June 9th, 2009 Rusty
I probably should have mentioned this before but I am no longer participating in the WinAtl SEO Training Class in Atlanta. John and I had scheduling issues such that we could not execute the class as a team. John Sherrod is going to handle that endeavor, solo, and I am going to pursue training in technology as well. I will be presenting at the Microsoft Asp.Net User Group in the fall (October 5th, I believe). The topic will be Search Engine Optimization for Dynamic Websites.
I’ve had a number of people ask me about the class. It is still on (I believe) and there is still space. Meanwhile, I am considering a more generic SEO training for those people who are interested. My concept is really a more of a technical execution training in search optimization for developers and website designers. Website owners are also welcome if they edit their own content either via CMS or old fashioned Html code. I may also prepare a webinar session as well. In addition, I would like to teach iPhone development. I will be the moderator for the Atlanta iPhone and iTouch Developers User Group and feel there is a huge need for some instructor led training in iPhone development. With the price drop to $99, its an even more compelling platform!
If you were considering the WinAtl class, go sign up! John is the cat’s pajamas in Search and I’ll be more than willing to help you and him in any way that I can.
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May 14th, 2009 Rusty
While I’ve encountered the rare error while using Google, this is the first time I’ve ever been unable to access multiple Google services at all. Right now, GMail, Google Search, Analytics, you name it, are all unavailable.
I released a pretty large sitemap last night for OckhamResearch.com. I hope these two events are not related. If so, Google should be done eating my sitemap in a little while and things will be back to normal. I, of course, apologize for any inconvenience.
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May 14th, 2009 Rusty
For all the world, building a sitemap page for my website feels like growing a mullet might. As websites become more complex and sophisticated, intuitive navigation and effective search seem like they would eliminate the need and diminish the value of an html sitemap. Nonetheless, it has repeatedly been brought to my attention that a comprehensive sitemap can have measurable benefits on your website and its an easy thing to do.
The popular advice is that you don’t even need to format it for users as much as represent all your links. I went ahead and made it pretty (as pretty as a giant web page could be).
http://www.ockhamresearch.com/sitemap.html
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May 14th, 2009 Rusty
On June 13th, 2009, Win Atl launches a new kind of SEO training in Atlanta, GA.
The class is specifically designed for the semi-technical Small Business Owner (ie:you manage your own small business website) with emphasis on real world, cost-effective results. During the three hour course, instructors will guide you as you enhance your own website, practicing the techniques learned immediately for measurable, qualified traffic results. You leave the class with knowledge, reinforced by doing, and the tools you need to succeed in search marketing on a small business budget.
The class is $265 with a 10% discount for anyone signing up before June 1st. Sorry, but the class is only open to business owners, no marketing or other company representatives will be accepted.
The class will be taught by myself and John Sherrod, recognized Search Guru and frequent SEO speaker both locally and abroad. He recently presented "Winning Google Local" at "Search Engines Strategies" in New York and will be expanding on that presentation to help small businesses in Atlanta. check out http://www.winatl.com for more information.
p.s. If you know a small business owner who might be interested, please pass this along. The next class is June 13th – there’s still space available.
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April 21st, 2009 Rusty
For those of you who know me, you know I have dabbled, successfully, in Search Engine Optimization for many years. John Sherrod has been my guru, both in yoga and SEO, for something just south of 10 years. He has been both interested in and solicited to produce training in search optimization. He has been gracious enough to allow me to participate in this venture. We’re not sure of the specifics, yet, but it is going to begin as a hands-on course designed to deliver results during the class. Here are the details we have to share:
Search Engine Optimization Class Details
- small class
- 5 or 6 students per session
- 1 half day commitment
- 4 hours
- Saturday being proposed
- inexpensive
- practical results focused
- arrive to class with a laptop and ftp access to your site
- each topic discussed is applied to your site with the instructor’s guidance
- YOU make the changes that get results, immediate reinforcement of the topical material
- YOU ask questions as you apply what you’ve learned to YOUR website
- You leave the class with some of the enhancements in place, having started to move the needle
The concept is brilliant, I think. John has been doing this a long time and each time he teaches someone the secret sauce, they come back 3 months later having executed nothing. If you don’t apply the techniques, they can’t work for you.
Learn Search Fundamentals Relevant to Small Business
So John is designing a class that takes the fundamentals that he presented at SES NY and boiling it down to a practical, hands-on, effective lesson. He’s an expert in both small and large scale implementations. He has a passion for small businesses in America and is embarking with a class geared toward small business and local (Google Local) search.
What’s my role? …not sure yet. When I was 16, I taught guitar to 17 students. When my guitar instructor asked me to take over, he explained, “you don’t have to be as good as me, you have to be more knowledgeable than your students. Just stay one lesson ahead. When a student passes you by, you’ve succeeded, they don’t need you anymore.” While John has far deeper experience and knowledge on SEO than I do, I’m rising. He and I work together very well. I expect this to take off pretty quickly and hope to be in a position to teach the class as well. However, like my guitar guru, I’ll wait until he deems me ready.
First Atlanta SEO Class 2009
First class tentatively scheduled for mid June. Please contact rustyzarse –at- gmail –dot- com for more information
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May 1st, 2007 Rusty
John Sherrod’s SEO Presentation apparently was just basic SEO. The title of the talk was, in fact, “Practical SEO for Successful Online Businesses, ” but I suppose some people were there with their laptops ready, ftp’d into their website, waiting for the drop. One person said, “presentation skills lacking.” Well, pal, seams I should say, “social skills lacking.” Another complained that he couldn’t jot things down. Sorry your hand couldn’t move fast enough to notate 5 years of experience in a Thursday evening presentation. Aparently he was too busy trying to write down everything on every slide to write down the terms he didn’t understand. He also complained about that.
Yet another stated “Basic SEO but hit on a few cool point.” This gentleman is in internet marketing, himself. He operates SEO-centric websites. He should know some things about tweaking the algorythm. He also likes to link to himself. Its gotten him to number three for his own name. Not bad.
Problem is, folks, I heard non of you speak up when John was there speaking and Mike passed out note cards for you to write down your questions. “Write them down,” he said, “so you won’t forget them, and ask them at the end.” If you had questions or didn’t understnad something, why are you now complaining that you are still without answers? You had an opportunity to ask the speaker and resolve these issues. You chose not to ask. I’m terribly sorry but you are pointing that accusatory finger the wrong direction.
Finally, the discussion of SEO is not like the discussion of writing a blog. Its a very broad subject with lots of techniques and philosophy but not very many objective, black and white solutions. If you didn’t understand that SEO is not something you do to a site but it is an architectural tenet of building them, then you were too busy telling yourself, “already know about links, already know about headers, already know about title tags, already know about meta, ” to actually get the point. The magic bullet was in there but you were too high on your horse to hear it. He said, “you don’t have to implement every trick andevery technique, you just have to out perform number 1.” Its the philosphy of: do what is effective and nothing more.
…and if you can’t hear the speaker, move to the front of the room, you bafoon! The whole front row was empty, except for me, and I am pretty sure I took a shower that week…
I am not trying to be abrasive. However, I am annoyed that people will go to a free almost free event where the speaker is not compensated in any way to network with peers in the industry and then act like a bunch of pompus a-holes. Most importantly, when you attend a networking event, network, be vocal, speak up and contribute. If you sit back and say nothing and then comment spam the speaker, you are wasting valuable space in the room.
Of course, John, the Curly Headed Bozo, indicated he was not nearly as upset as I was.
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