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Next Generation Haunt Websites
Hey there everyone,
So as everyone in the haunt industry knows, your website is a powerful marketing tool. This goes without saying. Over the years of developing websites in conjunction with web developers I have noticed that the potential reach of most websites is not being achieved. Why do I say this you might ask? SEO my friend. Search engine optimization. In other words it is how Google and Yahoo view your website and how it is indexed into their databases along with all the other potential results.
Most haunt sites on the internet today go for powerful imagery and cool graphics, that is GREAT because you want to convey your haunt to your visitor. The one thing that is being left out is the actual content, these search engines can not read images unless you give them alt-text (which still isn't the best) and Google certainly has issues with reading flash sites. These are just some of the items that are prevalent on haunt sites that do not necessarily benefit your event. Some haunt sites even have their index page as a splash video page, this means that on your main page you have essentially no relevant content for Google to read.
What it comes down to is that flash and pictures are great for people that know your web address and have a cable or high speed internet, but if I am searching for a haunted house in Columbus or where ever and don't know what haunt I want to go to. my Google search is going to be "Haunted House in Columbus" Do you come up first in your town? Are you on the first page? This is not random. This is directly impacted by your sites content. Their are 1,000 ways to improve your sites power such as ordering your menu correctly, providing a site map, having content and key word rich pages, and more!
Any whom, I am going to put down my thoughts on this and figured I would see what other haunters interests are in learning more about SEO. I would be happy to help if there is an interest and continue posting what I know about this subject on this thread. Give me a shout!
Happy Haunting,
Ethan
www.HundredAcresManor.com
www.CostumeFind.com
So as everyone in the haunt industry knows, your website is a powerful marketing tool. This goes without saying. Over the years of developing websites in conjunction with web developers I have noticed that the potential reach of most websites is not being achieved. Why do I say this you might ask? SEO my friend. Search engine optimization. In other words it is how Google and Yahoo view your website and how it is indexed into their databases along with all the other potential results.
Most haunt sites on the internet today go for powerful imagery and cool graphics, that is GREAT because you want to convey your haunt to your visitor. The one thing that is being left out is the actual content, these search engines can not read images unless you give them alt-text (which still isn't the best) and Google certainly has issues with reading flash sites. These are just some of the items that are prevalent on haunt sites that do not necessarily benefit your event. Some haunt sites even have their index page as a splash video page, this means that on your main page you have essentially no relevant content for Google to read.
What it comes down to is that flash and pictures are great for people that know your web address and have a cable or high speed internet, but if I am searching for a haunted house in Columbus or where ever and don't know what haunt I want to go to. my Google search is going to be "Haunted House in Columbus" Do you come up first in your town? Are you on the first page? This is not random. This is directly impacted by your sites content. Their are 1,000 ways to improve your sites power such as ordering your menu correctly, providing a site map, having content and key word rich pages, and more!
Any whom, I am going to put down my thoughts on this and figured I would see what other haunters interests are in learning more about SEO. I would be happy to help if there is an interest and continue posting what I know about this subject on this thread. Give me a shout!
Happy Haunting,
Ethan
www.HundredAcresManor.com
www.CostumeFind.com
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