GUIDELINESINFORMATION FOR WEBMASTERS & WEB SITE OWNERSAbout ScubaLinx As part of our mission to protect marine wildlife, enhance diver safety and advocate fair marketing practices on behalf of dive consumers worldwide, we provide the public with accurate information and reliable evaluations of companies and organizations that offer products and services of interest to divers throughout the global scuba diving community. ScubaLinx web pages are powered by human-built databases that contain detailed information including dive consumer ratings and expert evaluations. ScubaLinx is not an automated index per se. We utilize technology that crawls the Web, however, every detail is carefully checked and rechecked by human editors to eliminate dead links, update database information and screen consumer ratings and reviews. That's why ScubaLinx is so much more accurate and reliable than automated "fill in the blank--get a link" directories and bloated "come-one-come-all" search engines. And that's also why ScubaLinx is the world's most popular scuba-only directory and search engine. Submit URL Provided your company or organization offers products or services of specific interest to the diving public, we invite you to submit your request for a ScubaLinx web page. Editors review each request according to these guidelines. If you follow the guidelines listed here, you will significantly enhance the probability your request for a ScubaLinx web page will be approved. Guidelines Following these guidelines will help ensure your request for a ScubaLinx web page is approved. General Design and Content Guidelines 1. Design for users: Design your site for users, not search engines. 2. Keep it simple: Design clean, easy-to-read pages that deliver information without clutter and gimmicks. 3. Shorter is better: Many sites are choking on excess verbiage and graphics. Don't overwrite and don't fill pages with unnecessary graphics. 4. Accurate page title tags and alt tags: Make sure your graphics have accurate alt tags and check often for missing graphics. Page titles should be short and accurate. Avoid spamming TITLE tags with keyword lists that deliver exactly the wrong message to consumers: "We're desperate, we're dishonest and we care more about search engine robots than our customers." - Good title: "Dive Ocean Blue in Paradise Island Oceania"
- Bad title: Paradise Island, Oceania, Scuba Diving, PADI Courses, Beachfront Bungalows, Boat Diving, Dive Gear with Dive Ocean Blue
5. Text on white backgrounds: There is a reason why most books, magazines and newspapers put black text on white paper: It's easy to read. The web is mostly about reading. Be kind to your site visitors. Avoid ugly backgrounds that scream: "MY COMPANY IS SO POOR, IT CAN'T AFFORD A PROFESSIONALLY DESIGNED WEB SITE." |
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6. Links and navigation: Your navigation links should be easy to understand and use, should inform site visitors where they are, and should be consistent throughout your site. Check often for broken links. 7. Consistent design theme: Repetitive elements such as color and graphics ensure that every page in your site looks like it belongs to the same site. 8. Flash, splash, blinking and animation: Web users want information and they want it fast. Don't fill your site with "look what I found" stuff that annoys people and never prostitute your site to web designers trying to justify all the time and money they wasted learning flash. 9. Rates page: If you are selling something, be sure your site has a Rates page that clearly lists your prices and/or fees. 10. Browser compatability and monitor resolution: Make sure your site looks the same in different browsers and works on different screen resolutions. Specific Recommendations and Warnings 1. Link exchange schemes: Again, this sends exactly the wrong message to site visitors: "We're desperate, shameless scammers who will do anything for a better page ranking." Companies that get involved in these scams will be penalized in the "Web Site" category of their ratings or be removed from ScubaLinx. 2. Banner exchange schemes: People don't want to see junk ads on your site. Avoid banner exchange schemes. 3. Annoying Google ads: Companies that prostitute their sites to Google's ugly and annoying box ads will not be approved for a ScubaLinx page. If you have a site that attracts advertisers, set up your own advertising system and sell banners directly to your clients. 4. Spamming the TITLE tag: Again, this sends exactly the wrong message to consumers. Companies that spam TITLE tags with keyword lists will be penalized in the "Web Site" category of their ratings or removed from ScubaLinx. 5. Junk: Avoid page counters, scrolling text, cutesy navigation buttons, pictures of meaningless awards, things that blink including text, animated pictures for email, "Under Construction" signs, floating navigation bars, meaningless polls, flash and splash pages. 6. Distracting backgrounds: The quick and easy fix for most ugly web sites is to simply remove the cheezy background theme image. 7. Tables as design elements: Don't use tables as a design element. 8. Avoid frames and scrollbars: As a general rule avoid frames and scrollbars. 9. Eliminate dated content: Sites that contain dated pages promoting last year's specials look as if they have been abandoned. Be sure your site is updated regularly. 10. Avoid hidden text, hidden links: Another common spamming technique that has mostly disappeared since major search engines started removing spammers from their indexes. Add ScubaLinx Web Page | 