We have recently attended a seminar on how Google ranks a website and lots of interesting tips. We just thought we would share...

What Google likes on your website*

The content - To get higher on search results, relevant words or terminologies which people would use as their search terminologies to find you should be included within the web-site and within the text. However, over usage of such words, i.e. no more than 4% of the total content of the website can results in Google thinking you are dishonest or a spammer.   

Site navigation - All areas of the website should be in an easy to use format ideally with most areas of the web-site being found in 2 -3 clicks 

Page names - Pages (urls) should be named with relevant words which relate to the searches you want people to use to find you. For example if you have a hotel in devon, you could name a page - hoteldevon, for example:  (yourwebsite).co.uk/hotelindevon

Meta data - should be relevant and informative in an easy to read text

Domain Age - the longer you are running the more you are liked

Site Evolution - what you update and how many times.   A simple rule to follow would be Content is King and Simplicity is Queen...

Links:

Quality and related links coming in and out of your website, which have been built at a steady rate.

If you build links at an excessive and quick rate then Google can penalise you for this. Ideally links to your site should be now and then rather than 20 in one week. Do this and they can mark you as a spammer. Be careful of also putting your web-site as a link on a dodgy, spammy or even non-relevant site, as again you can be penalised for this. Quality rather than quantity on this. If you can get a link from a government body then this is good.

For example is you are a Environmentally friendly hotel, you would aim to get a link to relevant websites such as Environmentally Friendly Hotels.  

For accommodation providers useful links to include on your web-site could be to Visit Britain (http://www.visitbritain.com), Discover Ireland (http://www.discoverireland.com), Visit Scotland (http://www.visitscotland.com), English Heritage (http://www.english-heritage.org.uk), The National Trust (http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk), B&B News (http://www.bandbnews.co.uk), Foreign Perspectives - aimed at ex-pats (http://www.foreignperspectives.com) ... in fact any web-site you deem is of interest to your guests and people viewing your web-site - just ensure they open in a new page!

* The above will add value to how Google rates you and positions you for searches

Page Rank

Named after Larry Page, to measure the relative importance of the web-site on the www. Pages that receive a higher PageRank and are more likely to appear at the top of the search results and that is why we, as owners of websites should find this important rather than as some sort of web status!

Recently Google has cleaned up on Content farms, where people just put info on to get the website around and to try to dupe Google and get themselves a higher ranking and exposure. This process has meant that lots of websites have lost their Google ranking (approx 12%) and on the proverbial naughty step we would guess.

Check here to see what yours is: http://www.prchecker.info/check_page_rank.php.

Admittedly PageRank is not as important as some think, hence why its not on the Google Webmaster Tools section anymore, as some thought it was the most important metric to track, which is simply not true, however it does give you an idea of how the web-site is ranked or viewed with the gods @ Google.

THE BIKER GUIDE summing up...  

We hope this article will help you in certain areas of your website and hopefully to help you choose wisely what information is included, where you exchange links and how your web-site is developed.    If you already knew all of the above, please accept our apologies and welcoming you to our world of seo geekness!

Resources  

Google Analytics

PR checker

Three click rule

Environmentally Friendly Hotels

Environmentally Friendly

Alexa

THE BIKER GUIDE - With over 1,000 visitors a day ... Hits -  no comment!   Bringing the Biker Community together!  

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An exciting new smartphone app designed to reduce the number of motorcyclists killed or seriously injured on the UK’s roads is now available.

The ‘iBiker app’, which has been funded by the DfT (Department for Transport in Great Britain), is available on the iPhone and Android mobile phones. In addition to featuring ‘myth busting’ equipment and maintenance videos with James Toseland, the former double World Superbike Champion, the app enables bikers to:

·         Plan, plot, and save their rides/routes.

·         Highlight points of interest including pubs, cafes, cash points, petrol stations and meeting points.

·         Rate routes.

·         Connect with the biking community by sharing information about their rides/routes via Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and other social networking sites.

The ap also highlights ‘the most risky roads and routes in Britain’ and provides interactive information and advice on how to ride safely and responsibly.

Similar to Ride It Right, iBiker is community driven and focused on the community it serves - riders can take ownership of the app and populate it with information that can be shared across the biker community. Users can get in touch with ibiker via www.twitter.com/ibikerapp. or visit www.facebook.com/facebook.

Gurminder Marwaha, who manages the app, says, “In terms of our plans for the app, we are very open to suggestions on how the app can be improved and what new features users would like to see. This app is for bikers and to remain a biker app it's important that the community tells us how it wants the app to develop. We will listen to all ideas.”

What About iBiker For Northern Ireland

Ride It Right has been in touch with the iBiker developers to see if iBiker works in Northern Ireland and the answer is yes!

So apart from on your travels outside Northern Ireland riders here can, add their own routes and places, plan, plot, and save their rides/routes and comments on others’ routes and places.

You can also highlight points of interests, including pubs, cafes, cash points, speed cameras, petrol stations, meeting points and much more.

However one application that is missing is the provision of video run-throughs of known collision hotspots, these provide commentary illustrating potential dangers, enabling riders to prepare for a ride on that route, and spot potential danger before actually riding it.

Early days yet but Ride It Right is looking at bringing iBiker here, to add to the 90 different routes videoed in the rest of the UK. Our own routes on the Ride It Right website highlights, The Antrim Coast Road – The Ards Peninsula – Newcastle and the Mournes.

To get iBiker here we are looking for sponsors/funding, a race “celebrity” to promote iBiker and for the support from Road Safety agencies.

Information

www.ibikerapp.com

www.facebook.com/ibiker

www.rideitright.org

A stylish tribute to the singer-songwriter legend Johnny Cash is the latest motorcycle to be showcased in the new Customising, Culture & Harley-Davidson exhibition at MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester).

The Get Rhythm motorcycle, named after Cash’s 1956 hit about a shoeshine boy beating the blues through music, is painted a sleek and understated black, in reference to the famous ‘Man in Black’, and includes musical details such as an oil tank in the design of Cash’s Gibson guitar, a custom leather seat dedicated to Johnny Cash and a vintage style fuel tank.

Get Rhythm is displayed in MOSI’s Customising, Culture & Harley-Davidson exhibition for the next month. The rhythmic sound of its v-twin engine also earned the motorcycle its name. Get Rhythm was customised from a 2004 Harley-Davidson 1550cc and is on display until the end of June as part of a rolling monthly programme of customised motorcycles from Shaw Speed and Custom of Sussex. Get Rhythm was commissioned by Johnny Cash fan Julian Grindall and was built by Neil Sefton of Shaw Harley-Davidson.

Owner Julian Grindall said: “For me & the creation of a Johnny Cash tribute bike was quite simple: the love of motorcycles, especially Harley-Davidson, and the music of an iconic performer and song writer. The title of the bike "Get Rhythm" was an obvious choice. This great song describes the rhythm of the shoe shine boy betting the blues and the rhythm of the Harley V twin, perfect.”

Customising, Culture and Harley-Davidson, which runs until 11 September, spans early Harley-Davidsons to the very latest in customised motorcycles, many of which have never been displayed to the public before. The exhibition is created by the Claridon Group and MOSI. It is the first time ever that an exhibition has showcased the historic and radical customs of Harley-Davidson® motorcycles, and the culture surrounding them. 

Over 30 motorcycles are featured in the exhibition, including models from the UK, Germany, Japan and the US. Each bike has its own story, from a rare 1909 model built in the first decade of Harley-Davidson’s production heritage,  to motorcycles used for the US military and police in the 1930s and 1940s, to the 1948 Ice Road Panhead, which defied motorcycle capabilities in conditions of minus 53 degrees, to complete an expedition to the Arctic.

The exhibition includes a section on customised Harley-Davidsons, such as the incredible Jaguar Bike, built by Polar Cycles/Massow, the Air Bike by Richard Taylor and the High Roller Trike (Abacus Studios). It also looks at the distinctive culture of Harley-Davidson, including the tattoos, music and film associated with this of this iconic brand.

All Harley-Davidson motorcycles are manufactured in Milwaukee, USA, but the almost endless array of available aftermarket parts and accessories worldwide provides radical customisation opportunities and enables owners to realise their own personal dream machine. A full list of all motorcycles in the exhibition is available.

Exhibition organizer Chris Scott of Claridon said: “We are delighted to have the “Get Rhythm” motorcycle grace the exhibition and are extremely grateful to Shaw Speed & Custom for not only loaning some of their amazing motorcycles but also working with us on the monthly rolling bike programme which will bring added enjoyment to visitors of the exhibition.”

Customising, Culture and Harley-Davidson runs until 11 September at MOSI, Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester M3 4FP. Get Rhythm is on display until the end of June.

www.mosi.org.uk

The Honda TT Legends team is keeping its focus firmly on the positive elements of last night’s Albacete 8-hour race despite being forced to retire from the event in the final 50 minutes.

The team had performed an almost faultless race, saving valuable time during pit stops due to an excellent fuelling strategy. By the six-hour stage, it was leading cumulative pit stop time challenge. Steve Plater and John McGuinness were both showing pace and the team was sitting strongly in its target position of fourth with under an hour to go.

McGuinness was in the last seconds of his final stint when the Fireblade lost the back end on the in lap. He was uninjured but unfortunately it was impossible to bring the bike back to the pits to attempt a recovery and therefore the Honda TT Legends team was forced to retire.

While the team is obviously disappointed with the result of the race, the progress made during the second round of the 2011 Endurance World Championship cannot be underestimated. The Honda TT Legends will now move on to more familiar territory – the Isle of Man TT from 30 May-10 June – before taking part in the Suzuka eight-hour race in Japan in July.

Neil Tuxworth, race manager

We have made an awful lot of progress with both the bikes and the team. The fuelling, the brake pads and the tyres are all working well, the team has bonded and the riders are doing a great job. We were only an hour from the end and we were within our target position of top four so we have many positive things to take away with us. Most importantly, we are thankful that John is ok.

Steve Plater

We’re disappointed but that’s endurance racing. We were setting a good pace and holding fourth position with one hour to go when John had an unfortunate crash. This year is a big learning curve for the team and we’ve learned a huge amount again this meeting. We are more competitive than we were at the Bol d’Or which we’re happy about and we aim to move forward at Suzuka.

John McGuinness

I am massively disappointed. We’ve had a good weekend as a team and things were looking good in the race. I was holding the fourth spot and only had one or two laps to go before handing the bike back to Steve, but in the end it didn’t go our way. All we can do now is use what we have learned for Suzuka - and of course look forward to the TT.

Ducati today announced a new rider training scheme that will give people a chance to learn to ride on a Ducati.
 
The ‘Ducati Rider Training’ scheme will see 13 locations across the country with each of these locations consisting of a dealer and training facility partnership.

Each training facility has been carefully chosen for their ability to provide high training standards expected from a Ducati supported scheme. All training facilities will be linked to a franchised Ducati dealership to enable Ducati dealers the ability to offer a full service from training to purchase.

Initially the training will take place at one of authorised training facilities on 125cc motorcycles before moving onto the training school's bigger bikes and then relocating to the Ducati dealership where the training company will progress the rider on to the Ducati Monster 696. All training will be tailor made to an individual’s ability and previous experience and the pricing of each course will reflect this.

Riders over the age of 21 may take their full licence on a bike of 46.6bhp or above (The Ducati Monster 696 is an ideal bike for this). Once they have reached the required standard, all full licence training will be conducted on the 696 and will cover all aspects of riding in both town and country. They will be under the guidance of a fully qualified instructor with a radio link using a bike-to-bike radio. Upon successful completion of the practical motorcycle test they will be able to ride any size Ducati without waiting for the end of a two-year restriction.

To sign up for Ducati rider training, potential riders can call either the participating Ducati dealer or the training centre quoting ‘Ducati Rider Training’.

The ‘Ducati Rider Training’ scheme gives potential motorcyclists a more accessible route not only to rider training but also to the Ducati brand and the chance to learn to ride one of the most iconic bikes of modern times.

Debbie Wiggins, Marketing Manager for Ducati UK commented on the new scheme, 'Ducati UK is committed to introducing new people to not only motorcycling but also the Ducati brand. For many people their ambition is to learn to ride and ride a Ducati. This scheme encompasses both these aspects and makes the dream come true with a simple call to one of the 13 dealer/training facility locations. We hope to expand the number of locations next year once the scheme has been established.’

For further details of Ducati Rider Training and contact details of participating training facilities and dealerships visit www.ducatiuk.com