Website Development & SEO Consulting Firm Launches Free "Extreme Website Makeover" Program for Websites & Bloggers in Need

Kansas City Website Design (www.kansas-city-website-design.com) today announced the launch of a new 'Extreme Website Makeover' program where qualifying organizations can apply to win a brand new, custom website makeover.

KCWD released the following statement: "In two years we've become one of the Midwest's premier website design and web development companies. We've worked with some very successful, fast growing companies from Internet startups to traditional businesses of all sizes. In every case, we've lead our clients to search engine dominance and have helped grow their businesses. We are proud of our 100% client retention rate."

"We could do better, however, with our efforts at community involvement. Some of the best and most important content comes from websites that do not have the financial resources or budget to allocate toward web design, search engine optimization and development - although many of these sites could benefit from doing so. These organizations and their users deserve the same type of Internet experience offered by commercial websites. More importantly, we have the proven ability to raise a website's search engine visibility and our goal is to help as many organizations as possible so they can increase their user base and hopefully help to increase their web-based donor funding. This will be our unique way of giving back."

Kansas City Web Design hopes to donate one custom website per calendar quarter in 2011 and work towards one each month for 2012. The program is not open to all organizations. Some qualifications and restrictions include:

1. Must be a non-profit, school, university or high impact blog.

2. Applies to existing websites with a demonstrated following.

3. The program is for custom website design and development and does not include web application software development, third party software integration or other custom software development. Also does not include third party hosting, domain fees or third party web software or related fees.

4. The program includes search engine friendly coding and website launch assistance, but not ongoing SEO services.

5. The program is open to any qualifying organization based in the US.

The company will review inquiries on a monthly basis and winners will be announced online. To apply, qualifying websites & blogs should email Kansas City Web Design and include some brief information about the organization's background, mission and some information about their experience and history on the Internet.

About Kansas City Website Design
Kansas-City-Website-Design.com is a Kansas City SEO & Web Development company. The firm specializes in graphic and website design, search engine optimization, Internet marketing and web application software development. For more information, visit www.kansas-city-website-design.com.

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Source http://www.sfgate.com/

Is SEO DOA as a core marketing strategy?

(Reuters) - Ron Springer is overhauling his company's website and is spending a big chunk of his marketing budget to help boost its search engine ranking. He had no idea he might be throwing his money away on an outdated strategy.

"If search engine isn't what gets you up to the top of the list, what is?" said Springer, who runs boutique event planning firm Esprit Productions in Libertyville, Illinois. "We designed it with search engine totally in mind."

Entrepreneurs like Springer may want to reconsider pouring money into search engine optimization (SEO) as their primary marketing strategy, according to Chris Dixon, who recently penned a controversial blog (bit.ly/gjIzMJ), titled: "SEO is no longer a viable marketing strategy for startups".

"I talk to a lot of startups and almost none that I know of post-2008 have gained significant traction through SEO," wrote Dixon, the co-founder of online startup Hunch, who has invested in numerous startups, including Skype and Foursquare.

Dixon was immediately taken to task by defenders of SEO, the popular means of boosting an organization's presence in Internet searches with keywords and relevant Web links.

Among them was Dave McClure, a prominent angel investor and founding partner of the Silicon Valley tech incubator 500 Startups. "I'm contrarian because SEO works. SEO obviously matters," said McClure, adding it generates "huge amounts of monetization on the Web, huge amounts of traffic - organically and paid."

SEO NO "MAGIC POTION"

Many technology experts don't buy Dixon's argument, but most, including McClure, concede that SEO must be viewed as part of a more comprehensive strategy that gives increased weight to newly emerging platforms. They also point out that higher standards for quality are making effective SEO even more time-consuming than ever before, adding to the difficulty faced by startups with limited resources at their disposal.

"I'm not saying you can't make progress with SEO," said Ryan Evans, who runs the Chicago-based online marketing company Rand Media Group. "But I think there's a lot of people out there selling SEO as a magic potion and if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

To illustrate an increasingly balanced approach among Internet promoters, Evans cited the tagline for online marketing conference SES (Search Engine Strategies), which bills itself as: "the leading search and social marketing event."

BLACK HAT BE GONE

Shah maintains the playing field for small companies deploying SEO has leveled off in recent months. Quality standards have improved, making it harder to throw big bucks at the process by creating server farms and using other questionable, so-called "black hat" tactics.

"In the early days of search engine optimization you had some rough and unsavory charters that were doing all manner of unpleasant things to try and game the system," Shah said, adding the emphasis now is on creating relevant, original content and an engaging online experience. "Now Google and all the search engines have gotten much better about (detecting) that."

That may be one of the reasons why small businesses are increasingly relying on SEO. According to a survey by email marketing company Constant Contact, 29 percent of small businesses were engaged in some form of SEO. An additional 13 percent had plans to employ SEO within six months, according to the survey, which polled nearly 3,800 small companies in March.

Dixon, who said his column has been "widely misunderstood" to be against SEO in general, believes it should be used to augment a marketing campaign and "should not be core to a startup's business plan."

However, he is not as optimistic as Shah about the decrease of black hat practices, despite Google's best efforts, and in his blog insisted there are "many billions of dollars and tens of thousands of people working to game SEO." In this atmosphere, startups that produce high-quality content will be hard pressed to appear high up in search engine results, argued Dixon.

"Until that changes," he wrote in his blog, "startups - who generally have small teams, small budgets, and the scruples to avoid black-hat tactics - should no longer consider SEO a viable marketing strategy."

Source http://www.reuters.com/

"SEO has become less of a technical exercise done in a vacuum," said Evans, who uses a combination of SEO, public relations, pay per click, email and social media to gain momentum for clients.

An integrated approach is certainly the thinking behind HubSpot, a software platform that helps small businesses use and measure a variety of Web-based marketing techniques - blogging, social media, content management and email - to help generate qualified business leads. Founder Dharmesh Shah said his company, itself a startup, draws two of every 10 visitors by way of Facebook and Twitter. Despite that he remains a strong proponent of SEO.

"The big reason SEO is still important to small business is simple: people are still using search engines, especially Google, with great frequency," said Shah, another critic on Dixon's blog. "And unlike other channels to reach customers, connecting to users searching is worth more, because there is active intent."

Webb raising money for film Bone Deep

In looking for new ways to make money to produce his second short film, Bone Deep, actor Jeremy Webb has decided on a parody of reality, comedy and talent shows.

So You Think You Can Act?, Saturday, 7 p.m., in the Compass Room, Casino Nova Scotia, features HRM District 12 Councillor Dawn Sloane, Breakfast Television’s Cyril Lunney and Q 104’s BJ Wilson trying their hand at acting. Each will be mentored by a local director with behind-the-scenes filming of their efforts before their live stage appearances. Celebrity judges are Cathy Jones, Jeremy Webb and Candy Palmater. Nancy Regan hosts. The evening also includes music by Chet Caruso and the Action Figures.

As an actor, Webb has just wound up a school tour with fellow actor Simon Henderson in their show, Shakespeare on Trial. From October 25 to November 28 he is taking Shakespeare on Trial and Christmas Carol to over 30 different venues in five weeks in North Carolina and Georgia, dates that came out of an appearance at Contact East last fall. He also booked dates for a tour of England next spring.

After the U.S. tour he comes home to perform A Christmas Carol live on stage with Symphony Nova Scotia as part of the symphony’s season.

Webb’s first short film Wake, written by Jessica Marsh, recently won an award for best supporting actor for Shelley Thompson and Marsh was at the Love Unlimited Film Festival in California to accept it. Wake has been an official selection at The Nickel Film Festival, Newfoundland 2011 and The Atlantic Film Festival 2010.

The film won the 2010 CBC Short Film Face Off short film face-off and a prize package of in-kind services from the CBC with a CBC broadcast license and equipment and supplies. "I’m $10,000 short and I want to shoot before the summer," says Webb, adding that the film’s budget is $45,000. "We need cold hard cash to buy food and pay crew. Everyone gets paid except me. We hire good actors."

Wake and Bone Deep are part of a series of up to six films written by Marsh and linked together. They are all about men experiencing a life crisis moment and were originally a play written by Marsh and performed by Webb for Festival Antigonish’s Late Night series.

Webb wants to shoot in early June since he’s going June 13 to Ross Creek Centre for the Arts to rehearse the part of Beowulf for Two Planks and a Passion Theatre’s outdoor production of Beowulf.

Webb has wanted to make films since he was a kid. "I didn’t realize how much I’d enjoy it and be in my element."

Source http://thechronicleherald.ca/

Brits Borrow Money for Home Improvements

New research reveals 16 percent of Brits will be spending money and time on home improvements over the two bank holidays, but for some this will mean getting into debt.

Additional research shows one in five UK homeowners will be taking out a loan to improve their home, a leading money comparison site reveals.

A fifth of homeowners have admitted to borrowing money in the past for necessary home improvements, with the average loan value standing at £14,037.

“With the warmer weather arriving, and TV full of DIY adverts many people may be thinking about taking advantage of the extra holidays and lighter nights to make changes around their homes,” said Tim Moss, Moneysupermarket head of loans.

“Homeowners who had been looking to move may be forced to spend money to improve the value of their property, or simply make changes to ensure they can live happily in their home for an extended period.”

Homeowners in the West Midlands were revealed to spend the most on doing up their homes, with the average loan taken out standing at £29,586. Those in Scotland were shown to spend the least, on average £6,305, which is 45 percent less than the UK average.

While those in Northern Ireland were most likely to have taken a loan out for home improvements, as 28 percent admitted to have taken one out. This was closely followed by homeowners in the East of England, who 24 percent claimed to have taken out a loan.

Paying of a Personal Loan

If you have taken out a personal loan to make home improvements, or have racked up a hefty credit card bill take a look at the best way to pay the money back.

If money is tight at the moment, and you cannot see yourself paying back a large chunk of the money you owe, you could consider a balance transfer credit card. With offers on the market of 0 percent interest for 22 months for balance transfers, this gives you time to save up the money to repay your debt.
Source http://www.compareprepaid.co.uk/

Android market leader in U.S. smartphone

Android over the iPhone OS and BlackBerry to become the operating system are the most mobile in the U.S. with 37% market share, according to the Nielsen survey.

U.S. smartphone market share.

During the period from July to September 2010, consumers seem to favor for all phones running Apple's operating system IOS, with 33% of respondents claim to buy the iPhone. 26% share to use Android, BlackBerry and the 13% target.

However, every procedure has changed, from January to August 3 / 2011, 31% of mobile users looking to buy Android phone, more than 30% share of the IOS, and only 11% of BlackBerry users to think about. Left of the respondents would definitely not "bought" Windows Mobile device.

Market share, currently, Android is leading with 37%, followed by IOS 27% and 22% of the BlackBerry.

Marketing for the Future with New Social Media Packages

The future of marketing and advertising is on the computer. Whether it is shopping, interacting with people, or watching television, much of Generation Y's activity is online. Digital agency Karma Snack knows this, and has dedicated a substantial portion of its services to developing new social networking packages for clients that sell products. Their new social media services allow businesses of all sizes to gain the competitive advantage in the growing social networking arena. Karma Snack can now gain a strong online following for their clients. Not only can they increase fans, they are now able to target more proactive users.

The future of marketing and advertising is on the computer. Whether it is shopping, interacting with people, or watching television, much of Generation Y's activity is online. Digital agency Karma Snack knows this, and has dedicated a substantial portion of its services to developing new social networking packages for clients that sell products. Their new social media services allow businesses of all sizes to gain the competitive advantage in the growing social networking arena. Karma Snack can now gain a strong online following for their clients. Not only can they increase fans, they are now able to target more proactive users.

It is not difficult to see the explosion of social media over the past few years. Facebook has become one of the biggest sites in the world, with over 500 million profiles. Users post over one million links every day - many of which are endorsements for products. The biggest celebrities on Twitter have more followers than some major countries have citizens. Flickr, a major photo-sharing site, now hosts over four billion photos. Over 80% of companies use LinkedIn for hiring and networking purposes. It is difficult to find a young adult or a professional adult without some sort of online profile. There are many opportunities for companies to build brand awareness with these online networking sites.

Whether it's Facebook, Twitter, flickr, LinkedIn, or any number of other networking sites, Karma Snack will design a beautiful page intended to keep consumers and colleagues informed about a business. Not only will the page provide information, but it will sell the client's product. Page designs will appeal to demographic and geographic target audiences.

The use of social media pages will be integrated with other online marketing services, such as website design, e-mail marketing, and local and general SEO (search engine optimization), to form a comprehensive marketing plan. SEO describes the use of commonly searched keywords within a web page to make that web page appear close to the top of a search engine listing. Through the use of website SEO, any company can become the top hit on a Google search. Karma Snack knows how to design a website to optimize business SEO. Well-constructed social networking pages can also become popular through SEO, and these pages will take customers directly to the client's product.

Even if clients are unfamiliar with social media, working with Karma Snack will help them become familiar and understand why their products are best marketed through social networking sites. Through social networking, millions of people every day share the products they like, and they explain why they like them. This kind of casual networking is the most trustworthy to a jaded generation that has been taught not to believe advertisements. When consumers become familiar with a product through social networking, they believe in the product.

Karma Snack does not outsource. All clients receive an in-house account manager who works closely with the customer to develop a personalized digital marketing campaign. Every step is painstakingly detailed, keeping in mind how to grow the consumer audience and sell the product. In addition, Karma Snack does offer some off-line marketing services. Though they believe in selling products through the Internet, they can also integrate an online approach with a more traditional, non-Internet stance.

The online marketing approach requires a marriage of creative and numbers-based thinking. Karma Snack has proven time and again that team members can take this blended approach to reaching consumers. Across multiple fields - including retail, media, automotive, travel, financial services, and technology - teams of creative thinkers and data-driven professionals come together to create strategic web marketing campaigns.

Choosing Karma Snack for a digital marketing campaign is an easy decision. As a heavily awarded web agency, it has become a trusted name in online marketing services. The combination of website SEO and social page design will drive consumers to clients' web sites in no time. To date, Karma Snack has achieved over 67,000 first page Google rankings for clients, and has taken in over $100 million in marketing revenue for clients in 2010. Join the online networking movement and inquire about Karma Snack's new social media campaigns.

Karma Snack: First in Ranking, and First in Results.

Visit http://www.karmasnack.com for more information, including pricing.
Source http://www.prweb.com/

Webfor Launches Internet Marketing Strategy for 99th St. Chiropractic Clinic

Webfor, a Portland website design and SEO company, has agreed to work with 99th St. Chiropractic Clinic to help focus its website and the company’s message and reposition their standing on the web for broader exposure.

Webfor is currently developing new content for 99th St. Chiropractic Clinic’s website that will make its message of pain relief and holistic health care clear for its current and future patients. Among Webfor’s other goals for 99th St. Chiropractic Clinic is an expanded presence on the web through social media marketing, maps optimization, link building and various other crucial search engine optimization strategies.

It will take all of these strategies and more to ensure that the clinic is given maximum visibility in the search engines, directories and other websites where people who are seeking chiropractic care can find this experienced and trusted chiropractic clinic in Vancouver, WA.

99th St. Chiropractic Clinic’s Dr. Stephen Liston D.C., P.S. has been a licensed Chiropractor since 1993. Dr. Liston has helped thousands of patients recover from painful injuries and maintain healthy lifestyles over nearly two decades. His passion for healing powers of chiropractic care is what has driven him over all these years in the Vancouver, Washington community.

99th St. Chiropractic Clinic not only offers a full array of chiropractic care solutions, but lifestyle and nutritional advice, massage therapy, and so much more.

About 99th St. Chiropractic Clinic

Since 1993, Dr. Stephen Liston D.C., P.S. and his clinic’s staff have offered a full range of chiropractic and lifestyle solutions for those in need of pain relief and prevention. Located in Vancouver, Washington, 99th St. Chiropractic Clinic, patients are assured that they will receive the finest quality care through the use of modern chiropractic technology and care. For more information, go to http://www.99thstchiropracticclinic.com.

About Webfor

Webfor is a Portland website design and SEO company that services clients in Portland, Oregon and beyond. In addition to design and SEO services, Webfor offers its clients an end-to-end virtual internet marketing department that helps companies increase sales and gain a strategic advantage over their competition.

Source http://www.prweb.com/

Using Video in Social Networks to Engage Audiences and Improve Search Engine Visibility

NEW YORK, April 26, 2011 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Videos are wildly popular in social media and can get premium placement in search engine results, creating real opportunity for marketing and PR pros. Today on the Beyond PR blog, we offer best practices for using video in social networks to engage audiences and gain important visibility in search engine results.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20000306/PRNLOGO )

Read the full story here:

http://blog.prnewswire.com/2011/04/26/using-video-in-social-media-and-search-engines/

The Beyond PR blog highlights communications tactics and trends in public relations, investor relations, social media, SEO and content marketing.

PR Newswire (www.prnewswire.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 56 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content — from rich media to online video to multimedia — and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a United Business Media company.

Media Contacts:Rachel MeranusVice President, Marketing and CommunicationsPR Newswire+1.201.360.6776Rachel.Meranus@prnewswire.com

Meryl SerouyaMarketing and Communications AssociatePR Newswire+.201.360.6009Meryl.Serouya@prnewswire.com

SOURCE PR Newswire Association LLC

Source http://www.sacbee.com/