Introduction
The Content of this paper includes data and data information. Data in this case can be in different file formats which include music and video. A content management system (CMS) involves various procedures that govern workflow enabling controlled access to data through an elaborate storage and retrieval system. This reduces redundancy based on controlled access to data determined by user role definitions. This will involve report writing and communication between the users. Content management systems are therefore currently web based. They are created from templates using special web programming languages such as hypertext markup language (HTML). However as content progressively increases to cover various user needs static HTML use becomes unsuitable because of the resulting number of pages. Rearranging this data in a true website therefore requires a CMS with a content database.
Planning and implementing traffic
The evolution of a true content management system is such that input is standardized at the content database to give a presentation either as an XML, WML or HTML. These formats converge into a template at the design stage of website development and will result into the database design. Using this kind of approach, the content database[,] being an important part of the system[,] can store input from different user-oriented input which are then presented in various presentation formats.
These formats can be representative of the design templates drawn from the design database. The fact that content can be separated from presentation means that there is increased variety of content added to the content database which is likely to meet the user requirements.
The template remains as an important part of any CMS. This template can be designed to give the website a competitive edge. The template is also a representation of the company’s identity. Therefore the initial step to developing a CMS involves designing a template.
This template will display the content from the database in a preformatted manner. This is likely to provide the much desired consistency.
The content retrieved and displayed through the template is normally entered within the database as HTML or plain text. During the CMS’ operations, the content is placed in the template which is then presented to the end user. The foundational working of a CMS will include publishing interface and various authoring templates. These modules interface with the application server and database. These are then presented in templates or better still HTML pages. The web remains one of the most formidable avenues available today to boost a company’s marketing strategy. The sheer expanse of the web makes it a very suitable channel for ensuring this.
Preliminary analysis and recommendations
Therefore for successful business on the web, the business strategy must incorporate a lot of user research to provide a well developed company information and architecture definition. This architecture will only be reflective if it is given a thorough content audit. At this point in time, Addey et al. assert that “a CMS becomes the best option” (57). Once an audit of the content has been successfully completed, the CMS model consisting of content and Meta data models can then be developed. In the meantime, the workflow can be used as input to design authoring templates. At the point of designing the authoring templates, the business can also incorporate the presentation templates which defines the presentation portion of the CMS. Content and presentation can then be combined into suitable web pages.
For this case we use WordPress.org as the CMS development tool. However WordPress.com is another of the development tools. Using WordPress.com the security, spam and upgrades are handled as background services. Hoisting is accomplished on hundreds of servers and posts are automatically backed up. However using this tool, one cannot tweak the background codes, run a customized theme or upload plugins. On the other hand, WordPress.org gives one the ability to upload themes and plugins and control the underlying codes. However using this tool requires that one takes care of spam, backups, upgrades and management of site traffic. WordPress is a CMS and blog system. WordPress installation and use makes it a convenient implementation for this project. It is not sufficient to just have the company run a website or blog. The initial intent is always to market and eventually increase revenue. Therefore there needs to be procedures in place to allow the activities directed towards the website to be monitored. These activities can be measured against certain desired and set standards as the threshold.
Implementing the changes
Google offers one of the most proficient ways of analyzing web activities. How much of the web content attracts people to the website remains the all time question for all those companies that have a presence on the web. How much traffic the website attracts in a single session or day can help one to determine the impact the content therein has on the site visitors. Google analytics employs some of the most advanced tools and techniques in business today to provide the webmaster a chance to measure their website performance otherwise called ranking. Google analytics provides a webmaster with the current site usage statistics ranging from page views to new visits and the average time on site. The Google analytics tools provide pertinent information that includes the keywords used to search and access the website. With this kind of understanding, the webmaster can carefully choose certain words to include on the pages of the website in order to maximize searching activities by the site visitors. Normally statistical data is available to compare these keywords with similarly used words. While Google analytics is vital as a tool, it has a number of limitations and is biased towards HTML type files.
This tool does not run on real servers but within the computing cloud and is prone to user manipulation where a user can disable the Java scripting using this to conceal their site activities.
Firewall settings may also limit the effectiveness of this tool. Google Urchin is a similar tool, which however is not freely available but requires one to pay in order to use it. This tool also carries out the various site analytical activities just as the Google analytics tool.
The main reason as to why a webmaster should carry out a website analysis [,] using a tool like Google analytics or urchin [,] is to ensure increased traffic to the website. As noted earlier, one of the technologies used by these tools to establish the all important site activities analysis is the site access activities by visitors, most of whom use keywords to gain access to pages of the website. This requires a thorough study of the most preferred words used by site visitors. The basic website dynamics today indicate that a current web is keyword based. Because content is what draws people to the website, using the right words becomes the most powerful way to achieve greater viewership. For an effective website ranking, a keyword research needs to be conducted. This process involves studying search terms used by prospective visitors who are conducting a search. The keyword research enables the webmaster to rank his or her website in similar field. It identifies the language used by the visitors during their searches. The keywords therefore give the websites traffic based on how many times the words are searched and how many websites use these very words. Therefore, searches and competition project keywords are an important building block for a successful and current website.
The words must be searched by as many people as possible and yet be used by as few websites as possible. The Google Adwords tool can be used to give a graphical analysis of the preferable words with a summary of how they are ranked, the competition and monthly searches on different location based scales.
A study of the visitor or customer trends remains an important input for the success of any business. Based on the keywords as a criterion, to understanding the customer or visitor, it is necessary to understand the following in relation to keywords.
Using the Google Adwords tool we can determine the keywords the customer or visitor uses to search the web. These are assumed to be those which attract most business. A website can therefore be optimized if we can infer the words that the site visitors are likely to use to describe the products or services offered by the company. A proper ranking can then help one to study competitors’ keywords. A study of the location of these words which is in the directories listing and word density can enable one to re-adjust the website accordingly thereby achieving optimization.
Basic HTML content suffices and makes it easier for search engines to locate the website. It is important to avoid flash or dynamic content within the pages you want to determine for optimization. When the inbound links have a high traffic density source, there will likely be a spillover which will create more traffic for the website.
Similarly there must be outbound links to high visitor density websites. Research shows that web visitors have a high affinity for fresh content. Consistent updates of the web content are therefore important. A dynamic CMS has such capabilities and can be a very powerful avenue for marketing the company.
To add to this the website should also list the search directories which poses a competition to it. Submitting the website’s uniform resource location (URL) address to these directories will generate the desired traffic. The URL address must be submitted to both the paid and free search directories.
Discussion
Search engines like Yahoo, Google and Ask Jeeves play an important role in determining website traffic statistics which reveals that almost 90% of all traffic on the internet is referred to by search engines. Because search engines will work optimally on indexed websites non indexed websites remain poorly optimized. Search engine ranking is an important consideration for cost effective advertising and a basis for clear and measurable return on investment.
Search engine optimization SEO and search engine marketing SEM are among the techniques used for effective word utilization. The latter technique is a pay service and uses the pay per click (PPC) option while the former uses the organic option. SEM is generally short term but both are equally important for website traffic optimization. To provide maximized page viewing a number of on page SEO techniques need to be considered:
- Domain naming must include a keyword which in turn should be important to the business. However the name must be short and common with no hyphens or numbers.
- The use of keywords cannot be overemphasized as key to search engine optimization for any website.
- The title tag for the pages of the website must include keywords; the Meta description tags should also include keywords in addition to dynamic promotional language. The Alt tag should also include keywords
Off page SEO techniques to consider may include:
- Linking strategies whereby the more in bound links the higher the ranking. The quality of inbound links is critical and depends on outbound links and good content
- Submitting the website for indexing among the search engine directories is likely to create traffic for the site. Google and Yahoo top the list, however the submission should be to country or industry specific directories as well.
It is necessary to deliberately make use of the white hat SEO techniques to increase traffic to the website. Avoiding search optimization schemes like word stuffing and duplicating content will ensure that the website is not deregistered from the search engine directories and therefore can be continuously ranked.
Conclusion
Websites are a powerful way of marketing especially when they bring in revenue. However a lot of planning goes towards ensuring that the internet is being used as an avenue to effective marketing and increased revenue. Presently we have tools and techniques some of which have been mentioned in this write up to help website developers to maximize on the returns from the company’s presence on the internet. A lot has gone towards researching and ensuring that this website project optimizes traffic flow. Google analytics and Adwords are some of the tools that have been used to ensure this. Other search engine optimization techniques have also been included in the website to maintain a competitive advantage for the company while increasing their revenue.
Works Cited
Addey, Dave, James Ellis, Phil Suh and David Thiemeeke. Content Management Systems (Tools of the trade). 1st ed. Chicago: Peer Information Inc, 2002. Print.