Cre8asiteforums Invites You

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In the pre-dawn days of Internet Marketing, of screaming modems, countless search engines and directories and equally varied chats, groups, forums and clubs, Cre8asiteforums was launched. At that time, in August 1998, the term for online marketing was “web site promotion” and web designers were called “webmasters”.

Based in the United States, Cre8asiteforums quickly became a global teaching site about search engine optimization, drawing in famous experts and beginners alike. Today, the forums boast specific areas of expertise and leadership in the blending of usability and search engine optimization, plus accessibility, persuasive design and most of all, critical thinking in all areas on the Web.

Register today to gain access to member only forums. Follow us to stay on top of all the new perks coming out this year.

Take Me to the Forums! Today’s New Discussions

Popular Cre8asiteforums Topics

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Creative Thinking: Why Search Engine Marketing Bombs

Posted on by by Kim Krause Berg in Creative Thinking, Marketing | Tagged , , ,

We celebrate Ian Lurie’s WTF is SEO? because he wrote about what has always set Cre8asiteforums apart from all other SEO forums.

wagon wheelWhen Lurie stood outside the SEO wagons that circle each client, it dawned on him that whatever happens inside that circle for the client is not enough to finish the job.

Lurie wrote:

After 17+ years of beating my head against walls like IT departments, branding teams and disbelieving CFOs, I’ve figured out why: SEO isn’t an activity, or a tactic, or a strategy. Good SEO is the outcome of a disciplined, coherent marketing & technology strategy.

He goes on to explain why SEO is not a tactic, nor is it a strategy.

Strategy is an approach that includes all roles in an organization. All of the components of SEO should be part of an organization’s growth strategy.

And of course, we all know SEO is its own bubble, both in-house and as sold to clients. The entire point of Search Engine Marketing has been and still is “Get pages into search engines. Get pages and sites ranked high. Get searchers to click into pages.” That’s all they have to do. This is all they are taught to do.

Look at the Agendas of search engine marketing conferences. What’s taught is a limited approach to marketing for clients and the rest is how to keep up with Google’s latest antics.

picture of headiamlost jumped on this article. His discussion, A Portent Epiphany! brought Black Knight out for a welcome visit.

Wrote Ammon Johns,

“Yeah, that was my first thought: “Where was Ian when we were combining UI, SEO, conversions, design, and customer service every single day in the Cre8asite forums from 2003 onwards? In London, at SES this year, I was on the panel “Integrated Marketing: What does it mean?”, and this is precisely the issues we were discussing. But you know what? It is not one tiny iota different to what we called the Holistic Marketing approach way back when on Cre8asite. SEO hasn’t changed, and it doesn’t need a new title. What has changed is that it now needs to be integrated with so many other things and all tie into broader marketing. And the only thing that is new there, to you and I, is the word ‘needs’. It was always the smart approach, and the one we advocated, way back.”

What I’ve been saying, teaching, writing and doing all these years is a holistic approach to anything we put on the Web, whether it’s a web site or software application used on the Web. The people who are the most difficult to convince the need and logic for a 360 degree approach are the SEO’s. The search engine marketing industry doesn’t teach anything but strategy. By tradition the industry has refused to see the value of adding the human part to marketing.

Discussion: A Portent Epiphany!

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Creative Thinking: Separate the Content from the Semantics

Posted on by by Kim Krause Berg in Creative Thinking | Tagged , , ,

Creative Tomorrow is one of the favorite forums at Cre8asiteforums for those who like to dive deep into the Internet universe. Led my “iamlost”, it’s anything but lost.

picture of headFor those who love to ponder mysteries and question everything, here are some recent topics to read and join in.

Separate Content From Structure And Serve On Context

We’ve pretty much separated structure, presentation, and behaviour so how about taking the next logical step and separate content from structure? This will be an increasingly important consideration as devices multiply, their context of use varies, and personalisation becomes de facto.

Over 50: That Is Where The Money Is

There are many opportunities in many different demographics, psychographics and probably other graphics too. The one that will be most valuable, is the one that you are positioned to take advantage of.

The Stumbling March Of The Advertorial

Online media sites are increasingly going the way of the advertorial, often going for the trifecta of traffic, branding, and SE link value. That last is the tricky one as it is against most SE ToS and may have been a reason for the recent – very short lived – InterFlora Google results penalty. When I say tricky I don’t mean that one may be penalized, rather that unless one is a significant enterprise don’t expect such kind treatment and short recovery time.

Forbes offers BrandVoice and now the Washington Post is launching BrandConnect. They are far from the only ones. Some media companies hire different staff for journalism and advertorial content, some do not. With that ‘not’ the last wall of separation between news, editorial, and advertising is crumbling fast. Note: the current euphemistic jargon for advertorial is ‘native advertising’.

The birthing woes when things are not done well are not just possible SE penalties as the Atlantic found back in January when it published a paean of an advertorial from the Church of Scientology. That the backlash on that one was lead in part by Gawker who are also big into advertorials is rather amusing. I guess the Atlantic didn’t even meet Gawker’s standards!

A World Without Wikipedia? Wikipedia Pleads For Funds

Posted on by by Kim Krause Berg in Featured Discussions, News | Tagged ,

Wikipedia has sounded the alarm. The non-profit web site is hoping to raise funds to support itself and keep going.

Imagine if Wikipedia slipped away? Would that create an immediate boast in ranking for some web sites? Back when I went to school, we sat in the library to get information or just ignored homework entirely, (because back then it was okay to leave kids behind). Anyway, today’s kids and 20-somethings got computers and Wikipedia (and WordPress so they don’t have to learn cursive writing anymore…but I digress.)

Wikipedia Call For Funds

Pro – Let it Go

Should Wikipedia actually wither and disappear:
a lot of grade school and some college/university assignments would require somewhat more effort…
and one to three ‘organic’ results would open up at the top of many Google query results…

Con – Keep it On

In my opinion, Wikipedia is getting better and better with age. Lots of the articles that I have viewed are quite good.
In the past professors did not like Wikipedia and most of them still don’t like Wikipedia. Someday they should be changing their minds because Wikipedia content is continuously improving. A lot of the Wikipedia articles that I visit have the most appropriate content on the web for a “first read” by someone who wants to know the basics about a topic

How do you feel about this? Wikipedia Call For Funds

Turning Points, PubCon, True SEO Links and New Homepage

Posted on by by Kim Krause Berg in Featured Discussions, News | Tagged , ,

Turning points seemed like a good way to announce the redesigned Cre8asiteforums. That, and it’s International Women’s Day, and I am one.

New Homepage

As you can see (refresh your browser if you don’t), the homepage for Cre8asiteforums is brand new. In fact, there is a long list of new enhancements, front and back-end, plus a dedicated server and more. A small army of Ninjas are assigned to protect, defend and maintain Cre8siteforums. Testing of all changes are managed with Jira and not released until they are cleared in a the development environment. This takes me back to my software application development days and has been a great experience working with the Team.

There will be tweaks and new things added but in general, Ann Smarty, Community Manager for Internet Marketing Ninjas, and I will be blogging here on forum posts and whatever else inspires us. You can link directly into forum categories, find all the social sites we’re tied to and register as a forums member from here. If something seems odd or is not working on your browser or device, please contact me (Kim Krause Berg).

Did You Suddenly Change Careers or How You Do Your Work?

I got to chatting about this topic in Facebook because I noticed the theme showing up in various social sites I visit. I shared my story in Turning Point/wakeup Calls – Standout Moments That Changed Your Career. The SEO industry has seen its share of sudden career moves by well-known people like Rand Fishkin, Lisa Barone, Dave Snyder and even my boss, Jim Boykin. Ann Smarty literally left her country and moved her entire family to New York to work here. Would you be able to do that?

PubCon New Orleans Will Be a Great Adventure

Pucon linkI’ve met a few of the Moderators who volunteer (or did) Cre8asiteforums. One of them, Donna Fontenot, has been on my Wish to Meet list for years and years. That wish was granted by Jim Boykin, who made it possible for Donna to attend PubCon New Orleans. In case you didn’t know, Donna is not only famous in the search marketing industry, but she’s also mystery book author gaining quick fame and kudos for her debut book – The Grave Blogger

I was accepted to speak on community building, which means I’m going with the Ninja speaking and exhibit hall team. I promise there will be lots of pictures and great moments when Donna and I finally meet and get to spend time together. Not only that, we ran a contest at Cre8asiteforums for a free full pass to PubCon NO, and I hope to find him and shower him with swag.

Best in SEO

Two threads earned this week’s “Best in SEO” mention.

How Test If Link Is A True Link Seo Wise?

I was reading a book that said for true SEO link benefit you want to
make sure that a sites link to you goes directly to you site, and does
not have that split second where it goes to the host site first. You
point your cursor at the link and then…. did not understand the rest.

Seo Hall Of Shame – Are You Kidding Me?

We’ve come across your website online “Cre8Asiteforums.com” and noticed your site is not on the top ranking for most important search engine like Google Yahoo.& Bing I am wondering if you would be interested in Search engine optimization done for your website at a very low cost.

And finally, I salute Dani Horowitz of DaniWeb, Jill Whalen of HighRankings Forums, fellow forums founders who never, ever gave up and are examples of who women do succeed in IT and related careers.

New Cre8asiteforums Homepage Coming Soon

Posted on by by Kim Krause Berg in News

During our transition to our new home base, many new things are being done to increase the look, feel and overall enjoyment for the Cre8tive Community. While most of the action is happening behind the scenes, I can promise you that a new homepage was designed and is being tested now.

It’s pretty, useful and a will be the perfect compliment to the forums.

Thanks for your patience.