Post Spring Break SEO Blues
OK – back at it! Right? After a week at Lake Livingston, a beautiful woody, quiet lake, outside of Houston, I’m back it. I did pretty good NOT working while at the Lake. It was a little cold one morning, and my eyes wandered over to my computer. Seriously, I only took it in case our web-designer needed info on a site we are trying to finish up for TPG Software.
One morning, the kids weren’t awake yet, so I figured I was safe and jumped on the WiFi to peruse the news. BIG MISTAKE. Bus accident outside of San Antonio. Need an accident attorney , is all I can think. Here I go, I’m addicted and I can’t help it. My mind starts playing the word games I know so well as SEO. Oh man……. I need to check my sites, I’m behind. I’ve got to blog blog blog for SEO purposes.
Blogging is SO important these days (for link building), as is social marketing. It’s a lot to keep up with. Trust me. I’m trying to keep up with quit a few sites, not including any I manage for “free.” Sorry…back to the bus accident. It’s worth staying on top of though – we are seeing good movement on sites with some minor social marketing and good strong blogging.
We finished up our trip at the lake with no major catastrophes……well one cousin fell in the lake. We all lost bets because we (my sis, her hubby and mine) all thought it would be my youngest. IT WASN’T. HA! We got home on Thursday, rushed out the door to the Black Eyed Peas at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo with the kids, and Friday morning I decided to cut in new flower beds in an attempt to remodel my backyard. I really need to be remodeling some on the INSIDE of my house – when I do, I’m going to call one of my clients, Home Remedy of Houston – a reliable Houston Remodeling company . They are SO NICE! Anyway…….back to business.
Monday rolls around. I don’t even remember where I was 2 Fridays ago, my big kids have new swim schedules, which means new carpools, and the littlest is playing baseball. Thus the Post Spring Break SEO Blues. There is so much I need to do. I need to check some titles and tags, run reports, BLOG and tweet.
Spring Break is a good concept but I’m really thinking I’d rather have the extra week during the summer OR at Christmas……..Getting back into the swing of things can be tough. It’s Wednesday and I’m exhausted! Good luck to you and I hope you aren’t struggling with the Spring Break Blues!
Trains, TVs, Pianos and Swimming
Woke up this morning to news reports of a train derailment in Santa Fe, Texas. That really not that far from here. We live pretty close to some tracks and I always think – how fast would officials move through an HUGE subdivision like mine telling neighbors to “shelter in place”. We don’t have train accidents that much. AND we live close to Nalco Industries. Seems there are always train cars being loaded and unloaded. Through my job, I’m aware that train accidents (or rail accidents) fall under a very interesting law called FELA. FELA stands for Federal Employers Liability. The way I understand it is that there are very specific laws regarding what employers must do to keep their workers safe. WOW – this is VERY different than a workmans’ compensation claim. It is up to the injured worker to prove that the employer/rail owner failed to provide an unsafe workplace. Think about this – FELA covers injuries on the tracks, on the trains themselves, as well as injuries in the railyard. That’s a ton of different places injuries/accidents could happen. 20 cars derailed in this accident this morning……..that would have tied up traffic on Hwy 90 for DAYS. Issues would need to be handled by an experienced lawyer – luckily we’ve developed a wonderful working relationship with the attorneys at Burwell Nebout Trial Lawyers – they handle FELA cases in Galveston, Texas City as well as Houston. See – your job pays off sometimes. If I need an attorney, I know who to call!
Our old tv, bless it’s heart, is on it’s last leg. Luckily I have a client that sells all the newest and prettiest LCD televisions. The pictures are INCREDIBLE. J&K Electronics make buying a tv in Houston, easy. Especially LCD tvs. NOW, for my other half and I to decide on what size and what brand…hmm . That might take a while. In the mean time, I’m going to haul my pc that’s in need of a little repair and RnR. The pros at J&K also offer pc repair services. So I guess we’ll take the laptop for repair and look at some tv’s while we are there. Add one for this weekend’s list.
Pianos……….where do I start? We have a VERY old, one octave short, upright piano from my grandparents. My mom learned on it, I learned on it, and my kiddos have banged around on it. Literally. My youngest, at about 3, took a plastic bat to the keys. Chipped off the tips of the keys. Nice huh? My husband HATES the piano – not the piano instrument – just this piano in particular. It looks old. My daughter cries every time I suggest getting rid of it. I’ve checked with Fort Bend Music Center, my piano moving and sales experts and friends, and it’s not worth fixing it. Heartbreaking! But WOW – have you looked at new pianos lately. Fort Bend Music Center has some VERY cool upright as well as baby grand pianos for sale. Guess I’ll have to pay them for their piano moving services – maybe I can donate the piano. Suggestions? Add it to the list……
And swimming………MAJOR champs meet this weekend in the Woodlands. BEAUTIFUL facility – nice for spectators, BAD for parents with TWO kids. I’ll have to sit in the middle. Both big kids should do well. High School season is over for Chase, and Alexandra is due a VERY good swim or two. Watching some swimming and catching up with a friend that I never get to see anymore due to our kids’ schedules. Friday – Sunday at the Woodlands. Add it to the list……..
FunnySEO & Marketing – the MacBurger
In a Facebook exchange today with a few of my friends (Susan Sternberg has an AWESOME photography blog on Smugmug and Tina Tilghman is a massage therapist at the New Territory Club – both out of Sugar Land), we were discussing the MacBook. As the director of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SMO (Social Media Optimization) at our Houston website design company, Bizopia, I can’t afford any “down” time on the computer. I am constantly blogging here and on 4 other blog sites. These sites are part of my SEO job and I chronicle about our clients as well as tips on SEO (and on a good day, swimming tips of the trade).
My other half (husband) has been pushing me on the MacBook subject lately because of virus-issues, and how this Apple product interfaces with so many of the things I use…….Adobe Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and all the IPods, ITouches, and IPhones that my family owns. It just makes sense. So, on Facebook I posted something like “am I going to be able to get used to this QUICKLY?” Meaning – at MY AGE. I tried to explain and remind a few of the guys here in the office that we didn’t have computers when I was in the womb 
and all I’ve really know is a good old fashioned Windows driven PC. I still remember when they dumped this THING with a “mouse” on my office desk. I just stared at it – I had had ONE class in college on a Mac (I was in Kinesiology/Education-WHOOP!) – and that was it. Everything I know has been self-taught. THEN here came “Windows” and all the changes with all the different versions………
So I post my “concern” and friends started commenting as they do on Facebook and one friend asks “what is a MacBook? Is it something from McDonalds?” Naturally this opens an entire other string of comments (well, it IS Friday). I throw out there – wouldn’t a GREAT and POWERFUL pairing – Apple & McDonalds? McD’s could use one of those “branding iron” things on their buns and make a MACBurger? I don’t know – in my “marketing” mind, I think it would work – ha!
Just one of my totally random thoughts at work. It’s all about the wordplay for me – it’s an SEO thing!!!! Finding different ways to market client’s ideas through words and the search engines on the internet. Some are easy, some aren’t. Susan Sternberg’s is real easy – go look at her photos on her blog site – you’ll get the “picture” fast. They are WONDERFUL. I’m particularly fond of the Austin HS Swim Team pictures………
More later – I totally stopped working on Houston Auto Glass Repair‘s newest website – http://mobileaffordableautoglass.com – and I need to finish it. BTW, the guys are great – and yes, I’ve had to use them. Unforunately, it was due to a bozo act with my Navigator……….broke the tailgate window – they fixed it in less than an hour FROM THE TIME I CALLED.
LOST
I absolutely CANNOT pass this up……………..did you watch LOST last night? I can’t get it off my mind, thus work is not flowing today like normal. What on earth was Juliette babbling about - I want to have coffee with you Sawyer……….can’t these writers tie up some loose ends? They are actually worse than me and my “craft projects.” Nothing, and I mean, NOTHING is tied up or finished?
It’s actually frustrating me……..ANOTHER new set of people? Technically, some of them are not new, but assuming that the flight attendant that enlightened “the head temple guy” as to who Jack/Hurley/Kate/Sayid were – she’s not new “technically speaking” – she’s just not been on.
Not going to be happy if we have to “get to know” another set of people. The original cast (minus Boone – what a loss!!!!) is so strong character wise…….I like it just being them. Oh well……….just had to throw it out there!
SEO – Keyword Strategies
I’m constantly pondering blog posts……..I just like posting. It gives me a break from some of the more mundane tasks of my daily SEO job. If done right, blogging can be tied in to these SEO tasks.
Today my main goal is to finish a large gun store project. It’s been fun learning about all the types of guns and what gun people like to buy. I have the complete confidence that my new friends at Jim Pruett’s Guns & Ammo (old site) Store will sell you the right gun for the right task………….NOW………how do I convey this in website text? How do I convince YOU, the reader, that this is a reputable gun dealer in Houston and not some hole in the ground (with TEXT not pictures – Google doesn’t care much about pictures – but that’s another post idea)? Buying a gun is a big deal – understanding what you need to be safe (like a gun safety class) or knowing that you HAVE to have a CHL (concealed handgun license) to carry one in the state of Texas (and other states). I’ve been in the store – I know the owner, again – it’s important that I convince the reader of the website who presumably is in the market for a handgun or some other type of defense weapon (my new favorite is the term LESS THAN LETHAL weapons – ha!).
Little keyword strategies (or games as I tell my friends) like the “how many ways can I say hand gun?” Well, I could say: handguns or hand guns – it’s sort of like on our own Bizopia website (or is it web site)…let’s not forget “internet site, custom site, custom website, custom web site…….” Again, I can do this for days. I do.
A good SEO person will come up with their very own strategy – one that would probably drive someone else up the wall. Games or keyword research can be done in so many different ways – it just has to be done at some point. Preferably BEFORE the site goes to design. Even though some of the search engines “ignore keywords” – that just means the meta-tag for keywords – NOT the text……..and other parts of site structure (that’s another post). You have to be careful of keyword stuffing though…..remember, in the end, the search engines don’t buy anything – it’s the customer. If the text doesn’t read easily and correctly, no one is going to try to read it anyway, right? It still takes a human to do the shopping and pay the bills last time I checked.
One category of keywords that really gets me going is the whole attorney – lawyer thing. Come on, can’t we just pick one? I’ve done a few attorney websites’ structure and it’s tough, because you know that certain people will use the search keyword ATTORNEY while others will use LAWYER. It’s simply the point of SEO – it’s a bit psychological, I guess. Some words just sound better with lawyer (or the phrase is older) – who knows REALLY? It’s all about what people search. You have to do your research. For example: Houston Personal Injury Attorney or Houston Personal Injury Lawyer? Which is it? Well, personally, I think you should go after both.
More later on SEO and keyword strategies……..going back to work on a FELA website, and go figure – it’s a LAWYER website…….oops – no an ATTORNEY website These REALLY great guys in the Houston/Texas City area……..(I know, another post-ha!)
Pants on the Ground
TOO FUNNY. Did you watch American Idol tonight? The 62 year old dude that came on at the end of American Idol tonight was a riot. He sang a song called “Pants on the Ground”….talking about how kids should pull their pants up. “With your hat to the side….” I was laughing SO FREAKIN’ hard. Mary J Blige was laughing so hard she was crying! Immediately we grabbed our phones and twittered………ha! At least SOMEONE other than ME thinks the pants hanging half way down someone’s butt is NOT attractive. We’ll see this guy again, trust me! Check him out on youtube.
You know American Idol is constantly trying to find the next “IT” factor. I’m not sure this guy is the next “it”, but he sure was cute! It was good to laugh that hard at the end of a long, hard day. I drove in circles with carpools or lack there of, and worked on a penguin project with the youngest.
I ended the work day today with a GREAT meeting with Doctors Clinic Houston. This is a well run, well staffed organization. We had sandwiches (that were AWESOME btw from Murphy’s Deli) and moved straight into our website design meeting. Dr. T is great – he’s definitely the marketing mind behind this. As a Houston Chiropractor, I wouldn’t hesitate to visit one of his medical clinics especially to see him. Fun crowd – believe me, in today’s world of “medicine” and “insurance” – who wouldn’t want to go to a “fun” clinic?
I was informed on Medical Facials and Medical Spa Treatments in Houston. I had NO IDEA medical clinics did this kind of thing in Houston. They offer all types of services from Family Medicine for Houston to Employment physicals.
I also learned about DOT drug screens. Did you know that truck drivers have to submit REGULAR drug screens to the DOT (department of transportation). These screens have to be conducted at a facility “registered” with the state. Who knew?
A Musical Christmas!
I am LOVING this 60-65 degree weather. WOW! And sun……we’ve definitely done something good in Houston. While trying to wrap up my Christmas shopping and plans, I was driving down Hwy 59 and saw the HUGE – and I mean HUGE – Piano Sale at Houston’s own Piano Sales and Service music store, Fort Bend Music Center.
As clients of mine, I haven’t been out there in a while – but the sign reminds me of what a great sales floor they have with upright pianos, baby grand pianos even electric pianos. As I’ve said in the past, my youngest LOVES going to Fort Bend Music Center because one of my friends, Debbie, is part owner. This is a family owned business that understands that children (and adults) have to try things out before purchasing.
FBMC caters to your musical instrument sales needs as well as your piano sales needs in Houston. For the TRUE beginners, they offer piano lessons for all ages, all levels. Maybe one of these I’m going to get my flute out, dust it off (air it out) and start playing again. Playing music was always comforting to me.
For your last minute musical needs, buy a piano from Fort Bend Music Center….you won’t regret it. (Just hide the bat from the three year old – my piano needs new keys. Think I’ll just buy a new one!)
This Old House
The Raggedy Mom – ever wonder why I chose the Raggedy Mom as a url? As a SEO and copywriter for Bizopia, a Houston Website Design & SEO company, I play with words all day long. My brain is working 24/7 and I am constantly thinking about how to help my clients in some way or another. My husband would probably beg to differ with me on this topic, but really, I’m thinking about blogging and word play constantly. This has brought a whole new way I think about the news, conversations that I have with people and things I see on television.
For example, I was watching HGTV and this girl was climbing all over this old Victorian house and painting the gingerbread (yes that’s what it is called). All I could think about was that the contractor should have an account with Flexible Lifeline Systems, a fall protection company. When I was initially working on their site, I didn’t know all of these cool anchorage connectors and full body harnesses even existed. That girl should have been harnessed to the top of the house – I was scared FOR her!
What’s another one? Oh – the TERRIBLE auto accident involving the Morton Ranch students……it’s was bad, but before I heard that all of the kids had died in the accident, I immediately thought of “who would I call if I needed help?” I would call Brian Jensen at the Law Offices of Brian Jensen. He is a client that is a Houston Car Accident attorney. The guys down at Burwell Nebout Trial Lawyers – they are a hoot and a half – represent people in Houston, Galveston, Texas City – really anywhere in the Houston area – they represent Houston Car Accident involvees. Is that a word?
AND – we need a new television TERRIBLY. The tv in our den is probably 18-19 years old now. We don’t even talk in terms of who would we call if it breaks and we were to need tv repair in Houston (but we’d call J&K Electronics). We just talk in terms of who is going to help us get it out of here – ha! We WILL buy our new tv from J&K Electronics though. When you work with and for some companies and people you get attached to what they do, how they run their business – and for me, I go through the “I would rather pay a smaller company than Walmart or Best Buy” – I don’t know anyone there. But I do know they guys at J&K.
See – I’m all over everything…….
Moms………The Ultimate Taxi Cab Drivers
I’d pit just about any of my friends against a New York City Taxi Driver any day of the week. Tax drivers pick up customers by happenstance, on a street corner somewhere. Moms have to pick kids up on a schedule while negotiating afternoon traffic of all types – the unpredictable types of traffic. Moms have detailed route guides – with the most important question on their mind – what order do I pick the kids up in that will minimize the time wasted in the car. No “taking the long way” for us to “run the meter up.”
A lot of my friends are moms (or dads) of competitive swimmers who have incredibly rigorous schedules. My oldest swims 9 times a week for two different teams, middle child swims 6 times a week and plays volleyball on a team, and my youngest swims up to 3 days a week and plays football 4 times a week. That’s just my family……trying to coordinate a carpool schedule with 4-5 other families, all with multiple children in the same age ranges as mine. It really takes a “domestic engineer” to figure it all out.
These moms come from all walks of life. There’s the retired accountant mom (2 kids), the custom dvd authoring and editing mom (3 kids), the pharmacist mom(3 kids), the seventh grade teacher mom (2 kids), the software designer dad (5 kids), and me…the website design and seo mom (3 kids). Can you only imagine the planning, scheduling, committing, and trust that goes into our swimming lives? Ha! It’s totally wild.
All of our kids get out at different hours in the afternoon, all convening on the pool within 45 minutes of each other….20-25 minutes away from our neighborhood in Houston traffic. And very proudly, we are very rarely ever late. WAY TO GO GALS! (and our token dad who does a MARVELOUS job of hanging in there!)
Back to the contest between the carpool moms and the NY taxi driver. Here’s the test:
- Pick up 5 hungry swimmers (think Michael Phelps – and these kids are younger) immediately upon school dismissal – and they are cranky
- Deliver them at the pool by the scheduled practice time for drylands
- Negotiate the roads so that the organic chocolate milk in a box with folding straw does not spill in new car (good pre-practice protein & carb intake)
- Remind each swimmer upon pick up – do you have your wet bag & dry bag and appropriate forms for the fundraiser? Deal with it when they don’t.
- Handle the personality differences that could arise at any time because someone got kicked YESTERDAY at practice.
- Handle the business call for dvd editing and duplicating from the local football team or the seo keyword request from the office while not obviously sssshhh-ing the tweens and teens car-riders.
- NOT have an accident
- Prep the car for the pickup (picking up the milk boxes, ziploc bags of half-eaten cheesy pretzels)
- Pick up after practice at scheduled time, while remembering that they don’t get OUT of the pool on time
- Drop 1-2 at church or the school for study groups
- Deliver sleepy, hungry tween/teens home – before 8:00pm
- Prep car for the 5:00am practice in the morning & carpool tomorrow, bring in the trash can, and feed the dog, clean the kitchen (oh – did I mention serve dinner?)
All without the aid of ANYONE else – did I mention – AND NOT GET PAID? WHO do you think would win?
