MiniDoc: An Incomplete Guide to SEO

[compass]

http://www.webconfs.com/search-engine-s ... ulator.php

^ Thats will show you what you page looks like (not including html, eg the tables)

[TWControls]

Great tips and article

Thanks
TW

[emerson]

This is a very interesting and informative thread, however I guess I am just dumb because nowhere in it do I see the link to the actual MiniDoc.

Perhaps someone can explain to me how I am missing something so obvious!

Emerson

[emerson]

MOD NOTE: Removed unfounded accusations. This type of behaviour will not be tolerated. - UNIXBOYMD

[compass]

The term MINI DOC has been used by the Joomla mods to identify FAQ's that are longer that ususal, like a mini tutorial.

Its also their policy to seperate the minidoc from the discussion. The minidoc is here:
http://forum.joomla.org/index.php/topic,12880.0.html

I am also hosting a copy in PDF that people can download for free on my own site.

[technopuzzle]

@ emerson

I have amended the first posting in this thread to link to the FAQ: MiniDoc. In the future I highly suggest that you use the REPORT TO MODERATOR link when you find an error or a possible rule violation. Posting disruptive or uncivil comments will not be tolerated.

This is a very interesting and informative thread, however I guess I am just dumb because nowhere in it do I see the link to the actual MiniDoc.

Perhaps someone can explain to me how I am missing something so obvious!

Emerson

[ZGR81]

Great job Compass! Thanks for including a PDF copy in the template package purchased from your site.

Can you please tell me the application that you use for keyword/keyphrase extraction. You suggested writing the content first before extracting the keywords/keyphrase from it. I think it is a wonderful idea.

I appreciate whatever insight you can provide.

Thanks!

ZGR81

[thoeri]

Hi

and thanks for a very good seo-guide. I have a question. I now have a lot of links on the front page and they are getting unorganized and messy. I would like to create a top menu and then categorize the menu items under the different top menu buttons. The result will be that only a few of the links will be visible on the front page. However, all the links will have the same URL. This will not change. But most of them will be in sub menus. Will this change my position with Google?

Regards,
thoeri

[compass]

Great job Compass! Thanks for including a PDF copy in the template package purchased from your site.
Can you please tell me the application that you use for keyword/keyphrase extraction. You suggested writing the content first before extracting the keywords/keyphrase from it. I think it is a wonderful idea.

The best I have found is http://www.ranks.nl/tools/spider.html

@thoeri
I am not sure I understand, could you give a little more detail....

[thoeri]

Hi

I will try to be clearer. Lets say that I have 40 menu links in one menu module on my front page. Most of them containing important keywords. But it is messy with all these menu links visibable. Too many choices for the visitor. Instead I would like to create four top menu items and sort all these fourty menu items under these four top menu items.  So there will be ten sub menu items under each top menu item.

On the start page (home page, front page) only the four top menu items will show. When the visitor clicks one of the four top menu items a new menu module is shown, containg the ten sub menu items.

Is this change going to influence my position in the google search result?

Cheers,
Thoeri

[compass]

Sounds like you need a template with a CSS dropdown, google will treat all the links more or less equally.

I think having 40 links will not be very usable imho, too many options. Sounds like you need to design/think about some funnels for your site visitors.

[thoeri]

You are abolutely right. 40 links is way too much. and that is why I am trying to do something about it. I just really scared about losing my no 1 (!) position on google search page for my most important keyword.

I am thinking of using SwMenu and create a drop down menu or similar.

Cheers,
Thoeri

[compass]

Don't use SWPro, it uses (I think) javascript. You need a template that has a "pure css" or "suckerfish" dropdown

[thoeri]

Hi

Ooops. I thought that it was ok - it says on their homepage that top and sub menu items are visible to all searchengines. See this:

A Vertical DHTML Click Menu. Submenus open beneath parent top menu items and retain active status whilst navigating pages. Top menu is visible in non-JavaScript browsers. Top and sub menus are visible to all search engines.

http://www.swmenupro.com/

Do you think I can use it, or do you still recommend pure css or suckerfish?

Thanks for all the help!
Thoeri

[compass]

Interesting:

http://www.webuildpages.com/seo-tools/s ... /index.php

This tool emulates a spider and can see the links, so perhaps they are right....

[thoeri]

Hi again

Yes, I tried this tool on my site and it works. The search engines will recognize my submenu items. So I will use it and not bother with Suckerfish since SWpro also have other nice features to spice up the menus.

I have another question for you thought. If you have the time. I am wondering about duplicate content. Does Google REALLY value your site lower if there is duplicate content? Or is it just a SEO myth?

I want to create a set of menu modules that are user dependent. I run a site for people with kids and that are expecting kids. So I want to bring up one set of menu modules for those who are pregnant and another set of menu modules for those who already have kids. So the visitor will choose who thay are in my a top menu. Depending on the choice different menu modules are shown on the site. Since some of the menu links will be the same for both usertypes Google might see this as duplicate content. I have to give links to the same content item or component but with different URL in the different set of menu modules otherwise Joomla does not know on which pages the modules goes.

Cheers,
Thoeri

[technopuzzle]

Have you thought about using the Son of Suckerfish menu with the Extended Menu module?

[thoeri]

Hi

I am slightly familiar with suckerfish and very well familiar with extended menu. But what is son of Sucker fish?

Cheers,
thoeri

[technopuzzle]

Here is the link to what I'm talking about.

http://de.siteof.de/extended-menu-templates.html
son of suckerfish horizontal
This is based on the follow up article Son of Suckerfish Dropdowns by Patrick Griffiths, Dan Webb..
Please read the article to decide whether you prefer this solution (for the IE 5.0 you will have to absolute position the menu - absolute to the whole document).