Google algorithm cuts out content farms

Over on the Google Blog, they are reporting that the company is making significant changes to its search algorithm.  They report that it could change up to11.8% of its search results.   Google is always interested in providing their customers relevant and quality content and this is and has been a rule of thumb in SEO for quite some time…Always provide quality content that users would care to read about or ultimately find in search engines.

In the past, Google has done the best in delivering quality search results to their customers and this is another positive step in the search engine world.  That has made them the king of search and its what keeps them on the top.  There has been a decent amount of arguments stating that Google was unable to weed out the content farms from search results, but this recent change should help alleviate this.

WordPress 3.1

WordPress 3.1 is out!  It has a new admin bar and adding links is “42x faster”.  If you have WordPress installed, you will want to update it.

Tip: Make sure you backup your files, deactivate plugins, upgrade, then reactivate plugins.  While rare, I have had instances in which the plugins will through it all out of whack!

If you are a client and want us to handle the backups and upgrades automatically, make sure to contact us and ask us about doing that for you.

WordPress Hello Dolly Plugin – Keep or Delete?

If you have WordPress installed, you will see this plugin as it comes with each installation of WordPress.  It is by Matt Mullenweg, the founder of WordPress.  If you are an avid WordPress fan, as I am, you probably can relate to this question every time you update your plugins or WordPress itself.    For that half second, you think, should I delete Hello Dolly?  Every time, I swear I can hear Matt Mullenweg cringe at the very thought of deleting Hello Dolly.

I am writing this post in defense for Hello Dolly.  :-)

It is described as:

“This is not just a plugin, it symbolizes the hope and enthusiasm of an entire generation summed up in two words sung most famously by Louis Armstrong: Hello, Dolly. When activated you will randomly see a lyric from Hello, Dolly in the upper right of your admin screen on every page.”

While I will admit, I typically do not have it as an active plugin, I think it would be a shame if I deleted Hello Dolly as after  all isn’t it the least we can do to say thanks to Matt Mullenweg?  He has given us WordPress, such an amazing piece of software all for the price of “Free 99”.   This plugin has been at the core of WordPress and has witnessed the uprising of WordPress.  It has been there through the ups and the downs.  To uninstall is like removing a child from its mother.  In my opinion, WordPress and Hello Dolly go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly.

So in answer to the question of whether to keep the WordPress Plugin Hello Dolly, I say astoundingly YES.

What are your thoughts?  Do you keep or delete Hello Dolly on your WordPress Installations?

Case Study – Utah Energy Conservation Coalition

Utah Energy Conservation Coalition helps save energy in Utah by helping contractors build green homes and homeowners maintaining energy efficiency!  They are a non-profit organization located in Orem, UT.

The UECC website had become stale and they were in need to have a CMS Website built in order to give them the ability to update their content.   They also desired to embed a newsletter program in order to keep the communication channels open with their members.  They now have a website that they can update the pictures and content themselves and they utilize their newsletter to reach out to their members.

Case Study – Friends for Sight

Friends for Sight, located in Salt Lake City, Utah;  is a non-profit program that helps save the eye sight of children and has been doing so since 1955.  When you go to renew your drivers license and license plate tag, you have the option to “check the box” and help donate to this wonderful program.

Webnovate was hired to design a CMS website for the non-profit organization that would allow their staff the ability to easily edit and modify the website.   Their website has the ability to easily update the photographs and modify the text.  They change the photos to match what they are currently involved in, which keeps their website from becoming stale.  We embedded their YouTube videos on the the website so that everyone can enjoy the quality work they perform.  We also embedded a Google Calendar that lets schools and individuals check to see when they are coming to an area near them.    We also setup the ability to Donate to their program by Authorize.net.

Case Study – Uinta Recreation

Uinta Recreation, located near Park City, UT;  provides the best ATV rentals, snowmobile rentals, guided tours and world class fly fishing and horseback rides!  Their equipment is well maintained and they always have the latest models to choose from.

Webnovate provides Web Design, SEO, and SEM consulting for Uinta Recreation since 2010.  They came to Webnovate to see how they might be able to increase their online presence and exposure.  They wanted to help their customers find them and show up higher in Google and ultimately help their customer’s book rentals and excursions.  We setup a CMS Website for them, did some SEO on the website and a Google Adwords Campaign, and setup a newsletter program for them.  Uinta Recreation has also added some YouTube videos on their website to illustrate their rentals and how much fun they can be!  They have seen a dramatic result in their online presence and have seen their online presence get 80-100 hits per day and they have seen their Google rankings increase each and every month.

Case Study – Silvercreek Construction

Silvercreek Construction, located in Provo, Utah; builds amazing luxury custom homes in Utah, California, Arizona, and Hawaii.  Their homes are featured in many of the leading publications and have won many awards!

Since 2005, Webnovate has provided web design and Search Engine services to Silvercreek Construction.  In 2010 Silvercreek came to Webnovate in the need of a custom flash based website that would help illustrate the amazing luxury homes that they build.  We build a website that has an enticing homepage, a theater room in which customers can watch a 10 minute video that we made for them, a custom online brochure, and Masterpieces page that showcases their luxury homes.

Case Study – Partyland

Partyland , with 4 stores in Utah scattered from St.George – Lehi, has been selling Utah party supplies and everything you need to plan your next party or event!  They have birthday party supplies, wedding rentals, balloons, custom banners, Halloween costumes, and have even supplied tent rentals for ESPN Game Day at BYU!

In  2006, Partyland came to Webnovate with a need to create a website that would portray their stores party atmosphere and highlight the different holiday seasons.  They had a tight deadline as their busiest time of the year, Halloween; was approaching and they needed to have a website that would show off their amazing costumes.  We designed a website in which they were able to change the backgrounds to match the latest holiday season.  For example, they change the background to hearts for Valentines Day and green clovers for St. Patricks Day.  Webnovate also implemented their social media as in their Facebook Fan Page and Twitter account.

We also installed a blog which they update regularly and setup some SEM and manage and maintain their Google Adwords Campaign for them.