Wednesday, August 24, 2016

More information about Pretoria

Although I primarily do digital marketing for Pretoria businesses, I have a number of customers spread over South Africa, and in fact, the world. So I thought it was a good time to share some information related to Pretoria, also known as the Jacaranda City.

Pretoria is a city in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country’s three capital cities, serving as the seat of the executive branch of government (Cape Town is the legislative capital and Bloemfontein the judicial capital). Pretoria has a reputation for being an academic city with three universities and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) located in its eastern suburbs, the city also hosts the South African Bureau of Standards making the city a hub for research. Pretoria is the central part of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality which was formed by the amalgamation of several former local authorities including Centurion and Soshanguve. There have been proposals to change the name of Pretoria itself to Tshwane, and the proposed name change has caused some controversy.

Pretoria is named after the Voortrekker leader Andries Pretorius, and within South Africa is popularly known as the “Jacaranda City” due to the thousands of Jacaranda trees planted in its streets, parks and gardens.

History

Pretoria was founded in 1855 by Marthinus Pretorius, a leader of the Voortrekkers, who named it after his father Andries Pretorius and chose a spot on the banks of the “Apies rivier” (Afrikaans for “Monkeys river”) to be the new capital of the South African Republic (ZAR). The elder Pretorius had become a national hero of the Voortrekkers after his victory over the Dingane and the Zulus in the Battle of Blood River. The elder Pretorius also negotiated the Sand River Convention (1852), in which Britain acknowledged the independence of the Transvaal. It became the capital of the South African Republic (ZAR) on 1 May 1860.

The founding of Pretoria as the capital of the South African Republic can be seen as marking the end of the Boers’ settlement movements of the Great Trek.

Geography

Pretoria is situated approximately 55 km (34 mi) north-northeast of Johannesburg in the northeast of South Africa, in a transitional belt between the plateau of the Highveld to the south and the lower-lying Bushveld to the north. It lies at an altitude of about 1,339 m (4,393 ft) above sea level,[7] in a warm, sheltered, fertile valley, surrounded by the hills of the Magaliesberg range.

Climate

The city has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cwa) with long hot rainy summers and short cool to cold,dry winters. The city experiences the typical winters of South Africa with cold, clear nights and mild to moderately warm days. Although the average lows during winter are mild it can get bitterly cold due to the clear skies, with nighttime low temperatures in recent years in the range of 2 to −5 °C (36 to 23 °F). The average annual temperature is 18.7 °C (65.7 °F).[8] This is rather high, considering the city’s relatively high altitude of about 1339 metres, and is due mainly to its sheltered valley position, which acts as a heat trap and cuts it off from cool southerly and south-easterly air masses for much of the year.

Rain is chiefly concentrated in the summer months, with drought conditions prevailing over the winter months, when frosts may be sharp. Snowfall is an extremely rare event; snowflakes were spotted in 1959, 1968 and 2012 in the city, but the city has never experienced an accumulation in its history.

During a nationwide heatwave in November 2011, Pretoria experienced temperatures that reached 39 °C (102 °F), unusual for that time of the year. Similar record-breaking extreme heat events also occurred in January 2013, when Pretoria experienced temperatures exceeding 37 °C (99 °F) on several days.

The year 2014 was one of the wettest on record for the city. A total of 914 mm (36 in) fell up to the end of December, with 220 mm (9 in) recorded in this month alone. In 2015 Pretoria saw its worst drought since 1982; the month of November 2015 saw new records broken for high temperatures, with 43 °C (109 °F) recorded on the 11th of November after three weeks of temperatures between 35 °C (95 °F) and 43 °C (109 °F). January 2016 saw Pretoria reach a new record high of 44 °C (111 °F) on January 7, 2016.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretoria

The post More information about Pretoria appeared first on Katakuru.



from Katakuru http://katakuru.com/more-information-about-pretoria/

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Johannesburg Information

Since we are a SEO Johannesburg company, I though it might be worthwhile to share some more information on the City of Gold here.

Johannesburg (/dʒoʊˈhænᵻsbɜːrɡ/; Afrikaans: [joˈɦɐnəsbœrχ]; also known as Jozi, Jo’burg, Joni, eGoli, and abbreviated as JHB) is a large metropolis and the largest city in South Africa. It is the provincial capital of Gauteng, which is the wealthiest province in South Africa.[8] The city is one of the 50 largest urban agglomerations in the world.[9] The city was named and established in 1886 following the discovery of gold on what had been a farm. The city is commonly interpreted as the modern day El Dorado due to the extremely large gold deposit found along the Witwatersrand. The name is attributed to one or all of three men involved in the establishment of the city. In ten years, the population was 100,000 inhabitants. While Johannesburg is not one of South Africa’s three capital cities, it is the seat of the Constitutional Court, which has the final word on interpretation of South Africa’s constitution as well as with issues in connection with constitutional matters. The city is the source of a large-scale gold and diamond trade, due to its location on the mineral-rich Witwatersrand range of hills.[citation needed]

In 2011, the population of the city of Johannesburg was 4,434,827, making it the largest city in South Africa.[10] In the same year, the population of Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Area was 7,860,781.[11] Some view the area surrounding the city of Johannesburg yet more broadly than the metropolitan area, adding Ekurhuleni, West Rand and Lenasia; that larger area had a population of 10,267,700 in 2007.[12] The land area of the municipal city 1,645 km2 (635 sq mi) is large in comparison with those of other major cities, resulting in a moderate population density of 2,364/km2 (6,120/sq mi).

A separate city from the late 1970s until the 1990s, Soweto is now part of Johannesburg. Originally an acronym for “South-Western Townships”, Soweto originated as a collection of settlements on the outskirts of Johannesburg, populated mostly by native African workers from the gold mining industry. Soweto, although eventually incorporated into Johannesburg, had been separated as a residential area for blacks, who were not permitted to live in Johannesburg proper. Lenasia is predominantly populated by English-speaking South Africans of Indian descent.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannesburg

The post Johannesburg Information appeared first on Katakuru.



from Katakuru http://katakuru.com/johannesburg-information/

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Famous People, You Don’t Know are from Cape Town, South Africa

I doubt any of these famous people would ever need to hire a Cape Town SEO Expert, nevertheless it was very interesting to learn about them. Cape Town, South Africa is a popular destination for travelers looking for adventure. Cape Town offers everything you want in a vacation; beaches, harbors, mountains, and lovely gardens. It is no wonder that many people would like to settle in this lovely town. Cape Town is also home to many famous personalities that we know today.

Get to know Famous Personalities who were actually from Cape Town

Kiernan Jarryd Forbes (also known as Aka)

Aka’s birth name is Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, born in Cape Town South Africa. He is an award-winning recording artist, music producer, and TV presenter. He also won South African Hip-Hop and Metro FM awards.

Lisa King

Lisa King is a professional model and actress, best known for her character as the Queen in Home Alone 4 – Taking back the House. She is born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa. She became Florida Miss Teen in 1989 and Miss South Africa in 1992.

Ann Peacock

Ann Peacock is a well-known writer. She was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa. Her best-known work is The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. She was also an instructor at the University of Cape Town before migrating to Los Angeles.

Stelio Savante

Stelio Savante was born in Cape Town, South Africa. He is perhaps one of the most successful South African actors who made his way to being a SAG nominee. He is more famous for portraying Joe Masseria, real life mafia boss in “The Making of the Mob”.

Lesley-Ann Brandt

Lesley Brandt is a new face that appeared in many television shows from Spartacus to CSI: NY. She is born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa and is among the biggest exports in the industry.

John Maxwell Coetzee

John Maxwell Coetzee is an author born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa. He is best known for his works: Dusklands, The Life & Times of Michael K, and Disgrace among others.

How many celebrities you know are from Cape Town? There are more to mention and you will be surprised to find out that there are more celebrities in Hollywood who were actually from South Africa

The post Famous People, You Don’t Know are from Cape Town, South Africa appeared first on Katakuru.



from Katakuru http://katakuru.com/cape-town-famous-people/

Discover Budget Hotels in Cape Town – All under $20!

I am lucky enough that I can stay with family and friends when travelling as a Cape Town SEO company. When traveling to Cape Town on a minimal budget, it is wise to look through budget hotels that will fit your needs. Travel is a luxury and it can be really expensive but not if you plan wisely. Get the luxury of travel with the least expenses, perhaps this is the goal of most avid travelers.

Budget hotels are not that bad. You can get a decent bed plus an affordable meal while in Cape Town. Many travel sites will offer accommodations that are within your budget. All you have to do is diligently browse and compare notes.

cape town budget hotelsHere is to help you find the best accommodation in Cape Town.  Lonely planet puts together great choices under $20 per night.

Cape Town Backpackers

Located at New Church Street Tamboerskloof, this hostel welcomes backpackers, travelers, and tourists from different places of the world. They offer decent dorms and rooms with the best views of the town. The cheapest dorm they offer is located in their basement. Though cheap, expect to have a clean bed for the night. Per night accommodation starts at $9, breakfast not included.

ONCE in Cape Town

Located at Kloof street, ‘Once in Cape Town’ offers a cool atmosphere for many travelers. It is common to have dorms that share one big bathroom but this place offers bathroom in every room. Enjoy their courtyard and have fun in their spacious kitchen to cook your own food. Per night accommodation starts at $9, rate includes breakfast – a bonus for many travelers on a budget.

33 South Boutique

Located in Trill Rd Observatory, 33 South Boutique is not exactly what the name suggests. This place offers a cozy Victorian place. You’ll get to cook your own meals in their shared kitchen and have a quiet time in their lovely courtyard.  Hotel staff also offers free tours. Per night accommodation starts at $11, breakfast is not included.

Simon’s Town

Located in Prince Alfred Building at St. George’s Street, Simon’s town offers wide rooms that take the size of a ship that overlooks the harbor. Their staff is great and really serves with a smile. They can help you come up with a list of activities in town. No, you don’t have to walk as they offer bikes for hire at a minimal rate of R200 each day. Per night accommodation is at $13, breakfast not included.

Green Elephant

Located at Milton Road Observatory, Green elephant offers a great option for those looking to escape the busy streets. You can camp at the vicinity and arrange trekking up the Table Mountain with a professional and experienced guide (offered at a rate of R300/person).  Per night accommodation starts at $14 per night, breakfast not included.

Stellenbosch Traveller’s Lodge

Located at the corner of Dorp and Stadler Street, Stellenbosch is highly recommended by many travelers. The place offers bright and neat rooms. Meals are readily available when needed and you get to have some quiet and relaxing time in their garden. You’ll never get bored with a variety of activities to choose from within the vicinity. Per night accommodation starts at $14 per night, breakfast not included.

Long Street Backpackers

Located at Longstreet, it is perhaps among the oldest running hotels in town since 1993. They offer small flats with 4-8 beds and bathroom. The place can hold a group of travelers looking for a place that is cozy and affordable. Per night accommodation starts at $15 per night, breakfast not included.

The post Discover Budget Hotels in Cape Town – All under $20! appeared first on Katakuru.



from Katakuru http://katakuru.com/cape-town-budget-hotels/

Experience Nightlife in Cape Town like You Never Did Before

While I serve my Cape Town local SEO clients from Pretoria, I get to travel down to the Mother City every now and again, I unfortunately don’t get much chance to enjoy the famous night life of Cape Town.

Cape Town is located on the west coast of South Africa. And while there are more than twenty things to do in Cape Town at day time, you’ll have more than twenty things to try at night time. Expect to have fun exploring various spots that people swarm into like bars, coffee shops, parks, and restaurants. You’ll find yourself wanting to try a taste of everything but before you do that, find out what you are going to get from each destination.

cape town nightlifeNightlife in Cape Town is nothing like the ordinary. It’s not that other places have the same to offer, the difference is the variety of activities and things to do that will keep you awake through the night. There are distinctively four sites to explore while in town – The sunset strip, the long Street, The Kloof Street, and the Green Point. Each choice for a nightlife destination has its own unique characteristic which is distinct from the other.

The Sunset Strip is what they call Victoria Road in Camps Bay Cape Town. The lovely coastal road connects the Sea Point and the Hout Bay. Victoria Road is simply called the sunset strip because it is the best spot to get a view of the magnificent sunset. Tourists and locals come with cameras on hand to capture a spectacular moment. Go ahead and pick a place where you can enjoy good food and savor a great view of the sunset.

The Long Street is where the nightlife begins. The place seems to be buzzing with energy day in and day out. People looking for an excuse to stay up all night should visit Long Street where bars are close to each other. Bar hoppers and party goers would love this place. If you are looking for a place just to wine, dine, and unwind, Long Street may not be the place for you.

The Kloof Street is a place in Cape Town that offers a little of everything. While Long Street is swarming with energy and high spirits, Kloof Street offers the same too although mellowed with a variety of bars, coffee shops, pizzerias, and even sushi joints. This is perhaps the perfect place for those who just want to wine, dine, and unwind. You’ll find the best foods that Cape Town has to offer at Kloof Steet.

The Green Point of Cape Town is the home of Cape Town Stadium. So if you are looking for a night to indulge in sports or a night in a park, Green Point can offer just that. Green Point is perhaps the perfect place for the family’s night out. It offers not only a place to walk but also offers great restaurants that offer great food.

You’ll always have something to do and you’ll definitely have somewhere to go in Cape Town. If you are looking for a nightlife that you’ve never tried before, Cape Town has everything you are looking for. From a simple stroll in the park or watching the sunset, or from cool bars and great restaurants, they have everything all found in one great place.

The post Experience Nightlife in Cape Town like You Never Did Before appeared first on Katakuru.



from Katakuru http://katakuru.com/cape-town-nightlife/

The Best Restaurants in Cape Town to Satisfy Your Taste

So in my travels serving my Cape Town search engine optimization clients, I have traveled to the Western Cape’s capital on a number of occassions. Traveling there is an opportunity for food lovers to explore the best foods in town. Cape Town is swarming with a huge array of restaurants that give you the best burgers, pizza, pasta, and even sushi. With Cape Town strategically located on the West Coast of South Africa, you get to enjoy fresh seafood dishes prepared to your delight.

cape town restaurantsExperience local and exotic meats cooked the way you want it. Get a taste of fresh fish from the bait to the cooking pan. And if you are watching your diet, you can go all veggies and fruits. You even get a bonus of healthy dishes with natural herbs and spices, all organic for the health conscious. Cape Town has a piece of everything and you’ll regret not having to try the best while in town.

Explore the best restaurants in Cape Town according to your taste:

Hudson’s The Burger Joint. If you are looking for the best burgers in Cape Town, you have to try Hudson’s. It is located at Kloof Street and branches in and around the town. They are not only known for their beef patties but also their ostrich patties.  Hudson’s didn’t forget about vegetarians. They offer Lentil burger especially for those who do not eat meat. Try also their famous milkshakes, deep fried Oreos, and the disco fries.

Col’Cacchio. Love pizza? You’ll love it even more at Col’Cacchio. Cape Town is a community of pizza-loving people. And they know just where to get the best pizza in town. They offer the perfect thin pizza dough that is crispy to the bite, topped with fresh ingredients and finished with the cheesiest choice of cheese. Their menu offers the simplest pizza to all meat and veggies only pizza.

A Tavola. Looking for great pasta in Cape Town? You’ve got to try A Tavola, an Italian restaurant that offers the best Italian and pasta dishes in town. Try their fresh thin pasta prepared with mushrooms, and topped with Parmesan. Vegetarians are going to love this pasta recipe. Meat lovers will love it at A Tavola too. They offer a wide variety of dishes on their menu that will warm all meat lovers out there.

Nobu. Craving for sushi in Cape Town? Not to worry, Nobu is the perfect place to get the best sushi in town. Nobu is found at the V&A Waterfront. Nobu offers sushi with a twist. You can choose from a wide selection of combinations – Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno, White Fish Sashimi with Dried Red Miso, and the like. The best part is savoring sake after a good meal.

Addis in Cape. If you are looking for African dish, you have to try Addis in. Addis in Cape is the most recommended eatery for African dishes. Savor their saucy stews and eat traditionally with your hands. Get the feel of African culture and have a taste of their special dishes that will delight you with great flavor.

Explore more! Cape Town has more to offer than just five restaurants. Visit the Kloof Street and you will surely find good restaurants in a row.

The post The Best Restaurants in Cape Town to Satisfy Your Taste appeared first on Katakuru.



from Katakuru http://katakuru.com/best-restaurants-cape-town-satisfy-taste/

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Durban SEO: 5 Questions to ask any agency

SEO Durban | SEO Bloemfontein |  SEO Cape Town | SEO Johannesburg | SEO Pretoria

North Central • Asherville • Berea • Bluff • Clare Estate • Durban North • Duff’s Road • Essenwood • Greyville • Inanda-Glebe • Inanda-Newtown • KwaDinabukubo • KwaMashu • Mayville • Morningside • Ntuzuma • Newlands • Overport • Phoenix • Puntans Hill • Springfield • Stamford Hill • Sydenham • Windermere South Central • Arena Park • Bellair • Cato Manor • Chatsworth • Chesterville • Glen Park • Glenwood • Hillary • Jacobs Ladder • Lamontville • Memorial Park • Merebank • Merewent • Montclair • Mount Vernon • Northdene • North Park • Poet’s Corner • Prospecton • Rossburgh • Sarnia • Seaview • Shallcross • Treasure Beach • Wentworth • Umhlatuzana • Umlazi • Umbilo • Woodhaven • Woodlands • Yellowwood Park North • Canelands • Glen Anil • Hambanati • La Lucia • Mount Edgecombe • Verulam • Redcliffe • Tongaat • Umdloti • Umhlanga • Verulam • Sunningdale Outer West • Alverstone • Assagay • Botha’s Hill • Cato Ridge• Crestholm • Cliffdale • Clifton Canyon • Drummond • Everton • Emberton • Forest Hills • Fredville • Gillitts • Hammarsdale • Harrison • Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal • Inchanga • Kloof • KwaXimba • Molweni • Monteseel • Mpumalanga • Peacevale • Shongweni • Summerveld • Waterfall • Winston Park • Wyebank Inner West • Berea West • Chiltern Hills • Chiltern Hills • Clermont • Cowies Hill • Dassenhoek • Klaarwater • KwaDabeka • KwaNdengezi • Escombe • Malvern • Maryvale • Marianridge • Marianhill • Moseley • New Germany • Pinetown • Queensburgh • Reservoir Hills • Shallcross • Sarnia • Savanna Park • St Wendolins • Shallcross • Thornwood • Welbedacht • Westville South • Amandawe • Amanzimtoti • Athlone Park • Clansthal • Craigieburn • Isipingo • Isipingo Beach • Kingsborough • KwaMakhutha • Lower Illovo • Lovu • Magabeni • Reunion • Umbogintweni • Umkomaas • Warner Beach • Widenham • Pietermaritzburg

The post Durban SEO: 5 Questions to ask any agency appeared first on Katakuru.



from Katakuru http://katakuru.com/durban-seo-5-questions-ask-agency/

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Bloemfontein SEO: 7 Questions to Ask Any Agency

Finding a qualified Bloemfontein SEO agency is challenging. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of 7 questions you should ask any company before hiring them.

1. How will you decide what keywords we should target?

“Keywords” what searchers will use to find solutions to their problems. You want your website to rank for these keywords, so that you can offer your product or service as a means for solving their problem. A qualified SEO agency understands the importance of the keyword selection phase.

Effective keyword selection is nothing more than picking keywords that will bring your business a return on investment. The best strategy is target keywords that have low competition so that you can get some “easy” wins. Lower competition keywords, also known as “long tail” keywords, generally have the best conversion rates and will give you the bump in revenue you need to start targeting more challenging keywords.

2. Will you analyze my competition?

Some search engine optimization companies skip right past this stage and it can be detrimental to your campaign. Before finalize your keywords, it is imperative that you analyze the website that are currently ranking well. Competition analysis allows you to see how much resources will be necessary to rank, en estimated timetable for achieving rankings, and important intel on what your competition is doing to rank so well.

Many SEO campaigns fail because companies don’t take this step seriously, and end up trying to rank for keywords that require a ton of resources and time.

3. How do you “optimize” my website?

In order to rank well in Google or other search engines, you must optimize your site and make it search engine friendly. Companies that understand this stage well will focus on a few key elements on your site including site speed, mobile friendliness, META information, keyword placement, 404 errors, broken links, duplicate content, and site architecture.

4. Do you believe content is important?

There is no other form of marketing that can have a bigger impact on your business than content. Content is the only marketing channel that can stand the test of time. That is, as long as it valuable and designed to genuinely help your prospects and customers. Well-developed content can attract links and social shares naturally, which will build the authority of your site and make the organic growth process easier. All content efforts should be focused on building “evergreen” content assets. When executed correctly, evergreen content will drive traffic, leads, and new customers to your business forever.

5. Do you think social is important to SEO?

Social is big right now and Google has made changes to their algorithm to recognize its impact. There is a ton of evidence showing that increased social media marketing activities can help improve your rankings and visibility in the search engines. At the minimum SEO companies should secure all your branded properties across the Internet. And if the resources allow it, you should consider increasing activity on the major social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google +, YouTube, and Pinterest. You’ll need to decide what platforms are best your business specifically since your target customers may frequent certain platforms over others.

For example, if you’re a photographer, there’s a good chance your content will do well on Instagram and Pinterest. If you’re a new station, you’re content would be more appropriate for Twitter.

6. What types of links are you going to build?

Link building can make or break any SEO campaign and it is critical that the SEO company you work with is up with the times. Outdated link building techniques are not only ineffective, but they can actually land your website a penalty. The only types of backlinks that actually work and will keep your site safe, are contextual links from relevant websites. Smart SEO companies will reach out and building relationships with relevant blogs and websites within your industry. These relationships make quality link acquisition easier. The best types of links have an editorial process, so avoid any companies that appear to be getting links from sources that anyone could get them from.

7. Do you consider your SEO practices to be white or black hat?

“White” hat and “black” hat are terms propagated by the SEO industry. White hat means using SEO strategies that Google would approve of. Black hat means using strategies that Google wouldn’t approve of. These classifications are overblown and silly, but you should always work with a company that understands the value of on-site optimization, content development, social media, and quality link acquisition.

I hope this guide was helpful and make you use these 7 questions whenever you’re thinking about hiring a Bloemfontein SEO company.

Click here now if you want to work with a nationally recognized SEO agency.

SEO Bloemfontein |  SEO Cape Town | SEO Johannesburg | SEO Pretoria | SEO Durban

•Brandwag • Ehrlichpark • Fauna • Fichardtpark • Fleurdal • Gardeniapark • Generaal De Wet •Hospitaalpark • Kiepersol •Langenhoven Park •Lourierpark • Park West • Pellissier •Uitsig • Universitas • Westdene •Wilgehof • Willows •South • West •Langenhovenpark •North •Arboretum • Baysvalley •Bayswater •Dan Pienaar •Helicon Heights • Heuwelsig •Hillsboro •Hillside Hilton •Naval Hill •Navalsig •Noordhoek • Pentagon Park •Panorama Park •Waverley

The post Bloemfontein SEO: 7 Questions to Ask Any Agency appeared first on Katakuru.



from Katakuru http://katakuru.com/bloemfontein-seo/

Friday, March 11, 2016

Excited to show SARPnet what I can do

I was speaking with Paul van der Merwe from SARPnet yesterday, and he asked for some help with his search engine optimization.

While SARPnet has some competitors, the competition in the search engine results pages are not too tough. The website is already ranking on page 2 for keywords such as sheriff software, sheriff office management software, etc. Paul’s words were: What should I do get my site ranking page 1.

So today marks the start of our official campaign for Paul’s site (even though I have helped him with some Google Webmaster Tools settings before). Make sure to check back in after a couple of weeks to see if I made any progress. I don’t want to sound arrogant, but I am pretty confident that we can get Paul’s site into the top 5 with just a small push.

The post Excited to show SARPnet what I can do appeared first on Katakuru.



from Katakuru http://katakuru.com/excited-to-show-sarpnet-what-can-do/

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Joomla Website Design

I am excited to announce that I can now also offer Joomla Website Design to my customers. This is in conjunction with Adorn Media, a leading Joomla Website Designer.

Jana Pilkington-Williams from Adorn is a whizz when it comes to Joomla and designing websites for it.

I have always been a staunch supporter of designing websites in WordPress, but I am very happy that I can now also help those businesses with an established Joomla website.

If you need help designing a website in Joomla, drop me an email here.

The post Joomla Website Design appeared first on Katakuru.



from Katakuru http://katakuru.com/joomla-website-design/

Friday, March 4, 2016

The Importance of Local Business Directories in SEO

I recently read an article on Search Engine Journal about local directories. This reminded me of how important these local directories can be for a successful SEO campaign.

If you run a local business that provides products\services mostly to a small geographic area you need to be listed in every single local directory you can find. These listings provide advertising for your business, and also provides some of the geographic signals that search engines like to see for local businesses.

So, not only does your listing have the potential to bring in some customers, it will also help to increase your website’s exposure in the search engines.

This article sparked a few ideas in my mind, and lead to the creation of PretoriaEastPages.co.za, a Pretoria East Business Directory. The idea is to help businesses in my area to get more business from the search engines.

What makes Pretoria East Pages different?

Well, it is run by a SEO. So if you list your business, you can rest assured that I am doing my best to ensure that you get some business from the directory.

As an introductory offer any business can list for free.

I suggest you check it!

The post The Importance of Local Business Directories in SEO appeared first on Katakuru.



from Katakuru http://katakuru.com/importance-local-business-directories-seo/

Monday, February 29, 2016

Initial Discovery Form

  • Number of people in the company
  • Please provide as much detail as possible about all your products and services
  • If you are, please describe which methods are working well for you

The post Initial Discovery Form appeared first on Katakuru.



from Katakuru http://katakuru.com/initial-discovery-form/

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Johannesburg SEO: 7 Questions to Ask Any Company

Searching for a reliable Johannesburg SEO Company?

This can be a challening task if you aren’t equipped with the right information. I decided to create the following questions to assist you in choosing the right search engine optimization company.

If you start asking these questions, and you can see the SEO grappling for answers, it is time to move swiftly along to the next company.

1. What will you be changing on my website?

Almost every SEO agency will state that they will be optimizing your website. What does that really mean though?

Optimizing a website is broken down into two major segments, on-site SEO and on-page SEO.

Any SEO worth their salt, will be able to explain the difference between these two areas. Here is a breakdown of the two areas.

On-site SEO

A good company will know that on-site optimization relates to the following:

  • Creating a solid site architecture that will allow authority to flow through the site
  • Identifying and eliminating duplicate content
  • Improving pages with thin content
  • Identifying any status errors, broken links and 404 pages (Bonus points if the company mentions Google Search Console)
  • Auditing site speed, and improving the load times
  • Implemention of schema markup for search engines to understand your site better

On-page SEO

After the company has explained the above to you, they should be discussing the following with you:

  • META information: every webpage should be built around a specific keyword and theme. This META information is vital for search engines to understand what a page is about, and will be shown in the search results pages.
  • Keyword density: there was a time when a web page stuffed with keywords would rank nicely in the search results. This time is long gone. This is something that must be closely monitored to avoid over-optimization penalties. Be wary of an SEO that mentions very specific percentages here. Each and every industry is unique, and your a large part of your campaign (with the exception of the obviously shady tactics) should be modeled after what is working for your competitors
  • Keyword placement: Google and other prominent search engines closely look at where keywords are placed inside your content. The positions that are most critical is the title tag, header tags, the first image on the page and in the first or last sentence.
  • Internal linking: your website’s should link to other relevant pages on your website. This increases the authority of your website, and helps the user to find the important information.

2. Do You Believe Content is Important?

Your site’s content is the building block of any good SEO campaign. If the SEO company you are speaking with is not talking about content, or dismissing it as not important, you should move on to the next candidate. A reliable company will understand the importance of creating content on your blog, and other channels as this is one of the most affordable methods of marketing available.

More importantly, good content will remain relevant for many years to come. This means that a single article on your blog, will be driving leads, sales and profits for your business for many years to come.

3. What types of backlinks will you build?

Although search engines won’t say it out loud, links are the biggest factor behind any successful optimization campaign. It can also be a destructive weapon in the wrong hands. It is crucial that you ask any prospective SEO company what types of backlinks they will be creating.

The best links are often the hardest links to get. A prospective company might say that they will be building directory links, web 2.0s, article directories, or even press releases. These are some of the easiest links to build, meaning their effect will be diluted since everybody else has them anyway. Easy links can be dangerous, and can lead to penalties if abused.

If a company mentions editorial links, or guest posts, you know you are on the right track. These are the single most effective link source moving forward into 2016. There are still other links that your site will require to lay the groundwork, but the real power comes from these types of links.

4. Who will be working on my site?

Many SEO agencies will sign you on, only to outsource the work to companies in India, the Phillipines or Romania. This is bound to not end well, as these companies are being paid very low wages and they tend to work on volume, instead of quality. As with most things in life, paying less means you will get less.

Make sure that the work is performed in-house by a company in South Africa.

5. What is your definition of a succesful campaign?

Success is often defined differently by SEO companies. A good company will label a campaign as successful, only if the client has seen an increase in sales and revenue. Traffic is great, but if it doesn’t convert into leads and sales, it is worthless.

Trustworthy companies understand that growing organic traffic is only the first milestone on the road to greater sales and revenue for their clients.

It is critical to ask any prospective agency what the plan is once organic traffic has increased.

6. Do you consider your SEO practices to be white or black hat?

White hat and black hat are terms coined by the SEO industry. These terms are thrown around alot, and typically white hat means an agency is sticking to the rules laid down by search engines like Google. Black hat refers to methods that are not approved by Google, and can lead to penalties.

I believe that these terms are a little silly, but you should be asking your SEO this question to guage whether he is comfortable discussing their methods. Any campaign that focuses on on-site optimization, content development, social media and quality editorial links will be the hallmarks of a well planned SEO campaign.

7. Do you have referrals?

Referrals are huge in any industry, not just SEO. Any business that has achieved some level of success, will have clients that are willing to talk about it. Ask for referrals!

If you are interested in working with a nationally recognized SEO company, then get in touch now.

The post Johannesburg SEO: 7 Questions to Ask Any Company appeared first on Katakuru.



from Katakuru http://katakuru.com/johannesburg-seo/

Thursday, February 25, 2016

One of the best SEO case studies I have ever come across

I do a lot of research when it comes to SEO. I love reading about techniques being tested by other SEO’s and their findings. I typically remain a little skeptical whenever I read these case studies though.

The search landscape has just too many variables to even name (see Brian Dean’s exhaustive list here), let alone to take into consideration when running a test. At best, a decent SEO will be able to rattle off dozens of different ranking factors widely considered to be in use by Google’s algorithms.

Up until now I had thought it would be near impossible to run a proper seo test excluding all variables, except for the one being tested.

The guys over Reboot Online proved me wrong. They recently did a study on the use of authority outbound links.

I have for quite some been a big believer in adding outgoing links to relevant resources on pages and posts that I was optimizing.  Other seo’s have been doing the same. We were all operating on the assumption that it had to be important somehow.

With this case study, Reboot Online has proven that these types of outgoing links definitely play a role in Google’s algorithm.

Special shout out to Matt Diggity from Diggity Marketing for putting me on to this case study. Matt runs a kick-ass SEO blog himself, and I make sure not to miss any of his posts.

The guys at Reboot Online did an excellent job with this case study, and I can’t wait for more studies like this one.

Keep up the great work, guys!

P.S. For local companies, these types of outgoing links might be the local business chamber, other companies not in your industry, local area blogs, etc. Hit me up here if this is something you might want to implement on your site.

The post One of the best SEO case studies I have ever come across appeared first on Katakuru.



from Katakuru http://katakuru.com/one-of-the-best-seo-case-studies-i-have-ever-come-across/
App.net Bitly Blogger Bufferapp Delicious Diigo Evernote Google Drive Instapaper Pocket Tumblr Wordpress Pryv Google Plus Page Weebly Pinterest Toodledo Nimbus Note