The reason they cause so much confusion is partly to do with outdated SEO methods still being touted by some people, and Google search algorithm updates making those methods actually harmful to your site ranking.

Why does Google SEO matter?

By keeping up on the latest search engine updates (such as Google Panda), and using good SEO practices on your site, you can improve your search engine rankings. The higher on the page your site shows up, the more likely people are to visit it, since Google lists the most relevant content first.

If you use your website to gain clients and make sales, you need to pay attention to SEO. If people can’t find your site in the search engines, you’re going to lose money to your SEO-savvy competitors.

What are Google Panda and Penguin?

Attempting to filter out some of the junk content on the web and return quality information to its searchers, Google rolled out two recent updates, called Panda and Penguin.

To put it simply, Panda is a content quality filter. It checks your site for duplicate articles, or multiple articles on a similar topic, with slight keyword changes. It also looks for short articles, or those without any helpful content, written just for search engines instead of for real people.

Penguin is similar, driving down a site’s search rankings if it finds:

• Keyword-stuffing: Loading your site’s meta tags or contents with keywords meant to attract search engine spiders
• Cloaking: Showing search engine spiders different content from what shows up in a user’s browser
• Any other tricks intended to fool search engines into boosting a site’s ranking, without adding any value to the content for real readers.

Any of these issues can cause your site to get a lower ranking in Google’s search engine. This lower ranking means less traffic – which can mean a significant loss in revenue if you get a lot of sales from your website.

How to rank better with good SEO?

There are several things which can be done to keep a site high in the search engine rankings. They include:

* Update a site regularly. This can be done in several ways; probably the easiest is to have a company news area or blog and keep it updated on a regular schedule. Make sure the posts are written for real people, not search engine robots, so the site will get a boost from Google.

* Do keyword research. Find one good keyword that matches the content of each page of a site, and build that page’s content around it. Note: Do NOT just shoehorn this keyword into every sentence of a page. Keyword stuffing will hurt, not help rankings.

* Use social media to promote content and gain links back to a site. Google’s algorithm uses this buzz to determine how useful people think a site’s content is. Creating great content that a lot of people share can help search rankings.

Contact us now to find out how we can help you achieve success with your web site, and don’t forget our tailored, cost-effective packages for start-ups, small and medium sized businesses.
davies-wise design company :: 01453 839192 :: sales@dwdc.co.uk

Based on an article written by Angie Mansfield | ViralBlog

Based on the WordPress platform and using an unique template, the new site is designed to enable both potential and existing customers find the fire protection solution to suit their needs.

A feature ‘slider’ at the page top gives an overview of COMPCO’s areas of expertise and the risks involved in those sectors – which are expanded when clicked through to the full page.

COMPCO, celebrating 25 years in business, has grown to become the largest independently owned fire-engineering company in the UK, with a turnover in excess of £30 million, and exciting plans for future growth. The new web site is responsive and has been designed to move forward with the company as we move into an increasingly technological age.

Contact us to find out more about how we can help your business.
davies-wise design :: dwdc ::  01453 839192 :: sales@dwdc.co.uk

Many providers have chosen to block access to the Admin area of WordPress altogether, however we do not want to take this approach as it will also prevent you from administering your own web site. Instead, when accessing your WordPress Admin Area you may find that you are prompted for a username and password not previously required.

As soon as normal service is resumed, this prompt will be removed and the above credentials will no longer be required. We appreciate your patience during this time.

If you are worried about any aspect of your web site or on-line security, please contact us so we can recommend and implement the best solutions for your company.

davies-wise design company :: 01453 839192 :: sales@dwdc.co.uk

Lovingly remastered by Davies-Wise Design, the book explores the natural stone industry as it was 100 years ago and offers readers a glimpse into the quarries in the early 19th century, both in the Forest of Dean and around the UK.

We strived to keep as close as possible to the original book, given the differences, and sometimes limitations, of modern production processes. Here are some images taken during the printing and finishing of the book.

Nick Horton and Marcus Scott-Russell of Forest of Dean Stone Firms admiring the quality and accuracy of reproduction as the first page sections of the remastered book are printed.

The covers are individually foil blocked using the remastered original illustration.

An endpaper being added to the gathered book pages, ready for covering.

The endpapers being glued ready to accept the cover.

A spread with bound in colour paper page, with a tipped in stone sample plate added.

The finished product! The limited edition hardback book is pictured here with a promotional wrapper.

Watch out for more articles about the search for matching typefaces and how we managed to achieve quality images working from a well-used, and partially destroyed, 100-year-old book.

Among many other projects, which we’ll update you on in the future, our main focus has been the production and print of a book from 100 years ago. Our client Forest of Dean Stone is celebrating their Centenary and to mark the occasion decided to republish a book from 1912. This remarkable record of the United Stone Firms business was originally published as a promotional tool, documenting the extent of the company prior to the First World War.

Extending to some 150 pages, the limited edition printing of this wonderful piece of stone and social history, explores the natural stone industry as it was 100 years ago and offers readers a glimpse into the quarries and construction industry in the early 19th century, both in the Forest of Dean and around the UK.

We’ll write more about how the book was recreated and printed in a future post, but the first copies have now been received, the launch is on 13th December at Waterstones Cheltenham, and will be available through Amazon, local branches of Waterstones, and of course from Forest of Dean Stone Firms themselves.

There are two sides to Get-Eco. The company started life as a professional sustainable building consultancy, helping developers incorporate sustainable features in new and existing buildings. Being asked time and again by developers to source compost bins and water butts led to the launch of the Get-Eco online business – an e-commerce site which showcases some of the most environmentally and ethically-sourced gifts, gizmos and gadgets around. Lisa says “We spend a lot of time researching our suppliers because we care as much about where our products come from, and their ethical and green credentials, as our customers do. We’ve found some great products which can make a real difference to living a greener lifestyle.”

Realising that the company needed a new identity and branding led Lisa and Neil to ask Davies-Wise Design to design a new logostyle to use throughout their businesses, which had to be suitable for use in many applications. From web sites and social media to signage and packaging the logo needed to be adaptable, with a recognisable symbol, strong namestyle and to keep the message “small steps towards a greener lifestyle” where possible.

Neil commented, “The logo, brand and proposed website look excellent and the exercise has benefitted us both personally and professionally. The hard work and our journey has only just started.”

Contact us now for more information and details of our tailored, cost-effective packages for start-ups, small and medium sized businesses.
davies-wise design company :: 01453 839192 :: sales@dwdc.co.uk

Built by traditional methods using timber sourced from estates in Herefordshire, the design of the 36ft long (10.9m) flat-bottomed vessel is based on River Severn and River Wye cargo barges from about 200 years ago. They were used to carry cargo such as coal, wool and cider and Andrew Wynn, from the project, said River Wye Trows were once “hugely significant and important for the region”.

The Trow will carry the Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire, as part of a flotilla of 1,000 vessels, in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on 3rd June.

T. Nielsen & Company is one of the world’s leading specialists in repairing, restoring and building traditional ships and rigging.

Contact us to find out more about how we can help your business.
davies-wise design :: dwdc ::  01453 839192 :: sales@dwdc.co.uk

On signs, posters and leaflets
A way to include more information for people to view in real time. Use a QR code on an house sale board to allow the potential purchaser to view the property details.

In magazine and newspaper ads
Provide more product details and information, a website link, or perhaps exclusive discount codes or vouchers.

To expand on product details
Provide more information to the customer – like detailed sourcing information, or show more products in the range.

On promotional goods
What better way to link to your website, product information or discount codes?

On printable downloads
When offering pdf downloads or white papers on your website, add a QR code to them to link back to the web site or more information – you get the idea.

For events and locations
Use QR codes on invitations and flyers to give people Google Maps locations, or further details about the event/location.

For speeches and conferences
Display a QR code to direct delegates to your Twitter account or web site. Use a QR code to allow people to easily connect to a venue’s Wi-Fi.

On business cards and stationery
A QR code can give an instant link to your web site or act as a reminder of who you are after they have used your services.

That’s just scratching the surface of the many creative ways QR codes can be used – there are so many opportunities.

Contact us to find out more about how we can help your business.
davies-wise design :: dwdc ::  01453 839192 :: sales@dwdc.co.uk

With a LinkedIn Company Page your business has the opportunity to:
• Tell it’s story and strengthen branding
• Highlight products and services
• Engage with and inform followers
• Share career opportunities

On the other hand, as a LinkedIn member, a Company Page is a place to:
• Explore companies which interest you
• Get the latest company updates and business news
• Research products and services
• Learn about job opportunities

Setting up your LinkedIn Company Page
If it all sounds a bit daunting, then this is where we come in. From start to finish Davies-Wise Design can work with you to achieve the results you desire. For an overview of our Social Media Marketing offering, please click here, or for more focused LinkedIn packages, click here.

Follow Davies-Wise Design on LinkedIn
LinkedIn Company Pages have been around for a while, but it wasn’t until last October that company status updates were introduced and this altered the complete game plan. Now members can receive insights – breaking news about the company, employee moves, relevant job opportunities or the latest on products and services, including multimedia content, direct from the companies they follow.

To see how this all works and to follow us, just click on the button.

Or you can contact us for more information and details of our tailored, cost-effective packages for start-ups, small and medium sized businesses.
davies-wise design company :: 01453 839192 :: sales@dwdc.co.uk

* As of 6th December 2011, LinkedIn had a professional network of more than 8m members in the UK.

What’s new in Joomla 2.5

Joomla 2.5 is a significant release and there are plenty of new features and improvements right across the platform.

Highlights include:

• Enhanced developer framework for easier third party themes and plugins
• Improved ‘Smart Search’ website search
• Enhanced offline/maintenance mode
• CAPTCHAs for user registration
• Mobile enhancements
• User notes functionality
• Subcategory filtering
• Custom menu usability changes
• Updated MooTools compatibility.

To find out more about the new features of Joomla 2.5 in a lot more detail – go here.

For full details of our hosting packages – click here – and to find out about how Davies-Wise Design can help you with your web site design and marketing – click here.

dwdc hosting :: 01453 839192 :: hosting@dwdc.co.uk