Begin at the Beginning with Client Web Marketing – Holding Pages

So, what’s the first thing you should do when beginning SEO?

• Submit to DMOZ? – Before That
• Inform Google that your site is up? – Before that
• Optimize title tags & Page keyword density? – Before that

The first thing you should always ALWAYS do is stick up a holding page for the client*. The reason for this is simple, if your site gets found quickly (and, if it’s a business that has other interests, then chances are it might), then chances are they will appear highly in the SERPS for it’s business name, particularly in local listings.

What should a holding page include? Well I include three things:-

• The Business Name
• The Business Contact Details
• A “Bookmark This Page/Subscribe To This Page” Button

There’s no point in getting ranked for “Curry House London” just yet, but hopefully the name & contact details (the name in the title bar as well as a rough geographical area) should do enough to get you listed for “Bengal Tiger Curry House London”, for example.

The “Bookmark This Page/Subscribe To This Page” information? Well it’s something I like sticking on. It gives people an incentive to come back – they’re interested in what you have to say. I like the subscribe feature because a quick one off email shot of “please visit our site”, maybe tying it in with a promotional voucher, can have a great effect on your website and business.

What do you stick on your holding pages?

* Of course, if said client already has a site, don’t stick a holding page up, start on the On Page Optimization