Web Site Analysis
Search Engine Optimization
Usability Analysis
Web Copywriting
Website Workshops
SEO Training
Speaking

Online Resources

Learn More About SEO, Copywriting, and Web Marketing

If you are looking for more information and resources on search engine optimization or web marketing in general, we recommend the following:

High Rankings Forum

Learn about SEO the right way in a friendly atmosphere.

Cre8aSite Forum

This forum focuses on usability and marketing as well as SEO.

Search Engine Guide

Robert Clough's dynamic site tracking news and happenings in the search engine industry.

Nitorgen Interactive- Search Friendly Web Design

Special thanks to Sophie Wegat for her help in designing the colors and layout for this site. If you need design help, contact Nitrogen Interactive.

Search Engine Optimization Tools and Resources

The Nitty-gritty of Writing for the Search Engines

Jill Whalen of the High Rankings Advisor has published this excellent e-book on writing for the search engines. Learn how to maximize your keyword phrases while still keeping natural-sounding. readable copy. Download the report now for only $49.

Please Ring Bell for Serivce

Kimberly Krause Berg provides a great Usability Checklist for ecommerce sites for a mere $6.00. This is a great guide to walking through your site and finding out what could be preventing your customers from completing the sale.

Case Studies

Here's a few projects we've worked on:

Bounce House Rentals Directory

This little niche directory was first profiled in Jill Whalen's High Rankings Advisor newsletter as a great example of using the web to build business relationships and even expand the scope of your business. The site has been through many redesigns and has added user-input features over the years to improve customer service.

Yard Cards and Stork Rental Directory

A related niche directory for a very specific industry, this site charges a modest fee for listings and/or requires a link to the directory. It is credited with building awareness of this growing industry and sending real business to it's partners. The "link popularity" of being listed is a bonus that many small business owners aren't even aware of.

Around the 'Net

Search Engine Strategies

London, England
Feb 22, 2008
Scottie will be on two panels at this highly regarded web marketing conference. Come hear her speak on Images and Search Engines and Social Search Overview. Use code 20spgst for 20% off your ticket!

Social Networking for Parents

Columbia, SC
April 7, 2008
Do you ever wonder what your teen is doing in those hours on the computer? Is spending so much time on the Internet a good idea? Come to this informational overview to find out more about the most popular social networking sites (like MySpace, Digg and Facebook) and learn more about keeping your teen safe online.
Richland County Public Library, Bostick Auditorium, Free! Registration required.

MySpace/Facebook Workshop

Columbia, SC
April 14, 2008
Learn the ins and outs of creating your social media accounts and building a MySpace page. All the basics to get you started.
Richland County Public Library, Training room, Free! Registration required.

Recently Published Articles by Scottie

Mutual Linking VS Reciprocal Linking

Is trading links a bad thing to do? No! But it can get you into trouble or impact your site if you trade links with anyone and everyone you can find. Mutual links are links that actually deliver related information and visitors to both sites.

Make It Easy for Your Visitors To Interact

Is your site as easy to use as you think it is? Probably not. While many people will take the time to figure out how to use your shopping cart or subscribe to your newsletter, other won't. The easiest way to help your visitors is to tell them what to do!

Can You Lose Weight on Spam?

Search engine optimization is in many ways, like weight loss. You've got some things that are effective, some that are not and it's hard to tell the claims of one from the other. You want to believe the great-results-with-no-effort claims, and you hope they are true... but are they worth wasting your time and money on?

Switching to a New Domain Without Losing Your Google Rankings

The aging delay makes moving your site to a new domain tricky. Do you have to lose your rankings for months to do it? Find out how to keep your rankings while your site is aging.

Google's Aging Delay for New Sites

Many site owners and SEOs are worried because their new sites that rank well in Yahoo and MSN, aren't doing well in Google, and they're blaming it on the "sandbox." The current theory is that new sites are somehow being penalized for obtaining too many links, too quickly.

The Keyword Tools Trap

When it comes to keyword selection, clients always want to optimize for the highest searched terms (according to keyword research tools) and those alone. It takes some convincing to get them to go after lower search volume, but more relevant phrases. It's become a regular part of the cycle with my clients, especially those who are learning about SEO and the process of optimizing a site.

Handling Discount SEO Requests

It's a sticky situation that most of us have experienced. The potential customer on the other end of the line has just made a plea for a discount. Your workload is fairly light and you want the business. Do you offer a discount or not?

Monetizing Your Website

Many people these days are looking for ways to "make money on the Internet". These are not people looking to take their bricks-and-mortar business online to expand, or sell things they have manufactured, but instead people who are looking to create revenue from having a website.