Screen Reader Test for SEO

We know that Google likes websites that are friendly to disabled persons and allow accessibility for all. Proof of this can be found in how they treat the ALT tag on images. We think it’s pretty cool too, and as website designers we have an obligation to allow access for all.

In chapter 3 we learned that Googles uses the words you put in the ALT tag to rank your images on Google Image Search. ALT tags are how screen readers play the description of an image through the speakers of a visually impaired user. They simply speak the words you put in the ALT tag.

We would like to take this concept a step further with our SEO Screen Reader Project. Let’s use a screen reader to test our website for SEO. If the screen reader can pick up and play our keywords through a speaker then Google can easily find them too. Keep an eye on this project as we develop it.

Store Images in a Folder (Directory) Named Images

We think it makes it easier on the Google Spiders to find all of your images if they are stored in a folder (directory) called “images”. Note that a directory is just a fancy name for a folder on the server that hosts your website program and files.

For Example: www.PlayGooglesGame.com/images

If you use WordPress, Google has also indicated that another good practice is to create a standalone landing page just for your images, with the ability to allow visitor comments.

We think you should do both.

If you are using WordPress, see the screenshot below from FileZilla for creating a special “images” file folder on your server that you can store your images in.

Linkedin Tips for Compelling Company Updates

Daily company updates is a great way to start conversations, and inspire word of mouth for your Linkedin Company business page.

Get these tips from Linkedin

Link to Your Google Reviews Page

Make it easy for people to review you. Provide a direct link to your Local Google+ page in all of your promotional activities and on your website. You might also print out a postcard with the link and instructions, or make a YouTube video showing people how to make a review. The direct link is a very useful and simple process.

Simply add “?hl=en&review=1” at the end of your Google+ page URL. Your Google+ page URL is currently located on your “About” page.

An example of Greg’s Keynamics business is:
www.google.com/+Keynamics4u?hl=en&review=1

Please note that Google is likely to change this direct link extension to add to your Google + Page URL. So check back here often for the latest information – we’ll do our best to keep up with all of the ongoing changes with Google Local Business.

Even if Google changes the direct linking option above, a good backup policy is to also feature a customized link to your Google + page in your advertisements and branding. Hopefully, Google will always allow reviews from your Google + page – See the link below to set up your custom URL.

Click Here for information to set up a Custom URL for your Google + Business Page

Click here for Google’s Community Page for Google My Business

Click here to get started with your Google Local Business Listing

Click here for the Google My Business Help Center

Click Here for Google My Business FAQ’s

Click Here for Google My Business Guidelines

Removing Unnatural Backlinks

Maybe your competitor subscribed you to one of those link sharing farms? Maybe you unwittingly hired an unscrupulous website designer or SEO Black Hat marketer? Or maybe you just did not realize it was against the rules.

Google realizes these are all reasons to forgive you for unnatural links. Forgiveness is enlightening even in Google’s eyes. : )

However, you have to take action yourself and it will take some work. We dive into this in Chapter 11, “Google Hates Cheaters”. Just know that Google has some guidelines on removing unnatural backlinks.

For the latest information click here.

Google looks for patterns of unnatural artificial, deceptive, or manipulative links pointing to your site. Remember, buying links or participating in link sharing farms or link schemes in order to manipulate PageRank is a violation of Google’s Guidelines.

Follow the steps below to remove any unnatural backlinks form your website:

Use Google’s Search Console Tool to See Your Backlinks

Who Has Linked to Your Site?

It’s pretty easy to determine all of the websites that are linking to you. You can choose between one of two ways: search your URL or use your account at Google’s Search Console.

1. Link: Operator
To find a “sampling” of links to your website, you can simply do a Google search using the link: operator.

For example, a Google search for link:www.PlayGooglesGame.com will list a selection of the web pages that have links pointing to our website.

YouTube’s Built in Video Editor

So you don’t have video editing software? No problem; YouTube has a video editor that you can use as you upload the video. This video editor keeps growing in functionality over the years and works very well now.

Access the YouTube Video Editor here  – You’ll need a YouTube account

SEO Juice Alert: Google can more easily recognize edits in their own video editor, versus using a third party. This is especially important when it comes to overlaying text onto your video. Be sure and use your keywords!

This YouTube Video Editor is a great example, because it’s basically a simplified version of more advanced video editors like Adobe Premier Elements.
• Sign in to your YouTube (Gmail) account
• Click the Upload button at the top of the page
• Click Edit on the right of the upload page, under “Video Editor”

With the YouTube Video Editor, you can do all of the things we recommend for editing:

• Combine multiple videos and still images you’ve uploaded to create a new video
• Trim, remove unwanted segments, and slice up your clips to custom lengths
• Add music to your video from a library of approved tracks
• Customize clips with special tools and effects

Using these tools, you can put together clips to create new videos and publish them to YouTube with one click.

All of your previous video uploads are added automatically to the Video Editor and can be transitioned in as a clip on your new video. From your upload list you can drag the clip/image to the bottom of the timeline at the bottom of the editor, where it says, “Drag videos here to begin editing” when you start a new project.

Lengthen or Shorten:

Trim: Cut the length of your clip by moving your cursor over the edges of your video in the timeline. Drag the handles toward the center of the video to shorten. This shortens the length from either the beginning or the end, not the middle. See Cut/Snip below for removing segments from the middle of your clip.

Lengthen: Drag the handles outward from the center of the video to lengthen. Lengthening past the original length of the video will result in the video repeating.

Cut/Snip: Clips can be cut into portions. Move your mouse over the video and click the scissors icon to bring up the snip marker. Move this to where you want to snip the clip, then click on the scissors button to snip the clip.

Customize and Add Effects

Rotate: Rotates your video 90 degrees.

Effects: Apply Video Enhancements to your video to color correct, stabilize, and add filters.

Text: Apply a text overlay on the clip – Use Your Keywords – and Add Your Phone Number and Website Address!

Slow Motion: Modify the speed at which the clip plays. Move your mouse over a clip to bring up any of these options.

Add Music: You can add a new audio track to your video. Click the music note button in the upper left of the editor to bring up YouTube’s library of pre-approved songs. The audio from an added track will overlap or replace your clips’ original audio by default.

Customize the Thumbnail: You can do this either during the upload or after the video is published.