The Web Authority

I’ve launched a new website in preparation for a new whitepaper on “SEO Tactics for the Real World”. The site is a spin-off my main website http://www.mccordweb.com/. The new site http://www.mccordwebdesign.com/ was done for several reasons.

I decided to test spinning off one of my core services into its own website with focused keyword dense content on the topics custom web design and fast or quick web design. I took my same design skin, but created new content, new meta tags, and meta descriptions. I am also trying a new technique on title tags with the new site http://www.mccordwebdesign.com/. I am trying to evaluate if it can help garner organic placement by one cross linking the sites and two if spinning off a site with more in-depth and unique content on a core business will get better organic search placement.

One of the other reasons I am doing the test is to closely evaluate a new web host. My main and very large (nearly 500 page website at http://www.mccordweb.com/) is hosted at http://www.hostway.com/. My new smaller keyword dense site is hosted at Network Solutions and is around 20 pages or so and very targeted on just one core business that I want top organic placement in a global arena versus just great placement in Maryland.

This new test may take six months to a year to evaluate, but click into my new spin-off site http://www.mccordwebdesign.com/ and take a look. You’ll find the same skin, but that is about it. The navigation is different, pages changed, additional content added on my topic, and new meta tags in place.

I’ll keep you posted on this one as it should be a very interesting project both for hosting and for SEO tactics.

By the way on the hosting issue, Network Solutions has passed with flying colors. The only thing that I still have a problem with is my database connection. I will blog about Network Solutions another time as I am sure you will find my comments candid and interesting.

I am often asked how can a website owner get top placement in Google Maps. I have done some research on this topic and wanted to share the information with you. Many of the suggestions to improve your position you can implement yourself. I think that you will find my own personal business case study interesting and can offer insight into your own situation.

Read the full article in our November ’07 e-newsletter.

How often have you allowed a prospect to pick your brain on what you might call proprietary information? It happens more often than not and typically I have found the prospect that wants to chat for hours on what ifs typically never moves into the paying customer arena. Why should they, they have all the information that they need to do it themselves.

How do you handle this kind of situation? For me, I am not afraid to share information and chat, but I am also not afraid after about 10 to 15 minutes to say “I need to move you into the paying customer category now.” Additionally I now consider some information about how I do business proprietary and not to be shared every! Regardless of the amount of money offered.

It is important that as a business person you assess what you do, what your value is to others, and then guard your trade secrets. Don’t treat this information casually. Sometimes it has taken years to understand or be versed in a topic so that you become an expert. Don’t give it away for a relatively cheap consulting fee or for free when chatting to impress a prospect with your knowledge. Now I do not advocate turning the clock on and charging everyone at the beginning, but in some situations it is better to get a retainer and contract first before getting into the details and a strategy.