone - I would really appreciate any comments on my website, which has been online around 3 months now but I'm still 'finishing' it. Mainly I'd like to know why it loads as it does, showing the underneath layers and alt texts, etc. - is it normal? Also, if someone could check it for SEO it would be great, 'cos I am still getting v. little traffic and I wonder what's wrong. Many thanks!

http://www.celticsymbols.net

[whiteshepherd]

Re: Comments and criticism needed on new website

I like your website ... it is very well done and infirmative. I can't answer your loading question.

I ran your front page through http://www.widexl.com/remote/search-engines/metatag-analyzer.html and all looked good but I can't help but wonder if some of you keywords are a bit obscure. When I optimise my sites I try to thinnk like the searcher and use those types of words and make sure they are incorporated in the text.

Bethers has written a fantastic book about this http://www.moxie-enter-prises.com/SEO-The-Basics.html aand I found this really helpful.

The other things I do is organise links with others and get free links ot oganisations that list my typesof websites.

Hope that helps a little.

[Basita]

Re: Comments and criticism needed on new website

Many thanks Whiteshepherd!
Useful tip about making the keywords simple and making sure they're incorporated.
I also exchange links with others and submit to related directories - obviously not enough, tho'.
I will have a look at the book you mentioned.
Thanks again!

[shenders]

Re: Comments and criticism needed on new website

I really like your site.The look and feel of it is very good.Good job.
Try to get more links Your search - link:http://www.celticsymbols.net/ - did not match any documents.

[Collectors-info]

Re: Comments and criticism needed on new website

Hi, it’s a nice neat site with lots going for it. Could only see one image of hand that may slow the front page down a tiny bit (Its half the size of the whole page @ 229kb) lol. Not sure if the one below is any help at fewer than 25kb.
Might be an idea to put in some searches for what you might put into Google & see what it comes up with for sites. If your one is there? Great! If not, see what others have done to get to that top spot by having a look at their keywords & titles. But remember to have these words within your page.
Have you also put in a support ticket to VH for your one time SE listing?.
If there is any Celtic forums & alike. Join them & get your sites url out there as a signature. Do some exchange links with other Celtic sites. Can even put your url as your signature on this forum to get another 13 links. It all helps.

Good luck.

[zuriatman]

Re: Comments and criticism needed on new website

Very well done Basita.

The only comment is that the colors looks like a cold morning in late January.
The color for the page background which is light green and the dark turquoise green [which looks drab to me does not bring out the page.
They dampen the page and makes everything looks dull.
Try playing with more exciting colors or BG that radiate some radiance.

[egar50]

Re: Comments and criticism needed on new website

Site looks very nice, I like your choice of colours they are easy on the eye.
Best of luck

[EnglandVillages]

Re: Comments and criticism needed on new website

Being a Celt myself, with family originating from Wales, I love your website.

It loads exceptionally fast, the colour scheme I think is just perfect, very pleasing and easy on the eye.

Good information and a great 3 column layout. Impossible to get lost on a site like this, the navigation is a doddle. Overall - Excellent.

Now, how to get more page views.

As you and I know, there is a wealth of information out there on our old Celtic traditions and the way of life the Celt's experienced.

My suggestion for more traffic is to open up on your webpage a blog area (I almost typed bog Mark grins), and on this blog write a couple of short articles twice a week of about 600-800 words, describing in your own words, the life of the Celt's and our old Celtic traditions. Google, Yahoo and MSN just love content rich material which is fresh and new. Try to avoid duplicating content from elsewhere, this may have the effect of penalising you in the search engine rankings, so use your own words if at all possible.

You could write upon any of a number of subjects from Celtic art, to jewellery, to customs, to pagan festivals, modern day Celt's, trading partners in years gone by, Celtic migration throughout Europe, Celtic food, music the list is truly endless.

Too, if you would like some aerial photographs of stone circles, feel free to give me a shout, it's a hobby come business of mine taking ground based aerial shots of ancient sites etc. I have quite a few beauties of the Merry Maidens stone circle from an elevated position 50' high. If you go to google, type in 'High Photographs', you'll see my website in the number one position on the first page - SkyHighPhotographs

If you need any further assistance - holler.

All the best!!

[EnglandVillages]

Re: Comments and criticism needed on new website

You may also try on google, looking for Ezine.com and submit your articles to them, they in turn will distribute your article/s over the internet to other publishers. Every time you write an article and submit it, or someone else uses it, you'll get a back link, or one way link pointing to your website, like an academic paper receiving grades. The more back links you get, one way links from quality PR ranked pages the better, this will increase your traffic. Time consuming yes, but worth it most definitely.