SEO in 60 Seconds: Keep it natural.

You’re working on your website, writing up some great content that contains lots of lovely rich keyphrases.  Just one quick question:  Who are you writing all of this for:  The search engines or your end user?

Sure the user cannot find your content unless they find it on the search engines first, but if you have written this purely for the benefit of getting your site listed, are your readers really going to stick around for manufactured tot that was merely spun off to keep Google happy?

Google has the reading age of a 14 year old, which for sophisticated software, is pretty good going.  So if you just keep your content clear, to the point and easy to read.  then both reader and search engine should be happy.  Keyphrases naturally occur and that’s fine.  But just don’t force it.

If you’re still unsure, give it to your Mum (or someone whos not in the know) to read.  If they haven’t got a clue what you’re on about then you definitely need to revise your content!

This is one in a series of SEO Shorts. For more short-term tips. Please subscribe to our weekly newsletter or RSS Feed

Our Web Design Guide is now Available for Download

A few weeks ago, I just felt that despite all my efforts to encourage people to work on their website and keep it fresh and current quite a few had been left to rot. So I took matters into my own hands and for the last 3 weeks I have been writing up a report outlining the main things you should consider when re-designing your website and I have finally finished it.

So after a lot of testing and employing the services of a brilliant proofreader (thank you Elizabeth!) I now have a free report available for you to download.

Whether you already have an existing website or if you are planning a new website, I wrote this guide for you. For a new website, you can simply use the report as a checklist. If you have an existing website, then just go through one step at a time and act on it.

Although my report does cover basic SEO, which is out into place at the development stage, it doesn’t cover the whole subject in its entirety. That is going to have to be a separate report for another time.

So please do register, download and read my report.  I should also point out that constructive criticism is always welcome:  If you feel that I haven’t covered a topic or could have elaborated further on anything in the report then please feel free to drop me a line.

Heart Bleed and How to not fall foul of it

It has certainly been an interesting last couple of weeks in the technology world. A bug was found in the code of a popular SSL encryption program used by about 66% of the internet. Pretty scary stuff.

Armand Valdes at Mashable.com explains this in very simple terms:

Luckily it wasn’t a potential hacker that spotted this flaw, it was the researchers. Luckily the issue was remedied with a security patch. Even more luckily, the major companies that use the encryption software have applied this patch quickly.

But the problem is not resolved yet. As I said earlier, a lot of websites have been affected by this flaw and this includes email setups, social networks, banks and websites that are used every day:

• Facebook
• Google (which also includes YouTube, Google Mail and Google Play and Google Apps)
• Twitter
• Pinterest

Someone has already been arrested for attempting to steal compromised data from the Canadian IRS: http://www.christianpost.com/news/man-charged-in-heartbleed-attack-virus-compromised-canadian-irs-118121/ Therefore you should, without delay, go through http://mashable.com/2014/04/09/heartbleed-bug-websites-affected/, and see which websites affect you and change your passwords. Even if you haven’t included payment details, your personal information is still there for the taking.

Just a quick word on passwords

It is a pain changing passwords and trying to remember them, but to keep things running as smoothly as possible, here’s a few tips:

• Get smart with passwords Since the start of this year there has been an increase in attempts to log into WordPress admin sites with an easy to guess password (eg 12345, etc). Surely these people (I use the term loosely) must have got lucky a few times otherwise why are they bothering? : Ideally your password should contain a number, an upper case letter and a special character (&, #, etc). Some websites have their own advice on what is acceptable.

• Dont ever ever ever use the same password for all your profiles This is beyond stupid, its dangerous. If one person compromises your data, then you’re pretty much making it easy for them to hack into every other account you have. Have a few good passwords in circulation.

• Use a Password Manager software You shouldn’t write down your passwords on paper or in a book: Bits of paper get lost. However there are enough Password Manager software both free and paid versions. http://keepass.info/ or Microsoft’s own version http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=31326. Alternatively check out your PC security software to see if they already include Password manager software. Norton offer Identity Safe (https://identitysafe.norton.com/) and McAfee All Access Security http://home.mcafee.com/store/all-access-security

So no excuses, change your passwords and have a nice rest of the day.

Seek & Destroy Conduit: A Complete Guide

A few days ago, the media player on my PC needed updating, so as normal I went through the necessary procedure to update it. It was only when I came to open my local web browser that I realised my default home page had been reset to Conduit Search that I realised what had happened.

Being a web developer, I have 5 browsers running on each PC that I use for testing my websites. All except one of these browsers had Conduit listed as both the default search engine and the default home page.

I cleared this up form my browsers as much as I could, but this proved to be a fruitless action because when the Browser Updater sprang into action a couple of days later, the default pages were reset back to Conduit Search and it was again listed as a search engine!

Some software websites do take the liberty of including extra toolbars in with their software. I have no idea if they think they’re improving their viewers experience or if a regular bit of commission is involved. Regardless, they did ask for permission during the download/installation process, via a very discreet checkbox that is already checked.

Looking up Conduit in Google, one of the entries labels Conduit as a virus. It is actually an adware program. Basically you can use Conduit to search for photos, videos etc. However it does collect your personal information, along with browsing history and search habits and it hijacks your browser settings. Whatever the definition , it’s a pain in the backside and should be removed without delay.

Furthermore, if there really is a hell, programmers who sneak Conduit and other such softwares should be sent to it. But that’s just my opinion.

So for the above reasons, I have compiled a complete guide to removing this pesky software for good and then a few pointers of what to watch out for next time.

NB: I do target Conduit search in this article, but this should work with other similar software. I have also tested this on Windows 7 and 8. If I have overlooked anything then please feel free to either comment or drop me a line and I will gladly update it.

First things first you will need to uninstall the program from your machine for Windows:

So click Start > Control panel

Select Programs and Features

Right click the program and select Uninstall

That at least stops the PC updating it and re-installing it onto your browser.  After which just run a quick search on Conduit.  Sometimes more than one program will install itself, so searching for anything related to Conduit or conduit.com will show any further programs that will also need removing.

Next lets remove the program from your browser.  This normally includes in your browser’s search engine selection, your default page on opening the browser and a search bar.  Did I mention I had 4 of these little bad boys to remove?

Removing Conduit on Internet Explorer

Select Tools > Internet Options or

Click the Advanced Tab

Under Reset Internet Explorer settings click the Reset button

Check the box for Delete personal Settings and click the Reset button (read through it first to check you’re ok with resetting everything.)

This is followed by a procedure window

When finished click Close

Restart Internet Explorer

Remove Conduit from Mozilla Firefox

Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information

Under the section Reset Firefox to its default state Click the Reset Firefox button

Click the Reset FireFox button in a separate window

NB: This process might take a while for various tidy programs to run

Click Finish button when completed

Google Chrome

From the Settings icon Select Tools > Extensions

This will list all extensions currently used/downloaded under your Chrome browser.

Anything listed under Conduit click the trash can alongside it

Then we need to remove Conduit from the search engines as well:

Click  and select Settings

Under Search, Click the Manage Search Engines button

In the list, find Search Conduit hover over it and click the x that appears

If Conduit was the default search engine, then make another search engine default by hovering over it, and select Make Default

Click Done button

Conduit has also changed your default home page to search.conduit.com:

While still in Settings, Under On Startup, select the radio button Open a specific page or set of pages and click the set pages link

If listed, hover over Conduit and remove by clicking x

Click OK

Back in the Settings page, under Startup, Select the Open new Tab page radio and test by clicking the new tab

Safari

Surprisingly, Safari on Windows 7 wasn’t affected by Conduit in any way. I did search online and have found that its a different story with a Mac.

Remove Conduit on Opera

Go to Extensions > Manage Extensions

Remove Search Conduit from the list by clicking Uninstall

Close Opera browser and restart.

As a safety measure, go into the Search bar and click Manage search engines

Adware Software

Once you have removed everything from your PC, it would be worthwhile to download an adware program and run it on your machine.
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&sqi=2&ved=0CDkQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdownload.cnet.com%2FAdwCleaner%2F3000-7786_4-75851221.html&ei=X8TfUeKSKMqa0AXv3IHACw&usg=AFQjCNGKixggWUWfjgTc4wJ-OwLikOHF8A&sig2=fy70S_mIW3krwzcLvZryIQ&bvm=bv.48705608,d.d2k&cad=rjt Is a free download that runs on Windows 7. Follow the instructions to download and install carefully and then let it do the work.

Run a System Scan

As an extra precaution, run a full system scan using your anti-virus software. I use have used Norton 360 for a number of years, but even they proudly announce that Conduit updates were safe. This bold claim may change over time (I sure hope so!), but malicious software will get picked up by a reputable virus software that is updated regularly.

There is also Malware Bytes which also removes trojans, viruses, worms and other general nasties from your system https://store.malwarebytes.org/342/cookie?affiliate=17877&redirectto=http%3a%2f%2fwww.malwarebytes.org%2fproducts%2fmalwarebytes_free that enables you to a 14 day free trial.

Prevention

Pace yourself when setting up the new software

It is so easy to just click to the next screen during an installation wizard but this is how they get on there in the first place. Read software reviews prior to downloading: If anyone has had a bad experience, they are most certainly going to alert others.

Read the download screen and uncheck the boxes. Yes it will take longer, but it takes longer to sift through your browsers and PC to remove the carnage.

An example of the sneaky tactics used I unchecked all the boxes in this case.

Regular Scans

As covered earlier, regularly run a full system scan of your machine. This will resolve or permanently remove any viruses or other particular nasties from your machine.

This will of course slow your PC down, but most virus softwares can be scheduled to run automatically when your machine is not being used (eg night time or early morning)
It should go without saying that make sure said virus software is set up to update as and when needed.

Install/setup your firewall

While we’re on the subject of protection, a reliable firewall is also a good investment as this can block unauthorised software communications made from your PC.

So there we have it. If this has helped at least one person from this pesky browser hijacker then please could you let me know. If you would like me to write up a version for Windows XP or Vista, then please do drop me a line.

Resources

http://www.2-spyware.com/remove-conduit-redirect-virus.html
http://forums.anvisoft.com/viewtopic-45-5152-0.html
http://malwaretips.com/blogs/conduit-search-removal/
http://www.system-tips.net/remove-search-conduit-com-browser-hijacker/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/guides/about-firewalls

How Not to Commit Social Network Suicide

One particular news item caught my eye this morning:  The story of the Teen Crime Commissioner in Kent that refuses to resign over offensive comments that she made on Twitter. In the 17 year-old’s defence, all the offending tweets were made before she took the post, but the whole scandal could have been avoided with a bit of common sense and a good old-fashioned spring clean.

Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or even YouTube, social networking can be a great tool for your business:  It can be a way of meeting like-minded people, sharing ideas, asking a quick question.  But since the dawn of the internet, where you bring people together you also bring the opinionated, the ungracious and the downright rude.

Recent examples include the anti-Jew comment made by an Arsenal player;   A handful of workers being sacked for updating their Facebook saying how much they hate their work; The Gallagher brothers’ spectacular row on Twitter and pretty much everything Rio Ferdinand tweets.  I could go on.

How you deal with trolls, time wasters, troublemakers and general buffoons can make or break both your personal  and your company image.  Let’s not forget your potential clients, employers or colleagues can access your social profile at any time to find out about you and if they see your online slanging match for whatever reason, it’s not really going to do you many favours.

So how do you not commit social suicide?

Use your common sense

I can’t believe I am having to suggest this first – it seems like the best advice for all cases:  Use your brain.  If it’s work, don’t moan about how much you hate it if your boss and colleagues are on your friend list.  Also if you wouldn’t say it to the person’s face then don’t say it on your public profile.  Even if that person isn’t on your social network, their friends might be.    For the rest of us to view is both unpleasant and awkward.  Sometimes the safest course is to just say how you’re feeling or don’t say it at all.  Also steer clear of social networking when under the influence.

Keep business and personal separate

On all the social platforms  you can set up both a business profile and a personal one.  If however, you haven’t got the time,  then use filtering:  LinkedIn has groups that you can send related posts to; Twitter you can opt for personal posts to only be seen by followers you have approved and on Facebook you can limit posts to your friends and even exclude people from receiving the update.

Spring Clean

A spring clean prior to accepting the position would’ve avoided the embarrassing situation of the Teen Crime Commissioner.  Prior to accepting someone’s friend request or following someone, go through your updates and think “will this be deemed offensive?”  If so then delete the post and any repercussions from your timeline.  After all, it’s been said and not really doing much now except sitting there on your profile.  On this note a regular spring clean of followers/ friends would also keep abreast of any potential problems.

Is what they suggest worthwhile

Sadly even after these basic precautions, you are not completely protected from rants, and offish comments.  If that’s the case, see what they are getting at: Do they have a point with something you have previously suggested?  Have you said something that might have been misinterpreted?  They might not be portraying themselves very well on a social level, but they may also have a good point.  If it’s just a simple misunderstanding and that someone might be thankful that you’ve taken the time to explain it to them.

Keep your head

You can’t please all the people all the time, so keep your replies gracious.  Sure argue your point  and If it’s something you have claimed then back it up with statistics or a separate resource.  Don’t  get lost in a war of words and personal insults.  Also avoid swearing:  the English language is wide and varied.  Use it.  I’m not saying become a saint, but once you start swearing as well, you have lost that struggle.

If all else fails walk away

Some people may just be intent on causing trouble and just will not listen to reason.  If this is the case, then just leave the conversation.  It does take a bigger person to walk away.  Also remember on each network you can simply unfriend them or block them altogether.  If they were really that unpleasant, report them to the social network staff.

The DVH Design Blog – Reloaded

Welcome to the resurrection of the DVH Design blog.  After a 5 year break from blogging, I have finally got my act together and revived my blog to keep abreast of the latest topics affecting online businesses along with how-to’s and tips that might even make your life easier.

Before I proceed, I feel that I have to explain what actually happened 5 years ago when I abandoned blog and ran for the hills:  My main issue was most of my time was spent dealing with projects (which definitely isn’t a bad thing), but with the introduction of all these social networks at the time (I did say this was 5 years ago) my old faithful insurance company had decided that in order to cover all its clients for defamation online, they would bump their prices up by £600.  Now I was, and still am a small business, and £600 can buy a lot of more necessary things.  As a result, I thanked them kindly, took my blog down and spent the first 6 months of social networks treading on virtual eggshells.

Two things have changed since then:  First of all, as far as social media is concerned, the hype has died down and short of wiping the floor with a few trolls on Facebook (The chain letter posts are a particular favourite of mine), I am actually responsible enough to not warrant a lawsuit.  The second issue is that insurance companies have cottoned on that professional indemnity insurance is a nice little earner and so long their guidelines are followed, I’m actually paying less for my insurance than I was 5 years ago.

There was another reason why I have resurrected my blog:  Search Engines love information and resourceful websites as do people.  Who doesn’t search on terms they aren’t sure on?  A good few! I am an expert on web design and search marketing – I have after all lived and breathed it since 2000. But even I am still learning.  I will tackle this further in a future post because by then I should have visual evidence to prove it!

So sit back, grab your coffee and see what I have to say.  Feel free to comment or give me feedback with any of my posts. All I will ask is:

• Don’t spam  the site comments are checked prior to being accepted and junk comments won’t even see the light of day. If you have a link that is relevant to the subject in hand then please do share it.  Just bear in mind that with any blog nowadays, links are automatically set to nofollow so link builders will be wasting their own time.
• Don’t be mean At the end of the day, I am a human, and defamation, character assassinations and generally nasty comments just hurt my feelings for a moment, but still won’t get published.  Particularly nasty comments just get you banned.  If you think what I said was rubbish, why not explain why you think it was rubbish?  I’ll be listening.
• Big me up For the same reason, I am human, a bit of praise is always welcome.  If I am doing a good job or got you thinking or taking action, please tell me.  My head might expand a little, but again that’s only a temporary effect.
• Do ask for help  Shy babies don’t get any sweeties!   So if you would like me to elaborate on something I’ve covered or need a bit of general advice then please do feel free to leave a comment and I will answer it the best I can.