TechNu posts Google's Top 10 Searches
Posted on 28. Sep, 2009 by Franz in Announcements
*Update* Oct 2nd 2009
Apparently after an email to Ahmad Kusairi (The Editor), his quick reply (seriously, it’s already quick – The Star and Tourism Malaysia took forever) and willingness to reply gave me a very good impression on NST even though the point of contact in the paper was a little misleading. Other than that, my commends again. =)
Tech & U can be found at http://technu.nst.com.my. I did a Google search again on the website using the word “Tech & U”, and the results are nowhere to be found. But once I did this Google search, I found them. There seem to be an indexation problem for Tech & U, partly because of their linkage properties and site architecture as I initially suspected.
Here’s what they (Bakhtiar A.Hamid / Nor Baniana Baharum / Ungku Noor Haidah Ungku Ahmad and Nurrul Hani Man) can do:
- 301-redirect all of the links mentioned below (and search for all remaining dead links) and point it to the new website.
- The most important link being on the first image posted below.
- Adjust URL restructuring to make it more user/bot friendly: Nothing more than three (3) levels of clicks and categorize accordingly.
- Limit links on page and remove content/boxes that are not used.
- Include title attributes on <a> tags and rewrite ALT tags, keyword-rich.
- Drop keywords into title tags. Change meta description to a more creative mix.
- Remove Google’s ads from the main page. This diverts attention and brings bad impressions. Place it page-level or included in content (posts). For example, popular content and targeted pages.
- Do A/B (split) testing to test out design vs. conversion for ads.
- Marquee directs to Yahoo news. Remove. Put your own content. Direct them to famous/targeted articles.
- Increase font size and place padding on <div>, <span>, <img> or <tbody> areas. Realign content.
- Bring the ‘Contact Us’ table down to the footer. Place relevant content for users.
- Use ‘Share’ widgets such as Tweetmeme and Facebook Share in posts. For your own pages (e.g. RSS and Facebook button on menu table), place it in a more prominent area. Enlarge it.
- Track outbound links using Javascript onClick. Amend your GA tracker to allow (_setAllowAnchor). Then use hashtags in your tracking code.
There are so much more I could say, but I think I’ll stop here. Kusairi, if you’re reading this, do note that I’ve said this =).
First of all, I’d like to applaud New Straits Times for their Tech&U section under CompuTimes for posting Google’s Top 10 Searches in Malaysia for the week of September 18-24, 2009. I can’t get the website though – There seem to be an error everywhere I go:
New Straits Times September 2009 - CompuTimes, Tech&U
New Straits Times - CompuTimes, Tech&U - Error Message
I must say of all the things, I was appalled by the site architecture! New Straits Times actually allowed CompuTimes’s domain to EXPIRE. How bad is that? In terms of the Web, this is a pure insult. I may be exaggerating but.. you get my idea.
When I looked at Archive.org, I found these. To my further dismay, Archive.org (who does a good job caching and indexing old pages) has no records of Ctimes.com.my in 2009. And only three (3) caches in 2008. Worse, the archive page can only be seen in 2006. Way to go, NST’s web team.
What I did was:
- The URI that I first tried was http://www.nst.com.my/technu/. To my dismay, I got a 404-error page WITHOUT any other guidance to other sections or related articles in NST’s website. Web marketing + designer + programming team for NST — I’m looking RIGHT AT YOUR WAY.
- Then I did a Google search. I ended up in http://www.nstp.com.my/Corporate/nstp/products/productTechU.htm, which isn’t helpful to me at all because I was looking for information. That’s a selling profile for advertisers. Okay.
- Then the pictures above illustrates how I got lost and lost interest in pursuing further to find NST’s Tech&U online.
The thing is:
- Tech&U provided some information that is way better than The Star’s inTech (case pending). Sorry The Star, I cheated on you. And will continue cheating on you starting this moment.
- But Tech&U has no online presence! How can a ’section’ chat/blog/publish stories about the tech world when they themselves don’t have a website to show additional or archived content?
- Besides, it’s good for your brand and maybe you can even sell ad-space online.
- Also, you can invite bloggers into your website to post content — Free. Just need an editor to filter some content.
- Best part is, you can create a community and enhance your research + database.
- But why the hell did you let your domain EXPIRE!?
You seriously need to take some initiative and spend some time exploring what the web space can provide you, NST. Fine, I’ll give you free insights only if you ask for it. I will contact the editorial team to get my questions answered immediately. =)
