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link8r

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I have to ask - just because you can or can arrange for a joomla template site to be setup, does that qualify you to sell internet marketing? Are Wordpress installs with a free template really an example of web development?

What do IT and Websites have in common? IT, Websites ? I don't get the relationship.

Here's how it's obvious you haven't much experience - and this worries me everytime I see it, no matter how many times I see it:

1. You don't understand Meta data, Search Marketing
2. You site navigation is Home, My Work, About Me - this is not a structure I'd associate with a professional and experienced web marketeer
3. Images are badly resized - again, this is experience and capability - I'd expect this level to be suited to someone at an intern level
4. Text, fonts, capilisation, lack of social engagement, no logo (capital Arial bold with a shadow is not a logo!)
5. False or innacurate claims

You make a claim that your client's site, Fiona?, is ranking #2 for "Costume Jewellery" - are you aware this site actually isn't? I suspect that you're not familiar with Personalised Search and actually do see it at #2 in your browser, which really just underlines that you're not really as much of an expert as you might think you are. If you don't understand these basic, simple step 1 or "conversational SEO" - do you really think you have a saleable product?
 

ciarandebuitlear

New Member
Thanks for your feedback. I will address these points in as constructive a manner as I can. I agree the site needs some work from an SEO point of view. I have not done much SEO work on the site (see below ***) I suppose it's a bit like the cobblers shoes! I guess should have expected a response like this and should have probably asked for feedback on the content of my site. My responses below marked <cdb> response </cdb>

I have to ask - just because you can or can arrange for a joomla template site to be setup, does that qualify you to sell internet marketing?
<cdb> To answer - No. I built the joomla site myself on a self hosted platform (blacknight). It uses a template as do most Joomla sites. I have built many other joomla and ecommerce sites. I have also built some of the largest ecommerce sites in the british Isles as a hands on technical architect of a web development team for 12 years. All of this qualifies me to build websites. I have worked on internet marketing for several years also. This qualifies me to sell internet marketing. </cdb>
Are Wordpress installs with a free template really an example of web development?
<cdb> I guess this is a rhetorical question. </cdb>

What do IT and Websites have in common? IT, Websites ? I don't get the relationship.
<cdb> Normal humans - you know them? These people have business problems that can be solved by IT solutions, some of them involving websites. I think you will find that websites are a part of IT. Some people need help with IT and websites. I would like to turn those people into customers. </cdb>

Here's how it's obvious you haven't much experience - and this worries me everytime I see it, no matter how many times I see it:

1. You don't understand Meta data, Search Marketing
<cdb> Why in particular do you say this?</cdb>
2. You site navigation is Home, My Work, About Me - this is not a structure I'd associate with a professional and experienced web marketeer.
<cdb>*** I disagree. This site is about me. The goal of the site is that if someone hears about me or is referred to my site by me they will be able to find out about me and what I do. I want normal people to be able to relate to it and for the site to make it more likely for a potential customer to choose to work with me after reading it. The site is aimed at normal people, potential customers. I wanted to keep it simple. I don't actually think these people will do a google search to find someone to help them with their business problems. This is the main reason I have not done heavy SEO or promotion of this site (obviously). I am not trying to sell SEO to YOU! Maybe I am being a bit touchy here. Any other opinions? </cdb>
3. Images are badly resized - again, this is experience and capability - I'd expect this level to be suited to someone at an intern level <cdb> You got me here :) I don't do the best job on graphic design. I tell my customers this and I normally hire someone who is better at that than me if the budget allows. I should work on this and raise myself above intern though ! :) </cdb>
4. Text, fonts, capilisation, lack of social engagement, no logo (capital Arial bold with a shadow is not a logo!)
<cdb> I have text, fonts and capitilisation. I have engagement with faceook and Google+. What is your point? I agree I need a logo. I will have to get a graphic designer working on that when I can afford one. </cdb>
5. False or innacurate claims

You make a claim that your client's site, Fiona?, is ranking #2 for "Costume Jewellery" - are you aware this site actually isn't?
<cdb> I apolagise for the innacuracy. Of course you must understand that search rankings change over time. It was second in google.ie at the time of publishing. It is 9th now. I have edited the page to bring it more up to date. I have also "dated" these references to search placement in this article so that this type of issue does not come up again. </cdb>
I suspect that you're not familiar with Personalised Search and actually do see it at #2 in your browser, which really just underlines that you're not really as much of an expert as you might think you are.
<cdb> You are wrong in your suspicion. I am familiar with personalised search. </cdb>
If you don't understand these basic, simple step 1 or "conversational SEO" - do you really think you have a saleable product?
<cdb> Obviously this is not a question but a statement. Can I ask you a question? Do you think that trying to make people feel small makes you a bigger man? </cdb>
 

link8r

New Member
@OP

Please do not take my comments as personalised, and I appreciate you not doing the same.

You asked for feedback and you got it. It's not fair to then abuse the very people who actually gave you what you asked for and make out that we randomly jumped on you.

If you had come into the forum and said "hey, I know nothing about internet marketing and I built this website, which is about teddy bears and here it is" - I would have treated it very differently than if you came in and said "hey, I'm a professional internet marketeer and here is my website." In the latter case, I reserve the right to treat you as such as you've presented yourself and I'm pointing out that of all of the people who've claimed to be an internet marketeer, you are the worst. case closed. that's my opinion. you can't argue with it.

It has nothing to do with personality, it has to do with the fact that you would happily take money from a company or business in Ireland, selling them an internet marketing/business solution, where you know nothing and where you have accredited yourself as an internet marketing superstar and essentially waste their time and money where someone with real experience could have actually helped them.

I would challenge your claim in every respect. Anybody can claim to be an SEO/Internet Marketeer/Web developer and none better proves this point.

Your website exhibits none of the most basic practices of internet marketing, content creation, messaging, design ethos, aesthetic appreciation, command of the english language, cohesive marketing message, SEO, at all. Not even basic. Forget the cobblers shoes / mechanics car analogy - there are no shoes!
 

ciarandebuitlear

New Member
I am starting to think it was a mistake to post here. Can you can stop attacking my web site now please? I have already stated that I have not done SEO work on my own website. This has been due to a lack of time. I don't present my web site as representative of my work with regard to SEO. This is obviously not the ideal situation. I will rectify the site in the near future and re-submit.

With regard to "personal stuff". I aploagise if you feel somehting I said was personal. Please think carefully about the following atatement: Accusations of incompetence and dishonesty DO NOT belong in any constructive criticism. Hypoberbole is also generally not welcome.

Just to be clear about what I do.
I help small businesses with their business problems through the use of Information technology including web sites. My key skills are:
1) Experience of creating IT solutions for customers big and small.
2) Understanding of real world business issues and opportunities.
3) Discuss business and IT with normal business people in language they understand.
4) Deliver cost effective solutions.
5) Support my customers after go live.

I also do some SEO. This is not my main skill and it is not even mentioned on my home page. I'm pretty sure you know more about SEO than me and I am happy to state that I am still learning about this subject.

Case study: My client Costume jewelry: necklaces, bracelets, scarves, rings, earrings, watches. wanted to be on the first page of google.ie for "costume jewellery" and other related search terms. I achieved this with a very limited budget within one year from startup. I guess I am doing something right for my clients :)

In order that I might live and learn... What would you charge me for an basic audit of the SEO of my web site IT, Websites. Make the web work! On net ecommerce. including recomendations?
 

link8r

New Member
Just to be clear about what I do.
I help small businesses with their business problems through the use of Information technology including web sites. My key skills are:
1) Experience of creating IT solutions for customers big and small.
2) Understanding of real world business issues and opportunities.
3) Discuss business and IT with normal business people in language they understand.
4) Deliver cost effective solutions.
5) Support my customers after go live.

Are these services or attributes of your services?

Do you think your website explains your services / attributes?

Do you think you are clear, concise and without confusion in your message and communications?
 
K

Kieran

Guest
Hi Ciarán (nice name!)

I regularly review sites here on IWF and I am the best at it (only joking!.) I usually take the 30 second rule to start with as often that is the bounce rate for a site. Looking at your site using the rule the site is pretty flat and the colour scheme (teal he asked hopefully) is uninspiring. I think there should be a more powerful message here to inspire people to do something once they visit the site.

Irrespective of this I found the text on the landing page a bit of a mixed message. I actually cut it out and pasted it into Word to read it as if it was a document and found the message a bit mixed up.

Also there is no footer message , no sitemap, no discrete contact page.

I agree with a lot of what link8r says above. Also though I am not an SEO I think it is probably not a good idea to say you got site X to position Y on Google. I would however write about the case study in more general terms. I think an SEOs goal though classicaly is seen to get better better rankings is more importantly to imrpove the quality of conversions. You can get lots of crap clicks and no conversions but small volume targeted search from the right custoemr is better <end of my opinion section>

There are tons of better templates out there if you want to stick with the template route. Also I would change the favico as it screams joomla at the top of the page.

Best of luck with the site.
 

ciarandebuitlear

New Member
Thanks guys,

That is some great feedback. I will review and redesign the whole site in the upcoming couple of weeks. I guess I need to spend more than 1/2 a day on it next time :)

Regards,
Ciarán.
 

link8r

New Member
Hi Ciarán (nice name!)
There are tons of better templates out there if you want to stick with the template route. Also I would change the favico as it screams joomla at the top of the page.
.

Agree with everything Kieran says, except about the naming convention approval :p

Also, I would favour anything over Joomla - HTML, XHTML, Text!
 
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