All posts by Stuart Tofts

Changes at SEOptimise


By On August 30, 2012 In seo With 3 Comments

Although I wouldn’t usually use the blog for this, I thought I’d give you a quick update on the recent changes here at SEOptimise.

As you may have heard, my co-founder, Kevin Gibbons has moved on to pastures new. I’m sure Kevin will make a great success of his new business, and it leaves SEOptimise in a strong position as it continues to forge forward under the key Oxford team.

SEOptimise was formed in 2007 when Kevin and I started to work together. We brought together different skill sets that complemented each other and enabled us to grow quickly from a couple of desks in my spare bedroom to offices in multiple locations, working with blue chip organisations.

Image of Brighton SEO from http://www.brightonseo.com/

SEOptimise is really pleased to announce that we’re sponsoring brightonSEO this year. Since we started in 2007 we have really enjoyed being part of the SEO community, and this sponsorship opportunity gives us a chance to give something small back in helping Kelvin keep the conference free.

As one of the main events in the UK SEO calendar, and now running twice a year, brightonSEO really is a must-attend event, which always delivers on both content and fun. The tickets for this years event went in an hour and considering that the number of tickets has nearly doubled, it’s even more impressive.

From this year’s event I wanted to highlight some of the things that I’m looking forward to (Kelvin did prompt me a little, but it’s been good looking through what’s happening):

If you’re about to embark on an online marketing campaign, have you actually thought about what you want to achieve?

Last week, I was reading Patricio Robles’ excellent article 10 reasons people criticise SEO. Among the many comments left on the post was one suggesting that many clients don’t really know what it is they want to achieve from search engine optimisation before they start.

I think this is surprisingly true. At SEOptimise, we always encourage our clients to outline what they would consider to be success, to make sure we’re targeting our efforts. Not everyone’s goal is a straightforward commercial one.

Surprisingly often, they don’t really know and SEO is now just one more aspect of online marketing. Many organisations dutifully sign up and spend a great deal of cash of an array of web-based promotional efforts without a clear picture of what they want to achieve.

Considering how easy it is to analyse and measure online marketing success, this is an inexplicable waste of money.

More sales

This is the most obvious reason for any online marketing effort – to increase traffic to a commercial website in order to increase sales; to boost a brand’s reputation and mindshare in order to increase sales; and to encourage customers to return and make further purchases.

The press coverage of the cervical cancer jab has been unpleasant to watch and brought back memories of the MMR vaccine hysteria.

Although the press may regret the damage they have (once again) done, the Google results could remain filled with flawed information for a long time because of this.

Some of the dangerous articles have been exceptionally popular and, of course, those people who believe in a big pharma conspiracy have been linking to them and driving them up in the search engine results pages.

Well, one SEO professional has had a pretty good idea. Writing for Econsultancy (an industry source Kevin often writes for), Malcolm Coles suggests we try to boost the NHS’s ranking by linking to it within posts like this.

I don’t know if a few SEO bloggers can make enough of a difference and I urge the NHS to review its optimisation efforts. However, if linking to official pages using phrases like cervical cancer immunisation has a chance of helping, then I’m happy to try.

Do take Malcom’s suggestions on board and link to these pages using relevant phrases, as I have done here.

Let’s not see another wave of youngsters missing out on an important preventative treatment.

We’ve managed to venture out of the office this week to exhibit at Internet World in Earls Court, please come along and visit us at stand E3090, just next to the Keynote Theatre and Google University.

SEOptimise at Internet World

Image credit: SEOptimise – Flickr

Libby, our new account manager will be with me on the stand all three days, and Kevin will be making it down on Thursday. If you would like to have a chat about your current situation, or have a look through your website with us then please come along. I would also like to thank Clip Display for all their help getting the graphics for the stand organised. Hopefully we’ll see a few of you there.

“Yeah, I’ve launched an SEO campaign based on generating buzz through the blogosphere and increasing my link juice to ensure I get great SERP positioning…”

What is social media marketing

SEOptimise is running a free seminar covering search engine optimisation and pay per click advertising, it is open to everyone, although registration is required. The seminar will take place in the Saddler Building, just down the road from our offices on The Oxford Science Park, at 9am on Thursday 5th March. As I’m sure you all know, SEOptimise is already one of the best learning resources for SEO and PPC through the blog and you can now come along to meet Kevin Gibbons and other members of the technical team as well as finding out a bit more about SEO and PPC. To register your place please contact Libby Chivers on 01865 784 126 or seminar at seoptimise.com.

Update: View the presentations from the SEOptimise seminar below:

Here at SEOptimise, we are always expounding the benefits of a good quality and sustained blogging campaign.

Blogging and the Art of Etiquette

I sometimes meet potential clients who sadly suggest that it is too late for them to run a search engine optimisation campaign. They think they have left it too late, that they have arrived after the party and they will never catch up with their competitors. Others feel SEO is something younger businesses do, not established companies like theirs.

Excuses, Excuses...
CC Image Credit: Pattista – Flickr

Since I am never bored of arguing the case for SEO, I want to use this post to explore the main reasons people put forward and show why I think they are wrong. I have yet to meet a single business which I have not felt could benefit from some targeted online marketing.

Last week, the UK media was full of Lord Carter’s interim report Digital Britain – the result of an enquiry into how best the country can boost its digital and communications sectors.

The report is lengthy and covers a wide variety of topics, from the development of broadband and its required infrastructure, to digital radio and public service broadcasting.

But what were the most relevant facts for the search engine optimisation (SEO) and general online marketing sectors? What should we industry professionals glean from the paper? Here are my thoughts on what the most interesting elements of the report are for the world of web-based

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