How Should An Internet Professional Approach Cross Browser Compatibility?

Topic: Design Written by Bradley Gauthier

With the constant release of new browsers and newer code standards there is still a majority of web users who stick with outdated and unreliable browsers. Worse yet, there is no end in sight for old software (Internet Explorer 6) to die. How can anyone decide what code to use during a design? Luckily, there are a few easy considerations when preparing for cross browser compatibility: Read More »

Usability: Examples of Good and Bad Color Contrast

Topic: Site Optimization Written by Bradley Gauthier

It is surprising how many websites have horrible color contrast.  Nothing will lead to higher visitor dissatisfaction than impossible to read text. When designing your website be cautious of what colors used. Below are a few examples of good and bad contrast of colors: Read More »

Tim Ferriss on Blogging Without Killing Yourself

Topic: Blogging Written by Bradley Gauthier

Tim Ferriss recently spoke at the Wordpress’ WordCamp on blogging without killing yourself. Here is the excellent video:

PageRank Sculpting And The Correct Use Of Nofollow

Topic: Search Engine Optimization Written by Bradley Gauthier

There has been a common misconception of links with the rel=nofollow tag and their effects on the PageRank. Does it really help search engine rankings or is it all a waste of time? Or should sculpting be used only on large sites? In reality, any site will benefit from a well structured website and should be one of the top considerations when creating or revamping a website.

Implementation of the rel=nofollow tag should be done when first creating the website structure for two reasons: Read More »

Five Books To Read Before Launching An Internet Based Business

Topic: Internet Based Businesses Written by Bradley Gauthier

These five books are must reads before starting an Internet based business or moving your existing business online (links open in a new tab and go to Amazon for more information).

The Books: Read More »

The Benefits of Long Tail Keywords in PPC Campaigns

Topic: Search Engine Marketing Written by Bradley Gauthier

Pay-per-click ad campaigns can become very expensive. Worse yet, the campaign may yield terrible results when not implemented correctly. Bidding on long tail keywords may be the solution. These usually consist of multi word, descriptive, or uncommon phrases such as Northern Wisconsin nature photography and have many benefits: Read More »

Niche Blogs: Harness The Power of Large Numbers

Topic: Blogging Written by Bradley Gauthier

When choosing the subject for a new blog and you have expertise or interest in a specific topic, strongly consider focusing on only that single topic. This style of site creation is called niche blogging and can result in much earlier Internet success.

While you may not share this passion with your sphere of friends or family, note that there are over 1.5 billion Internet users in the world. Chances are, other people exist who would be interested in what you have to say. The Northwoods of Wisconsin, for instance, holds tons of possibilities for blogs: snowmobiling, wildlife photography, bed and breakfast reviews, walleye fishing, hiking, the list goes on…

Depending on the quality of your site and content, you may find the following Read More »

Pay-Per-Click Cannibalization Of Organic Search Results

Topic: Search Engine Marketing Written by Bradley Gauthier

Why pay for a visitor that is already headed to your site?

This is exactly what happens when a PPC campaign is not correctly adapted to match SEO efforts.

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Organic cannibalization is a real threat to a marketing budget and needs to be taken seriously when analyzing a campaign. Unfortunately, this analysis may not be clear-cut. There are, however, a few telltale signs of cannibalization: Read More »

Bounce Rate: The Most Magnificent Metric

Topic: Web Analytics Written by Bradley Gauthier

One of the top web analytic metrics that should be taken seriously is bounce rate. This occurs when a visitor finds your site but fails to stay longer than a few seconds or if there is only one page view. (The exact definition varies depending on the brand of web analytics tool.) During a marketing campaign this calculation is one of the simplest numbers to understand but may not always be the easiest to analyze.

There can be countless reasons why a visitor would “bounce” out of your site but the top sources Read More »

How To Write Effective, Well-Structured Website Page Titles

Topic: Search Engine Optimization Written by Bradley Gauthier

One of the most important considerations when optimizing your website for search engines are page titles. These titles are what usually show up as the main heading in search results and are also found on the top of the user’s web browser. The title usually includes the website’s name and a short blurb about the page’s content.

The execution of a great title can be systematic if you know the proper guidelines.

The major concept to understand is every page in your website should have a unique title. If not and you carry the same title Read More »