Alt Attribute & Search engine optimization

SEO Optimization images is becoming increasingly more important in SEO (Seo optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is a critical step that is sometimes forgotten. This is often a lost chance of better rankings.

In Google's webmaster guidelines, they advise using alternative text for that images in your web site:

Images:. Make use of the alt attribute to provide descriptive text. In addition, we recommend using a human-readable caption and descriptive text around the image.

Why would they ask us to achieve that? The answer is simple, really; search engines like google have a similar problem as blind users. They cannot begin to see the images.

Many webmasters and inexperienced or unethical SEOs abuse the use of this attribute, trying to stuff it with keywords, looking to achieve a particular keyword density, which isn't as relevant for rankings now since it was previously.

On the contrary, high keyword density can, on some search engines like google, trigger spam filters, which might result in a penalty for your site's ranking. Even without such a penalty, your site's rankings won't take advantage of this tactic.
This process also puts persons who use screen readers at a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that actually read aloud the contents of what's displayed on the screen. In browsing the web, the alt features of images are read aloud as well.

Imagine listening to a paragraph of text that is followed by repetitions of numerous keywords. The page would be far from accessible, and, to put it bluntly, would be found quite annoying.
What exactly is an Alt attribute?

An ALT attribute should not be used as a description or perhaps a label to have an image, though many people utilize it for the reason that fashion. Although it may appear natural to assume that alternate text is a label or a description, it's not!

The words used within an image's alt attribute ought to be its text equivalent and convey the same information or serve the same purpose that the image would.

The thing would be to provide the same functional information that the visual user would see. The alt attribute text should be the "stand in" when the look is not available. Ask yourself this question: If you were to replace the image with the text, would most users receive the same basic information, and wouldn't it create the same response?
A few examples:

 

Some SEO Optimization Tips

If a search button is really a magnifier or binoculars its alt text should be 'search' or 'find' not 'magnifying glass' or 'binoculars'.

If an image is supposed to convey the literal contents of the look, then a description is suitable.

If it is meant to convey data, then that data is what is appropriate.

If it's meant to convey using a function, then your function is what should be used.

Some Alt Attribute Guidelines:

Always add alt attributes to images. Alt is mandatory for accessibility and for valid XHTML.

For images that play merely a decorative role within the page, make use of an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or a CSS background image so that reading browsers do not bother users by uttering things like "spacer image".

Keep in mind that it's the function from the image we are trying to convey. For example; any button images shouldn't range from the word "button" within the alt text. They ought to emphasize the action performed through the button.

Alt text should be determined by context. The same image in a different context may require drastically different alt text.

Attempt to flow alt text with the rest of the text because that's how it is going to be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone listening to your page should hardly be aware that a graphic image can there be.
Please remember that using an alt attribute for every image is needed to meet the minimum WAI requirements, that are used as the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and also the remainder of Europe. They are also necessary to meet "Section 508" accessibility requirements in america.

It is important to categorize non-text content into three levels:

Eye-Candy
Mood-Setting
Content and Function

I. Eye-Candy

Eye-Candy are things that serve no purpose other than to make a site visually appealing/attractive and (in many cases) satisfy the marketing departments. There is no content value (though there might be value to some sighted user).

Never alt-ify eye-candy unless there is something there which will enhance the usability of the site for someone utilizing a non-visual user agent. Use a null alt attribute or background images in CSS for eye-candy.

II. Mood-Setting

This is actually the middle layer of graphics which might serve to set the mood or set the stage so to speak. These graphics are not direct content and could not be considered essential, but they are essential in they help frame what's going on.

Try to alt-ify the 2nd group as makes sense and is relevant. There may be instances when doing so may be annoying or detrimental with other users. Then avoid it.

For example; Alt text that's identical to adjacent text is unnecessary, and an irritant to screen reader users. I suggest alt="" or background CSS images in such instances. But sometimes, it's important to get this content in there for those users.

Most times this will depend on context. The same image inside a different context may need drastically different alt text. Obviously, content ought to always be fully available. The way you use this example is really a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

This is where the image may be the actual content. Always alt-ify content and functional images. Title and long description attributes may also be so as.
The reason many authors can't understand why their alt text isn't working is they don't know why the images are there. You need to figured out exactly what function a picture serves. Consider what it's concerning the image that's important to the page's intended audience.

Every graphic includes a reason for standing on that page: because it either enhances the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is critical to what the page is trying to explain. Knowing what the look is perfect for makes alt text simpler to write. And exercise writing them definitely helps.
A way to check the usefulness of alternative text would be to imagine reading the page over the telephone to someone. An amount you say when encountering a specific image to create the page understandable towards the listener?

Besides the alt attribute you have a couple more tools available for images.
First, in degree of descriptiveness title is within between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and may add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered by the user agent. Remember they're invisible and not shown as a "tooltip" when focus is received via the keyboard. (So much for device independence). So use the title attribute only for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points to the URL of a full description of the image. If the information found in a picture is important towards the meaning of the page (i.e. some important content would be lost when the image was removed), an extended description compared to "alt" attribute can reasonably display ought to be used. It can offer rich, expressive documentation of a visual image.

It should be used when alt and title are insufficient to embody the visual qualities of an image. As Clark [1] states, "A longdesc is a long description of an image...The goal is by using any period of description necessary to impart the facts of the graphic.

It wouldn't be remiss to hope that the long description conjures an image - the look - within the mind's eye, an analogy that holds true even for the totally blind."

Even though alt attribute is mandatory for web accessibility as well as for valid (X)HTML, not every images need alternative text, long descriptions, or titles.

In many cases, you are better off just choosing your gut instinct -- if it's not necessary to include it, and if you don't possess a strong urge to get it done, don't add that longdesc.

However, if it's essential for the entire page to operate, then you've to include the alt text (or title or longdesc).

What's necessary and what's not depends a lot on the function of the image and its context on the page.

Exactly the same image may need alt text (or title or longdesc) in one spot, but not in another. If the image provides absolutely no content or functional information alt="" or background CSS images may be appropriate to use. But if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt will be required and perhaps a long description will be in order. In many cases this kind of thing is a judgement call.

Image Seo optimization Tips

Listed below are key steps in optimizing images:

Choose a logical file name that reinforces the keywords. You should use hyphens in the file name to isolate the keyword, but avoid to exceeding two hyphens. Avoid using underscores as a word separator, such as "brilliant-diamonds.jpg";

Label the file extension. For example, if the image internet search engine sees a ".jpg" (JPEG) file extension, it's likely to assume that the file is really a photo, and when it sees a ".gif" (GIF) file extension, it's likely to assume that it is a graphic;

Ensure that the written text at the image that's relevant to that image.
Again, do not lose an excellent chance to help your website with your images searching engines. Begin using these steps to rank better on all of the engines and drive increased traffic for your site TODAY.

Search Engine Optimization

The following is part of a multiple part series covering image optimization techniques. This article is intended for beginners through intermediate SEO’s; if this doesn’t pertain to you, you may want to skim as most of this will probably be review material for you.

Some of the big questions many people ask are why would they even want to perform image optimization? Doesn’t it just help people who want to steal or hotlink images? And is there really any meaningful traffic or links that you can get from image optimization? IMHO the answer is yes. Let’s say someone is going on a trip to Italy. They might do image searches for things to do or see in Italy and for famous Italian landmarks like the Leaning Tower of Piza, the Trevi Fountain, or St. Peter’s Basilica. Thanks to Google’s universal search results, images provide a way to get onto the first page (or, in some cases, the top result) and get a click through, an ad view, or adsense impression. It might even get a lead generation completion. Maybe you run a fish store. If a university professor or government agency needs a picture of a fish and your image result appears, and you allow your images to be reused in exchange for a link, this can be huge way to passively build links slowly over time (true story! It happened for a client I used to have). Now that we’ve got the why out of the way, let’s talk about the “how” of image optimization.

Filenames

This is one of the most basic elements of image optimization. If you have an image of blue widgets, I would name your image “blue-widgets.jpg” or “blue-widgets.gif”. You can use other formats like PNG, but I have gotten better results with “jpg” and “gif” files. You can use other characters like underscore as word delimiters, but I get better results with hyphens. You can run the words together if they are separate in other factors. I have found stemming plays a role (ie widget vs widgets), but you can get around it using other factors. I haven’t seen capitalization play a role, but I prefer to use all lower case because I usually use Apache servers and case sensitivity matters. If you are going to have multiple images of the same object-type, I suggest adding a “-1″, “-2″ onto the end.

Now, before the hate mail or hate tweets start, it is entirely possible to have an image rank without the keywords being in the file name–IF there are enough other factors in place. However, you should ask yourself why would you give up a chance to give a search engine a signal about what an image is about? If you work on a large ecommerce platform or other large database application, chances are good that your gold diamond earrings will have an image file name like “GDX347294.jpg” that corresponds to the item’s SKU or other internal classifier. So, yes, you will have to sacrifice the keyword for business reasons.

ALT Text

Let’s get the basic information out of the way: ALT text was designed for screen readers or visually-impaired people to know what they weren’t seeing. Your goal is to use it to satisfy the screen readers while being keyword focused enough for the search engines and without being a keyword stuffing spammer. Here’s an example of ALT text variations:

Keyword stuffed: discount hotel room paris france

ALT text only: Eiffel Tower

SEO optimized: Eiffel Tower from Louvre Bons Enfants hotel room

Striving to find a balance between pleasing the search engines and text readers can be a juggling act. If you are risky with some of your other SEO techniques, I’d play this on the safe side.

Headings and Bold Text

If image optimization for a particular image is important, I really like to optimize the image with bold or a heading tag of the term I’m chasing right above the image. I’ve found this really helps give a strong signal to the engines

Search engine marketers and usability engineers want to understand why we go to websites and what we do after we arrive at a search results page. They ask questions like:

• Are we satisfied with where we landed?


• Did the engine provide accurate results listings?


• Was our click choice a positive one?


• Did we stay on the site or leave?


• If we left, what search result better matched what we wanted to find?


• Was it the search results or did we have a bad experience with the web page we landed on?

Both search engines and human factors related fields study our intent.

Author Matt Bailey points to the depth of the importance of intent in his new book, Internet Marketing: An Hour a Day.

“Search engines are integrating more multimedia and allowing deeper access to documents and media earlier in the search process. They are attempting to determine the intent of the searcher and deliver results accordingly.”

What is our intent? Why do we visit the Internet? Why do we use search sites such as Google and Youtube?

In a 2009 ComScore study (comScore, 2009), they found that “Nearly one out of every ten minutes a person spends online around the world is spent on a Google site.” This includes the search engine itself, Youtube, which they own, Google books, email, Google reader and more.

Clearly, marketers want to be sure their clients’ websites perform well in Google’s web properties. Not doing so can wreck the success of a business.

Search Behavior = People Who Search

Shortly after search engines and information sites appeared on the Internet, case studies zeroed in to understand why, who, where, when, where and how humans use them. Hot on the trail, too, were analysts interested in learning about site traffic, popularity, rank and how to make money from it.

Many of you were guinea pigs during the 1990’s when web page backgrounds were gray with black text, and animation, 3D images, scrolling text boxes, rotating banners and blinking images were all part of a typical user interface.

As fun as all those things were to create (I loved animating images), web designers had to buckle to user preferences.

Search engines learned what we really come to the Internet for. Perhaps search engine sites are not suitable for certain subject types when it comes to information searches. In order to improve search engine design and SEO marketing efforts, we try to understand user intent and goals for searching.

It’s been well established at this point that search engines are used by us to find information. What kinds of information are most popular?

A recent study from Australia on who uses search engines found that half of search engine queries were looking for a particular website, while the other 50% were split between ecommerce and popular culture searches.

The study also pointed to what is referred to as “leisure searches”. The findings present the idea of search sites not only for information gathering or shortcuts to web sites, but they’re also sources for leisure, with one in six of all searches estimated as being leisure searches.

The Australian study offered some surprising details for anyone wondering what we’re searching for, by subject. Adult site searches fell into the middle, with ecommerce being second, edged under a tad by popular culture topics. Health, weather, contemporary affairs and government are the least popular searches.

The study stood out from others because it included and factored in the lifestyle of their participants. This is different than user testing labs or Eye tracking tests. To their surprise, lifestyle choices had no measurable impact on the type of search queries. In fact, new questions were raised on user –searcher behavior.

For example, do Internet users tend to go to particular trusted web sites for information on healthcare, computing and contemporary affairs, rather than use search engines? Does the distribution of the most ranked subjects searched for represent user interests or the suitability of search engines for looking up certain types of topics?

Another study (Broder, 2002) narrows search engine user behavior as informational, navigational, transactional and leisure. Half the searches in the study were navigational and one-third, transactional. Half of all searchers know where they want to go.

What Does This Mean To Search Marketers?

The most obvious is that it’s time to accept usability studies into marketing strategy. And, user experience professionals can no longer devalue the role of search marketers. Both camps provide essential skills and expertise needed for web site projects.

A lot of what’s happening on the Internet is relationship building. The global community wants this so badly they invented social networking sites and social marketing to drive interest and generate revenue from these new site sources.

Emotional web design is no accident. We’re emotional beings. Empathy makes us connect with others.

“In life and business, focus on creating win-win situations. Look beyond the immediate sale in order to connect with customers as people.” – Steve Harper, The Ripple Effect.

Despite our developing mental models and creating user personas, we remain on the edge of understanding who uses our stuff. Wouldn’t it be grand if stakeholders got out of their offices and actually interacted with the people who use their websites?

I’ve often wished I could video people who multi-task at home, with one hand on a laundry basket, an ear to the cell phone and a hand reaching for the laptop nearby. What does that busy person search for and how? Can we make their experience less stressful?

Division between marketing and user experience will dissolve as both approaches discover they need each others’ data to do a better job for their clients.

There’s no question that a passion for usability and search engine marketing leads to their fascinating cousins, like information architecture, findability, captology, analytics and neurology. There’s also no question that money can be made by optimizing for and advertising in search engines.

Studying user behavior is a win-win for search engine technology, search marketing and website usability and human factors.

Cited Resources:

Broder 2002; A Taxonomy of Web Search (PDF)

Waller, Vivienne 2010; Not Just Information: Who Searches for What on the Search Engine Google?

Opinions expressed in the article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land.

Related Topics: Just Behave

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We’ve been hearing all kinds of Chatter that the next version of Final Cut Pro will debut in Vegas at NAB next week.  Thing is, we hear this every year and Apple hasn’t really done a NAB properly in awhile.  That’s OK, we’ll take that we can get.

Rumors are flying that Apple will be using the Vegas Supermeet to announce the next version of Final Cut Pro. Supposedly, Apple will be taking over the entire event for their announcement, cancelling all other sponsors, including AJA, Avid, Canon, BlackMagic, Autodesk and others, who were set to give presentations.

Philip Bloom just confirmed with me that Canon has canceled his appearance at the Supermeet. Canon was told last night that Apple has demanded ALL “lecturn” or stage time exclusively. Some sponsors who were not using presenters may continue to sponsor the Vegas event, but none of them will be presenting on the stage. I can’t imagine any news that would warrant this kind of “take-over” other than to announce and demonstrate the next full version of Final Cut Pro and possibly an entirely newly designed FCS4.

(UPDATE: Avid confirmed that Supermeet (Michael Horton) told them last night that their sponsorship had been cancelled. According to Avid, “Apple doesn’t want anyone to have stage time but them.”)

Who’s up for Vegas?

We heard the first concrete details about Apple’s all new Final Cut Pro coming during Spring this year, and recently some new information has come to light. Final Cut Studio expert Larry Jordan was one of the people at Apple’s meeting, demonstrating the upcoming upgrade to the professional film-making software.

Jordan can’t say much about the upgrade, due to an NDA with Apple, but he did say it is a “jaw-dropper.” Besides the “jaw-dropper” part, the thing we are taking most from his blog post is the fact that Apple allowed him to write it up. It appears that Apple already considers the software public knowledge. Afterall, Apple CEO Steve Jobs did tell a 9to5mac reader to buckle up for it.

Thanks to Charlie Sanchez

Related articles

• Next Final Cut Pro is a “jawdropper,” Apple considers it public knowledge, and will it drop at NAB? (9to5mac.com)
• Apple says last Xserve orders shipping in April, here’s what’s next for XSAN (9to5mac.com)
• Nasdaq to cut Apple’s weighting in rebalancing (9to5mac.com)
• Feeling the heat, HP and Dell execs lash out at Apple, pray iPad will fail (9to5mac.com)
• Certain MacBook Pro models ‘unavailable’ for reservation at many Apple Stores (9to5mac.com)
• Apple asks Toyota to remove the Scion theme from Cydia (9to5mac.com)
• New Final Cut Pro hits Spring ’11 and it’s the “biggest overhaul yet” (9to5mac.com)
• iOS 5 pushed to the fall: major revamp, cloud-based, WWDC preview? (9to5mac.com)

China is a notoriously tough market for American brands. The last few years has seen tech giants like Google struggle to do business due to restrictive censorship and retail giants like Best Buy and Home Depot have found that heavy price competition makes it hard to gain a toehold. Yet, despite the conventional wisdom, Apple’s business in China is booming and it’s not lower prices but better presentation that’s driving their success.

The Chinese economy is having some of its best years ever due to the rising world demand for consumer electronics, much of which is manufactured in China’s city-sized factories. The Mercury News reports that this has led to the average Chinese citizen being more flush with cash than ever before and ready to spend it on what would previously be deemed as unaffordable luxury.

Paul French of Shanghai-based Access Asia indicates that the increase in middle class affluence is behind the increase in purchasing power. “There is now enough of an urban middle class with enough money to afford Apple products. Five years ago — or even two or three years ago — there weren’t enough of those people.”

Five years ago, Apple didn’t have a retail store in China, now it has four, including a stunning split-level glass and metal flagship store in Sanlitun, an area of Beijing known more for its nightlife than its retail outlets. Those stores aren’t barely surviving either, with $2.6 billion in revenue this year, four times what we saw last year from Apple in China. This should mean that Apple is fighting the price war well in China, offering its products for less than they can be purchased in the US, but that’s not actually true. In fact, Apple sells a comparatively specced 13-inch Macbook Air for $180 more in China than it does stateside.

This success seems to fly in the face of conventional wisdom, typically premium products have not sold well in cost conscious China. Some, like Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, say that Apple will have to eventually compete on price or risk losing the Chinese consumer. “The iPhone is going to be huge in China. That’s a given.” he tells the Mercury News. “But if Apple wants it to flow out across China, it has to come up with lower price points.”

Yet Apple shows no signs of slowing down in the Chinese market, which is projected to account for 10 percent of Apple’s revenue within 5 years.

When asked, locals said that in a country where the people like to try products out before they purchase them, Apple is doing the best job of presenting those products. Apple’s retail stores offer the Chinese consumer a chance to test the products in a beautiful and visually stimulating atmosphere and those efforts are paying off with big sales numbers. This kind of attention to the senses and emotions of the consumer wasn’t pioneered by Apple of course, but they are one of the first major companies to bring that kind of experience to China’s city centers in a big way.

This difference in the way that the products are presented is doing its job in separating Apple’s products from the rest of the pack almost everywhere that its retail stores are located, but nowhere is that effect felt more than in China. A country where consumers are hungry for polished products presented in a stimulating atmosphere and they finally have the cash to afford them.

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class="dropcap">Bill Thomas used to be a climate change skeptic, not believing that humans could have influenced the dramatic atmospheric shift, but two weeks in the woods — and chats with scientists — changed his mind.

“I remember vividly that first day with Dr. Jess Parker; he showed us a chart of CO2 levels increasing about the time of the industrial revolution,” says Thomas, who works for HSBC bank and participated in a 2007 Climate Champions training program. There, a personal epiphany led to a job title change — the former relationship manager for HSBC Technical Services is now group head of HSBC Technology and Services Sustainability.

Teaching employees the science behind green corporate values and how to make their workplaces sustainable isn’t just for “green” show — done right, it’s good business strategy.

“There seems to be a huge growth of interest among companies to not just keep the environmental initiatives within a subset of employees, but to make it a pervasive part of the corporate culture,” says Krista Badiane, who manages the business and environment program at the National Environmental Education Foundation.  And unlike broad, mandated rules — such as carbon caps — companies that create their own initiatives take ownership and credit for sustainable changes, which may well go beyond what laws would have dictated.

By cultivating current workers’ energy-saving ideas and environmental passions, companies can save resources, energy and money as well as boost their eco-friendly reputation. The key is to help employees learn why sustainability matters — for instance, unless it’s slowed, climate change could alter global landscapes and increase natural disasters in our lifetimes. And if employees realize what’s at stake, they’ll find ways to save resources at work — as well as at home.

Worker to Citizen Scientist/> In a patch of woods in Edgewater, Md., bordering Smithsonian Environmental Research Center campus buildings, HSBC technology managers are intently straightening a measuring tape wrapped around a mature oak. Phil Clarke, from Portland, Ore., leans in and meticulously gets a reading of its diameter: 94.8 inches. During this weeklong Sustainability Leader training, he’s learning what scientists do and what shape the planet is in. He knows that the measurements taken today — even though what they reveal won’t be known for awhile — will help guide decisions that will keep our world sound for future generations.

His employer, HSBC bank — a global financial services company with 300,000 employees working in 8,000 offices and pre-tax profits topping $11 billion — decided to go carbon neutral in 2005. For the past three years, HSBC bank has partnered with EarthWatch Institute for an international study on climate change’s effects on tree growth, as well as a program that trains employees around the world in sustainability. When workers return to the office after their forest immersion, they find ways to integrate newly learned sustainability lessons in their spheres of influence.

Clarke and the other HSBC technology services managers from around North America — key decision-makers hand picked for the training — earn the title of Sustainability Leader. A larger two-week program trains HSBC employees from all levels — from cashier to marketing staffer — to become Climate Champions.

Such citizen science training helps corporate employees understand the mechanics of science — that systems are complex, and that there are no easy answers. “You learn what a critical state the world is actually in,” says Annette Fasolino of HSBC’s payment operations division in Buffalo, N.Y.

Having that up-close experience with scientists and ecosystems helps employees better grasp how climate change is impacting, and may impact, the world. “Many of these people go back and question their decisions, and make sure they’re making the most sustainable decisions,” says Thomas.

Cultivating the Grassroots/> Though the partnership between HSBC and EarthWatch is unique, other companies are also looking to their staff for sustainable solutions. “There’s no one best program for a company to educate their employees,” Badiane says.

Some companies or groups of motivated employees organize green teams, which promote eco-friendly changes and teach colleagues sustainable alternatives. Initiatives range from banning disposable utensils in the lunchroom to redesigning an operating system to save raw materials. “Ideally, you’re getting some new ideas out of your employees,” says Deborah Fleischer, president of Green Impact, a sustainability consulting service.

Businesses also use social media sites such as Yammer — a private social network for companies — or online training to generate sustainable ideas.

Other companies dangle a carrot — awards and incentives — to get workers to make sustainable choices. Yogurt maker Stonyfield tied facility energy savings (based on energy use per ton of product) to employee bonuses. In this way, the company reduced energy use by more than 22 percent, according to a NEEF report.

To engage workers of all levels, eBay employed competition: a Big Green Idea Contest. To enter, employees identified ways the company could meet greenhouse gas reduction goals; then, employees voted on the top ideas. One idea, the eBay Box — simple, eco-friendly packaging that’s meant to be reused for eBay shipments — has become a useful tool that saves money and resources.

Unfortunately, some companies’ efforts are no more than greenwashing stunts to appear eco-friendly and keep up with their competition. Producing disposable trinkets with “green” logos or launching environmental-focused public relations initiatives while pushing pollution limits does not jive with true sustainability. The companies mentioned here, however, offer genuine solutions that leave a lighter footprint.

Two Kinds of Green/> Such engagement can yield significant savings: One North American HSBC Climate Champion noticed that co-workers weren’t shutting down their PCs every night, wasting energy. Now, NightWatchman software automatically shuts down more than 6 million computers left on. During fiscal year 2010 in North America, the software coupled with an awareness program saved 4 million kilowatts per year of electricity and about 900 metric tons of carbon dioxide, which shaved $332,000 on energy bills.

At defense contractor Lockheed Martin, a Camden, Ark., building uses a software system to control lighting and air conditioning, leading to more than $200,000 in reduced costs and savings of 2,332 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, according to the NEEF report. And at drugmaker Genetech,  green teams slashed the use of bottled water, saving the company $200,000 a year by using filtered water machines paired with reusable bottles, according to a white paper by Fleischer, “Green Teams: Engaging Employees in Sustainability.”

But benefits to a company can’t always be calculated in dollars.

“By creating an engaged employee base, we’re really putting it into hearts and minds of employees, and that’s going to be much more powerful and long-term than saying ‘you must turn off your PC,’” says Sharon Walck, senior vice president of sustainability at HSBC North America.

Investing in and teaching sustainable values to workers also boosts retention, according to NEEF, which is extremely important to large corporations. The foundation says losing and replacing a good employee can cost a company between 70 percent and 200 percent of that employee’s annual salary.

And, Badiane says, “employees who are motivated want to work for a company that has the same values.”

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If the players win the fans lose. I see it as if the players win, the price continues to climb out of control, making ever seeing a game life at the stadium impossible to justify with the economy the way it is. Although I don't believe the owners care about lowering prices to allow the medium income family, but at least the need to raise prices isn't there. Direct TV has climbed to over $300 to watch your favorite teams. So, why they argue about the 9 billion we give them a year, we have to set back and wait to see how there going to pay for all this by emptying our pockets, while we thank them for agreeing on the terms.



Read more at the San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/sports/nfl/2011/03/theres-nothing-normal-about-these-nfl-labor-talks#ixzz1JWifUR00
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Roofing Companies Vancouver - 5 Questions to Ponder

Roofing Vancouver - Faq's

1. Repair or Replace?

There's no opinion like an expert opinion. Most contractors will provide you with a totally free estimate. Get a list of a couple trusted contractors and phone them well ahead of time of when you wish to obtain your homes roof fixed to help you compare costs and opinions.

2. Beauty versus Practicality?

Discuss this together with your spouse or partner. (The children could care less...at least the children.) Truth is, nobody wants an ugly roof the same as nobody wants to be seen with bed hair. If you've got a good quality roof and you just have to repair it, it's worthwhile to pay the price of the original shingle instead of doing patchwork. A roof replacement doesn't happen very often (we hope!) and thus make a decision that suits you and your loved ones well or it'll stand out like a sore thumb everyday you go home.

3. Should I replace the rooftop in order to sell the house for more?

Consider this cautiously before making a decision. With respect to the roofing material you choose, a new roof lasts anywhere from twenty, fifty, to one-hundred years! This means you have to check the year of the roof that's currently over your head first. Are you at year 18 of the 20-year warranted roof or year 30 of a 50-year warranted roof? Obviously, the standard is what makes the roof keep going longer, but when you're not planning to stay in your present home throughout your life, the higher expense might not be worth neglect the. Although a brand new roof can enhance the value of your value, the increase may not be enough to cover your investment and that's definitely going to hurt your wallet.

4. Is it advisable that i can repair the roof myself?

Sure it is. But before you do, consult an expert first. You can do it yourself, but you shouldn't be a complete ‘lone ranger.' With respect to the extent of the repair, you may or may not convince you. In either case, it will help to get a professional eye on the problem first and maybe even a free quote to help you do the math later and find out if it's truly worth your time, sweat, and cash to be mister or miss fix-it.

5. When is a great time to find the roof replaced?

Weather can cause delays from days to weeks. Most people plan ahead to have their roof replaced in the summertime when they know someone will be home during the day for a solid two weeks. Once you have this era in mind, create a call to a trusted contractor months in advance to get a quote. Some companies get reserved fast and odds are, they're probably the most reputable. Planning ahead of the summer also gives you time for you to ask around more and compare costs...especially if you need to have the roof done by a particular date.

 

The very best Roofing Contractor In Vancouver!

It is possible to leak in your home's roof? Have you lost shingles or tiles inside a storm? Have overhanging branches caused damage? Is your roof a lot more than 20 years old and showing wear and tear? Are your gutters overwhelmed and draining poorly?

If the response to these questions is "Yes" it's time to call the top roofing company Vancouver - Crown Roofing & Drainage.

For over a century Crown Roofing has been the roofer of preference among our Vancouver neighbors. We offer complete roofing services, from emergency repairs and roof restoration, to accomplish roof replacement. All using the finest quality materials, installed with precision and the highest degree of customer service.

YOUR Vancouver ROOF DESERVES Believe it or not!

The rooftop of the Vancouver home is the very first line of defence against wind, rain, snow, ice and other weather elements. Be sure it is as much as the job. Among Vancouver Roofing companies, only Crown Roofing has the depth of expertise and successful track record to make sure your roofing system will be properly designed and installed.

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS.

One reason Crown Roofing has been probably the most successful roofing company in Vancouver is our resolve for our neighbors. We treat your house as though it were our very own and we were creating a roof to safeguard our very own family. That's what neighbors do, and you will rely on Crown Roofing being here to support you and also back our work. In the end, we've been repairing and replacing roofs in Vancouver since 1902!

GET A FREE INSPECTION AND EVALUATION Of the Vancouver ROOF.

Visit the Roofers Vancouver for any FREE inspection and evaluation of the roof. Make sure you get the best roof for your Vancouver home, at the cost effective. We build roofs to last!

 

Tacoma Roofing company: Help your house be Beautiful

Very few people view the value of a good roof, but your knowledgeable Tacoma Roofing company does. From first hand experience, they'll be in a position to let you know the reason why you require a strong, secure, and leak-free roof in your home.

Your local Tacoma Roofing contractor is well aware how important a financial investment your house is for you, especially since it is a long term one. Your house might have been damaged slowly over the years and you have to take steps to minimize this damage. For a lot of people, keeping their house beautiful is also a matter of pride. There are those too who'd prefer to turn their property into a cost effective and efficient living place. Your roof is a valuable part of your house and contributes to each one of the aspects mentioned previously. Because of this, you need to employ the services of qualified a Tacoma Roofing company.

Types of Roofs installed by a Tacoma Roofer

One of the more common types of roofs are asphalt shingles, steel or metal sheeting, fiberglass, slate and terra cotta tiles.

Each kind of roof invites distinct problems, however they can all be easily looked after by a trusted Tacoma Roofing contractor. It's vital that you nip roof problems within the bud before they become too costly or dangerous. You are able to schedule an appointment with the Tacoma Roofer to consider a look at your homes roof to see if there are any issues or potential problems with it. If you will find, they might be able to let you know how to deal with them.

A Tacoma Roofing contractor Helps you to Build Strong Homes

The exteriors of any house, primarily the roof and gutters, face the onslaught of bitter and varying climate conditions, every single day. Painting, repairing, and cleaning gutters may be necessary. In some instances you may have to replace them completely. Usually, when your gutters show signs of trouble, your homes roof must also be inspected for problems. Whatever issues there may be, an experienced Tacoma Roofing contractor can examine them in detail and suggest the remedy.

If your gutters tend to clog all too often, or there are leaks across the walls of your home, it may mean that there is debris piled-up on the roof. Loose branches, piles of leaves, along with other light objects which are swept onto your roof during a storm can all contribute towards damaging your roof, and these damages could be lasting. A knowledgeable Tacoma Roofing contractor will explain that birds, mice, along with other kinds of rodents often build nest within the debris that collects on the top. While these nests may look rather innocent, they are great at collecting moisture, which can lead to loose shingles, mold, and indoor leaks in your home. Additionally, it may also cause vermin infestation. After a storm, your Tacoma Roofer will suggest that you inspect your roof for any signs of debris or damage.

Reverse Damages with the Help of a Tacoma Roofing company

However high quality the roof might be, it is going to wear out over time. There are shingles which are known as "25 year" or "30 year" shingles, but those numbers are just related to warranty produced by the makers. They hardly ever last that long. Realistically speaking, "25 year" shingles will not last more than fifteen to twenty years. In an area that is vulnerable to storms, shingles or the entire roof should get replaced every 10 years. With a Tacoma Roofing contractor, the price is going to be less than what you think.

If there you lose any shingles, or there is some harm to them, a Tacoma Roofing contractor can assist you to. Damaged shingles can lead to indoor leaks, as the substrate from the roof becomes exposed to the sun and rain. Shingles which are loose or broken can slip off and pose a possible hazard to individuals standing below. Missing shingles create a gap that allows rain, wind, ice, and debris to develop underneath the adjoining shingles, which results in a "domino effect" that affects other shingles and they become loose or broken. A comprehensive investigation is going to be produced by the local Tacoma Roofing contractor, should you give them a call track of your suspicions of loose or missing shingles.

Your Tacoma Roofing contractor will be in a position to tell you what the smartest choice is perfect for your roof. If your roof is not inside a good shape, it is advised that you have it replaced completely. The Tacoma Roofing contractor can take you thru the different roofing possibilities to you which will fit your requirements and your budget.

Tacoma Roofer: Improving your Home's Efficiency

Your roof shelters you against storms, sleet, and hail. By giving adequate ventilation, your roof protects your house from overheating, by holding within the heat, it keeps your home warm. That's why you need to ready your roof from indoors in addition to outdoors for just about any kind of weather emergency. A professional Tacoma Roofer can provide help in this situation.

First of all, inspect your homes roof thoroughly for any and all kind of damage, before the beginning of the new season. The gutters should be clear, debris shouldn't be piled on or trapped under shingles, there should be no homes of squirrels or birds within the eaves or attic, and also the roof ought to be structurally sound. For that last part, you will need the help of the local Tacoma Roofer. It may be quite dangerous to climb to the roof of your house. This is where the contractor from Tacoma Roofing company comes in. He'll read the strength and security of your roof and shingles, and do a general inspection from the entire roof structure, to make sure that it is in proper working order. They'll be able to point to problems that you have to keep an eye on and problems you might not have spotted.

You will need all of the help you could possibly get in the Tacoma Roofing contractor. You are able to help your roof by installing a gutter guard or leaf cover to assist prevent debris from forming inside your gutters. The additional weight of debris prevents the gutters from draining and can even tear them down. Check the fasteners in your gutters and when they're loose, tighten them. Do something to change worn screws and brackets. If you have a chimney in your home, inspect the bricks and mortar signs of wear. A reliable mason can be recommended because of your Tacoma Roofing company, if there are any repairs to be done.

Tacoma Roofing contractor: Someone You are able to Rely on
When you know or suspect that there is a problem, your Tacoma Roofer ought to be contacted. They can use their knowledge and expertise to obtain your home back in ace condition simply by working on the rooftop. Your homes roof deserves attention. So call them today, to enable them to get down to working on your roof.

 

What is Distinction between Commercial Roofing Companies From Residential Roofing Companies

If you are considering getting a roofing company to re roof your house or building then you can be wondering what the differences are between residential roofing companies and commercial roofing companies. To begin with, the one huge difference is that often times an industrial roofing company might have signed a contract with and be obligated to a roofing union in able to work on union commercial jobs.

If this sounds like the case then their labor costs will prohibit them from focusing on non union residential jobs. Beyond that, if your commercial roofing company hasn't signed an agreement having a union they might be outfitted just for commercial jobs which of course means their workers and equipment may not be consistent with smaller residential jobs.

Residential roofing contractors generally tend to run smaller companies and hence, are more capable of bid competitively on residential jobs, which are usually small compared to comercial jobs. Actually, often times residential roofing contractors will run one man operations, where the contractor that you simply speak with could be the one which actually does the job about the building.

Also, liability insurance for commercial roofing is more expensive along with a larger bond is required for a commercial roofing work which will make it not economical for any commercial roofer to do residential roofing jobs.

Still one more factor is that commercial jobs can operate on a tighter time period for any quantity of reasons, requiring a commercial contractor to train on a larger crew or crews which again makes smaller jobs less profitable on their behalf.

 

Distinction between Commercial Roofing and Residential Roofing

Are you aware that the rooftop of the house or building has a huge effect on the whole structure itself? Damage caused to roofs due to natural or another disasters leads to a considerable lack of property everywhere. The type of materials used to construct the rooftop which should be sturdy and long lasting, the manner where the roof has been installed and even its timely maintenance are very crucial. There's two types of roofs which are utilized on all of the buildings that we see around us: commercial and residential. Although it may seem that commercial roofing is performed only for businesses or offices and residential roofing is performed for apartments and houses, the truth is the differences tend to be more complex than that.

Residential roofing is generally completed just by one hired contractor but commercial roofing usually takes a whole team to accomplish the job. This is because a commercial roof is commonly larger when it comes to square feet than a residential roof.
Commercial roofs are necessary carefully keeping the character and reason for your building in mind. For example, if there is a cafe or restaurant within the building then external components like ventilation systems, smoke stacks and pipes is going to be required. Residential roofs tend not to have such components apart from a chimney or two at most.
Commercial roofs tends to be flat in design to support further changes in a later period, whereas most residential roofs have peaks and other architectural features like roof gardens.
Commercial roofing is much more expensive than residential roofing because of the special tools, materials and safety equipment that are needed onsite. Usually the patching or maintenance jobs are completed in segments unlike for a residential roof where the repair or replacement work could be carried out a short time. This is one more reason why the gear used for residential roofs is usually smaller and less costly too.
Commercial roof installations take a longer time to accomplish in comparison to residential roof installations and therefore are usually constructed in large sections. During this phase however, you should ensure that there are no leakages, cracks or any other visible wear and tear signs as it can cause considerable damage to the whole building.
It is important to install the best roof for any building based on its purpose. Make sure that you hire a construction company that uses top notch materials and it has the right equipment for the job or neglect the risk turning to be a huge loss later.

 

Commercial Roofing Contractors: How to purchase a Qualified Commercial Roofing Company

If a clients are looking to have work done on its roof, you should use commercial roofing contractors that have an enthusiastic knowledge of any special needs that a business may have. As an example, a roofing job is often disruptive for that operation of economic as usual. Because of this, it might be essential for the company to become temporarily shut down, or the roofing to occur after business hours have ended. A roofer that understands these needs can work plus a business to make certain these types of issues are minimized.

The first thing that a business must do when it's trying to find commercial roofing contractors is to discover who other businesses in the region will work through. Obviously, this information will not be helpful whether it comes as a suggestion from competitors, but there are circumstances by which it's not too hard to locate these details from suppliers or retailers. Since roofing is not an industry-specific service, this information is easily available.

It's a good idea for just about any business to obtain in touch with at least three commercial roofing contractors to make bids about the price. In this manner, the company can often obtain a better price. It is also important to ensure that each one of the roofing contractors is licensed and bonded. This information are available by permitting touching their state contractor's board. This also makes it possible to determine whether there has been any claims filed against the company previously.

When examining bids, it is just as important to check out what services are being offered and which products will be used because it is to check out the overall cost. The costs can vary quite drastically, but as tempting as possible to go for the cheapest bid, this is not always your best option. In many cases, more costs now means fewer costs in the long run due to an undesirable roofing job. To help investigate the caliber of the work, it's a good idea to check with the Bbb in order to see if the business has been accredited, and when it's not, to a minimum of see what its rating is.

 

Selecting a Commercial Roofer

When you are searching for a roofer for the commercial roofing project you need to look for a contractor who understands the special needs of a commercial roofing project. For instance it may be harder to work on the business during business hours so either the business has to be turn off for that repair or replacement or even the job has to be done after conventional business hours. Is the roofer you are considering for the job ready to operate around your schedule constrictions which might involve working weekends or evenings?

When you start your research for any roofing contractor you don't only need to answer those questions however, you should also hire a company that will perform a high quality job with no lot of time delays. Going about finding someone can feel as an obstacle by itself but there are several ways to result in the search easier.

Ask friends and family for referrals and then try to find a minimum of three contractors to give you written bids in your job. Prior to going any more you need to make sure that the contractors you are considering are fully licensed and bonded. A simple search with the state contractor's board will verify in case your roofer is licensed and when there are any past judgments or claims against their license.

Once you select three or four roofers to place bids, you need to prepare yourself for the bids to be widely varied. Roofers may have brand preferences which will vary and may factor in pretty much compared to next guy for any labor estimate. The greater detailed an itemized bid is the more helpful it will likely be to focus on in which the cost will be incurred. Don't, however, select a roofer based solely on the bid price. Any low ball bids may be tempting to consider, but if they are low because of low quality workman ship it might not be worth it ultimately.

As the saying goes, you generally get that which you pay for, so if you are able to afford a mid-priced bid it certainly is a good idea to go up in your price range rather than down. Additionally you should select your roofer based on how professional they were and how comfortable you anticipate you'll be working with them.

Finally your cost will vary based on which kind of roofing material you choose as well as the cost to haul your old roof to the landfill. If you are looking for places to chop corners in your roof, instead of cutting labor cost you may want to inquire about metallic roof option. Metal roofs could be economical and efficient which makes them overall money savers for the long term, and on commercial buildings they can be really low maintenance. Plus since they can be put on top of a current roof, you don't need to possess the old one removed and hauled away, which can make a large impact on your cost.

Choosing a comerical roofing company nearer your home, doesn't have to become a struggle. To learn more, visit http://www.vancouverroofers.net