My Working Life: SEO and others...

Wozaonline

2012-01-20T10:44:00.002+02:00

Well well well... wonders never cease, so here goes. Google have now offered free websites to those in South Africa under the Wozaonline domain.

So... obviously I had to try and jump on the band wagon and include mine. I've claimed to be The Google Guy so we'll see how that goes down over time. I've oficially opened it to public, but there's little content on there as of yet.

Pinetown Property

2011-09-07T06:56:00.003+02:00

Well looks like we've got a good bit of movement in the property market with many seeing the upper highway area as a good investment at this time.

Pinetown property has also seen a good surge in popularity.

As the general property market continues to show an improvement and the interest rate showing no signs of increasing until early next year at earliest property is once again a viable investment.

With business relocating to the ever expanding business sector of Hillcrest. This area will no doubt become a business hub in years to come.

Palm Beach County

2011-06-02T09:09:00.003+02:00

Palm Beach Gardens is a city in Palm Beach County in the U.S. state of Florida. The city is in the center of a rapidly-developing area north of West Palm Beach in the northern part of the county and the South Florida metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 48,452. The city has relatively strict zoning laws and also a number of gated communities.

With over 30% of land mass dedicated to green space, recreation programs tailored for residents of all ages, an award-winning Art in Public Places program, a pro-active business climate that embraces innovation and an intrinsic understanding of the balance between social and economic conditions, Palm Beach Gardens is much more than the ultimate vacation spot.

Reasons to Sell a Property

2011-06-01T09:50:00.002+02:00

When does a homeowner consider selling? From money problems to the need to downsize, the reasons vary by owner. Here are ten common reasons an owner takes to the market.

1. Risk of Foreclosure. This is listed as number one because around one-third of all sales in today’s current market are distressed properties. Many homeowners find themselves in mortgages they cannot afford, whether due to job loss or to rising monthly payments. It is far better for their credit score to sell or short sale before they are foreclosed upon.

2. Job Loss. This goes hand in hand with number one. If you have lost your job, but are still not behind on your payments, now could be a good time to take a pre-emptive strike to avoid foreclosure.

3. Relocation. Sometimes it’s necessary to follow a job or to move for a better job. These homeowners, including members of the military, sometimes find themselves needing to sell in a hurry.

4. Healthy Seller's Market. You won’t find this trend in most of the nation. In fact, most areas of the nation are still experiencing lukewarm sales and depressed home values. There are, however, spots that are hot beds of activity. These homeowners may wish to sell to make a profit or to avoid the risk of attempting to sell later in a down market.

5. Downsizing. Baby Boomers are now entering retirement. As they are faced with empty nests and changes of pace, many will decide to sell in order to downsize to smaller, more manageable homes.

6. Dream House. It is a great time to buy. Home values are affordable and interest rates are at historic lows. If a homeowner has a solid amount of equity in their current home, it may be a good time to sell and move up to their dream home.

7. Changing Locations. A downtown loft may have been a perfect choice for a young bachelor, but as a family evolves and children enter the story, a move may be needed to get to the best school district.

8. Need Money. Your home can be one of your biggest assets. If you are in need of some liquid money, selling can free up cash.

9. Investors. There are investors that may sell to avoid taking further losses on already depreciated values. They may also sell flipped houses in order to make a quick profit.

10. Family Needs. Sometimes a move is necessary in order to deal with family matters. An ailing parent or grandchildren in need may prompt a move.

If you're in the South Florida area and looking for a Realtor contact Premier Properties of South Florida for some advice.

North Coast Accommodation

2011-05-12T13:29:00.000+02:00

I just love holidays on the north coast. Recently we've launched this flyer style website for what looks to be an amazing place to stay. Situated in the coastal resort of Zimbali, Three Thulabali is the perfect retreat or getaway.

This upmarket home is set in the peaceful forests of Zimbali Coastal Resort, catering to the discerning holidaymaker. Perfectly positioned with privacy and wonderful unobstructed views of forest and sea.

Only real question is just how much fishing can you get done?

Rentals

2011-05-12T09:08:00.000+02:00

Well been working on a few property rental websites of late and came across a few bizarre stories. Don't know if I've ever really been a model tenant, but then you get those that seem to come from hell.

"Holy Crap!!" is all I can really say for this video - here. On the other side of that coin you also get the hoarders.

Who'd want to be a landlord?

Then again, I think everyone has a story to tell.

Only Rentals

2011-05-11T14:26:00.003+02:00

South Africa's newest residential letting agency that opened up offices on 1 March 2009. To date 20 franchises have already been sold and the aim is to establish no less than 150 owner operated offices within 5 to 6 years in all the provinces of South Africa. We are already established in KZN, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Free State, Mpumelanga, North West and Western Cape.

Interestingly while only offering Residential Rentals, Only Rentals do offer a wide variety of property types. From full farms to one bedroom apartments, you should find something to satisfy your taste - and they're only just beginning!

Well here's wishing Raal and his team at Only Rentals a good new site launch.

New Real Estate Website Launches

2011-04-05T07:56:00.005+02:00

Real Estate Office Website Package
We have been working really hard at working on our package offering and have launched a few new websites. From the single office to nationwide franchises this seems to offer the best value for their money so far.

Tyson Properties have launched their version of the Real Estate Office Website Package. Already we are seeing a positive change in traffic as more and more pages are indexed, cached and ranked. Currently their largest number of listings are held by their Durban, Westville and Ballito Branches.

DW Realtors a long time client of ours recently upgraded to the new package offering and have really taken the Pinetown Property market by storm. DW Realtors have always enjoyed good positioning in the search results pages for all things Pinetown, but seem to have an even better coverage at this time. Once again showing the value of the fantastic architecture we've put in place for this project.

The third and last launch to be mentioned is for another of the RE/MAX Franchises, RE/MAX Finest in Gauteng. With most listings at this time listed in Alberton which is where their main office is. While this is a relatively new site we are once again seeing a quick response and indexing rate from Google, no doubt Bing won't be far behind on this one.

We'll be constantly updating and launching sites in the near future with a few of our long standing clients moving up to this new offering. We are constantly adding new features and other optional add-ons so check back regularly.

Betty's Bay and the Overberg

2010-12-01T10:14:00.004+02:00

Well most folk know that I've spent some time down in the Western Cape. I worked in Kleinmond for some time before convincing the entire company to relocate up to KZN where I've been for the last 7 years. Weather is better here, and I do enjoy the fact that English is the preferred language.

Betty's Bay is a coastal town situated between Kleinmond and Pringle Bay. Just off the R44 lies the Harold Porter National Botanical Gardens . This piece of land was bought in 1938 to preserve its beauty for future generations. Lovely walks can be taken here and there is also a restaurant within the Gardens that could be visited for light meals or drinks.

A visit to Stoney Point is a must. This is a breeding colony to the Jackass Penguin. You can take a stroll along the boardwalk and watch these cute little birds going about their daily business and if you are lucky you might spot a whale or two swimming in the ocean too!

The Overberg just didn't do it for me. But if you're looking for more info, check out Overberg Info on Twitter.

Auctions in South Africa

2010-11-24T07:51:00.004+02:00

Well... as the property market starts to stabilise a little more here in South Africa property is once again being bought and sold. With many distressed properties on the market auction seems to be the way to go.

Many are now turning to auctions to find an quick and qualified buyer.

It would seem that the majority of those turning to property auctions at this time are residential property owners. Who may have had their properties on the market for a long time and had no luck with Estate Agents trying to find an appropriate buyer. Or perhaps it has been an owner that can simply no longer meet their obligations after a change in circumstance of late.

Agricultural and Commercial property auctions have always been a popular way of making an investment purchase. With many businesses having made drastic cut backs over the past 18 months these may prove to once again be a good investment over time.

If you are looking for an Auctioneer in South Africa, try Ian Wyles, Gavel & Co or Maxprop Auctions depending on your auction needs.

Real Estate Website Package

2010-08-23T15:23:00.003+02:00

After months of development it is finally here. The Real Estate Website Package is finally on the market and already serving our clients well.

Some of the Real Estate Package Sites already live include:

Remax Panache
MaxProp
International Property Services

Despite being a package solution, the design is really quite flexible allowing maximum branding and subsequent marketing. For more Package Website Samples check out the website, or Contact Us for more information.

New Umhlanga Property Developments

2010-05-20T11:42:00.004+02:00

Well, it's been ages since my last post, but there's been much to post.

There continue to be huge amounts of property development taking place all over the Durban and Umhlanga areas.

New developments that are due out for launch in the coming days include the Umhlanga Ridge development of Ridgeside. A little closer to the village of Umhlanga is the Cornubia development. Both of those are developments by Tongaat Hulett. Tongaat Hulett have many Umhlanga and Durban related developments on the go at this time.

It would seem that all this development would bode well for the future for business in Umhlanga and the North Coast on the whole.

Cornubia Umhlanga Ridge

2010-05-04T11:40:00.003+02:00

The development, in Umhlanga known as Cornubia, is proposed to provide some 50 000 homes of which 20 000 are proposed for subsidised housing (by the Municipality in partnership with the Province as well as the HDA who view Cornubia as a key strategic project) and the balance for a wide range of affordability levels.

A multi-billion rand project, Cornubia, as a mixed use and mixed income development, spanning over 20 years, will alter the skyline of Umhlanga in the future. Cornubia will be the home of the next major industrial area in the north, with approximately 90ha coming on to the market in 2011. This will be a key industrial development with linkages to the new international airport.

The residential development at Cornubia will comprise fully subsidized houses for the indigent (those that qualify for a provincial housing subsidy), affordable housing for low-income housing (rental) as well as middle to high-income bonded housing.

With a gross area of 240ha, Cornubia’s commercial and mixed use developments will make provision for almost 1.5 million m² bulk. These commercial opportunities will be located close to the N2 freeway and proposed Cornubia interchange, as well as along the M41 corridor in the vicinity of the existing South African Sugar Association (SASA) and Research Institute (SASRI).

Planned as an environment-friendly and eco-sensitively designed light industrial development, Cornubia’s Industrial and Business Park will attract substantial interest from both developers and investors alike.

In all I expect the Cornubia Development to further enhance the development and upliftment on the north coast of KZN. Umhlanga is set to become the next big centre for activity.

Phakalane Development: Solar Power Station

2010-02-15T08:20:00.003+02:00

In September this year, Botswana’s first power station is due to be built with the intention – should it be a success – to replicate this model throughout the country and move away from coal generated power.

Currently, Botswana’s only power station, Morupule, is a coal-fired operation, as are the planned Mmamabula Energy Project and the Mmamantswe Power Project.

The development in Phakalane of the solar power station will generate one megawatt and construction will be funded by the Japanese government. Building will commence in September, under a possible Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Management (EPCM) arrangement with a Japanese firm. At P83.8 million, the station will become Botswana's first photo voltaic power station, potentially opening avenues for further development of the solar power station sector. Tendering for various components of the station is set to begin in March and after completion the station will be connected to the national grid.

Embassy of Japan officials have recently said they would closely monitor the performance of the pilot power station, with a view to possibly undertaking similar initiatives elsewhere in Botswana.

"The power station in Phakalane will be a small operation, one megawatt, but if it proves successful, we will consider more and bigger projects in Botswana. This is looking at the current situation with electricity in Botswana and the region.

"Botswana has abundant solar energy and this is also environmentally friendly, so we would consider it," the officials said.

It is understood further support from Japan towards photo voltaic stations would consist less of cash and more of technical support, given the confining costs of developing large solar power stations. With Botswana being a member of Japan's Cool Earth partnership, there could be room for negotiations, officials said.

This development shows that the Government of Botswana are embracing new, cleaner forms of energy. I wonder how many of the surrounding countries may move in this direction.

1000 Island Dressing as a Cleaning Agents

2010-02-12T15:10:00.002+02:00

1000 Island dressing is typically associated with salads and sandwiches, but according to an article in "The Daily Gazette," this condiment can also be used for cleaning. So if the candles from your birthday cake accidentally dripped onto your Formica countertop, leaving unsightly candle wax stuck to it as you blew them out, don't worry. You can wipe it clean with a little help from 1000 Island dressing.

Pour the spoonful of dressing on the spot of wax.

Wipe the dressing off of the Formica using one paper towel or rag. The wax should come off with the dressing.

Put soap and water on the other paper towel or rag.

Use the soapy towel or rag to clean the spot where the Thousand Island dressing once was. The dressing contains egg yolks, which will eventually spoil and make your kitchen smell awful if not cleaned off with soap and water.

Finally your Formica countertop is clean once more.

Perfect Vegi Breakfast Shake

2010-02-12T15:02:00.001+02:00

The flavonoids in blueberries help protect and strengthen the walls of the blood vessels and capillaries throughout the body and improve nocturnal vision.

Now that frozen wild blueberries are widely available year-round in supermarkets, this shake would be an ideal vegetarian breakfast or snack.

Blueberry Blast Shake

375 ml (1 1/2 cups) purified water

250 ml (1 cup) frozen blueberries

2 medium or 3 small frozen bananas, cut into chunks

30 ml (2 tbsp) raw almond or cashew butter

15 ml (1 tbsp) raw honey or agave nectar

In a blender, place water, blueberries, bananas, nut butter and honey and blend on medium until smooth, 30 to 45 seconds. Expect tiny bits of blueberry skin throughout this shake.

Serve in glasses.

Makes 2 servings.

Particle Board vs Plywood

2010-01-29T13:46:00.002+02:00

I found a nice comparison on which common processed board would best stand up to water. In a comparison of Particle Board and Plywood.

The big surprise was how little damage there was to survey. Both were pretty much ruined but at the same time, neither had lost their essential shelf-ness. Frankly, I expected both of them to fall apart, but neither did. The particle board sample swelled and grew thicker by 1/16th of an inch. Though not exactly pretty, it would still work as a

Hazardous Water

2010-01-26T10:43:00.002+02:00
It seems that there are no ends to the hazards in our drinking water.

In one interview, an Italian researcher talked about the combined effect of chlorine in drinking water and drugs found in drinking water. Chemicals like these interact, increasing the toxicity of each. His wife was pregnant at the time of the interview. He said that they had agreed that she should only drink purified water, at least until after the baby was born.

In some of the studies that he had conducted, the combination of prescription medications caused interesting changes in cell cultures. They inhibited the growth of healthy cells and increased the growth of cancer cells.

I know that I've had trouble with chlorine levels in water. I tend to break out in a rash on contact, but of the other chemicals involved... oh well, time to purify our water a little better I reckon.

DIY'ers Beware

2010-01-26T10:15:00.004+02:00
Just came across this insane law. Anyone doing some Home DIY repairs or building should be seriously careful:

Forget speeding or committing a burglary – all you need do to risk getting a criminal record is walk home with your flatpack shelving kit.

"Section 54 of the Metropolitan Police Act 1839 makes it an offence to carry a plank across the pavement in London. Maximum fine: £500.

That's just crazy, but then again so are most DIY folk if you think about it. Perhaps my next post might be on why to hire a proper handyman instead of doing it yourself. Now about those bizarre injuries...

Construction in the Upper Highway Area

2010-01-25T13:28:00.005+02:00
Well we've all heard about the recession and how it has impacted on each and every industry. That said, we have managed to launch two sister sites. Stedone Homes and Stedone Projects.

Stedone Homes covers the package home development side of the Stedone Group. Based in KZN they really have had great success with their offerings from the north coast to the south coast and even as far as the Upper Highway area.

Stedone Projects cover a wider scope of work. Some of the projects include residential developments, commercial developments and mixed use developments. Stedone Projects are also able to offer Custom Property Development solutions with a fixed time line of development. These turnkey development solutions are aided with the well known and respected Steodone Civils division.

With teams like the Stedone Group forging forward at this time, it is hard to tell how the recession really has hit South Africa. A country that no doubt has seen the benefits of the injection of capital and development afforded by the FIFA 2010 World Cup.

2010-01-22T09:10:00.003+02:00
I enjoyed this trip down memory lane of one wine drinker - The Wine Snob.

I still remember way-back when I just started drinking wine. The selection was basic: “Shall I have the red or white stuff?”. It was that simple and yes, I’m sure you still remember those reckless days as well. Those were the days, right? The days when we knew nothing except the colour and the alcohol level. The days when I could still call myself a wine drinker, but those days are long gone my friend.

A rather amusing take on "kak wine" versus "quality wine". I tend to agree however, life is far too short to simply be drinking for the sake of it. Enjoy it!

DIY or Specialist Job

2010-01-22T08:37:00.000+02:00
When something in your home needs fixing, it can be a real hassle, especially if you don't like to spend money.

You can try to fix the problem yourself, but there's a chance of so many things going wrong...including hurting yourself and making the project even more expensive in the long run.

You should decide before you start swinging hammers or humming drills whether this is a job for you or a professional. But deciding which route to take can be a difficult choice?

For example, hiring someone to replace a bathroom tap would take one hour and cost R550. Doing it yourself only takes two hours and saves you almost R300.

Generally I'd suggest that if it's more of a specialist style repair (such as electrical or roof repairs) rather leave it to the specialists.

Purified Water

2010-01-21T10:40:00.003+02:00
Reverse Osmosis (.pdf) is a process often used to purify water. This water filtration system was originally created in to provide desalination of seawater, but it is now commonly used in many homes to remove strange tastes or common chemicals from drinking and washing water. Reverse osmosis systems use pressure to force water through a system of three filters. Due to the contaminants remaining in the filters, cleaning and maintenance are required, to keep the filters in operating condition.

This process can be used on water that is still, or that which will be carbonated (sparkling) as seen at the Reverse Osmosis Plant in Ruimsig, Gauteng.

Award Winning South African Wines

2010-01-21T09:58:00.003+02:00
South Africa has long been a supplier of award winning wine. The Cape Winelands have produced quality wines since the first vineyard was harvested while South Africa was little more than a pit-stop on the spice trade route.

Today South Africa is home to new varieties of wine including Pinotage which was first planted in 1952.

While wine is grown and produced around South Africa those from the cape are particularly treasured and often relabeled for other wine distributors. Occasionally these can be novelty wines but always export quality wine.

Do-it-yourself Repair Starts Mobile Home Fire

2010-01-21T08:19:00.002+02:00
Monitoring the internet for related websites usually brings up a boring list of somewhat related websites however, as always a gem or two creep in. How about this one?

NAVARRE – A do-it-yourself repair on some electrical wiring started a fire early Wednesday on the 7500 block of Blackjack Circle.

A man working on repairing a main power line created an overload on the system to his mobile home and started a small fire in the insulation around 4:50 a.m., said Chief Ron Norton with Holley-Navarre Volunteer Fire Department.

The fire caused around $2,500 in smoke damage to the mobile home, but no injuries.

"If you need to fix you’re electrical wiring, hire a professional electrician," Norton advised.

Midway Fire Department and Navarre Beach Fire Department also responded to the scene.

I think Earl and Randy Hickey might even have been able to avoid this one. Although this does really make one thing of just how many home DIY jobs really do go wrong and how much that saving of a few bucks might end up costing in home repairs.

Canada's Property Market

2009-12-14T10:47:00.002+02:00
Here was an interesting write up covering the Canadian Property Finance sector. It would seem that the US simply put too much strain on their Mortgages and in doing so over extend themselves.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland released a commentary this past week asking, “Why didn’t Canada’s housing market go bust?” In the commentary, James MacGee, a professor at the University of Western Ontario, does a fine job of pulling together many strands of research. He concludes it was primarily the lack of a subprime lending industry in Canada that kept the housing market in this country from imploding.

Anyone interested in the Canadian real estate market should read the commentary — but count me as one reader who believes the paper raises as many questions as it answers. By defining the issue as why Canada’s housing market didn’t go bust in the past, the commentary sidesteps the more interesting question of whether Canada’s housing market will go bust in the future.

The most striking graph in the commentary traces the performance of U.S. and Canadian home prices since 2000. U.S. home prices doubled from 2000 to 2006, then tumbled. They are now about 40% ahead of their 2000 levels.

In Canada, home prices staged a more sedate takeoff and didn’t hit a peak until 2008. They’ve come down only slightly and are still more than 75% ahead of their 2000 levels.

The natural question to ask is why Canadian home prices have done so much better than U.S. home prices from 2000 until now. Home ownership rates in the two countries are much the same; our economies are intertwined. Doesn’t it make sense that Canadian home prices will eventually follow U.S. home prices downward? (The alternative would be that U.S home prices may surge upward, but that seems highly unlikely given current trends.)

Prof. MacGee’s primary exhibit for the subprime-did-it theory is a table that shows the distribution of mortgages by loan-to-value ratios in the two countries. In Canada, nearly 85% of people with mortgages in 2006 had substantial equity in their homes (if you define that category as meaning that their mortgage was worth no more than 80% of the value of their house.) In the United States, only about 78% of people fit into this same category. More Americans had high-loan-to-value mortgages than Canadians.

I agree that the numbers demonstrate that Americans tend to borrow more against their homes than Canadians — but doesn’t that make perfect sense given the ability of homeowners in the United States to deduct mortgage interest on their taxes? However you slice it, the vast majority of homeowners in both countries have substantial equity in their homes, so why should the U.S. market crash and the Canadian market remain buoyant? These are questions that deserve attention.

But as Canada's market has a bit of a lag in terms of the US market, are we about to see the knock on effect? I guess only time will tell.

Sober is Cool

2009-12-01T16:13:00.002+02:00
The ministry unfurled the logo that carries a slogan that reads "BREAK THE HABIT, Sober is cool" at Phakalane Golf Estate on Tuesday. The launch of the logo puts the campaign against alcohol abuse on a higher level. The campaign was spearheaded by President Ian Khama last year when he introduced a 30-percent levy on alcohol.The government also implemented stringent liquor regulations that reduced the opening hours of liquor establishments.

While Ozzy Osbourn would most likely disagree, well in spirit (no pun intended), he'd have to comply. You gotta hand it to the guys at Phakalane for at least trying.

New Websites

2009-11-02T10:13:00.003+02:00
We have recently launched a couple of new websites:

A single page, flier website for the Dhlamini Game Farm which is currently up for sale. The Dhlamini Game Farm is also home of the Big 5. Located 25 km by road north of the town of Hluhluwe this pristine flat farm also has agricultural zoning.

We have also launched another estate agent franchise, Multichoice Properties. This project has been in the pipeline for almost as long as I've been with the company. At present there are no listings, however I'm pleased that the domain and site is finally being able to just age a little.

We also have a few others in development at the moment that should be interesting additions to the portfolio. Drop Shipping Agents in the US, Upmarket Mixed-use Development and an Auto Spares site.

Game Farms and Big Five

2009-10-29T10:28:00.000+02:00
Africa is immensely rich in natural resources with wild game being one of them. The phrase big five was coined by early hunters in the region as these were considered the most difficult of the animals to hunt on foot. The Big Five included the Black Rhino, the Cape Buffalo, Elephant, Lion and the Leopard. Regarded the big five because of their difficulty in hunting and not their size (or we'd have to include the giraffe). The big five can be found in South Africa, Kenya, Botswana and Tanzania.

Today most of these animals are protected and the only shooting that takes place is with a long lens and camera.

Among the investments to be made in South Africa, there are many a game farm for sale. With tourists wishing to find lodging at game farms from local and international beginnings. I expect such tourist opportunities to see an all time high demand with the World Cup coming to South Africa next year (2010)

Phakalane Group

2009-09-29T11:34:00.002+02:00
We have recently relaunched the Phakalane Group while moving the two older sites to sub-domains. Often a little less than ideal as we initially expected them to merge the two existing websites into one.

Phakalane Golf Estate and Phakalane Estates are now both to be found as part of the greater group. I'll monitor this one carefully and see how the sub-domains of

DIY Window Replacement

2009-09-28T09:26:00.002+02:00
While I continue to monitor the world of DIY for interesting tid-bits of information, I came across this DIY Instructional: replacing a window

Now if only I'd found this about 15 years ago when we managed to break a good few windows playing football or cricket in the backyard. Oh well... we live we learn.

Asset Finance or Asset Leasing

2009-09-28T08:59:00.002+02:00
Rather than financing property or assets, leasing is quickly becoming a

Leasing is a valuable alternative for growing businesses. Equipment leasing gives us:
1. Maintain Capital Strength
2. Efficiency
3. Flexibility
4. Obsolescence Protection
5. 100% Financing
6. Customized solutions
7. Asset Management
8. Tax Advantages

Leasing companies will endeavor to achieve the best monthly rental we can for your asset finance. Lease payments are calculated by subtracting the residual from the net selling price, dividing that amount into payments and then adding the lease charge. The formulas mentioned below are basic and can vary.

I recently came across this equipment lease calculator. Although I'm not sure if I can really make head or tail of it. Thankfully nobody needs to be able to.

Cape Town Hotel Suspends Sangoma in Training

2009-09-28T08:36:00.005+02:00
Welcome to the Rainbow Nation: South Africa. Where we have some of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world such as Durban and Cape Town. But it would seem that certain traditions still don't have a place in our more modern or upmarket establishments.

A top Cape Town hotel has suspended an employee after she refused to remove the white beads that indicate she is a sangoma in training. - Cape Times

As this is being seen as an internal matter I hope that it does get sorted out pretty soon. I'm not sure exactly how a compromise can or will be met, but I'm sure that we're going to hear more of this.

Asset Finance Google Alert

2009-09-25T09:57:00.004+02:00
Well here we have the joy of the internet. It seems just about anyone is given the right to populate the WWW with garble. I have no doubt that this is yet another one of those article spinning programs that posted this brilliant article on Asset Finance:

You can Depend on Asset Finance for Owning Commercial Property

Asset finance means a lot to people or companies who are in the business of purchasing assets for running their business with success.Visit Here http://gov-debt-grantbenefit.blogspot.com

Put in other words, asset finance enables in saving your working capital for other good uses by letting asset finance do the purchasing. Asset finance is especially useful for small and medium enterprises as for them it is a great lending source of working capital.
Through asset finance you can purchase a property by way of hire purchase, lease purchase and leasing. Usually it is for vehicles such as cars, light commercial and heavy goods vehicle, plant and machinery or equipments like manufacturing, engineering and construction that asset finance is availed. The amount one can borrow under asset finance ranges from £10000 to £10000000 depending on equity in collateral. Lender will offer asset finance against any property which has greater equity in it. Since huge finance of the lender is at stake, asset finance is essential a secure financing. The property to be purchased also can be the security of asset finance.

Asset finance comes mainly in two options of hire purchase and leasing. The higher purchase option allows you to take ownership of the new asset you purchase. You can choose between fixed rate and base rate hire purchase. On the other hand under leasing agreement, the company offering asset finance agrees to purchase the asset and gives it to the customer on lease for agreed period of time at an agreed monthly or quarterly rental.

It is very important to first search for a suitable asset finance company. The field of asset finance is vast and there are companies who may be offering asset finance for a specific property purchase with specific conditions. So you shall have to extensively search and read the terms-conditions of the finance providers first. You should be very sure of your requirements from asset finance. Then only you can locate a suitable asset financer for your business. Visit Here http://gov-debt-grantbenefit.blogspot.com

The cesspool that is the internet? Worst thing about this is that Google notify me of these posts as being relevant for my Asset Finance Google Alert. Strange that a robot doesn't find robot speak to be just that.

DIY Tip for Cleaning

2009-09-01T08:44:00.004+02:00
Well I'm pretty much monitoring the world for DIY tips. While my focus is primarily on ready to assemble furniture or even how to repair these pieces every once in a while a real gem will come through.

Many of us in the world today focus on greener ways of doing things. Personally I just prefer more natural products as they tend to be less corrosive or offensive to me - although I tend to find that they are often not quite as effective.

Then I received this one:

Cut one lemon into two halves, sprinkling baking soda on the first half. Use the lemon itself to scrub dishes, countertops and sinks. Next, squeeze the second half into a clean bowl to mix with vinegar for a natural cleansing spray. Clean your appliances and wooden cabinetry with the solution.

I know that vinegar is great for all your chrome and brass fittings. It'll bring back that shine for sure, but somehow I'd missed the fact that the acid found in vinegar is very similar to that of a lemon. Oh well...

This is one DIY tip that I'll be sure to try. Giving a whole new meaning to "Lemon Fresh".

Uvongo - KZN South Coast

2009-09-01T08:23:00.003+02:00
I've always enjoyed the coast. I'll confess that I'm am horribly biased towards KZN which surely has to be among the greatest in the world. While I've generally preferred the north coast in the past a recent trip to the south coast just reminded me that all of KZN is pretty impressive.

Here are just a few of the attractions and activities on offer in this part of the world.

Uvongo Bird Park
An amazing variety of exotic and indigenous birds in walkthrough aviaries with a tea garden Uvongo area.

Uvongo Flea market
The flea market is open on weekends, public holidays, school holidays and is managed by the Rotary club

Uvongo Race track
The Uvongo race track for model cars is open and close to the flea market.

Deep sea fishing
Deep sea fishing trips can be booked through our establishment with various operators, launching at Shelly Beach.

Butterflies of the lost World
Guided tours through a special butterfly dome with a tea garden, curio shop and nursery Ramsgate area.

Beaver Creek Coffee Estate
Sample the taste of farm fresh coffee. Beaver Creek offers daily tours with a restaurant at the estate. Port Edward area.

Riverbend Crocodile Farm
Hundreds of crocodiles and numerous bird species with a curio shop, art gallery and Crocpot restaurant Southbroom area.

Margate’s Art Museum
The largest art museum in KwaZulu Natal Margate area.

Wild 5 Oribi Gorge Swing
For the adrenaline junkie, abseil, swing, hike and river raft Port Shepstone area.

Pure Venom Snake & Reptile Farm
South Africa’s largest educational reptile farm with curio shop and restaurant Port Shepstone area

Petrified Fossil Forest
A never to be forgotten prehistoric experience. Port Edward area.

Golf Courses
There are various golf courses, Port Shepstone Country Club, Margate Golf course, Sanlamere Golf Club, Southbroom Golf Club.

Durban Point Waterfront Development, Continues...

2009-08-21T10:52:00.002+02:00
APPROVAL had been given for the development of the Durban Point Waterfront, which would transform the decaying area around uShaka Marine World into an upmarket tourist and lifestyle precinct, Neels Brink, project director of the Durban Point Development Company, said yesterday.

The go-ahead was given when appeals against the environmental authorisation were dismissed on August 6 by the MEC for agriculture, environmental affairs and rural development. The 14 appellants included Coastwatch KZN, the Wildlife and Environmental Society of Southern Africa , Sailing KwaZulu-Natal, the Durban Paddleski Club, the South African Hobie Class Association in conjunction with the KZN Hobie Cat Association, and individuals representing sailing entities.

The appeals were on procedural grounds, one of which was that the issue of who will own land reclaimed from the sea as part of the development was not clear. Another was that sewage treatment and stormwater issues were excluded from the authorisation process.

Objectors are concerned that the buildings and raising of the Vetche’s breakwater to 5,5m will have serious negative results, including creating dangerous conditions for sailing.

However, Brink welcomed the dismissal of the appeals by the MEC and said the Durban Point Development Company would go ahead with the project, which would include large-scale job creation. A sum of R1,5bn had already been invested in infrastructure and buildings. A further R4bn would be invested over the next four to five years in developing a retail precinct, offices, hotels, apartments and a small-craft harbour.

Five hundred upmarket apartments have already been constructed, of which 25% are occupied.

Logie Naidoo, acting chairman of Durban Point Development, said the precinct was unique as it would comprise a waterfront, beachfront and canal waterways .

Brink said that for the next construction phases, “ the clubs will be temporarily relocated to the Undersea Club”.
Business Day

Well... I thought that they were already working on the "decaying area around uShaka Marine world"? Guess not... but with so much holiday accommodation available around the Durban Point area I guess it's news to them. Spots like "The Sails" and "Point Bastille" have been completed for quite some time.

I must confess however that the development of the "small craft harbour" has long been a bone of contention for many of the locals. Personally I don't get it. Durban Point has long needed an overhaul. This area has slowly suffered from that same urban blight that has attacked just about every city on this planet. One can only assume that this part of the city beautification process is for the best!

Then again, I guess only time will really tell.

Tongaat Hulett Umhlanga

2009-08-21T09:25:00.004+02:00

We have recently launched the new Tongaat Hulett Coporate Website. A little background info on this Umhlanga based company:

Tongaat Hulett is an agri-processing business which includes the integrated components of land management, property development and agriculture. The company’s development arm has established a reputation for excellence as one of South Africa’s leading private sustainable land developers, having planned and developed more than 2000ha of serviced land for residential, commercial, industrial, resort and mixed-use purposes. In collaboration with key stakeholders, the company is uniquely positioned to take on projects on a massive scale.

As previously mentioned Tongaat Hulett take care to ensure that their developments, such as Kindlewood, are sustainable ensuring a greener future for all. While green development is a major consideration it is by taking this green initiative to the communities that might just be their greatest triumph.

With many developments planned in the near future Tongaat Hulett Developments are aiming for a greener future for all.

Propster USA is Here!

2009-07-23T11:49:00.002+02:00
The internet is still a relatively static place where people check their email or simply Google Information. Despite actually performing a search most still don't interact online. I would blame the lack of education among many of the end users online.

Portal sites or vertical search engines in the United States are a fast growing market at this time. We have just launched Propster USA a vertical search engine dedicated to the North American Property market. Covering residential property, commercial property and new developments in South Africa, Propster also offers Finance Support. Possibly the most complete Property Search Portal in the United States today. While there are few listings, this number is due to grow fairly rapidly due to the oldest yet most effective marketing ploy yet - Free! Yes, listing on the Propster website is FREE for both agents and private sellers. With so many other websites charging what I believe to be obscene amounts for advertising space (mostly because of traffic they receive and market/visitor trends) this is a refreshing stance.

Perhaps this is just the beginning of a change in the way Realtors and searchers see and use the internet. Perhaps finally the "free because the advertisers pay" idea has reached us via the internet. Who knows exactly where this will take us, but finally I think some are seeing the light. This can only be a good thing for online advertising as a whole. Watch this space as I'm sure that Propster won't long be out of the news.

Selling Your Property

2009-07-23T09:58:00.003+02:00
If you're holding out for high prices, think again.

There's a shortage of buyers for various reasons, retrenchments are rife - 208 000 since the last quarter of 2009 - and ABSA recently released figures showing that the average nominal price - which includes inflation - of small, medium and large houses has dropped the most in 23 years.

Economic reports are pointing to recession, interest rates remain high and though the local banking sector is relatively sheltered from the global financial crisis, mortgage debt is nearly 65% of the market value of housing.

On top of this more and more homeowners are forced to sell their homes, while buyers are required to put down as much as 30% of the purchase price of a property.

"There can be no denying that it's a buyers market, which means there are more sellers than buyers and an excess supply over demand, usually results in lower selling prices," says Craig Hutchison, CEO of Engel & Voelkers Southern Africa.

"Buyers are also a lot more cautious - they have less disposable income and are feeling the pinch of escalating fuel and food prices."

"They will be shopping for properties that offer them the best value now," he adds.

Sellers should also be aware of property specialists who set unrealistic property values in their hunt ofr exclusive mandates.

The property specialist's first duty is to the client and it's their knowledge and expertise that should impress the client enough to award an exclusive mandate.

The property specialist should be focused on providing the seller with an in-depth Comparitive Market Analysis at this stage, to accurately establish a realistic selling price.

"According to the experts there is usually a lag of nine months between a change in interest rates and change in house prices, so though the interest rates are dropping, challenges lie ahead for anyone wishing to sell property at this point in time," says Hutshison.

"If you have a strong cash flow, you're advised to sit out the dip in the market, but those who must sell are strongly advised not to expect unrealistic prices for their homes, based on the high price of growth of the past and the historic cost of the house.
Prices must be dropped to more realistic levels."

Chipboard Manufacture

2009-07-22T16:29:00.003+02:00
Professional spraying in industrial wood machining, especially the production of boards, is gaining increasingly in importance. This is not just because of the increasing cost of energy and raw materials; it is also because increasingly high demands for quality in the manufacture of wooden boards encourage the demand for suitable processes and possibilities, in order to apply liquids as homogeneously as possible onto prepared base materials. A frustrating factor is that these materials vary depending on the type of board, such as medium density fibreboard (MDF), hard wood fibre building board, chipboard or oriented strand board (OSB), which in turn have an effect on the spraying.

When manufacturing chipboard or MDF board, the gluing process is carried out differently. While the application of glue to the shavings for chipboard takes place in mixing drums, the fibres for MDF board are processed in a blowline (for wet gluing) or in a hopper (for dry gluing). The aim here is to distribute the glue in the blow pipe as homogeneously as possible, because an uneven application of glue leads to staining on the fibreboard and therefore a decrease in quality. As the shavings and fibres are transported along the conveyor lines to the presses, they are moistened with specially designed nozzles or various additives are applied. Here, the flat jet nozzles are used almost exclusively because of their spray features. These nozzles are used as pressure nozzles (single-substance nozzles) or two-substance nozzles. When two-substance nozzles are used, a second substance (air or steam) is used as an auxiliary atomisation medium.

Durban Point Waterfront Development

2009-07-09T13:23:00.005+02:00
The Durban Point Waterfront's successful Environmental Impact Assessment application earlier this year has revived plans to develop the area. With an approximate R1,8 billion already spent on developing infrastructure and complexes, excluding the R735 million uShaka Marine World, land and development opportunities exist for investors who wish to become part of the planned R6 billion development which will create one of South Africa's newest and most prestigious mixed-use environments.

With a further four prime sites made available overlooking the soon to be developed small craft harbour. Prices are estimated between R8.5k to R9.5k per bulk m² (this will include basement parking). A further 110,000m² of mixed-use bulk has been made available. This comprises a 40,000m² shopping centre and 45,000m² of hotel space, with the balance for offices and residential. With most of the available sites being zoned for mixed-use, developers have been encouraged to use the ground levels for retail, entertainment and resturants. This leaves these retail spots alongside the canals.

The Durban Point Waterfront area is a far cry from the previous derelict, barren waste state. This area, now surrounded by golden beaches, canals and prime real estate now includes some of the most luxurious accommodations, offices and other mixed-use developments. The small craft harbour due for development as well as a new 234m stretch of beach, a promenade linking uShaka Marine World and a link system connecting the canal system to the ocean will no doubt compliment this area of prime real estate.

With Phase One Land (185,000m²) sold out, development in this area is going strong with 17 developments in various states of construction intended for residential, office, hotel and retail use. Commercial sections of these developments are positioned to offer prime locations on ground and lower levels. The Durban Point Waterfront Management Association is fully operational and a private facilities management company has been set up to manage all public areas and maintain roads, storm water, sewerage and lighting throughout the area. A security company has been appointed to manage all aspects of security, which includes access, building security and traffic flow. Monitored CCTV cameras, linked to the South African Police Services will support efforts to ensure a safe and crime-free area.

Grapes of Wrath?

2009-07-06T13:31:00.003+02:00
This is one thing that has really had me going for quite some time. What exactly is Organic Wine? How do you determine what is or isn't organic, or if there are differing rules from white wine to red wines? So I found this explanation (at the Oakland Press):

According to the USDA the label “organic” is based on the percentage of organic ingredients in the wine and not all organic wines are the same. For example, “100% Organic” wine must contain 100 percent organically grown grapes and cannot use sulfites in production. A lab analysis is necessary to determine that the wine contains less than 10 parts per million (ppm) of sulfites (MSG usually). Additionally, the producer must state the organic certifier on the label. “Organic” wine contains at least 95 percent organically produced ingredients, not including salt or water, and no added sulfites in production. The less than 10 ppm sulfite rule still applies, as does the “certified by” rule. Got it so far?

Next comes “Made with Organic Ingredients” wine, which must contain at least 70 percent organically produced ingredients, not counting water and salt. “Made with Organic Ingredients” wine can contain added sulfites and up to 30 percent non-organically produced agricultural ingredients and or substances. But, the certified by rule still applies. These rating guidelines go on and on until you get to a just plain regular bottle of wine that is probably full of controversial sulfites. We will discuss the sulfite controversy in a future article. For now, understand that all wines contain sulfites.

But what is organic? After about three hours of searching, it appears organic was defined in 1990 and amended in 2005 by the Organic Foods Production Act. Basically, no synthetic chemicals are used, grapes are grown on land that has not had synthetic chemicals applied in the past three years and an organic production plan has been developed and certified.

What about “Natural”? Sorry, no definition, no legal status, no USDA certification that I could find.

As best I could tell, the only difference is that the grapes are hand-picked and the wine has not been filtered.

I just hope they washed their hands before they picked my grapes.

Biodynamic wine is a whole other story. Biodynamic farming was developed from ideas and suggestions of Rudolf Steiner in 1924. Demeter is the U.S. and International biodynamic certifying organization. Let’s just say, it is a lot more involved than organic farming. Cosmic life force is channeled into the vines using homeopathic teas, and it is getting more popular among grape growers world wide. Some of the biodynamic wines produced have been judged superior to conventionally produced wines. We will go into greater detail in another column, the next time Jupiter aligns with Mars.

Drunk DIY FAIL!

2009-07-06T09:01:00.002+02:00
I currently have several DIY alerts set up to monitor the online world for possible link opportunities or even new material when I was alerted to this one.

Drunk DIY surely will always lead to a FAIL. I was alerted to this one in the Telegraph.

Mr Keen, 54, suffered horrific injuries as he used the saw to cut wood for a cabinet he was making in his home workshop.

It would seem that Mr Keen had somehow managed to sever his own penis while doing a little home DIY. This really boggles the mind. I have no idea how one could manage to do this while simply building a cabinet. I understand that many tools of the trade are by nature dangerous implements but to this this right (or should that be get it this wrong) takes a special kind of stupid. It was reported that it was unclear as to whether this was an accident of intentional.

Key Projects and the LGI

2009-07-02T12:06:00.000+02:00
Cape Town-based Louis Group International (LGI) and Durban-based Key Projects have announced a strategic partnership whereby both companies will work closely in developing commercial and residential projects nationally.

"To date we have agreed on a joint working relationship in developing our Rl00 million Lincoln on the Lake mixed use project at Umhlanga Ridge New Town Centre in Durban," says Key Projects Director Greg Cryer.

"Our partnership with Key Projects is significant for us, because our increased focus on developments is in keeping with our strategic intent," says Michael Louis, Director of LGI.

The Lincoln on the Lake project is located at the northern end of Palm Boulevard in the recently launched second phase of the Umhlanga Ridge New Town Centre. The building, which occupies a prime position overlooking the planned Chris Saunders Park, will comprise ground floor retail, three floors of offices and five penthouses.

LGI and Key Projects will be joint developers where Key Projects will fulfill the role of principal agent and will market the residential component. LGI will be involved in the financing of the project through a syndication of its investor group.

LGI, which has been a family-owned business for the past 90 years, is not only the owner of one of the largest private property portfolios in South Africa, but also has extensive property development experience. The company is represented in six countries, including Namibia, England, Switzerland and Germany.

Key Projects started operations in 2001 and provides a one-stop property consulting service for the management and development of a variety of property projects. Recent projects include the R266 million Standard Bank Head Office at Kingsmead Office Park, where the firm is responsible for programming of the works, the "Quays trilogy" at the Durban Point Waterfront, the 100-unit San Bush Willows sectional title development in Ballito and the recently launched "big five" Luthuli Private Game Reserve in Northern KZN.

Lincoln on the Lake website - click here

DIY in the Home

2009-07-02T10:27:00.002+02:00
Homeowners should check they have accidental damage cover as part of their home insurance, just in case their DIY dreams turn in to DIY disasters. However as it would appear that most older folk don't undertake DIY projects this warning is aimed at the younger, and often first time, homeowner. Homeowners considering a spot of DIY should make sure their home insurance fully covers them in the event of an accident.

Almost a quarter of older homeowners said they never work on their own home, while roughly the same amount said that they hire a professional to make sure any work is done correctly. However, nearly half said that they bring in a family member to help with when they are doing DIY.

But with one in ten over-50s having to call in a professional when DIY goes wrong and nearly a third sustaining an injury while working, having the right home or medical insurance policy is a very good idea.

The South Coast of KwaZulu Natal

2009-07-02T10:02:00.004+02:00
The South Coast of KwaZulu Natal, also known as the Hibiscus Coast, is a "beach holiday Mecca". The warm ocean, lush green vegetation and seemingly endless golden beaches form a picture perfect hideaway. Many of the little towns such as Ramsgate, Margate, Shelly Beach and Leisure Bay that are found along this section of the coast have more traditional Colonial names, while being equally quaint and charming that is where any similarity ends.

Here on the south coast, where a sub-tropical climate is experienced, you are as likely to see someone strolling along the golden beaches in winter licking an ice-cream cone as you are in summer. All year round dolphins can be spotted trawling up and down the coastline, almost like clock-work, as well as the occasional cruising whale. The annual "Sardine Run" is a highlight to an already exciting coastline. Expected around June or July each year the massive shoal of sardines entices thousands of dolphins, sharks, game fish and a few whales into a feeding frenzy that simply has to be seen. Many of the properties along this part of the coast are in the "Ye Olde World" style at times leading you to believe that you really are in a tiny colonial village. This is just one of the many charms and benefits of investing in South Coast property.

Attractions

You can be assured of fine surf or rock fishing on many of the beaches along the South Coast - come rain or shine. This section of the coast is a deep sea fishing paradise with many species of game fish including tuna and many varieties of shark. Once a year, during the sardine run, swap your rod and reel for the biggest basket you can find! The South Coast is renowned for its nature reserves, indigenous forests and prolific birdlife. The Oribi Gorge area is well known for its unequaled hiking trails while there are few experiences that compare with an early morning horse-back ride on the beach. World renowned for it's dolphin and whale spotting this stretch of the coast offers the nature enthusiast a multitude of options. All main beaches are protected by shark nets and have active life guards on hand. Apart from the Blue Flag beaches there are also numerous quiet beaches where one can stroll quite peacefully, enjoying the sand between the toes and the sight of the warm Indian Ocean. In season beach volley ball, games and live entertainment are provided for general enjoyment. While some beaches will allow dogs, not all do. Please ensure that if you are taking your dog to the beach that it is kept on a leash at all times. The South Coast is littered with golf clubs including the Margate Country Club and San Lameer Country Club to name but two. The recently upgraded Port Shepstone Country Club, set on the Umzimkulu River has the front nine meandering between towering indigenous trees. The San Lameer Country Club is a challenging course in a park-like setting with many water features and abundant bird life.

Green Star Rated Offices

2009-06-25T10:48:00.002+02:00
One of the most serious competitors for the first Green Star-rated office building in KwaZulu-Natal is the Lincoln on the Lake mixed-use development in the Parkside area in Umhlanga. The decision to implement a four star green building strategy was made once construction had commenced, by creating a team focused on meeting the clients objectives the project will be delivered on time with all contractual relationships in a very healthy state

The 6,700m² project is being jointly developed by the listed property company Growthpoint, the Louis Group and Key Developments. When complete, the development will belong to Growthpoint.

Greg de Klerk, who heads Growthpoint's Durban office, says the design and construction of the Lincoln on the Lake development are based on environmental awareness and sustainability.

The lighting of the building will be controlled by sensors that monitor movement and lighting levels. Also, rainwater will be collected and used to flush the toilets, instead of potable water. The building design encourages the use of alternative transport.

A full 5% of the parking terrain is allocated to greener vehicles that use alternative fuels, and a further 5% to motorbikes and scooters. Storage facilities to accommodate bicycles for 6% of the building's workers are also on the cards.

In a further Green development, the Investment Property Databank (IPD) recently announced the first global environmental performance code for South African properties.

This code was developed with the backing of international companies like Barclays, Bureau Veritas and CB Richard Ellis. It sets new standards to monitor the environmental performance of corporate buildings.

Stan Garrun, IPD South Africa's MD, says the code brings internationally recognised best-practice standards to this country. "It's an instrument that will help combat the negative impact of climate change."

He observes that it is generally known that buildings are a major source of environmental pollution, and that organisations require help to measure this impact. The new code will help building owners compare their buildings' environmental performance.

DIY Furniture Restoration

2009-06-25T08:26:00.003+02:00
Restoring furniture to it's former glory can be easier than first thought. Sometimes a strange and wonderful combination will yield results while other times the simplest solution is the best. For water marks and scratches, try wiping on mayonnaise. If that doesn't work, try lemon oil and 0000-grade steel wool. Wipe with the grain, using light pressure to smooth out scratches and bring back the color.

If a piece of veneer comes loose, cut and install a new piece, using wood glue. In some cases a replacement veneer board could be used. For light scratches, stain the wood to match the rest of the furniture. After the stain dries, apply a paste wax to seal it.

If metal drawer pulls look dull and tarnished, clean them with fine steel wool or a polishing compound. For chrome finishes a little bit of vinegar will often bring back that shine.

Lincoln on the Lake

2009-06-17T11:10:00.002+02:00
INTENT on being the first Green Star SA-rated office building in KwaZulu Natal, the 6700m² Lincoln on the Lake mixed-use development in Durban’s Parkside precinct of Umhlanga Ridge New Town Centre is poised to raise the bar on environmental standards for commercial projects in SA.

The project is being jointly developed by JSE-listed property company Growthpoint Properties, The Louis Group and Key Developments.

The building is designed by Torbjorn Hanssen of THA Architecture & Design and sustainability consultants WSP Green by Design, among others. Lincoln on the Lake will be owned by Growthpoint on completion.

The core principles underpinning the design and construction of Lincoln on the Lake include environmental consciousness and sustainability.

“We made it a priority to identify ways to ensure efficiency,” says Greg de Klerk, who heads Growthpoint’s Durban office. “Our corporate philosophy is to give preference to working with professionals who are dedicated to green building practices.”

When it comes to energy and its monitoring at Lincoln on the Lake, the lighting is controlled by an individually addressable lighting control system with motion and daylight sensing switches to monitor movement and light levels respectively. Sub-metering is provided for all substantive energy users in the building.

Air-cooled variable refrigerant volume systems provide an efficient means of air-conditioning the internal spaces. Ensuring the highest indoor environment quality, fresh air supply is 150% that of the minimum permissible ventilation rate legislated in the national building standard SANS 10400-O.

Alana Shuttleworth, sustainability consultant at WSP, says the aim is to counteract the build-up of pollutants.

High levels of carbon dioxide (CO²) are an indication of inadequate ventilation which can have a negative effect on the quality of breathable air. At Lincoln on the Lake, CO² sensors are located at all return points to air-conditioning systems to monitor levels. “This ensures delivery of optimum quantities of outside air,” Shuttleworth says.

Further ensuring that Lincoln on the Lake’s environmental emissions are contained, only paints with low volatile organic compound (VOC) levels have been selected. VOCs are organic compounds that produce vapours at room temperature. Exposure to high concentrations of vapours is a concern because the health implications are consistent with the effects of “sick building syndrome”.

Water efficiency is another aspect of the green design. Rain water and air cooled equipment is used to reduce the demand for potable water. The design also encourages the use of alternative forms of transport as parts of the parking lot are dedicated to alternative fuel vehicles, motorbikes, mopeds, scooters and bicycles.

Committed to the environment on every level, the contractor has aimed to reuse or recycle 30% of all construction waste in order to reduce the amount of waste from going to landfill.

uShaka Marine World to be Sold?

2009-06-11T10:06:00.003+02:00
I found this article on uShaka Marine World on the news24 website. Very interesting that they may be wanting to sell this landmark. Then again, as with so many tourist spots in SA, they run at a loss... Why? Greed I would say, as most locals cannot afford to visit these kind of spots.

Durban - The ANC in the eThekwini Municipality is engaged in discussions over the future of uShaka Marine World, one of South Africa’s top tourist attractions.

One of the city’s options was the possible privatisation of uShaka.

Visvin Reddy, an ANC executive committee member and chairperson of the municipality’s infrastructure committee, told Sapa on Wednesday discussions were at a preliminary stage.

"We are busy discussing the future sustainability of the project and its dependence on the council."

He said that as an operating entity, uSshaka was able to stand on its own two feet but as a capital investment, the city had put around R750m into the project.

"This is the first municipality that entirely owns a project of this nature," said Reddy.

Strain on ratepayers

He said the city was concerned about the financial strain this may have on ratepayers.

Another suggestion brought up at a city council meeting on Tuesday was bringing in private developers to build a mall.

"We do not see ourselves as the city continuously pouring money into this project because there are far greater needs in the community that we have to focus on," said Reddy.

"But this has been a profitable venture. As a tourism entity, it has been very viable and featured in the national tourism magazine as one of the key attractions in the country."

-SAPA

Simbithi Eco-Estate

2009-06-04T11:34:00.002+02:00
Simbithi Eco-Estate has been planned with one thing in mind, to give you the opportunity to reconnect with nature and embrace a lifestyle in harmony with your natural environment. Away from the hustle and bustle of city life, in the heart of KwaZulu Natal's northern coastline, lies Simbithi, a 430-hectare Eco-Estate. Simbithi Eco-Estate is a natural coastal paradise with dense, indigenous riverine vegetation, lush valley wetlands,undulating hills and distant, breathtaking vistas. Indeed Simbithi has secured the most wonderous views, both seaward and inland. It is a way of preserving nature, as much as it is a way of preserving a lifestyle, that in the rush of today's world, you might not have ever imagined.

Simbithi Eco-Estate is a natural coastal paradise with dense, indigenous riverine vegetation, lush valley wetlands,undulating hills and distant, breathtaking vistas. Indeed Simbithi has secured the most wonderous views, both seaward and inland. It is a way of preserving nature, as much as it is a way of preserving a lifestyle, that in the rush of today's world, you might not have ever imagined.

Simbithi Eco-Estate is the first estate of its kind in the area, setting the footprint other eco-estates are likely to follow. Every possible precaution has been taken to minimise environmental impact: geology and soil assessments, water resource and drainage appraisals, land use and vegetation studies, and aesthetic, historical and cultural appraisals - ensuring a development perfectly in tune with the natural surroundings, an Eco-Estate of international acclaim.

Stedone Homes are currently developing homes in the Simbithi Eco-Estate. With seven various home packages available.

Idwala Lodge Development

2009-06-03T11:43:00.001+02:00
Idwala, meaning rock in Zulu lends its name and meaning to the new 5 star lodge in the Nambithi Conservancy. The Nambiti Conservancy is a private Big Five bush retreat and conservation area in KwaZulu Natal. When looking at the scenery it's easy to see why with the bright orange-tinged rock prevalent at this site.

Idwala Lodge was designed by Elphick Proome and development of this project was not easy. This five star lodge, completed in May 2008, had many logistic challenges for builders and suppliers of materials. Key Projects oversaw the construction and project management of this development. The numerous challeges included the rockiness of the site, rough roads (relatively inaccessible to the builders) and the challenge of finding experienced builders at such a remote site.

Completion of such a challenging project included high standard finishes resulting in a luxury get away in the heart of Africa. It is noticeable that the original orange-tinged rock was used in much of the construction which contributes to the natural and unobtrusive feel to the lodge. Surely this is one of the finest examples of Green Property Development.

Property Development and Project Managers

2009-06-02T13:24:00.000+02:00
Key Projects with bases in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban are a turnkey solution company to those in the property sector. Services include Development Management, Project Management and other property development services. These property consultants bring a wealth of experience to their clients across Southern Africa.

Developments such as the Lincoln on the Lake, one of the first green star rated buildings in South Africa, have propelled Key Projects into the National and International Spotlight. Giving investors one more reason to look to the burgeoning Umhlanga Ridge area.

West Palm, also in Umhlanga, was developed during the construction boom, a time when construction prices were suddenly inflated and project viability was being constantly questioned. This was one of the few projects in development that were completed on time in the Durban area. During this time sustained periods of inclement weather caused numerous delays - Key Projects played a vital role with an innovative engineering solution that ensured that the West Palm program wasn't affected.

The award winning project of Standard Bank Kingsmead is a commercial property development completed in just 13 months. Despite soil conditions worse than anticipated, below sea level, a detailed uncompromising focus on the programme ensured timely delivery and met lease constraints.

Buying Off-Plan (Plot and Plan Development)

2009-06-01T14:18:00.002+02:00
Buying off-plan is often an appealing option for buyers who want a new, hassle-free home, but building delays and fine print can obstruct the path to the dream package home.

A welcome incentive for many is the delayed payment responsibilities making off-plan purchases ideal for first time home buyers, as this gives them time to save and arrange mortgages. buying off-plan is similar to buying a new car in that is usually requires minimal maintenance. Most property developments include all costs in the unit price. This is beneficial to the buyer/investor as essentially the price they see is the price they pay.

On the flip side of the coin however is that in many plot and plan developments what one sees in the images may not represent exactly how close properties are to one another or the quality of the workmanship until it is too late. In addition to these obstacles there is not always a fixed date of completion of the development in the buyers contract.

It is vitally important to check the credentials and the track record of the builder and the developer and if possible investigate and view previous developments they have been involved in.

Snoring Cures and Causes

2009-05-28T14:48:00.002+02:00
Snoring, defined as a loud, hoarse or harsh breathing sound that occurs during sleep, is common in adults and not usually a sign of an underlying disorder. Snoring has also been blamed for the breakup of many a happy relationship. The problem with trying to cure snoring is really in finding the cause. Snoring is often just a symptom of something else.

While many do snore, sometimes snoring can be a sign of a serious sleep disorder called sleep apnea. This is when you can go periods of more than 10 seconds at a time without breathing while sleeping. During these apnea episodes there is a long period of silence just after snoring which is then followed by a sudden gasp or snort when breathing resumes. This is then followed by more snoring. If suffering from sleep apnea this cycle generally repeats itself several times a night.

Risks associated with snoring, sleep disorders and/or sleep apnea include stroke, irregular heart rhythms and heart attack due to lack of oxygen. A sleep specialist or even your doctor can tell if you have sleep apnea by doing a sleep study. A sleep study can be performed at home or in a hospital setting.

Some of the Common Causes for Snoring include:
Being over weight, this leads to excessive neck tissue that puts pressure on the airways

The last month of pregnancy

Nasal congestion from colds or allergies, especially if it lasts a long time

Swelling of the muscular part of the roof of the mouth (soft palate) or uvula, the piece of tissue that hangs down the back of the mouth

Swollen adenoids and tonsils that block the airways

Using sleeping pills, antihistamines, or alcohol at bedtime

Home Remidies include:
Losing weight if over weight (although this is always easier said than done)

Stop smoking, smoking weakens and clogs the throat

Avoid alcohol, antihistamines and other sedatives around bed time

Try over-the-counter, drug-free nasal strips that help widen the nostrils

Sometimes the use of a wearable device will stop snoring such as a Mandibular Advancement device/mouthpiece or a chinstrap

Avoid sleeping flat on your back and try to sleep on your side if possible

Umhlanga Office Investments

2009-05-28T10:51:00.003+02:00
The past five years has seen a shift in the relocation of some of Kwazulu-Natal's large firms to the La Lucia Ridge and Umhlanga area. Large corporations such as Unilever, Rand Merchant Bank, Discovery Health, Deloitte and Liberty Life have chosen The Umhlanga Town Centre as their address, partly due to the natural progression towards this area, as well as to the ample facilities on offer.

Umhlanga and the Umhlanga Ridge area are fast becoming the new Business Hub of the Greater Durban Area. This would come as no surprise for those who were already in the La Lucia Ridge area as this neighbour to Umhlanga has seen a steady increase in development, most noticeably Commercial development.

Another new development gaining much exposure in the Umhlanga New Town Centre is the Worx Zone. While the Worx Zone will offer a permanent office to the professionals, this will also offer the commuting business person a satellite office at any other Business Hub partnered with the Worx Zone. These commercial offices will offer upmarket maintained office space allowing the professional to get on with what they do best - business.

Property Search Engine

2009-05-28T09:25:00.003+02:00
I feel we are very much behind the times here in South Africa. The internet is still a static place where people check their email or simply Google Information. Despite actually performing a search most still don't interact online. I would blame the lack of decent telecoms in South Africa stunting the online options of most of the countries citizens.

Portal sites or vertical search engines in South Africa or even relating to South African business are few and far between. PropertyGenie a product of the Ooba company are possibly the leaders in South African Property Search. With much of their advertising done off-line it's not hard to see a trend that suggest most South African's are still finding their resources off-line even in 2009!

We have just launched Propster a verticle search engine dedicated to the South African Property market. Covering residential property, commercial property and new developments in South Africa, Propster also offers Finance Support. Possibly the most complete Property Search Portal in South Africa today. While the number of listings is only over a thousand, this number is due to grow fairly rapidly due to the oldest yet most effective marketing ploy yet - Free! Yes, listing on the Propster website is FREE for both agents and private sellers. With so many other websites charging what I believe to be obscene amounts for advertising space (mostly because of traffic they receive and market/visitor trends) this is a refreshing stance.

Perhaps this is just the beginning of a change in the way South African's see and use the internet. Perhaps finally the "free because the advertisers pay" idea has reached us via the internet. Who knows exactly where this will take us, but finally I think some are seeing the light. This can only be a good thing for online advertising in South Africa, perhaps even Southern Africa as a whole. Watch this space as I'm sure that Propster won't long be out of the news.

Springs and Grootvlei

2009-05-26T11:04:00.003+02:00
Springs:
Springs is a city in the South African province of Gauteng forming part of the East Rand. The city's name, Springs, is derived from the large number of natural springs in the area.

Historically Springs was originally mined for coal with the first mining contract being signed in 1888. The first railways were built three years later to carry the coal from the East Rand Coalfields to the gold mines of the Witwatersrand. Gradually as coal was discovered closer to the gold mines, the Springs collieries were closed. However gold had also been discovered in the area. Springs obtained municipal status in 1912, just four years after the first gold mining began. By the late 1930s, there were eight gold mines near Springs making it the largest single gold-producing area in the world.

Grootvlei:
Grootvlei is a small town in South Africa near Springs in Gauteng. The Old Grootvally Mining Village in Springs with its huge mature oak trees lush green parks and rich history from the old gold mining area fitted this vision perfectly. The old Village is being upgraded in phases consisting of new roads, water and sewerage systems, electrical network and streetlights. All of this will be completed in May 2009.

National electricity provider, Eskom, have 6 power providing units at the Grootvlei power station. Three of the units were shut down in 1989 with the rest also being shut off in 1990. When South Africa experienced a power crisis Eskom decided to return the station to active duty with 2 of the units being brought back online, supplying power to the national grid. Grootvlei's units 5 and 6 were the first test facilities for dry cooling in South Africa. Unit 6 has an indirect dry cooling system.

Back with a handful of New Sites

2009-05-26T09:46:00.003+02:00
Well... I've been gone a very long time it would seem. Been sick (again) and not being well mostly just pisses me off. Okay, so I feel lousy too.

We've also managed to launch a number of sites over the last few weeks, keeping me very busy. Some of these include:

Just Finance - The financial side of the Just Property Group.
Just Commercial - The commercial sales, letting and management option from the Just Property Group.
Grootvlei Residential Estate - A new property Development in the Grootvlei area of Springs in Gauteng.
SnoreMate - An anti-snoring device that is marketed to the American public at this time.
Stedone Homes - The package home development team from the Stedone Group.
Izinga Estate - A new residential estate being developed on Umhlanga Ridge in KZN.
Propster South Africa - A property search engine/portal offering free listings to agents and private sellers alike.

As you can see most are still very property related. The exception here being mostly SnoreMate and Just Finance (although they will aid you with property finance).

I'll go a little more into detail on this in the near future.

DIY a Blooming Trend?

2009-05-04T09:46:00.003+02:00
The the continuing credit crunch really putting pressure on home owners it would seem that those who are improving their home are taking a more DIY approach.

According to www.metronews.co.uk Brits were expected to have spent an impressive 4.5bn pounds on home improvement. We all know that most would do their best to avoid doing DIY, due to laziness mostly on my part, as a poorly done job could end up costing considerably more. But with a multitude of DIY training manuals, DIY Consultants and custom cut and edged boards DIY at home has never been easier.

I wonder just what kind of an impact the credit crunch has had on local DIY trends. I've bought the occasional piece of ready to assemble furniture and so far haven't run into any issues. While I imagine most would still call a plumber or electrician to work on larger issues, the simple handyman's days could be numbered.

DIY Tips

2009-04-20T09:16:00.004+02:00
Well I've been doing a lot of DIY about the house myself of late. I guess this is always the case when you move. I guess it's a 50/50 split between me wanting to sort out the squeaky doors and nagging wife. Then again, with no nagging wife I'd get nothing done.

I did however find some very useful tips this morning that I thought I would share:

Working on the roof during the summer months is very hot, but if you bring a rubber car floor mat with you, you can kneel on it without getting your knees burned, and maybe hold on to your tools better, too.

Squeaking wooden floors can be "lubricated" with baby powder. Just sprinkle a little on the floor and sweep it into the cracks. Wipe any residue away with a damp sponge. Now you can sneak to the fridge in the middle of the night undetected!

Does your washing machine make a lot of racket, even though it's level and plumb? Perhaps you need to isolate it. If it lives in a closet or laundry room, add weatherstripping around the doors, and that will help seal out the noise from the rest of the house.

Q. Our shade trees are great at cutting down the summer sun over our home, but they do drop a lot of leaves in the fall and winter. How can we clean this mess off our roof?
A. You probably should consult an arborist about trimming the tree so it doesn't shed onto your roof. You can use a leaf blower or a broom to get the stuff off your roof. Add gutter guards to prevent leaves from clogging your gutters.

Q. I might need to replace my standard kitchen sprayer. It just dribbles now instead of producing a good spray. Am I ready for a new one?
A. You might try to clean it first. Remove the sprayer head from the hose and clean it with vinegar. If that doesn't do it, then you should shut the water off and clean the diverter inside the faucet with vinegar. One of those should do the trick.

Q. I have a beloved older Formica table. I keep it clean, but it is dull and scratched, and seems to stain easily. Can you suggest a way to protect it from stains and maybe even make it look better?
A. Clean it thoroughly, then give it a coat of paste wax. The paste wax will need to be repeated occasionally, but it will help protect the table and give it some shine. Another option would be to apply a couple of coats of polyurethane instead of the wax.

Food

2009-04-15T11:00:00.003+02:00

Created by Recipe Star

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to show this one off. Mostly because I've eaten just about anything offered to me at some point. Still really not a fan of red meat, but hey, at least I've tried it. I liked Recipestar's take on bacon too... :P even if I despite pork in any form, at least I can pretend to have a sense of humor.

oh... and it would seem that if a cannibal were to consume me, I'd taste like spicy chicken. Hey, that sounds about right... now just to find out... ;)

Moving...

2009-04-03T08:08:00.004+02:00
Well this weekend I'll be moving (yet again). While I generally hate moving I guess it's a good way of closing a chapter and... moving on ;)

Moving is never an easy process and without proper planning can be a serious pain in the butt. I won't even mention that besides the cost there are always a few things that haven't been factored in. But hey, that's life.

This works pretty much the same when you decide for what ever reason to move a website. Sometimes it's for branding purposes, you may have bought up an existing site or simply think a change is in order. While you think you have a good reason to move the site from one domain name to another be careful not to lose all the good work that may already have been done.

I'll go into a little more depth on my SEO Blog.

Wine

2009-03-30T15:50:00.003+02:00
To my friends who enjoy a glass of wine... and those who don't. As Ben Franklin said: In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.

In a number of carefully controlled trials, scientists have demonstrated that if we drink 1 liter of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. coli) - bacteria found in feces.

However, we do NOT run that risk when drinking wine & beer (or tequila, rum, whisky or other liquor) because alcohol has to go through a purification process of boiling, filtering and/or fermenting.

Remember: Water = Poop,
Wine = Health.

Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of shit.

There is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as a public service

Social Media

2009-03-30T08:44:00.003+02:00
Okay, so I was eventually going to get round to this one at some time. Here's the real twist... I know nothing about social media. Okay, that's a bit of a lie/exaggeration, I know enough to know that I don't really have a clue. So I did what everyone else would do in my shoes... called a consultant.

I guess this post really starts some two years ago when I first joined Prop Data. Online marketing has come a long way from simply calling yourself an SEO by stuffing keywords, these days it's a full time commitment to the betterment of the internet (yeah, I'm fighting the crusade for the good guy). Okay, so I admit to spamming on occasion, but who hasn't? When I joined the company I knew that many things were changing online, web 2.0 wasn't just making websites easier to maintain and update but also making them a lot more interactive. While visitors could interact with the site, it's still just code, visitors needed interaction to work back to them. Enter the age of blogs and social media in general.

This brings us back to last Friday. Having joined Twitter a good long while ago I've been closely following other folk in the SEO, SEM and Social Media circles. While there are precious few in South Africa that claim to follow these trends, one chap Mike Stopforth has put himself out there. Replying to a Tweet he sent out a few months back offering a free consultation he agreed to join us and speak to us. Being Prop Data, the team were all over worked, understaffed - the usual. We changed the format up a little and it became a open discussion between Mike, the sales guys and myself.

The discussion was great. Broken down into some very simple points Mike did a great job of highlighting the points to consider and questions to ask before venturing forward on any social project. I guess many of these points we already knew, it was just a case of putting them into perspective. After all, there rarely is a point in doing something simply for the sake of doing it. Focus and result is the main point, as it always should be. Sometimes having a blog isn't a good idea when a fan page would make a lot more sense. Not everybody likes a particular product, but it may have many fans. Simple point, but I'd never thought of it that way. What can I say, I don't know social media.

I guess like so many other things IRL (that's "In Real Life" ;) it's not what you do, but how you do it. Social Media is an animal. You have to feed it and nurture it, if you don't it will turn and bite you. Those wishing to engage in Social Media, "Are you ready for that kind of commitment?"

Weekend

2009-03-27T10:30:00.002+02:00
The weekend is upon us. Strange how quickly time flies by. Been a tough week, but looks like it may just be a rather productive one.

Our development clients have decided that it is now time to spread their net a little wider online. So I've been researching other sites to advertise on. This is proving to be a lot more difficult than first imagined. I believe that many sites are simply charging way too much for too little exposure. So far I've reckoned there are about 5 or possibly 6 portals/publications worth advertising on. Trying to get content and the clients info all together has proven to be quite the task.

But that's what we do... if it were easy everyone would be doing it.

A rather amusing quote for the day:
Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal.
- George F. Will -

Been Away

2009-03-25T08:20:00.003+02:00
Okay, so I've been a little slack of late when it comes to posting. Apart from being really busy I've also been a little under the weather missing some time off work. In any event we've managed to get on with a bit of work.

The launch of the Kindlewood website has been slow. But traffic is steadily increasing to this Umhlanga property development. With a further decrease in rates many expect the property market to pick up and I'm sure that with renewed interest we'll see traffic continue to increase over time and no doubt the remaining few stands of land will snapped up.

In addition to Kindlewood we are due to launch Izinga Estate as well as the rebuilt Bridge City website. The last Bridge City site was so poorly laid out that only a handful of pages were indexed. Thankfully we don't have that kind of problem with our design layouts. Gotta love Django.

SEO Design

2009-03-17T09:42:00.000+02:00
There are many aspects to consider when putting a design together, most of which are either second nature to the seasoned developer or overlooked completely by the novice. Although as we all know, what looks good doesn’t necessarily work well and vice versa.

Neatness of Code:
Code should be neat. Simple. No, it doesn't have to conform to W3C standards (Google doesn't even conform and it is estimated that only 3% of all sites actually do - side note that half the sites that do claim to conform don't either). With so few sites conforming to these standards how can Google (or any other engine for that matter) offer decent results if they negate 97% of the internet? Keeping code clean includes keeping all generic information such as style sheets and scripts in separate files.

Robot Tags and Text File:
Often you may not wish for the search engine bots to index certain pages. You can easily add the NoIndex attribute to this page. For whole directories you can simply add them into your robots.txt file located in the root of your website (http://www.website.com/robots.txt). Why is this important for design? Well the crawl rate and indexing is a concern for all departments. Remember I mentioned that all generic information should be kept separate? Well this way you can simply block those directories with the robots.txt file. This way the search engines will be forced to index your actual content pages before attempting to read your styling code.

Content:
Do not replicate content on multiple pages, it's a waste of time, effort and dilutes keyword value. While the duplicate “penalty” is a myth it does confuse the search engine as to which page is more important or even which page was first. Imagine someone giving you the key to a Ferrari and then telling you it was the key to the red Ferrari parked outside? Now imagine there are 10 red Ferrari’s parked outside! Which one does the key fit? If there is only one Ferrari the choice is easy. Usually the page which is indexed first is the one that is credited with being unique. The other pages are simply diluting their keywords and purpose. Personally I've always tried to aim one keyword per page this does lend itself to long tail combinations working on a single page as well.

While it is commonly accepted that the major search engines ignore boilerplate content (such as standard navigation, headers and footers), it has since been suggested that you can point out which sections Google should ignore. This doesn't seem to be in mainstream use just yet and I am sure that this won't make much of a difference as it remains open to abuse - as with so many other on-page factors.

URLS:
URL’s, or URI’s, can make a difference when it comes to ranking. As mentioned before people may link to the page (home or internal) with the actual URL. As mentioned before anchor text is vital for ranking a page so it makes sense then to include keywords in your URL. Long gone are the days when URL’s were dynamic and half the URL’s had strange characters and session ID’s (a massive source of duplicated pages).

www.website.com/page?ID=123
www.website.com/location/
www.website.com/Town-Name/

In addition to duplicating pages session ID’s and multiple variables can also cause a search engine spider to become trapped in deep pages. Once trapped a spider will leave the website this may result in your more important pages not being indexed. We can now specify the URL of a page through the use of a specific tag in the page header. In this instance the search engines (Google & Ask.com) will ignore session variables (or others you may have generated) and only index the page as you specify.

Links:
The easiest way for human and bot to get from page to page is through links. Not all links were created equal. Links hidden in flash, images or scripts may look good to the human but be impossible for the search engine bot to read. Content remains king and while community (social media) has recently been crowned queen but it is the text link that remains everyone’s servant. On your own website you can use desired anchor text to describe the page you are linking to.

From another website, if a link to a website is a vote, then the anchor text tells you what they are voting for. Because so many webmasters, bloggers and publishers link to pages using the URL as the link text it becomes quite clear as to just how valuable it can be to include your desired keywords in your URL. However, no matter how hard you try you will always have broken links to your site. This could be due to a typo or because you've moved the page (or restructured the website) in which case a custom 404 page is crucial. When rebuilding a website and changing your URL structure, it is advisable to 301 (permanent redirect) the old URL to the corresponding new one.

Forms and Restricted Pages:
Don’t hide your great content behind forms and other forms of logins. Robots can’t fill these in and won’t be able to reach these pages. Simply put they won’t know that it exists. There are ways around this, but why make it difficult of the Robots or even Humans who are now becoming more and more reluctant to part with personal info on the web.

Sitemaps:
XML sitemap for robots (often simply referred to as a Google Sitemap). If you have many pages, consider breaking these down into themes. At present I prefer to set up a static XML sitemap for the pages that won't change and a dynamic XML sitemap for listings, products, etc that will change on a regular basis.
HTML or plain text sitemap for humans can be a perfect place to get all those keywords in either the link itself or next to it. This is also an easy way for a visitor to find something listed on the website. Make sure that this page is easily accessible from the homepage.

Summary
It is reported that Google has over 200 criteria points when it comes to ranking a website. Many of those aren’t part of the design. But a few that are include:
Keep code to the minimal required

Minimise the use of code that search engines can’t read (hide it when possible)

Unique content - keep navigation consistent

Use descriptive URL’s

Keep unique URL's

Descriptive internal linking

Use text links to reach all of your pages

Custom 404 page

Don’t hide great content behind forms and login pages

Use XML Sitemaps for the search engines

Use a descriptive HTML sitemap

A Picture is Worth 1000 Words

2009-02-25T11:03:00.001+02:00
I think this pretty much sums up how most SEO folk feel at times when dealing with clients that just don't get it...

Pinetown Chipboard Merchants

2009-02-25T10:14:00.004+02:00
We've recently launched a rather interesting website for one of our clients. While we generally stick to property, agents and developments, we diversified a little on this one.

Boardprep are a company located in Pinetown, KwaZulu Natal and have been going strong for over 25 years. While Boardprep started as a one man show it has steadily grown into the number one manufacturer and supplier servicing the kitchen cupboard, office furniture and home DIY markets. In fact, today a number of components from Boardprep can be found in homes and offices across South Africa.

Boardprep have sales staff qualified in kitchen design to aid the design or re-design of your kitchen, bedroom, office or any other room you may need. The full use of computer-aided-design programs ensure that everything is a perfect fit. If you are more of a DIY type, let them help you by making use of the CAD 3D computer technology when designing the room of your choice.

As kitchen specialists Boardprep offer a variety of cabinet doors including, softform, squareline, impact, impact acrylic, raw mdf routed, wrap and veneer doors. While still offering a wide variety of custom chipboard components and post formed worktops.

While you can still purchase ready to build Ready to Build DIY Units, Boardprep can create custom units to meet any specification.

With an offering of such a varied list of products and services I imagine that the Boardprep team are sure to be going strong for another 25 years yet. Who would have guessed that chipboard (or as some would put it particle board) could be so versatile and yet stylish at the same time?

Kindlewood Mount Edgecombe - Umhlanga Ridge

2009-02-25T10:06:00.001+02:00
With ever increasing development taking place along the north coast, Umhlanga has seen its fair share over recent years. The Kindlewood Residential Estate Development of Mount Edgecombe is just a stone throw from the Umhlanga New Town Centre. Despite being so close to a well developed area the Kindlewood development promises a tranquil lifestyle. What would typically a golf estate setup, Kindlwood promises no golf. However those still interested in playing a round can join the adjacent Mount Edgecombe Country Club.

Sustainability is also paramount at Kindlewood. Here elements of sustainable design as well as water and energy efficiency initiatives are keenly supported. The developer Tongaat Hulett have taken a holistic view of the environment and advocate living a healthy and happy lifestyle, within one's fair share of the earth's resources. With this in mind the use of solar power as well as the separation of grey and black water will surely enhance the water saving potential.

At Kindlewood Mount Edgecombe you will match your life's pace to your surrounds... and take the time to rejoice in the unhurried magic of a sunrise.

I'm Back...

2009-02-25T09:02:00.003+02:00
Well after a bit of a break from writing, and a whole week off, I'm back. We've also just launched a couple of new websites that I'll be writing about.

After a long December where I was more than happy to get back to the office to avoid the hassles of home repairs after THAT storm. The problem with December is that my only real wish was to simply spend some time at the beach. Well last week I managed that... even catching a little bit of sun and burning. Nothing too serious and have to say that it was even pleasant to some degree. I guess absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder. The weather was generally quite good and included a few scorchers. I can once again nothing tastes better than an ice-cold pint on the beach!! To anyone that has never tried that... simply do it!

Apart from quality beach time I was also able to bond once again with my Play Station. In all a good break from many of the stresses that have been doing their rounds of late.

Hopefully I'll be able to add a few more entries on a more regular basis.

Cowboys and Indians

2009-01-30T13:32:00.003+02:00
Well another week comes to an end and with it, so too the working month. As it's the last Friday of the month it becomes "Beerday". This much anticipated office holiday results in much merriment. We all dress up in theme, behave like 12 year olds and indulge in a few tasty beverages.

This month the theme is "Cowboys and Indians". Well with an office full of Sheriffs, Cowgirls... and even Pocahontas. Days like this are always important for good morale in the work place. It's always good fun and creates a fantastic atmosphere here.

I would recommend this form of team building to anyone. Just wondering what the theme should be next time...

New Blogs

2009-01-27T10:11:00.003+02:00
Well I've been working on this Blog from pretty much the time I started at the company. Mostly it's been a fantastic outlet for me to write a little about projects we were working on as well as other ideas as they came up. Not to mention the joy of being able to link out when required. I've decided that while this blog may be titled, "My Working Life: SEO and others" it has had little to do with actual SEO. With that in mind I've moved on a little and created another blog. Yeah... I know, where will I get the time to write up in that blog? Well, I guess I'll recycle a few articles written for elsewhere as well as finally add in a few snippets here and there. Hopefully this may even grow to be the bases of the book I've been threatening to write for a long, long time now.

Well if you get the chance check out http://barefoot-seo.blogspot.com. At present it's using a very bright template but I'll update that soon and will also hopefully be adding to it on a regular basis. Comments will be welcome as most of the tricks and techniques really are theory's at this point. Some pretty sound, others just guess work at best so there will always be room for discussion.

Afternoons and Coffeespoons

2009-01-26T14:40:00.004+02:00
Okay so I stole the title from a Crash Test Dummies track, but it works. Well Friday has come and gone and while we're always busy many of us in the office ended up taking on the "Little Master" batting challenge. I think I'm holding up the record list at this time with an all time high of 353 but Moe is closing in with a high so far of 350 - just 3 runs off of the pace. Then again when SA tied with Australia in the 1997 world cup semi final I bet they wished that they had had just 3 more runs. In any event... that was an enjoyable Friday afternoon.

We hope to launch a few new websites in the near future. Both Grootvlei Residential Security Estate and Kindlewood are new projects we've been working on. We are also hoping to have the new HM&A site up and running in the near future. A much nicer rebuild and I think it gets to the point that much quicker.

Oh and just in case anyone didn't know, SA totally thumped the Aussies today to seal the ODI series. With the test series and ODI series wrapped up, it's just a pity about the 20Twenty games that were lost (and lost convincingly).

Is Google Evil?

2009-01-20T08:36:00.003+02:00
"Do no evil"

"In business, evil refers to unfair or unethical business practices. Firms that have a monopoly are often able to maintain the monopoly using tactics that are deemed unfair, and monopolies have the power to set prices at levels which are not socially efficient. Some people therefore consider monopolies to be evil. Economists do not generally consider monopolies to be 'evil' though they recognize that certain business practices by monopolies are often not in the public interest." - Wikipedia

Are Google a monopoly? I'd say yes. By definition (on Wikipedia - so take it with a pinch of salt) that would mean that Google are indeed Evil.

Google have often been said to "do no evil". Promoting free access to information for all. Arguing that ISP's shouldn't limit access to information. While I'm all for a free and fair internet and information at my fingertips, I am concerned at what the cost of "free" is. Power corrupts... absolute power corrupts absolutely.

"There are no free lunches!"

Or so I'm told. So if they aren't charging me money for this service what is the cost really? I came across an interesting article on "The Plot to Kill Google" - the real Google killers (so much for cuil - anyone heard of them since their launch?). However many do have compelling arguments as to why Google shouldn't be trusted.

While all of that is a good decent argument, I guess one should be pleased that someone is trying to monitor Google's activities.

On the other hand, it could be worse: Google Press Release
Okay so those are just for humor's sake. But imagine if they were actually true. Which is more evil. I guess we'll just have to keep an eye on the almighty Google for now.

By the way, all information was found searching with Ask.com

Rebanding

2009-01-08T14:50:00.003+02:00
Re-branding is done for many reasons. Sometimes due to a change in ownership or the addition of a new partner or even a merger of companies. Sometimes the reason to re-brand is to rid a company of a name.

Recently one of our clients, Subeth, joined a larger franchise of estate agents in South Africa. When doing this they decided that it would be beneficial to take on the franchise branding. I can see the benefit of having the name of Golden Homes behind them, however at the same time I feel that they have lost that very much personal appeal. However now with a larger market reach and larger agent base I believe the website will carry more authority.

Which brings me back to Two-Face. This poor villain was always caught between order and chaos. I imagine this is the standard state for most companies trying to find a brand that best suits them. Like Two-Face they too face the fate of a coin toss from time to time as they lack direction. While your brand may not always best reflect you, I imagine the best thing to do at all times is remain constant. Consistency is one trait that always has clients coming back for more - provided the first showing was of a high enough standard.

The Year Begins... Make it a Happy New Year!

2009-01-05T16:01:00.004+02:00
Well the old year has come and pass and it's now time for a whole new challenge. While a friend of mine referred to the last year as "Two Thousand and Hate", I'm not sure it was quite that bad. Then again an second thought he might have a point. I hope that he's not on the mark with his "Two Thousand and Decline" statement with regards to the coming year.

I'd prefer to take my wife's approach and call the coming year "Two Thousand and Shine". While there will always be things that happen that are well beyond our control I'd like to think that we still have some control over the way we feel and respond to things. After all, if you wake up in the morning and say, "Today is going to be a good day!" you may just have a good day. Wake up in the morning and say, "Today is going to suck!" and chances are you are going to be 100% correct. While I could babble on all day about the power of positive thinking I think most folk would agree if even in a very broad sense of agreement.

This is a new start. As is each and every day. Make the best of it... for who knows what tomorrow brings?

Christmas is Almost Here!!

2008-12-19T08:44:00.004+02:00
Finally it's closing day here at the office. It's been a long, hard year but we've finally made it.

While many trials and hardships tend to poke their heads out just when you think you're in the clear I can't help but think back to the movie It's a Wonderful Life. I still rank that as one of my favourite movies of all time. Proving that everything really comes down to perception at the end of it all. Another all time classic would include the "Robbie the Reindeer" movies (I believe a third is now on the cards). Robbie the Reindeer is also where I had inspiration for my signature... :)

Well this is my last post of the year. And as I don't have internet at home at this time because a tree (or two) pretty much took out the entire line. I doubt I'll be posting anything more until I get back to the office.

Merry Christmas All

Specialist Consulting Engineers

2008-12-15T10:59:00.004+02:00
It is not often that I'm handed a project to work on that has so much content. I guess science in any form is content rich. The latest addition to our portfolio is DPA Consulting Engineers. These folk concentrate on quality control and damage limitation associated with wear and tear as well as just standard environmental effects.

Based just up the road from our own offices the specialist consulting engineers have been called upon for their expertise in lands as far away as Mauritius and Mozambique.

Okay, so I know that many folk would find a website like this to be quite boring. I know that it was difficult to come up with a design concept, but spend a few minutes reading the content and you will be fascinated about things you would never have given a thought to. From steel corrosion to the waterproofing of structures to laboratory forensic testing. Now that already starts to sound a lot cooler than just a bunch of guys in little white coats.

So if you are looking for professional engineers, materials scientists, remedial architects, quantity surveyors or contractual consultants look no further than DPA Consulting Engineers.

Cradle Wines

2008-12-12T13:41:00.004+02:00
A new wine distributer has recently launched their website. Cradle Wines are a unique wine distribution company based in the Cradle of Humankind.

While their wines are produced in the Western Cape for the most part they do have 4 of their own blended wines. The white wines listed are Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc as well as the addition of Georgia the Cradle Wines own Chardonnay and Logan, a sweet stein. The red wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Rosè, Shiraz and Pinotage. The two red wine variations exclusive to Cradle Wines are Shirley a Pinotage Rosè and Pinnuccia, named after owner Pinnuccia Vickers, which is the Cradle Wines flagship red.

I believe that these fine wines will eventually be exported to other wine loving countries. But for the mean time, I'll be sipping away on these and simply telling them how good they are. :)

Kevin & the Googlebots

2008-12-12T13:28:00.003+02:00
I just love this little white hat seo cartoon ;)

I would vote this my new fave cartoon - Kevin & the Googlebots. It's so true... funny and I suppose even a little sad. Well if you get the jokes then you really are sad.

Point Waterfront Development

2008-12-04T09:55:00.005+02:00
Well the Durban Point Waterfront continues to be developed from what was once the "wrong end of town" to the super luxury suburb of Durban.

We have just relaunched the PWR Properties website (www.pwr.co.za) with a few changes. With two developments currently underway as well as a list of apartments and penthouses for sale or to let, this is now the place to go for any of your luxury living options in Durban. In addition to residential sales and letting PWR Properties now offer Holiday Letting at the Point too. With a deal involving another Durban Point Waterfront Accommodation PWR Properties now offer holiday accommodation in these Luxury 3 and 4 star apartments and penthouses.

The latest developments in the Durban Point area include Shaka's Gate and 1.17. While many units in each of these developments have already been snapped up it is still possible to get your hands on retail, commercial or even residential units. While development is still in it's early stages, these properties may seem to have been massively under priced!

With continual development in this part of KZN the Durban Point area looks like a very good investment opportunity indeed.

New Site Launches

2008-11-21T10:47:00.004+02:00
Well it's been quite some time since I last posted here. But guess it's been a bit crazy all over. While last week was a whirlwind... capped with an actual whirlwind! Okay so my house is still standing, but some of the roof isn't. In any event, it could be way worse and nobody was hurt.

Launched yesterday was the new Benchmark Consultants website. These guys are targeting the South African market with the aim of having them invest in UK and Cyprus Property. I'm not sure how viable this is with the current economic market, but time will tell. But with the fluctuating Rand, I'm sure that this might prove to be a stable investment over time.

Launched today is the MC Props Website. Apart from being Green Property Developers, they also offer Project Management and Property Marketing. Individual Developments are marketed internally offering a complete green field solution. While everyone is terrified of the current global financial crisis it is worth noting that building continues at a staggering rate.

Almost a Darwin Award

2008-11-07T08:18:00.002+02:00
Every once in a while someone does something truly magnificent and adds their name to the list of those that improve the gene pool - by removing themselves! These people are rewarded with what is known as a "Darwin Award". Named after the evolution theorist Charles Darwin.

While he failed to remove himself from the gene pool, I believe that Galen Winchell of West Georgia needs a special mention. He decided that instead of using a vacuum cleaner or a duster he would use a blowtorch to remove cobwebs. After fire fighters doused the flames it would seem that only one room had fire damage while the rest of the place had water and smoke damage - What a winner!

Google Duplicate Content Penalty...

2008-11-04T16:42:00.003+02:00
Is a myth!! Just like Elves and Faeries.

Yup, it's that simple. Okay, so it's not really that simple. You create great content but it's on a dynamic page that could have several URL's. That is a problem. No penalty for this, but which should be ranked higher? While I believe Google (and by default the other search engines too) are getting better at reading dynamic URL's you may still confuse them. However one single page with a clean URL may rank higher simply because it is more unique (if that makes any sense).

The next problem is inbound links. Where do they go? Could it be that potential links are shared between duplicate versions of your content? You could be wasting valuable link strength and in doing so confuse the search engines of which page is more valuable.

I won't even start on all those sites that scrape their content (well mostly because the mighty Google still don't get it all right).

There is no duplicate content penalty, but by duplicating content you may be losing out. Remember don't make your visitors think, but more importantly don't let the search engines think! They are just bots after all.

Amazulu World

2008-11-03T15:13:00.000+02:00
Amazulu World for The People of Heaven

The story of how this development, Amazulu World, got its name begins many centuries ago in the lush valleys of the Southern East African Coast where the mighty peaks of the Drakensberg melt into the subtropical shores of the Indian Ocean.

This is the cradle of the Zulu tribe, the People of Heaven who came from the north to create a mighty warrior nation whose rich cultural legacy is the inspiration for this amazing development.

Before the Zulu tribe had formed, there were many seperate tribes or so the story goes. King Malandela, head of one of these tribes, had two sons. Similarly to the biblical story of Jacob and Esau, it was the younger of the two that received the spiritual inheritance and destined to join all the tribes into a single nation. His name was Zulu, the One from Heaven.

Amazulu World, one of the most ambitious coastal theme resorts ever to be built, is a visionary initiative that will create a permanent, sustainable and vibrant community on the North Coast. This development will become a top KwaZulu Natal tourist destination and surely become the Jewel in the African Crown once complete. Over looked by a statue of King Shaka Zulu the entertainment theme park will anchor the development and will be an initial economic generator for this uniquely African Development. This theme park will include rides, shows, attractions and even a Hollywood-themed water park. Over time further developments will include a wellness spa, premier shopping malls, a sports village and even championship golf courses.

The development of Amazulu World is both an ambitious and very exciting project taken on by Ruwaad.

Walk the plank!

2008-11-03T14:42:00.003+02:00
I just loved this one! Who do you think should walk the plank?

I think most folk know who I'd make walk... but pick for yourself.

Green Propety Developments

2008-11-03T09:52:00.000+02:00
With the constant barrage of global warming doom sayers getting their way (Thanks Al) it would seem that many developers are going green. At present this does pose a whole other challenge as the costs of developing green projects can be considerably higher than that of a regular development. In the long term the saving on water and electricity will easily offset these initial costs but will potential investors see these benefits.

"You may start out thinking about 'green' purely for moral reasons, but ultimately, as you will be saving on things such as water and electricity bills, it begins to make good commercial sense too. The challenge is to balance the bigger financial outlay in the short-term with the long-term benefits in the long-run, and in the light of diminishing energy resources and rising electricity prices it makes sense to go green and create more efficient buildings," says Paul Simpson of RED Developments. As published on Property24

While I don't subscribe to the global warming theory (I still whole heartedly believe that this is a natural cycle as mentioned in this post) so I'm not so sure about the moral reasons behind this form of development. While I think the whole concept of green development and well, the use of green to represent a whole new form of doing something is a good idea I think that the term green is going to be worn out pretty soon.

In any event it would be nice to see homes that require minimal resources. Not only would these homes be less of a drain on the natural resources but they would also be more independent of the supplier of these resources. While I don't see Green Property Developments as a moral issue, it certainly is a worthwhile financial investment.

Halloween

2008-11-03T08:04:00.000+02:00
Well Friday was Halloween and it was agreed that here at the office we would dress up and do our bit to promote a little silliness. Enter 2 zombies and a vamp-nurse (who had a tag along). Sadly the others failed to get in the spirit of the day (pun intended). As it was the last Friday of the month this also meant that this was Beerday. Enter a few evil concoctions and we were set to go.

If you're ever feeling a little brave or simply looking for a new idea for an interesting drink try our "Bats Brains". One spoon of cherry jelly, one half tot of strawberry liquor and a half tot of Triple Sec. It is as sweet as can be but rather different.

Of course we all know that the day is followed by All Saints Day. While this is a catholic tradition, the Mexicans have their own variation, Day of the Dead. It does seem to be somewhat interesting.

The image? Well for those of you that may not know, it's Jack Skellington the hero of one of the greatest Christmas stories of all time - The Nightmare Before Christmas. Pumpkin King of Halloween Town.

Content is king?

2008-10-30T13:19:00.000+02:00
Well it's a cliche that's been worn out, but it still rings true (to some degree anyway) that content is indeed king. So many times I've had a paragraph to work with and try to rank that page for something. For the far out niche markets that's fine, but when it gets a little more competitive that just won't cut it. To my surprise I was handed both content and a good niche to work within. While I don't imagine this website will generate buckets of traffic I am very sure that the traffic generated will be well targeted. There is loads of good quality content on the site, and I imagine that much of it has been used in other marketing material. Best bit is, believe it or not, there is still more content to follow. This really is my lucky day.

Windows 7

2008-10-29T11:29:00.000+02:00

I must confess I'm as much of a Microsoft product hater as one can be, but that may change in the near future. Microsoft with their first alpha release of Windows7 look to strip the fluff from their system and come up with a mean sleek product. Will this work? Will this create consumer interest or confidence? Only time will tell, but I'm very interested indeed.

Microsoft DOS was possibly the last operating system that I can recall from them that was stable. Granted it had a 64k memory bottleneck but it never really gave me any trouble... until I wanted strong, powerful applications. Enter Windows 3.1 the first real multitasking environment (I'm not forgetting PC tools here, but that just wasn't as user friendly). Windows 3.1 where you could soft boot your machine and close an application that had failed. Nice... until we got to Win95. Here the blue screen of death became an icon of it's own. Microsoft promised bigger and better things and then launched Win98. This was a sign of things to come. Released far too early the updates and patches were far too many to name. This was followed by a second release of Win98 simply called Win98 SE (Second Edition). This is in my opinion the most stable of their desktop releases. This was followed by a quick succession of NT variations, including WindowsME and Windows2000. None of which ever really caught on.

Windows XP brought a whole new look to the Windows franchise. Finally hot swapping of devices was possible, wireless devices were working and networking was a breeze. However I found this package to be resource greedy as well as cumbersome at best. Why include 101 applications I'm never going to use simply on the chance that I might? Especially as these all just used up these precious resources as the microprocessor seemed to be reaching a pinnacle point.

From what I've read on Windows7 so far, it would seem that they are doing away with all the add-ons. This is a great idea. I'm a big Linux fan and its minimal resource usage. Could Microsoft be trying to follow this plan? I'm all for a bare bones operating system with the option of being able to download any additional application. This could serve Microsoft very well. With only registered and authenticated users being able to have access to these many of the pirate users could be done away with too. This way everyone will have a personalized operating system tailored to their needs. Suddenly a PC could be anything. A front end loader could be a PC, a Sports car could be a PC, a 18 wheeler could be a PC, heck even a mobile home could be a PC... and Mac... is still a geeky poser ;-) Microsoft if you're reading this... yes, I'll run your ads for you! :)

Lets hope that Microsoft get this right because I for one am really excited.

The Sharks Won!!

2008-10-27T16:41:00.001+02:00
Well after a nail biting heart attack inducing 80 minutes of rugby the Sharks were crowned this years Currie Cup winners! Well done guys. I might be the only Sharks fan who will complain about the ref, but I just have to. I don't know how many times our guys were taken out in the air only to have our only incident penalized! Go figure. While we were the dominant side the whole game the score line left a lot of nervous folk fearing a possible repeat of the Super 14 final of last year. When Steyn missed the penalty to put the scoreline at least 2 scores away I think many were fearing the worst. But credit to the guys, coach and fans. The cup is where it belongs.

Now just to get that damn Super 14 one to match it.

Final Saturday

2008-10-24T15:26:00.000+02:00
Well the Sharks look to take on the Bulls in tomorrows Currie Cup Final. Lets hope that all of KZN is celebrating tomorrow! While I would desperately like to see the sharks beat the Bulls by a commanding total any win will do - we are more than due a trophy!

Bring it home!!

The Sharks Captain John and wife Roxy welcomed a new arrival with the birth of their second child. Congratulations.

Interesting code

2008-10-23T13:36:00.000+02:00

Well it was brought to my attention that any web page could be edited though your browser. Okay, so you can't actually edit the page you can only edit what is displayed on your end. But if a picture is worth a 1000 words then a screen shot has to be worth a pretty penny.

Imagine if someone sent you a screen shot of a news website that had an edited headline or even article. While we all know that anything can be Photoshopped the initial surprise, outrage or other response could be something to be capitalized on.

On the other hand as it it becoming increasingly accepted that many search results differ from computer to computer (can anyone say personalized search?) that this could be a way of "proving" results. More lies and deceit no doubt.

That said, if you would like the code message me :)

Keyword Research

2008-10-22T08:10:00.000+02:00
Well, we all know that the beginning of any website should really begin with your keywords. It still amazes me at how many folk expect to rank a website for something only vaguely related to the website and often not even mentioned on the website. Explaining that is usually easy enough, sometimes not. Better still was when I was asked to rank a website for a competitors domain name. Not impossible, but not likely to happen especially as the domain name in question isn't even related to their industry.

Anyhow, all of that said and done I have come across a fantastic resource for keyword research from the guys at Search Engine Watch.

I just have to add that keywords often take time to rank, chopping and changing isn't going to do anyone much good. If you want to rank for keywords on the fly the only sure way (well, the only sure way in any event) is to use paid advertising.

Which brings me to my next point.

DoFollow Finally Working

2008-10-21T16:29:00.000+02:00
While I'm all for the removal or prevention of spam in any form it was about time that I managed to get the DoFollow working or in this case it's more of a case of having to remove the rel="nofollow" addition to the template. There should simply be a spot where you can check this Blogger!! Damn! Anyhow I've finally managed to get it right.

U COMMENT

I FOLLOW

A massive thanks to the help from Blogger Buster. If you would like to make the decision as to whether you follow your comments or not this is a great help.

After all, isn't comment moderation supposed to kill the spam. Yeah, I know if you are that popular then moderation is a pain in the butt.

Easy Riding

2008-10-21T11:26:00.000+02:00
Well once again I've managed to find an image that really tickles me. I guess Betty Boop really was a pin-up girl for many... wonder who would stop to offer her a lift? But that said it has had me thinking about maps, but more specifically website maps.

While it's useful to have a map of any area while traveling it is also a lot more useful when that map also proves to be a good informational source. Often those free sponsored maps that you find at many rest stops have certain landmarks or retailers marked out. This could easily drive (pun intended) traffic straight to their business. This has long worked for the likes of accommodation and other tourist destinations.

This all makes sense, doesn't it? So why is it then that we expect visitors to our websites to know exactly where they are going? Does your website actually have a site map? If so, is it simply a list of names of pages? Sure, it will get you there, but what is on that page? Is it what the visitor is actually looking for? While some visitors may return and they will know where they want to be (you hope) many of the new visitors may simply be casual tourists. These are ones that may need a little more info. Put this info into your site map. The benefit to your visitor is instantly apparent.

On a different note this good, solid resource becomes a little more fodder for the search spiders to consume. While links from outside of a website can be very valuable, internal links can do wonders for rankings. The site map is an ideal spot to generate good contextual links.

A little link love - if you are heading out along Route 66, check out Route 66. I borrowed the image from them, hopefully they will accept a link in exchange.

Brand Marketing

2008-10-20T13:56:00.000+02:00
Well brand marketing is so much easier... if it's already a well known brand. Who would have guessed that Twitter would become the next big thing? It would seem that even Britney Spears has signed up and is now twittering. Well, okay, so Britney isn't actually twittering (I'm assuming it's a savvy PR rep) but could this actually be a good idea? I guess if everyone else is doing it, then why not Britney?

Be a sport and give her a follow: http://twitter.com/therealbritney

I think we'll monitor the progress on this one. Who knows we could yet learn a thing or two from Britney?