Google goes further to the dark side?
SEO for Dummies Anyone wanting to SEO their site 2 years ago, knew that the two key things they needed to do was to build links from other sites to their site and to identify the keywords that searchers found their site with. For the latter Google provided within their free Analytics tool a free and easy way to check how effective they were. The Penguin algorithm change in April 24th 2012 link-building was dealt a grievous blow to hit all those who had bought spurious and thin links from stray unrelated sites. Penguin focuses on the quality and relevance of those links. This year Google has removed the easy accessibility of keywords in Analytics so that site owners could see how they were found organically. For any users of Analytics go to Acquisition, then Keywords then Organic. If 80%+ are coming up as unknown then you are already hit. What you might try is to extend the data range to the full year and then download the keywords shown. For some users this allows them to save some of the key words, which are now dark. But for most it doesn’t. Why have Google done this? Well because they can. They own the rules of the game and can change what they want in order to achieve their aim. Their aim is to put in front of the searcher the most relevant page from Google’s databases of pages which they believe, from Google’s understanding of the words entered, is most likely to answer it. Key words and key word phrases have, as the number of web pages increased, also increased in order to be the most relevant page. Keywords will still be used in Adwords and pay per click advertising to trigger adverts and Google will still use and make available data to those purchasing adverts. Is this wrong? No because with everyone focusing on keywords as the way to optimise and then using Analytics to measure, the game has been corrupted. So no it’s not a breach of a tacit contract whereby Google gained the data on keywords via sites using Analytics and in return we got a free tool. What can I do? After gnashing your teeth at the loss of an easy to use tool, move on. · There are a range of tools which measure the competitiveness of your pages on your defined search terms. Most have a limited free service, which may be more limited as they now need to pay more for Google data. · If you use Analytics to see entry pages, you will have a good idea of the types of topics that interested your viewer. It is this focus on topics which has become more important. Google has just made it harder to cheat. · Don’t continue to look for quick fixes as these are likely to break the rules or cause the rules to be changed as too many people pile in. The discipline of writing content around keyword phrases still applies. All that has been lost is the easy way to measure it.
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The 3P’s of bespoke picture framing
Simply put bespoke framing acts to Present, Protect and Preserve the artwork/subject. Present Well-presented imagery is a complete joy, its uniqueness, freshness and identity cannot but help evoke emotion in people. As Art is not of a standard size, and different media vary in depth, clarity and properties individual tailor made frames are necessary. A bespoke picture framer will enhance the art work by designing and constructing a creative well proportioned frame using techniques most suited to the project. The choice of mounts and mouldings is enormous and one can always be found to suit the customer and project. Photos of cat good and bad - see separate photo x 2 (click on pics to enlarge) Protect and Preserve The longevity for artwork comes from a combination of proper framing and protection from environmental damage whist on display. Damage will devalue artwork and documents. Artwork, particularly paper, is primarily under threat from the following: Ultra violet light Humidity and damp Extreme heat and cold Insects and mould Air bourne pollutants The quality of materials and techniques used by the framer. Fine Art Trade Guild (FATG) framers aim to slow the rate of natural decay and damage from these threats by using best practice techniques and best quality materials, and framing to a conservation level where possible. Whilst ready made, of the shelf, frames are initially cheaper they often do not aesthetically enhance the artwork, and in the long run often cause irreversible damage. ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ N Bonaparte, it stands then that ‘The memories framed are priceless’. REFLEXOLOGY – PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
Many moons ago when I was sixteen or seventeen they used to have dances with live bands. That is, bands who played instruments not four or five young hopefuls dancing around doing a karaoke set while the likes of Simon Cowell decide whether to suck them in and spit them out when they have served their usefulness. Anyway, moving on from that hobby horse, there used to be an intimidating but amusing feature of many of these dances in that groups of local misfits used to wonder in looking for trouble. The amusing element was that the smallest one used to walk in front followed in sequence by the others with the biggest one bringing up the rear. The little guy would stare at people trying to illicit a response and reporting any ‘disrespect’ to the biggest gang member who would decide on the appropriate retribution. I remember that on one occasion I must have smirked or shown some disdain because the little chap who was barely five feet tall approached me and said, “You want a picture mate?” I must have been in a suicidal mood because I responded that I didn’t want one if it was of his ugly mug. He wondered off and came back into the hall with the big guy of the gang, a muscular lad already over six feet tall, and pointed me out. This could have been a bit nasty because I am barely five foot seven and, although I had done a little schoolboy boxing, was not exactly a street fighter and that’s putting it mildly. Joy of joys, I had played my first game of soccer for a local team the week before and had a blinder providing the pass that allowed our big centre forward to score the winning goal. He was, of course, none other than the biggest gang member. The net result was that the little guy was sent back to apologise to me, grovel even! There are two lessons that I learnt from this episode. One is that recommendations are a wonderful thing and the other is that prevention is better than cure. I was thankful that I was recommended as a ‘good bloke’ not to be upset but I should have prevented the situation arising by avoiding eye contact and following it up with a smart arse remark. What has that to do with reflexology? Well not a lot except that reflexology is great as a preventative therapy. It helps build the immune system and helps the body maintain its natural state of wellness. Also, my best form of marketing is essentially gaining recommendations by doing a good job, just as I had done in that football match all those years ago. High Roaming Charges
How many people turn off their mobile devices when travelling abroad to save on the high roaming charges? I know of someone who actually ended up with a bill for £900 after using his iPhone whilst abroad and continuing to download the same data etc that he downloaded at home – his comment was “never again”. Once, on a trip to the USA, I purchased a US SIM card to use to call the UK as it was cheaper than using my UK one. The European Commission carried out a survey of 28,000 people from across the European Union and along with other data showed that 47% of the people surveyed refused to use their mobile devices whilst travelling abroad. It was discovered that up to 37% of British residents turn off their mobile devices when outside of the UK. As a result Neelie Knoes, European Commission Vice President stated “it shows we have to finish the job and eliminate roaming charges”. As a result these high charges end up with no winners and the mobile companies losing out on revenue and businesses losing out on business and profits. More particularly these charges are having a damaging effect on UK businesses that operate outside of the UK and whose personnel frequently travel abroad. Since February 2013 the EU has been in discussions with the mobile network providers to force them to cut roaming charges with the EU. There may be some light at the end of this tunnel as the EU has announced that it is hoped that roaming charges will be reduced or dropped by October of this year. Beta Telecoms www.betatelcoms.co.uk Promises Promises
In the modern day we are often given assurances regarding the validity or superiority of a product or service over another. The consumers of today may be convinced by the argument, but others may become rather jaded or even blasé regarding these “promises”. I believe that when I offer a service to a client (or prospective client) that when I do this, it should always be the best to suit their needs. I never promise that it is the cheapest or the very best on the market – but the best to suit their individual circumstances – and budget. It is very easy to flippantly promise great things, but with an ever litigious society, be careful what you promise your clients. Myself and my colleagues at Cass Stephens make a few simple promises which we are happy to abide by, namely:- · We promise not to “quote you happy”, · We will not send you a stuffed mammal (meerkat or otherwise) · We will never send an Opera Singer to serenade you · We will not send you a dancing telephone · We will never sit back and grin like a Bulldog, saying “oh yes” · But we will always do our best for you. Full stop. If these kind of promises ring true with you and the way you prefer to do business – call in or give us a call. Andrew Long 16.04.2014 |
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