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>