This blog came about a few years ago. At the time, I was 20 and had just returned from an extended trip abroad. I still had some savings left, and decided that instead of jumping right back into the job force- trading time for money- I’d prefer to see if I couldn’t invest in something that would grow in value over time. Because I had plenty of experience with the internet, marketing, and also some programming, it only made sense to see if I could make a go at Internet Marketing.
For the next 6 months, I worked overtime learning everything I could about Web Design, Programming, Marketing, and how the Internet worked. Slowly some of my web ventures began making money on their own, and they certainly returned a profit when I sold them down the line. It was a fun and exciting experience to take a computer and discover ways to make money with it.

As I developed my own portfolio of projects, I met many interesting people who were going down similar paths. It became clear that there was a need for someone who could take a look at a Website and have relevant background in Internet Marketing, Web Design, Graphic Design, and Programming to take a holistic snapshot of the problems and then make suggestions and changes to help. During this time, I was often brought in as a “Web Designer” but eventually expanded my duties to include much more.

About two years ago, I got the impression that the industry was (and is) making a big change in its direction. Ten years ago, everyone needed a website. It was Web Designers who were in great demand. But now, a decade later, the web is so full and congested that simply putting a website up on the web isn’t going to do much. It has become easier and easier to make a website on your home computer and have it up-and-running in a few hours or days. It simply doesn’t make sense to pay a Web Designer $100/hour to design your website when your teenage son could do the same thing. The question is no longer how pretty your site is, but how relevant, useful, and profitable it is.

The challenge to each and every website today is to find it’s audience and start a conversation. That’s where I can help. In order to start a conversation, you need to:

  • Help your audience find you. Become a big bulls-eye. This means using Search Engine Optimization (SEO) so more people arrive at your site. It also means joinging ongoing conversations and letting people know about you. It can mean starting viral content that brings people to your site, and in some cases it means looking at your traditional marketing campaigns and linking them to your web campaigns.
  • Put out the virtual doormat. Make sure your website looks good when the guests arrive and make sure to give them what they want. Ensure the site is usable for Grandma and for the disabled. Offer ways to keep your visitors up-to-date, and tell them about your product or service in a soft way.
  • Keep up with and respect your clients and visitors. They are the lifeblood of your business and your evangelists. Explore new ways to create value for them and keep the conversation going.

This pretty much brings us up to today. As my focus shifts more and more to Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing, as well as Consulting on these, I feel fortunate to get the oppurtunity to push the boundaries of what can be accomplished. Everyone in this industry is just learning and things that were once regarded as “impossible” are now normal. For that reason, I think it is imperitive for any Web Business to find someone whom they trust to apply their mixed palette of skills, experiences, and creativity to problems. Because the status quo doesn’t cut it in this business.

I’m actively looking for projects that are looking for a well-rounded partner or Equity-Stake in their growing company. Additionally, I am available for retainer work in the field. Please contact me with any questions, suggestions, or comments.