[Updated May 2022] Why are Google reviews important? People who search for businesses and places close to where they’re located are shown local results on Google Search and Maps. An example of this is a “near me” search on a mobile device by someone who’s out shopping and looking for somewhere nearby to get a…
Local SEO – Help People Locate Your Business Online
Author:Alex Staines Last Updated:
[Updated 11 April, 2022] Local searchers, impatient searchers If you’re running a business such as a retail outlet or café in New Zealand that relies on nearby customers for revenue, then you’ll need to ensure you can be found on internet searches, especially via phones and other portable gizmos. The days of people pulling their…
Tips for Writing Web Page Titles
Author:Alex Staines Last Updated:
[Updated 3 September, 2021] On websites, titles and headers have special functions, associated with search engine visibility. This post is about writing web page titles and headers that are effective for your visitors and search engines, and using title tags to maximise the visibility of your pages and posts in search results. Plus some other…
Why Do I Need SEO?
Author:Alex Staines Last Updated:
[Updated 17 January, 2020] Quick nav: Intro Problem children What is SEO, anyway? From the user’s viewpoint From the site owner’s viewpoint A marathon, not a sprint Toward organic search success The ‘best’ SEO formula ROI stats Why do you need SEO? Well, you’re damned if you don’t! The simplest answer is that without SEO…
Do I Need a New Website?
Author:Alex Staines Last Updated:
[Updated December 30, 2019] Quick nav: Intro Security breaches Negative feedback Declining rankings Our solutions Website updates beneficial Technical updates Optimise your content Buyer, beware! More info Indications that you need a new vehicle can be obvious, such as rust, smoke, or loud grinding noises, or more insidious and difficult to detect until there’s a…
3 Options for Creating Content
Author:Alex Staines Last Updated:
Content curation makes use of existing knowledge Why would you want to sift through a pile of information on the internet and present snippets of it on a regular basis to your audience? It’s a question that’s still asked about the worth of content curation. There’s tremendous value in marketing curated content – text, images,…
Wellington’s Recycled Soft Furnishings Boutique
Author:Alex Staines Last Updated:
Cindy Hill has been running The Decorator Exchange at 88 Upland Road, Kelburn, in Wellington, since 2001. It’s a goldmine for anyone seeking to redecorate their house with quality recycled soft furnishings, all sold on behalf of private sellers, many of whom Cindy has known for years. Alex Staines chatted with Cindy about her passion…
Categories: Stories Tags: Interviews, NZ brands, NZ themes
Phar Lap – Big Red’s Enduring Legacy
Author:Alex Staines Last Updated:
Alex Staines got together with Gerry Morris, trustee of the Phar Lap Charitable Trust, to pay homage to the enduring legend of Phar Lap, New Zealand’s greatest ever racehorse. There’s a saying in racing that a racehorse is an animal that can take several thousand people for a ride at the same time. In Phar…
Categories: Stories Tags: Curated stories, NZ themes
Growing Up in Morrinsville
Author:Alex Staines Last Updated:
Dream of Fields Wellington café owner Kieran Hughes reminisces about growing up in the small Waikato town of Morrinsville. I’m remembering sprawling dairy farms, cow paddocks, quarter-acre sections, the recreation ground, Campbell Park and St Joseph’s Convent. My dream places as a child. In the middle of the Waikato – 20 miles to everywhere: Cambridge,…
Categories: Stories Tags: Interviews, NZ brands, NZ themes
Count von Luckner, German Pirate in New Zealand
Author:Alex Staines Last Updated:
Regarded as one of the most colourful figures of the 20th century, Count Graf Felix von Luckner had a close connection with New Zealand. At 13, von Luckner, from a noble German family, ran away from home and signed up as a cabin boy on a Russian sailing ship bound for Australia. He had a…
Categories: Stories Tags: Curated stories, NZ themes