The Winter-Spring City of Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation catalog arrived today! Get ready to start 2012 with information and inspiration about Marketing, Website planning, and Social Media. In January and February 2012 I’m teaching (and co-teaching) three classes with two of my favorite collaborators, Kathryn Gorges and Karen Kefauver.

If you receive the paper catalog, our classes are listed on page 34. You can also view our classes online here. All will be held at NextSpace, 101 Cooper Street, downtown Santa Cruz.

Online registration opens on Tuesday, January 3 at 8am. Here are the steps to find our classes online (or register by calling the Parks & Rec office at 831-420-5270 Monday-Thursday).

>> Click on the right side blue box “Register NOW with instaReg”
>> Click on “Register for Programs”
>> Click on the left side “Special Interest”
>> Click on “Show Courses” under each of the following class titles:

• ABC’s of Your Marketing Makeover, Tuesday, January 31, 6:30-9:30pm, $79.
• ABC’s of Planning Your New or Revamped Website, Tuesday, February 7, 6:30-9:30 pm, $79.
• ABC’s of Integrating Social Media with your Website, Tuesday, February 21, 6:30-9:30 pm, $79.

Read the class descriptions here. If you have any questions, contact me here.

Website: http://saraisenberg.com
Blog: http://saraisenberg.com/blog
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SaraIsenbergConsulting <= Visit & click “LIKE”
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/saraisenberg
Twitter: @saraisenberg
About.me: http://about.me/saraisenberg

Thanks for attending my June 21, 2011 class Before You Hire Your Web Designer or Web Developer. [If it's before the class date, you'll find class registration info here.]

Here are some helpful resources for anybody planning a website from scratch or an update to an existing website.

If you aren’t able to hear Kathy Long give this presentation in person, check out the slide presentation. This is chock full of information on how to rise to the top of local search results.

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Here are 5  (6, actually) Super Resources for the Small Business Owner Who Wants a Great Website! [June 15, 2011 update: added #6!]

I’m gearing up for my June 14 and June 21 classes. I want to make sure I let you know about these articles and tools:

If we can push past the alarming use of profanity against a toddler, there’s something to be gleaned from Mad Mall Mama’s concise call-to-action. The 25-character statement included at least 4 smart components.

This information is intended for very small business owners, like a local landscaper or painter or maybe a daycare establishment. A business that will likely never be able to justify the ROI of hiring a competent and professional SEO. And quite frankly? Likely doesn’t need to.

Here are 5 common web design mistakes you must avoid to create a great user experience and grow your bottom line.

Page Speed Online analyzes the content of a web page, then generates suggestions to make that page faster. Reducing page load times can reduce bounce rates and increase conversion rates.

This is the gold standard tool for keyword research.

From Outspoken Media: “Hello. I’m a potential new customer and I just landed on your Web site for the very first time. I’m taking a look around and I think I may like what you’re offering. In fact, your services/that pair of shoes/that quirky owl necklace are exactly what I’ve been waiting for. But, as a new customer, before I take the plunge, I have some questions. Things I need to know or at least would like to know before I commit to doing business with you.”

Thank you for attending Santa Cruz Parks & Rec class Intro to WordPress.com for Free Website or Blog on March 1, 2011.

My presentation is available here:
Download Presentation [PDF]

My Upcoming Classes are listed here:
http://saraisenberg.com/upcoming-classes/

Here are some great Blogging and WordPress resources:

• How to Fail at Blogging and Social Media: http://saraisenberg.com/2011/02/08/how-to-fail-at-blogging-and-social-media/
• Great Social Media Resources – LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blogging (scroll down to see the blogging links): http://saraisenberg.com/2010/07/22/social-media-resources-linkedin-facebook-twitter-blogging/

• WordPress: http://wordpress.org
• More WordPress: http://wordpress.com
• More WordPress: http://learn.wordpress.com
• Even More WordPress http://wordpress.tv
• Even MORE WordPress: Printer-friendly version of the entire Learn WordPress.com tutorial

• Business Blogging Best Practices: http://socialmediab2b.com/2009/06/business-blogging-best-practices/
• Business Blogging Best Practices (video): http://everything.typepad.com/blog/2009/02/typepad-business-class.html
• Blogging Best Practices: http://www.echoditto.com/blogging
• New! 30 Tips On How To Make Your Company’s Blog Rock: http://www.jeffbullas.com/2010/02/21/30-tips-on-how-to-make-your-companys-blog-rock/
• New! 20 Blogs Every Business Owner Should Read: http://www.businessinsider.com/20-blogs-every-business-owner-should-read-2010-7
• 9 Things to Do to Make Sure Your Next Blog Post is Read by More than Your Mom: http://www.problogger.net/archives/2009/09/03/9-things-to-do-to-make-sure-your-next-blog-post-is-read-by-more-than-your-mom/
• New! The Yahoo! Style Guide: http://styleguide.yahoo.com/
• How to Trick People into Reading Your Blog: http://outspokenmedia.com/blogging/how-to-trick-people-into-reading-your-blog/

Thanks!
Sara

Website: http://saraisenberg.com
Blog: http://saraisenberg.com/blog
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SaraIsenbergConsulting
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/saraisenberg
Twitter: @saraisenberg

Thank you for attending our Santa Cruz Parks & Rec class Expand Your Reach With Social Media on February 1, 2011.

My presentation is available for viewing or downloading here:
Download Presentation [PDF]

Upcoming Classes:

1. ABCs of SEO – Basics of Search Engine Optimization (with co-instructor, SEO expert, Steve Penny) on Feb 15, 2011.
2. Build a Free Blog or Website with WordPress.com on March 1, 2011.

Details about the classes and registration, see: http://saraisenberg.com/upcoming-classes/

For more resources, see:

• My collection of best SEO Resources: http://saraisenberg.com/2010/10/16/best-seo-resources/
• My collection of best Social Media Resources: http://saraisenberg.com/2010/07/22/social-media-resources-linkedin-facebook-twitter-blogging/
• Review: http://www.mindjumpers.com/blog/2011/01/the-impact-of-social-media/
• Full HBR Article: http://hbr.org/hbrg-main/resources/pdfs/comm/sas/16203-hbr-sas-report-r3.pdf

Thanks!
Sara
Website: http://saraisenberg.com
Blog: http://saraisenberg.com/blog
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SaraIsenbergConsulting
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/saraisenberg
Twitter: @saraisenberg

Thank you for attending my Santa Cruz Parks & Rec class How to Prepare for Your Website Overhaul or New Website on January 25, 2011.

My presentation is available for viewing or downloading here:
Download Presentation [PDF]

Upcoming Classes:

1. Expand Your Reach with Soclal Media (with co-instructor Karen Kefauver) on Feb 1, 2011
2. ABCs of SEO – Basics of Search Engine Optimization (with co-instructor, SEO expert, Steve Penny) on Feb 15, 2011.
3. Build a Free Blog or Website with WordPress.com on March 1, 2011.

Details about the classes and registration, see: http://saraisenberg.com/upcoming-classes/

For more resources, see:

• My collection of best SEO Resources: http://saraisenberg.com/2010/10/16/best-seo-resources/
• My collection of best Social Media Resources: http://saraisenberg.com/2010/07/22/social-media-resources-linkedin-facebook-twitter-blogging/
• My collection of Best Resources Before you Design your Small Business Website: http://saraisenberg.com/2010/12/13/best-resources-to-review-before-you-design-your-small-business-website/
• Fast/Cheap/Good Venn Diagram
• Fast/Cheap/Good Triangle
• [added Feb 20, 2011] Preparing and Planning for a Redesign: http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/10/preparing-and-planning-for-a-redesign/

Thanks!
Sara
Website: http://saraisenberg.com
Blog: http://saraisenberg.com/blog
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SaraIsenbergConsulting
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/saraisenberg
Twitter: @saraisenberg

As you may know, I love sharing great finds. I recently came upon a Twitter tutorial that’s cute, simple, easy to read, and beautifully designed by Jessica Hische. I plan to share it with my Twitter newbie students/clients.

For anybody who’s looking for a Twitter 101 tutorial, read it:

mom, this is how twitter works.

As a web consultant and SBDC Technology Advisor, one of my services is to provide web audits for small business clients. A web audit consists of a thorough website review including review of first impression, design, navigation, usability, content, SEO, etc. I’m always on the lookout for articles to share with clients. [Updated January 21, 2011, February 8, 2011]

Here’s my recent collection of Best Resources to Review before You Design (or Redesign) Your Small Business Website:

1. I heartily recommend these two excellent books as an easy way to learn and/or review some of the basics of web design and web content:
2. • Don’t Make Me Think, A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability (Steve Krug)
   • Letting Go of the Words – Writing Web Content that Works (Janice Ginny Reddish)
3. Here’s my collection of Best SEO Search Engine Optimization Resources: http://saraisenberg.com/2010/10/16/best-seo-resources/
4. Here’s my collection of Great Social Media Resources — LinkedIn, Facebook, Twtiter, Blogging: http://saraisenberg.com/2010/07/22/social-media-resources-linkedin-facebook-twitter-blogging/
5. 8 Best-Practices for Small Business Websites (DIYthemes):
   http://diythemes.com/thesis/best-practices-small-business-websites/
6. What Does Web Design Say About Your Small Business? (Mashable): http://mashable.com/2010/12/13/small-business-web-design/
7. 10 Questions You Should Ask Your Web Designer to Get Tangible Results (DIYthemes): http://diythemes.com/thesis/web-design-results/
8. The Anatomy of a Perfect Landing Page (Formstack):
   http://www.formstack.com/the-anatomy-of-a-perfect-landing-page
9. How to Choose – And Hire – a Web Designer (DIYthemes): http://diythemes.com/thesis/how-to-hire-a-web-designer/
10. Building an Online Marketing Plan: http://blog.hotdesign.com/2011/01/building-an-online-marketing-plan/
11. The Benefits of Wireframing a Design (SixRevisions):  http://sixrevisions.com/user-interface/wireframing-benefits/
12. (I’ll keep adding resources so check back later.)

My clients and students are often starting from scratch on SEO and would like to learn more about it, usually the basics. I find myself recommending these online SEO resources frequently. This blog post is for anybody who’d like to learn more about SEO. Here are some of my favorite Search Engine Optimization resources: [updated 1/31/2011, 2/21/2011, 3/14/2011]

Google’s Webmaster SEO Starter Guide
http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2009/06/seo-starter-guide-now-available-in-40.html

DIY Part 1: Beginner WordPress SEO: How to Optimize Your Blog Posts
http://diythemes.com/thesis/beginner-wordpress-seo/

DIY Part 2: Beginner WordPress SEO: 9 Ways to Optimize Blogs for Search Engines
http://diythemes.com/thesis/beginner-wordpress-seo-part-2/

Another from DIY: A Beginner’s Guide to Optimizing WordPress Websites (w/ simple guide to optimizing WordPress websites)
http://diythemes.com/thesis/wordpress-website-optimization/

Hubspot’s 9 SEO Insights You Must Follow
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/7367/9-SEO-Insights-You-Must-Follow.aspx

25 tips to skyrocket your search engine rankings
http://www.socialmedia.biz/2010/09/15/25-tips-to-skyrocket-your-search-engine-rankings/

SEOmoz
http://www.seomoz.org/blog/the-beginners-checklist-for-learning-seo
http://www.seomoz.org/user_files/SEO_Web_Developer_Cheat_Sheet.pdf
http://guides.seomoz.org/beginners-guide-to-search-engine-optimization
http://www.creativemarcomgroup.com/docs/beg-guide-to-seo.pdf
http://www.seomoz.org/blog/tweets-effect-rankings-unexpected-case-study

Zdnet SEO Overview (w/ Google Video about SEO basics):
http://m.zdnet.com/blog/seo/how-it-works-what-happens-when-you-search-google/1211

Axandra:
http://www.axandra.com/
http://www.free-seo-news.com/index.php
http://www.axandra.com/free-online-seo-tool/

Bruce Clay:
http://www.bruceclay.com/
http://www.bruceclay.com/web_rank.htm
See BruceClay_SEO_web_rank.pdf and check the site for other documentation.

Bloofusion
http://www.bloofusion.com
http://www.bloofusion.com/resources/white-papers/index.shtml
See seo-for-ecommerce-sites.pdf, web-design-and-seo.pdf,  seo-web-2-0.pdf and check their site for other documentation.

SDForum Marketing SIG:
http://marketingsig.blogspot.com/2010/01/search-engine-optimization-for.html

Outspoken Media:
http://outspokenmedia.com/seo/seo-audit-tool-comparison/

Scott Design:
http://blog.hotdesign.com/2010/11/the-art-and-science-of-seo/

Alameda SBDC Resources:
http://acsbdc.org/business-topics/seo
http://acsbdc.org/business-topics/keyword-advertising

SEO Mistakes That Just Make You Look Dumb (Outspoken Media):
http://outspokenmedia.com/seo/dumb-seo-mistakes/

Not Getting Enough Traffic? Here’s Why… (DIYthemes):
http://diythemes.com/thesis/not-getting-enough-traffic/

The Dirty Little Secrets of Search (New York Times, 2/12/11), what NOT to do:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/business/13search.html

HubSpot’s 4 SEO Tips to Instantly Take Advantage of Google Instant Preview:
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/7110/4-SEO-Tips-to-Instantly-Take-Advantage-of-Google-Instant-Preview.aspx

Steve Penny, SEO Expert, on Google Places Local Search:
http://www.stevepenny.com/googleplaceslocalseo.html

Google Adwords Keyword Research Tool:
http://tinyurl.com/2w634qo

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