Cravenplan was established in 1984 and we've been offering Web design and SEO in the Salisbury area since 1997

If you have ever attended a networking event to help promote your business you may well have felt a little intimidated, in a room with a lot of people you did not know and when you look around they all seem to be chatting to each other quite happily.

I attend a lot of these events and I felt just like that at my first few, but with time, practice and a little preparation it becomes much easier and you can get much more out of the business networking events.

I have read an extremely well written guide on businessballs.com, unfortunately I could not find an author name as I would like to read more by the same contributor.

The article covers many different aspects of the networking environment such as

• The elevator pitch
• How to be helpful and contribute to the group
• How to plan your networking
• Different events you may like to attend

Along with a number of other useful tips. If youthink you may benefit from this article you can read the full thing at http://www.businessballs.com/business-networking.htm

Sean and John will once again be attending LinkLove on the 30^th March in London. This one day conference designed for SEO experts, will equip Cravenplan with the latest link building strategies, as well as getting innovative ideas to implement in to our client’s projects, keeping them at the top of the search engines rankings.

John and Sean will also hear from industry leaders on the best new practices for building links with social media and to product pages. What’s more they will find out what outreach tactics actually work which will then be deployed on behalf of our clients.

On the 20th February Cravenplan held their “E-Bay for fun and profit” seminar at Salisbury Playhouse as part of their sponsorship of the play, The Seven Year Itch. This event was held at lunch time and repeated in the evening and welcomed many new faces along, all with varied levels of experience of E-Bay but who were interested in how to get the most out of it.

The seminar looked at the history of E-Bay and how, since it launched in 1995, there are E-Bay sites in 39 countries, making it a widely recognised platform to buy and sell goods. At the same time, areas for caution were explored such as checking feedback to ensure the seller has a good reputation. Similarly when you are selling you should always include the postage and packaging costs in the price, otherwise you may ultimately make a loss and how ending the sale on a Sunday evening can potentially double the amount you receive.

This seminar equipped the delegates with many tips on how to maximise their use of E-Bay whether for personal use or to promote a business and make profit.

For more information about how Cravenplan can help you generate more business through your Web site with their bespoke Web marketing support.

08 March – Digital Photography (lunch or evening) – Salisbury Playhouse
15 March – Digital Photography (lunch or evening)
20 April – Search Engine Optimisation
18 May – What Makes a Web Site Successful? 3hr Workshop
14 June – Using Video on the Web
10 July – E-Bay (lunch or evening
03 August – E-mail Marketing
07 September – Law and the Internet
26 September – Facebook for Businesses 3hr Workshop
11 October – Psychology of the Web
01 November – 101 Ways to Promote your Website
21 November – Conversion Rate Optimisation
06 December – Writing for the Web

On the 15th February Cravenplan took one of their seminars on the road, the first of five external seminars in 2012. They teamed up with Icon Business Solutions and were the first to host an event at the new Salisbury and South Wilts Sports Club. The seminar was attended by a variety of local businesses all looking for innovative ways to improve and promote their business.

Chris Stanbury managing director of Cravenplan opened the seminar with 101 ways to promote your Web site. These suggestions ranged from straightforward and free recommendations like ensuring all of your staff know your Web site address to the more bizarre and paid forms such as projecting your Web site address with a laser onto a building. The 101 ideas were designed to offer each person five or six to suit their own business model and budget, as well as suggesting methods for measuring success such as QR codes and track-able freephone numbers

Tony Field C.Dir business adviser from Icon Business Solutions, discussed 3 vital steps to grow your business. He explained how if your business is not growing then it is under threat of going under. Tony’s motivational presentation got people thinking about how to make money, reduce working hours and build a successful and committed team. For more information on how Icon Business Solutions can help your business please visit www.iconbusinesssolutions.com.

The two presentations showered the attendees with top tips for taking their business forward, through clever online promotional ideas and improving internal business systems.

For more information about how Cravenplan can help you generate more business through your Web site with their bespoke Web marketing support, contact us

20 February – Digital Photography (evening) – Salisbury Playhouse
08 March – E-Bay (evening) – Salisbury Playhouse
15 March – Digital Photography (lunch or evening)
20 April – Search Engine Optimisation
18 May – What Makes a Web Site Successful? 3hr Workshop
14 June – Using Video on the Web
10 July – E-Bay (lunch or evening
03 August – E-mail Marketing
07 September – Law and the Internet
26 September – Facebook for Businesses 3hr Workshop
11 October – Psychology of the Web
01 November – 101 Ways to Promote your Website
21 November – Conversion Rate Optimisation
06 December – Writing for the Web

On the 2nd February 2012, Cravenplan held one of their free monthly seminars on Google Analyticsand Web Statistics. The seminar saw a record turn out of 52 delegates from local businesses who were all interested in how may visitors their Web site gets and how to interpret the data.

Most Web site owners run statistic reports, but many don’t actually analyse the results or refer to them. This is not surprising due to the confusing and unreliable nature of the reported statistics and confusion over what they really convey about a Web site. With this in mind some of the terminology was clarified to enable people to understand their reports and maximise their Web site. People often get excited as they have a high number of “hits” on their Web site, unfortunately this is not the same as visitors, it is simply how many files are downloaded from the server which could be by one visitor requesting these files, showing 101 hits when there has only been1 actual page view.

Another challenge faced by Web site owners is the caching of pages, which is where Internet service providers save Web site pages for later viewings in an attempt to save bandwidth. Therefore reducing actual visits to your website as well as retaining out of date information, which in turn is detrimental to your statistics and understanding of who is visiting your web site.

So what do Google Analytics and WebTrends actually tell you?

They both show which files have been requested from the server and at what time. You can also find out which browser has been used to view your web site. However visitors can’t be identified unless your Web site requires a log in, therefore you cannot follow up with them. What’s more the exact number of visitors can’t be obtained due to the issue of caching mentioned earlier. Also, don’t forget your own visits to your Web site. Finally you do not know what search terms didn’t find you, which would be valuable information for search engine optimisation.

Google Analytics vs Logfile analysis (using WebTrends)

Google Analytics is free and uses Java Script but as a result does not give the most reliable interpretation of the statistics, regularly under reporting by 50% therefore not giving the whole picture. Whereas WebTrends use logs which are private and give a more reliable picture of your Web site statistics, however WebTrends figures don’t include cached pages.

You may well be asking yourself what is the point of Google Analytics and WebTrends as you can’t fully rely on them? They are incredibly useful to your business in terms of measuring the effectiveness of your Web site and monitoring the way people use search engines and thus responding to these trends to get more business through your Web site.

For more information on how Cravenplan can help you increase business through your Web site, with their bespoke web marketing support, contact us

15 February – Refocus your Business for 2012 (5:30pm) – Salisbury and South Wilts Sports Club
20 February – Digital Photography (lunch or evening) – Salisbury Playhouse
08 March – E-Bay (lunch or evening) – Salisbury Playhouse
15 March – Digital Photography (lunch or evening)
20 April – Search Engine Optimisation
18 May – What Makes a Web Site Successful? 3hr Workshop
14 June – Using Video on the Web
10 July – E-Bay (lunch or evening
03 August – E-mail Marketing
07 September – Law and the Internet
26 September – Facebook for Businesses 3hr Workshop
11 October – Psychology of the Web
01 November – 101 Ways to Promote your Web site
21 November – Conversion Rate Optimisation
06 December – Writing for the Web

As the SEO industry continues to expand, and more and more businesses wise up to the fact that website optimisation is a crucial aspect of marketing, more and more SEO agencies are springing up all over the world.

Choosing the most capable, the most suitable and the most cost-effective company to promote your business can therefore be a tricky business; particularly as web optimisation is a relatively new industry. Too many business owners are falling prey to false promises and quick fixes from black-hat SEO companies – so here are a few tips on selecting the agency that’s right for you.

Step One – Identifying Potential Candidates

It’s best to start your search locally, for a number of reasons.

• Firstly, using a search engine to look for SEO agencies in your area will throw up a few likely possibilities – if the agency in question have managed to manoeuvre themselves into the top spot of Google for a phrase like ‘Search Engine Optimisation London’, for example, or even ‘Search Engine Optimisation UK‘, then chances are that they have the necessary skills to engineer similar successes for your business.
• Another reason to keep it local, or at the very least within your country, is ease of communication. SEO work can often spill over into web design territory, so engaging the services of a cheap India-based SEO firm, for instance, may well leave you struggling to communicate to the SEO staff what it is that you need – on account of either the language barrier, or the fact that conflicting time zones can make foreign operatives difficult to get hold of.
• Once you’ve identified an agency that you might be interested in working with, start asking around! Word of mouth is an often-overlooked way to gauge an SEO company’s reputation, so take full advantage of it.

Step Two – Are They Legit?

Once you’ve set your sights on an SEO agency, it’s time to make sure that they’re as good as they seem. Visit their website, and see how they measure up when it comes to these factors.

• As mentioned above, come up with some keywords and phrases that you expect the agency would rank for, and search for them in Google. If they don’t rank well for them, it’s not a good sign. If they’re not putting effort into their own SEO campaigns, there’s no guarantee that they’ll put any more work into yours.
• Read up on the company history. The best SEO companies will have been in business for a long time, and will have plenty of experience in the industry. Steer clear of businesses only a year old – you should always consider a firm’s track record before investing in their services, and if they don’t have one, you’re better off hanging onto your money.
• Is SEO their primary concern as a business? In light of the expanding industry, countless web design companies and software specialists have tacked on ‘SEO Experts’ to their company repertoire. In reality, however, these agences often have as much experience in the SEO field as you do in web design. Be sure to choose a company that specialises in SEO, to ensure that your campaign is handled by someone who knows what they’re doing!
• Have a look at the sort of clients the agency works with, or has worked with in the past – most websites will include a portfolio or selection of case studies. Take a look at these clients’ websites, and see how highly they rank in the search engines, for a variety of keywords related to their industry. For the best indication of how well the SEO company have served their clients in the past, however, you can pick up the phone and ask the clients themselves.
• You should also take a look at the agency’s average client lifespan. If their clients have all ended their association with the SEO company after nine months, it doesn’t bode well for you as a potential new client. The ideal SEO agency will have an average client lifespan of at least 2-3 years.
• If the website contains details of the agency’s workforce, have a look at the number of staff they employ. You don’t want to be hiring a one-man-band – there’s always a danger that their SEO business is merely a sideline, alongside a full-time job. Such consultants simply do not have the free time necessary to manage your business’ SEO campaign effectively. If the website doesn’t mention its workforce, be sure to enquire about the company’s size if and when you decide to contact them.
• Ask yourself if you have any interest in a social media campaign – spreading awareness of your brand or services via websites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and so on. If this interests you, then take a look at the SEO agency’s own presence on these websites. If they don’t have profiles on social media sites, or if they just have a token Facebook page which doesn’t seem to be kept up-to-date, then chances are they’re not going to be much help with your social media plans. 

Step Three – The Final Hurdle

So they rank well for their keywords, their website seems up to scratch and their clients speak highly of them. It’s time to get in touch with the agency, and ask them a few final questions.

• What are the terms of your contract?It’s important, before you sign anything, to know exactly what you’re signing. You should always ask this, therefore, to make sure you know precisely what you’re signing up for. Find out if contracts cover a fixed period of time, or if they’re ongoing, on a monthly basis. Also enquire as to the notice they would require in order for you to change or terminate your contract. Be wary of fixed-term contracts – many unscrupulous SEO companies will utilise black-hat techniques to generate quick results, to lure you into signing up long-term. These techniques are neither reliable nor ethical, however, and in some cases may even result in a search engine penalising you for using them. If you’re locked into a fixed-term contract, you’ll have no choice but to continue paying the agency regardless.
• How involved with the process can I be?Although attempting to micro-manage your SEO company is obviously counter-productive, you need to be sure that the agency will listen to you, should you wish to raise any issues, concerns or suggestions regarding the SEO work. Negotiating a monthly report can help ensure that you are kept up to speed on the work as it is carried out, and allows you regular contact with the agency. This is also a good point to assess the agency’s flexibility regarding the SEO process – if they have a fixed routine that they follow for each new client and are unwilling to try new techniques and strategies, it might be better to look elsewhere. SEO is such a fluid industry that the idea SEO agency has to be equally flexible and innovative.
• Can we meet at your premises?Holding a meeting at the agency’s offices allows you to see first-hand the environment in which your work will be carried out, and helps you to gauge how serious the company is about their work as an SEO agency. If you find yourself in a dingy bedroom at the back of somebody’s house, or looking at a room full of clueless or unmotivated staff, again, it would be better to find an agency more dedicated to the task.
• Have you worked with companies in my industry (or a related industry) before?Ask if they have any figures from work they might have carried out for a company in your area of business. For one thing this will demonstrate that they have experience in working for businesses like yours, and for another, it may give you an indication of the level of improvement you can expect.
• Do you outsource any of the work you do for your clients?This is a bit of a judgement call; there’s no definitive good or bad answer either way. On one hand, outsourcing work will dilute the level of control you have over that particular project, but on the other, outsourcing work allows your SEO agency to pursue other, potentially more effective, web marketing strategies that their in-house staff may not possess the necessary skills to carry out.
• How will determine the best keywords for my business?The answer you’re looking for here is ‘keyword research, and discussion with you, the client.’ There are SEO companies who claim to charge a relatively small fee in exchange for getting your website to rank at position 1 in the search engines for a phrase or phrases of your choosing. This might sound too good to be true, and it is. These companies will often use black-hat techniques, as previously mentioned, to get quick results, and the terms and conditions will usually lock you into a long-term contract. The best SEO companies will research the industry in which you operate, and draw up a short-list of suggested keywords, based on the amount of monthly searches and the degree of competition for each. The agency will then discuss the list with you, gradually refining it until both parties are happy with the selection of keywords.
• Can you give me an idea of the work you will carry out in the first few months of my contract with you?Again, this is a judgement call. A typical SEO campaign will begin with streamlining of the website itself – tweaking the on-page text, the meta data and the layout, to ensure that the pre-agreed keywords are prominently displayed to the search engines. A major part of any SEO campaign is building links back to the website. If the agency’s 3-month plan runs along these lines, it’s a good sign that they know what they’re doing.