Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Hi, I`ve just finished to build our company`s website and now working on SEO and promotion. 

Have some questions for you, guys...

1. About the site: When you first see it do you understand what it is about? is the navigation easy? do you fill like you need some additional information?

2. About the design: does the company/ website look reliable? Any suggestion what I can do to attract more attention / customers?

3. About the business: what do you think about the services in general? Do you think there is something missing? Any comments would be appreciated!!!

4. And the most important questions: about SEO: what can I do to promote our site?

Already know about keywords, back links (although not sure weather the one way link form free directories are a good thing?), article submission, GoogleAds?

Is there anything else I can do? Here is the link: www.handelgate.com


Thanks a lot in advance...



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Trade Consultants in Russia
Trade Agent Search Services

Hi there, welcome to Startup Nation. :-D
I`m viewing your site in FireFox 1.x, on a DSL line. It loads fast, looks smooth, makes sense, and, to your points, explains right away what it is you`re trying to accomplish.

I think you might be a bit too vague and repetitive, using similar language on many different pages. You could probably get a bit more specific after your visitor moves off the main page.

For example, on the home page I get the idea that Handelgate is a consulting firm designed to help open up markets in former Soviet Union countries. Excellent! Now I go to Services.

The introductory paragraph basically says the same thing as what got me to visit this next page. Instead of what you have, you might offer some specfics, even as bullet points.

• We have manufacturing companies with products seeking export and world distribution.
• We have importers looking to bring in new products from the West.
• Over the past X years, we`ve developed many businesses within these countries, helping to pave the way for international business relations.

In other words, after I know that you`re a consulting company, I`d like to know more about your credibility. Anyone can say they`re a consulting firm, but what have you actually accomplished? Do you have some case histories, examples, or other type of testimonials?

I don`t know that Partner programs, and Careers is going to help you initially. However, what would certainly help, not only in content, but also in marketing would be some white papers. Have a section on the site for articles about why the Ukraine is an emerging market, for example. What sort of money could a company in Japan make if they were to sell in Russia? That sort of thing.

Although you start each window title with "Handelgate Consulting," I think you may get a bit more mileage by removing that and instead, using a bit more descriptive title. So your "Services" page might have a title like, "Business services - Former USSR Countries."

Remember that SEO is all about imagining what people are entering into a search bar, and then using those phrases prominently on your Web site. So "doing business in Russia," would be a phrase. Do you have that anywhere on your site in the content?

On your "Pricing / Rates" page, what do you mean by "submit your order?" If you`re a consulting firm, wouldn`t you first be interested in a request for proposal (RFP)? Say I`m interested in opening up a distribution network in Russia and I want to sell dent removers from car parts. Why would I submit an order? What would that mean?

Instead, I`d like to talk with someone and ask them how do I go about getting my dent removers from Ohio, USA to "somewhere" in Russia? Where is "somewhere?" What`s involved? How much will it cost? What international events do I have to know about? How do I handle customs, legal issues? And importantly, I`ve heard a lot about theft of intellectual property....what can I do to prevent that?

The site itself seems to work nicely, but perhaps some of the Web developers will comment on the underlying technology. I`m looking more at the overall content and ideas. Hope that helps?

Thanks a lot, CraigL!!!

Really apreciate you taking time. Totally agree with everything you`ve said!

Will start the modification as soon as possible.

Thanks again...



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Trade Consultants in Russia
Trade Agent Search Services