In need of a site review

Hi, i'm a bit of a newbie when it comes to website design.

I am a mortgage broker in the UK and have developed http://www.midlandmortgages.co.uk for my business

Have managed to get it (part of it) indexed by google and have started trying to get some backlinks. There's so much SEO "advice" out there I am totally overloaded and have no idea where to go next with the site to increase traffic.

Could someone please have a look at the site and advise on general look and feel?? Any tips on improving the site would be gratefully received.

Chris

I like the layout... it is clean. The graphics add to the links... nice job. I am assuming you paid attention to keyword density in your design. You have a total of 171 backlinks, but only one showing in the Google toobar. Your comment on backlinks is where it is at. Focus on getting quality, keyword text relevant backlinks and you should be ok. :smile:

You may want to look at your page titles (next to Microsoft Internet Explorer on the top bar). Why have you chosen "Independent Advice" as part of the title? It might be that "Independent Mortgage Broker" would be better for you. Please review and consider.

Google pays particular attention to page titles, and they must be optimized to perform on the search terms that you consider most vital.

Regards,

Agalychnis

Thanks to both of you for such a prompt response and positive, constructive feedback. I gathered that working to get a lot of good quality links is a priority. Do I need to continue the daily ball breaking task of emailing suitable webmasters, or can anyone recommend an easier strategy for improving links??

The best balls to break?.... your own. You can buy links and manufacture fake crap, but the lasting variety is because people want to link to you. That takes relevant content.

P.S. I also agree with Agalychnis. :smile:

Hi venglos

I am also a bit of a site op newbie when I see the vast knowledge available on this site.

Some of these people are pretty scary, they know too much :smile:

I have had a quick look at your site and also like the layout. It is easy to navigate and very
clean (which makes a refreshing change).

One thing that may help in search engine optimising may be to put the javascript in a seperate file
and have a pointer to it. i.e.

<SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="/scripts/text.js">
</SCRIPT>

This makes it a little easier to for search engines to spider (which is nice).

A very good point was made by SEO_AM "Focus on getting quality, keyword text relevant backlinks and you should be ok" (Definately more important than my point).

It may also be an idea to use Heading tags as they do carry a little weight too.

The points listed above may only be small points but they all help (however small) :smile:

Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth.

Good Luck.

G10

Welcome aboard. We can always use new blood. We yell and scream, but primarialy pass along useful information. Sounds like you can assist. We can learn from you.

I would move your "site map" up to number two position in your directory hierachy.

Can't see the relevence of your "news section" it doesn't add to the site's attractiveness or "stickiness". If you need to have it can you make it more specific to your target market like Midland's local news. (I am Australian by the way but I just love the old pub in Solihul)

Are the linked images on the left supposed to have a "stretched look" ? I am not saying it looks bad just wondering if that is the efect you are looking for.

Otherwise clean and professional - well done.

Where is all this new talent coming from? Welcome to you too Stevie.

Hey Zoo, watch this new blood... future zoolies I bet.

Thanks Stevie,
Point taken on the news section, will have a think about that one. I take it you mean the "stretched" lady in the graphics. I noticed that, it's not intentional, 5mins on fireworks and she'll look a million dollars. well almost.

I will continue breaking those balls to find good, related sites to approach for linking. Most of the link exchanges I have come across result in you driving lots of traffic to your competitors! With mortgages I guess there are a lot of relevent areas I can look for sites in - home moving advice & services, estate agents etc etc.

Why not online employment agencies too? Might be a good source. Some of them carry good PR's. A lot of folks have to sell and/or buy when they change positions. Right?

SEO_AM. Excellent idea. I had thought of approaching local employment agencies regarding this. I hadn't got as far as looking at the online aspects of this type of association. As you rightly said - change job often can = change home. also, there's the range of protection products that go hand in hand with mortgages - critical illness cover etc etc.

When my commission check is ready, let me know... I will send my address.