This morning’s email inbox contained a scary message from Google saying one of my blogs has been identified as a potential spam blog. In it’s fight against unscrupulous search engine optimisers doing link spamming, Google’s automated classifier had flagged it is spam, and invited me to logon to provide an explanation and submit a review request.

I was thinking “Surely this is a phishing request for my Google account details.” I don’t write spam, or at least I try not to!

After a moments reflection I realised the Google email was genuine, and it really was a spam blog that Google had found. Less than 12 hours ago I had demonstrated how easy it is to create a blog by setting up a dummy “Worcester Internet Fun” blog, and included a single jokey posting with a keyword rich anchor link to my Hallam Internet marketing website.

It was a light hearted way to demonstrate how easy it is to blog, but it contained all the link spamming signals:

• nonsensical text in the body copy
• hosted on an open platform like blogspot
• with links to irrelevant websites

Note to self: delete all blogs created as part of the teaching process

On the one hand, Google’s rapid response is excellent news:

• Blogger addressed the issue quickly, with the spam site disabled within 12 hours
• In the event the blog isn’t a spam blog, then the Blogger human team undertakes to review the site within 2 business days
• The email from Google is clear and helpful

However, Google has had some trouble in the last few months when it inadvertently locked down innocent blogs due to a glitch in the spam processing algorithm.

I’ve written elsewhere about fake blogs, so let this be another salutory lesson to optimisers thinking links from blogs is the silver bullet to the top of the search engine results.

I’m aware that my company website design is nearly three years old, and that the design is looking a little tired and is due for a website refresh.

Why not take a peek at the draft design of the new site. Your comments would be most welcome, keeping in mind this is a work in progress! The real site will not have my ugly face on the front, but it is a useful image to use at this stage!

The idea is to put a new “skin” on the site, retaining the existing file names in order to preserve all my search engine optimisation efforts.

I’ve worked closely with my graphic design partner to design something that looks corporate, and modern, and clearly conveys the key messages. I am also looking to include more Web 2.0 functionality, but I’ll let you know more about that later.

Further progress regarding the site development to follow-

Just to let you know I’ve developed a new training course, Universal Search and Social Internet Marketing. This is a useful next step for those of you who are already doing Search Engine Optimisation.

We’ll be talking about Google’s Universal search, and the trend to blend a range of information types.

We’ll be discussing techniques for:

• optimising video
• optimising images
• Google local search
• Google mapping applications

And then we’ll explore the practicalities of Social Media Marketing: social bookmarking, tagging, reviews, blogging, Twitter and more.

The course takes place on 26 November in Nottingham; get in touch if you want more information.

I’m also scheduling a range of Search Engine Optimisation training courses; to to www.shcl.co.uk/events.asp see dates and locations.

It’s been a month since my last blog posting, and after three years of blogging I ran into the dreaded Blogging Writers Block. Or as I would prefer to say, taking a blogging hiatus.

So why the blogging drought?

The cobbler’s children never has shoes.

Blogging puts significant demands on small businesses, meaning you need to find the time to write the postings, come up with suitable topics, and just plain sit down and do the work.

And I just haven’t had the time. Until now.

|I need a quick reminder that blogging is a valuable part of your Internet marketing armoury, providing a low cost tool that

• provides a way to communicate regularly with your client base
• generates search engine friendly content
• updates your website on a regular basis
• opens a two way channel of communication with your readers
• repurposes the content as an email marketing newsletter

I’ve enjoyed my blogging hiatus, and thanks to you who have dropped me a line asking why I’ve been gone so long!

Time: 09:00 – 17:00

Do you need to improve your rankings in the search engines?

This Intermediate Level one day workshop will show you how you can improve your website’s rankings in the search engines.

If you have the job of increasing the visibility of your website in Google, then we can provide the training and support your need.

“Absolutely perfect for my needs.
Quick wins as well as long-term actions to take away.”

Dates

Central London:  29 September 2008 (£365.00 +VAT) (click here to book)

Nottingham:  8 October 2008 (£295.00 + VAT) (Click here to book)

Times

09:00 – Registration & Coffee
09:30 – 16:30 Course
16:30 – 17:00 Informal Q&A

Click here to book your place now via email

About this Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Training Course

This is not a course for absolute beginners:  we are assuming that you already have a website, or you may be planning a new website and that you understand the basics of how search engines rank pages.

This is going to be a fast paced day, and it includes as much SEO knowledge as you can stuff into your brain!

You will leave the day with a written plan of action detailing the specific steps you need to take to optimise your website.

Susan’s workshop materials are constantly updated as the industry shifts and changes, and this workshop will reflect the latest strategies to reflect the evolving search engine optimisation  marketplace.

You will be provided with a comprehensive set of course notes, articles and reference guides. Following the course, you will have access to Hallam’s password protected online library of SEO support resources.

Seminar Programme

• Update:  the lastest news in search on the Internet
• Jump starting poorly performing websites
• Producing keyword rich webpages
• How and when to use keyword analysis tools
• Copywriting perfect webpages
• Understanding Google Page Rank
• Innovative techniques for getting inbound links
• How to use Blogging as an SEO tool
• Your Google Toolbox: Webmaster Central, Local Search & More
• Google Analytics:  What to measure, and how to interpret your web statistics
• Staying out of trouble with the search engines
• Researching your competitor’s SEO campaigns

The Trainer

Susan Hallam one of the UK’s leading Internet marketing trainers and consultants, with more than 20 years experience in the information industry.

She is a regular speaker at conferences including Search Engine Strategies, InternetWorld, and the East Midlands eBusiness Club’s Web Academy and eBusiness Expo.

How to book your place – Contact Susan by email

Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)

Terms & Conditions

Time: One day event

Wednesday 24th September – Barceló Buxton Palace Hotel
Tuesday 7th October – Pride Park Stadium, Derby

Derbyshire WellConnected is a one day event offering local businesses the chance to learn more about the opportunities offered by online marketing, ecommerce, and the use of broadband.

Susan will the keynote speaker, discussing Emerging Technologies:

• latest trends on how small businesses are profiting from broadband technologies
• practical examples of how businesses are connecting with their customers
  
• the steps your business needs to take to benefit from the emerging new technologies to compete locally, regionally and internationally.

Find out more, and book your place at Derbyshire WellConnected

Time: 09:30 – 16:30

Organiser:  East Midlands Incubation Network

Book your place online here

This one day workshop is designed to give an overview of the issues needed to plan for a successful online business. Starting right from the beginning, we will discuss a range of issues including marketing, technology, financial and legal topics.

The leading provider of internet marketing consultancy Susan Hallam from Hallam Communications will be delivering this valuable event. Susan is both a lively and informative speaker, who consistently receives high praise for her entertaining and knowledgeable presentations.

This workshop is designed to give you chance for discussion and questions, tackling important issues like:

• How to plan a successful ecommerce website
• How to get found in Google
• How to get more visitors to your website
• How to design a website that makes sales
• How to choose the best shopping cart software
• How to take payments online
• How to keep out of legal trouble when selling online

Date/Time
Thursday 2nd October 2008, 9.30pm—4.30pm

Venue
The University of Northampton

Cost: Free for eligible pre-start businesses and SME’s under 12 months old who are located within Northamptonshire.

Book your place online by clicking here

I am very pleased to be included as a panel speaker at the forthcoming SMX Search Marketing Expo taking place in London on 4&5 November.

Vanessa Fox, of Google Webmaster Central fame has included me in the line up for the Search 3.0: Blended Search and Local Search session. The phrase “Heavy Duty SEO Track” caused a brief panic, but I’m sure it will be a great day.

The conference looks like a worthwhile investment of time for anybody interested in search; I’m looking forward to hearing from SEOmoz’s Rand Fishkin, Search Engine Land’s Danny Sullivan and Chris Sherman as well as speakers from Hitwise, E-consultancy, Microsoft and Google.

Time:

12 -19  September 2008

Theatrical Management Association (TMA)

Druidstone, Wales

The TMA’s week-long Essentials of Marketing courses provide the only opportunity of their kind in Britain. Participants concentrate on all aspects of arts marketing, benefiting from expert teaching and sharing experiences with one another, away from the everyday working environment.

Susan has been involved in the Druidstone programme in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Ireland.  Once again, she has been invited to share her e-marketing experience with arts marketing professionals from across the UK.

The course provides participants with a thorough grounding in all aspects of arts marketing and a practical framework within which to carry out marketing strategies. It aims to give students the confidence, based on the latest knowledge about existing and potential arts attenders, to develop their work to its maximum potential on returning to their own organisations.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2008, ‘Druidstone’ has a well-established reputation with employers, funding bodies and marketing practitioners. There is always intense competition for places. Most of the work takes place in small, informal tutorial groups complemented by lectures and discussion groups.

The course lasts for 7 full days, allowing plenty of time to study the large amount of information provided, to work at an individual pace and for participants to focus on their own organisation’s needs. In addition to discussing ideas and experiences with colleagues,students benefit from practical advice and guidance from specialist practitioners and the chance to work with different members of the teaching team.

Full details of the course can be found in the course brochure (PDF) from the Theatrical Management Association website

I had a great holiday this summer, and whilst away I discovered a website that makes me laugh right out loud.

GraphJam puts music and pop culture in graph form. And if you are feeling clever, it has a toolbox that let’s you create your own GraphJams.

Let’s start off with the Beach Boys:

more music charts

Go ahead and let us know if you create your own GraphJams