Sever Side Design, Inc. & SEO News

SSD President Approved to Become BBB Marketing Committee Member in Houston

(Posted December 8, 2010 by SSD, Inc.)

Roger Janik, president of Server Side Design, Inc., has been selected to become a member of the Better Business Bureau’s Marketing Committee in Houston. Janik was approved by the committee earlier this month.

“It is a huge opportunity to be chosen to unite with some of the brightest marketing minds in the city of Houston and contribute to the growth and production of the BBB,” Janik said. “I am looking forward to sharing ideas with the other members of the committee and listening to their thoughts and opinions as well. Helping to plan for the future of an organization such as the BBB is one of those once in a lifetime prospects that you simply cannot pass up. I am graciously thankful to the members of the committee for selecting me to participate in the promotion of the BBB in Houston.”

Janik brings his expertise in digital marketing and search engine marketing to the table by joining the BBB Marketing Committee. As president of Server Side Design, Janik has vast experience in understanding the latest trends in social media marketing, search engine optimization, and pay per click marketing. In addition, his company has won the BBB’s Winners of Distinction award twice in a row based on their commitment to excellence, high employee standards, and ability to provide the best services possible even when that might result in a loss of profits.

The BBB Marketing Committee is a place to bring ideas from different areas of expertise so they can better plan for future marketing endeavors, according to BBB Houston Internet Marketing Director Jordan Rzad. They felt Janik was a perfect fit for this “think tank” of initiatives designed to highlight the functions of the BBB in the Houston area.

“We are very excited to have Roger Janik on board with his proficiency in the field of SEO,” Rzad said. “That, along with mobile internet, is certainly the future. It is exciting to have a person with us whose primary focus is in this business. The more experts, angles, and perspectives we have, the better.”

Janik has appeared twice on the BBB Straightalk Radio program, broadcast at 1 p.m. Mondays on 650 AM in Houston. He discussed social media and search engine optimization during his visits.

Janik is expected to attend his first meeting with the BBB Marketing Committee in January 2011.
Server Side Design, Inc. specializes in search engine optimization, pay per click advertising and custom website design. Company specialists build, host, manage and promote web sites and web applications. More information is available by calling 1-888-736-2384 or logging on to www.serversidedesign.com.

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RockMelt- The New Social Browser

(Posted November 23, 2010 by SSD, Inc.)

There has been a lot of buzz recently on the web regarding the release of a new browser. While there are usually several new browser releases each year, this one is by Marc Andreesen, who is well known for co-founding the wildly successful and first mainstream browser Netscape. With Marc Andreesen's name behind the latest browser, many are interested in knowing whether this idea is another game-changing piece of technology.

RockMelt differentiates itself from other browsers by being a "Social Browser". Currently in Beta, RockMelt is a light and efficient browser built on Google's open source Chromium code. You may already know or use Google's Chrome browser, RockMelt uses the same technology to make surfing the web quick, easy and painless. However, in addition to a standard browser configuration, RockMelt has the added capability of making it effortless for users to connect and share with social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and others.

RockMelt does look visually different than other browsers, besides the normal browser configuration one will find the important innovation called "edges". On both sides of the browser, you will find a toolbar looking device going vertically along the edges as seen in the screenshot below:

On the left hand side you are able to easily view and monitor the actions of friends on sites such as Facebook. In fact in order to use RockMelt, once you load it, you must first log into your Facebook account. On the right hand side you will see that you can easily monitor RSS feeds along with other apps.

RockMelt has made it easy to communicate with friends using the edge on the left. Simply click on a person's avatar and a window will pop up within the browser where one can post a message to that person's wall or simply chat. In addition, you can also drag and drop urls, pics, etc into this window making sharing media with others easily. RockMelt also alerts the user to who is available and who is not. Besides communicating with others, updating your own status requires simply clicking your own avatar

The windows used in RockMelt are layered and are actually very efficient at maximizing the desktop real estate. This is also true about search, using RockMelt, one will find at the top of the browser screen two boxes for URL navigation and for search queries. By entering search terms in the URL/Address navigation box, you can literally search through Google's search results without having to visit the site itself. RockMelt supports integrated search previews as shown below to the right.

All in all, RockMelt is pretty intuitive and easy to use; however it does have its downsides. First off, there is currently no version for mobile browsing, meaning that RockMelt is strictly a desktop browser. While a quality browser, I don't think that the innovation of its edges will make this browser's acceptance expand more than a niche group. Secondly, while fairly new and it should be noted still in beta, there have been quite a lot of issues accessing and posting to Facebook. Meaning, that while RockMelt may offer the ability to access social networks, it might currently be too buggy to offer users efficiency at this time.

Regarding SEO and SEM professionals, RockMelt, while a quality browser with promise looks to be currently a niche product used by hardcore social network users. Obviously still in beta, it might be fun or interesting to use this tool, but serious interest should wait until this browser comes out of beta and major issues are corrected. As for what many of the new users thought about this browser; I found plenty of comments on various review site. Many commented positively and liked the edges, but many did have issues connecting to their favorite social network sites and using the browser to its full potential. I also read a lot of comments that while RockMelt seemed like a novel idea, the ability to reach out to friends and family and the constant updating of RSS fees being shown on their desktop became quite distracting and a time-killer.

RockMelt is currently available by invitation only. Please visit http://www.rockmelt.com to receive access.

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Google Announces Instant Previews

(Posted November 16, 2010 by SSD, Inc.)

With Google experiencing plenty of competition on all fronts including competition from Bing, Yahoo and Facebook, Google is looking to innovate their search product offering giving users the very best experience possible. While almost all will agree competition is great, the speed at which Google is offering new products, rolling out new features and changing some of the core ways it searches the web can be headache-inducing for those in the SEO and SEM industry. The latest offer by Google is its Instant Previews.

What is Instant Previews? Plain & Simple, now when you search for a keyword you will receive your normal results with the addition of a magnifying icon besides each listing. Clicking on the magnifying icon will quickly show the page as an image to the right. Below, I conducted a search for the keyword: Sequoia tree. Below is a cut-out of the sample listings.

As you can see the magnifying glass is to the right of each link. By clicking on the magnifying glass you have enabled this feature (clicking once again disables the feature). One click of the magnifying glass is enough, from now on you can go down the page clicking on each listing and seeing an image of the page to the right. You don't just receive a thumbnail image which has been popular for years, but what Google displays is an actual image of the page- text and all. You can see a sample below:

Google hopes to make the search experience more efficient and fun for the user. One of the many issues users experience is clicking on links that don't deliver the information one is looking for. In the past Google has done a phenomenal job at reading people's minds and delivering highly relevant webpages tailored to a person's search. However, with the addition of this feature, Google hopes to make the search experience even more accurate.

In fact, on Google's Blog (http://googleblog.blogspot.com) Google expects users to be 5% more satisfied with the search results and I agree. In certain situations having the ability to view an image can be very beneficial. For instance, using the sample keyword above, you can see that the first listing for "Sequoia tree" was from www.wikipedia.com. Unfortunately, Wikipedia's results (as shown below) is primarily text:

If I was interested in seeing pictures of actual trees, this choice would have been unsatisfactory, however utilizing the Instant Previews feature, I can search through Google's listing visually finding the listing that fits my search the best.

While Google's Instant Previews isn't a game-changer it can become a popular feature. For those of us in the SEO & SEM industry it does have obvious implications. First, as always you want to make sure your entire website (not just your homepage) is attractive and visually appealing while also efficient at conveying information about your products & services. You also might want to think about adding images and other media to all of your webpages. Plain text obviously is not as appealing as a page that has both text and images in an attractive layout. In addition, to just adding images to each webpage, you might want to pay close attention to the top section of the page as this area might get the most attention from viewers both using Google's Instant Preview and physically visiting your site.

One disadvantage that I do see regarding this feature for us in the industry is that there looks to be no way to measure how many people previewed a page of ours. This information can be highly useful in tweaking a page, making it more attractive or appealing to users. As always, I will keep you posted if any new information comes out on what I think is a highly useful feature.

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The New Twitter Roll Out

(Posted November 8, 2010 by SSD, Inc.)

For those of us that rely on social networking sites for marketing your websites, products, services and brand names Twitter can obviously be a benefit. While not for everyone, Twitter has grown in leaps and bounds over the years and today is at the pinnacle of social networks on the web. While Twitter can seem like it moves at a million miles per hour and be a little (or a lot) constricting with its 140 word text microblog limit, for those that learn and become adept at using Twitter, it can offer a huge advantage that can definitely give you a great return on your investment. If you use Twitter seldom, regularly, or consider yourself a power user, you should know that Twitter recently rolled out a revamped version of its website to users in the United States (as well as around the world).

The Biggest Change Since Twitter Began

It should be noted that the new roll which went live in September is the biggest change to Twitter since its inception. In fact, a lot of the changes aren't just cosmetic, they are in effect a way to help keep up with demand from their mobile users. Since this year, use has doubled year on year. In fact, it's not uncommon for there to be 90 million tweets or more each and every day. But the big change to Twitter is in its mobile users. Fueled by the incredible growth in the smartphone market, mobile device use is up over 250% over last year. With a user base of over 145 million people, a large amount are now creating their Twitter account using a mobile device- about 16% on average according to Twitter.com. With so much growth in use and with the types of technology shifting to access this site, you can easily understand why Twitter.com was ripe for an overhaul. Regarding the overhaul, while it may sound like Twitter completely gutted their site, the changes have actually worked in the users favor - Twitter is still incredibly easy and very efficient to use.

The New Roll Out of Twitter Home and Profile Page

So, what's new with Twitter? A few interesting additions about the new roll out that are quite exciting is the addition of some new functionality and making it even easier to stay on Twitter without having to click off the site to experience media. The user's homepage is now streamlined to include a dual screen. The left part of the screen focuses on your tweets and includes your tweet box where you type in your tweets, your timeline which includes the posts from those that you follow. On the right side of the page, you'll find mostly technical information which is easily accessed or viewed including the amount of people that you follow, your followers, trends etc. Similarly, when you are on your profile page you will see your own tweets on the right hand side and technical info will continue to be on the left.

In addition to the timeline tab being on the right hand side in both the user's home page and profile page, next to the timeline tab you will also see other tabs including @mentions (a quick way to view who has mentioned you), retweets (you can use the drop down box to choose retweets by others, retweets by you and your tweets retweeted. The other two tabs include searches (you can save recent searches) and lists (where you can create a list or see which lists follow your account.

Main Features of the Roll Out

Embedded Video- One of the main reasons for the new look on the user's home and profile pages was the addition of the new media support. If you remember, the page width was much thinner, but now with the addition of media support, the wider page makes it easy and to view media including videos from a wide range of providers including YouTube, Justin.TV, Twitgoo, TwitPic, TwitVid, Flickr, Vimeo and more. Just click on the video link and you will see the video box open up seamlessly to the right side of the screen where it can be played. In fact, with 25% (according to Twitter.com) of tweets containing links to a wide range of multimedia type sites, it is no wonder that this feature didn't come sooner.
Easy to View Images- It should also be noted that you can now easily view images as well by clicking on any link and having the picture be viewed on the right hand side of the page.
Easy to Follow Content- Whether you click on a person's profile or tweets, you will see that the connected content shows up on the right hand side, making it easier than ever to view additional information that is related to a user or subject. What kind of related content will you be able to see? Well it all depends, you may simply see replies, a list of tweets by the user and for those that are into geo-tagging, even a map of where a tweet was sent from.
Continuous Scrolling- Before the roll out, only a limited number of tweets were shown on a page, now you can easily scroll down to view a continuous list of tweets- the next button was removed so you no longer have to press next or wait for a new page to load- just simply scroll.

Twitter as a Destination Site

While life on Twitter does move fast, this site does want you to stay as long as possible. Many of the updates in the roll out are focused on giving Twitter users a richer user experience (including all types of multimedia) without ever having to leave the site. This enhances Twitter as a destination site keeping a user on Twitter longer, hopefully spending more time digesting tweets and info and creating/sharing more content- all of which is a benefit and the ultimate goal of the Twitter community.

What These Roll Outs Mean for SEO and SEM

It's obvious that today more and more people online are utilizing social networks to enhance their web experience. This means that while there is still plenty of traffic from search visiting many sites around the internet, many users are online making connections at social network sites including Twitter. Twitter is business friendly and has a much larger risk appetite for marketing than other social networks such as Facebook. This means that if you are looking to engage your current and potential customer base, Twitter can be a powerful tool to do so. It should be noted that links on Twitter are still nofollow, however many links do show up in Google. In addition, where Facebook doesn't allow a business to reach out and request friends, Twitter is more than fine with any user (business or personal user) to reach out to any Twitter user and follow them online.

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Thinking About Facebook Ads? Some Information to Know

(Posted October 30, 2010 by SSD, Inc.)

While many are already using Google's pay per click product AdWords, Facebook.com also offers a way to reach out to current and potential fans in order to grow your brand and sell your products or services. Facebook has grown in leaps and bounds over the years and today shows real promise in helping businesses and organizations reach vast amounts of online users. Whether you are already using Facebook Ads or are interested in this powerful tool, here are some tips on how to maximize this endeavor.

Things to Know About Facebook Marketing

Marketing on Facebook is usually referred to as Social Media Marketing since it adds a social element. For those that are thinking about marketing their business on Facebook, you will need to create a fan page (which is for businesses only). Personal accounts which most people are familiar with are created specifically for personal connections and if Facebook finds out that you are using this personal account to market your business they can delete your account immediately without any recourse. So if you are seriously considering marketing your products or services, a fan page is the way to go.

You should also understand that marketing and selling on Facebook is much different than using search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo. First off, Facebook is a destination site. This means that people that use Facebook generally spend more time on the site (actually according to Nielson.com more time during the month than all the following sites combines: Google, Yahoo, Bing, MSN Live, YouTube and Windows Live). However, and this is very important, because Facebook is a destination site, the people on Facebook are not necessarily in buying mode. With Google's AdWords those that are usually clicking on text ads are actively researching products & services or ready to buy!

Facebook Ads Directed to Your Facebook Assets

A Facebook asset is any page, tab or account you have created on the Facebook platform. Today, a wide range of Facebook ad purchasers use Facebook to market their website or other assets which are off the Facebook platform- not their fan page. While this strategy usually does work and delivers results, many Facebook ad users see a better long term ROI in utilizing ads to point back to Facebook assets. So instead of pointing your ads to your general website, look into building your Facebook assets, specifically pointing your ads to your Facebook business account or a specific tab. The reason being is that first off most Facebook users are not ready to buy, however you can still make an impression on them and build awareness of your brand. In addition, even though they are not ready to buy, many advertisers are more than happy to make them a fan of their page and hopefully spread their word of mouth to their friends.

Finally, many advertisers are directing ad viewers to their FB assets because these viewers can be broken up in groups such as already a fan, not a fan yet or friend of a fan. These ads can send these distinct viewers to specific tabs on your FB account. A tab is an actual tab on your main Facebook page, but it can also be a page specifically created for different types of viewers. So you can have users that click on your ad that already are a friend –which can be sent to a tab (page) where you offer one type of coupon and you can have users that are not a friend yet click on your ad and land on a tab (page) where the main goal is to get the viewer to become a friend and click on the Like button. This is obviously something you can't do with Google AdWords.

Building Awareness and Interest in Your Brand, Products & Services

Using Facebook Ads is usually much different than using Google's AdWords and related products. We mentioned above that Facebook is a destination site and this means that while many go to Google for action (to research or buy a brand, product or service) those on Facebook generally are not in that action mode. Instead many advertisers while wanting to make a sale are using FB ads to build awareness- this is usually through enticing viewers of your ad to click on the "Like" button and become a fan.

General Tips on Creating Ads for Facebook

Here are some general tips and philosophy regarding creating Facebook ads. First off, it is important to understand Facebook users. While Google search and AdWords is generally used to research a brand or purchase a product or services, Facebook does not necessarily work this way. Most people using Facebook are communicating with one another. For instance, the search box at the top of Facebook is not used for keywords, it is instead used to input names, schools or organization. So using the same mindset to create ads with Google will not necessarily work on Facebook. Instead try to figure out what users in your product would genuinely be interested in. Remember Facebook Ads is very good at serving up demographics. You can easily serve ads to people that are already your friends, in a specific location (IP location), gender, age group and by specific interests. In addition, you can also target ads to friends of connections (friends who are connected to a page, event, group or application).

It should also be noted that when creating ads on Facebook you can use images instead of just text. This means that if you have a complex product that is difficult to explain through words, an image can convey your product or service efficiently and more effectively. For instance it can be tough to convey a high quality jacket or home décor item through text on Google AdWords, where with Facebook Ads you can actually show the item.

Looking to Generate Leads

Besides making an immediate sale, many businesses always look to generate leads to sell complex products and services- with Facebook Ads, you can do so effectively. For instance, while Pay Per Click is an excellent way to drive traffic to your site which then can lead to someone filling out a form, the downside is that many users don't necessarily want to spend time entering lots of information. With Facebook you can make entering data into a form a much more efficient process. Facebook offers "Connect with Facebook", this is a piece of code that you can either put on your external website or at your Facebook fan page where a person that is a member of Facebook can click on "Connect with Facebook" and verify that they would like to send you their personal information (effectively filling in your form instantaneously). Generally speaking, there are people that don't mind filling out a form or sharing their personal information with you, they just don't want to spend the time entering it. Since Facebook already collected personal information once, it can be passed along to you- of course with the users approval first.

Benefits of Facebook Ads Compared to Pay Per Click

While pay per click charges you every time a person clicks your ad, with Facebook, you only get charged once. For instance, if a person clicks your ad and then becomes your fan, you can then build awareness over time, sending them coupons and other exciting offers- all built off of this one click. Also as mentioned above, you can target users meeting your demographics more easily with Facebook and more importantly serve specific information depending on the demographic- using the above example of serving up a different tab to a new visitor or a fan of your page. Finally, Facebook is a great way to build a loyal brand over time. Engaging your community is what helps Facebook stand apart from search engines and can lead to not only a direct viewer of your ad purchasing your product or service, but friends of that viewer that have learned virally of your brand.

Negatives of Facebook Ads

Once again, Facebook is a destination site that is geared to building relationships and communicating with others. For immediate action including sales, pay per click is definitely the way to go. However, if you want to build a brand, you can do so effectively with Facebook ads and later by engaging your community of fans.

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SSD President Special Guest on BBB Straight Talk Radio Show in Houston

(Posted October 25, 2010 by SSD, Inc.)

Roger Janik, president of Server Side Design (SSD), one of Houston’s leading social media marketing (SMM) and search engine optimization (SEO) companies, is this week’s special guest on BBB Straight Talk, the Better Business Bureau’s hour-long radio program that focuses on business-related topics. The show is being broadcast at 1 p.m., Monday, Oct. 25, 2010 on KIKK 650 AM.

Jordan Rzad, BBB Houston internet marketing manager, will host the program in place of regular host, Dan Parsons, who serves as the BBB Houston president in Houston.

Janik will talk about the best practices for social media, how businesses use SMM as well as SEO. He has previously guest starred on the show before and has provided proposal work for the BBB in the past. During his last appearance on the show, Janik spoke on the formula of success for SMM and SEO.

Server Side Design, Inc. is a Website Design & Website Promotion Company based in Houston, TX. They specializes in search engine optimization, pay per click advertising and custom website design. Company specialists build, host, manage and promote Web sites and Web applications. More information about Server Side Design is available by calling 1-888-736-2384 ext. 704 or logging on to www.ServerSideDesign.com.

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GOOGLE MAKES MAJOR UPDATE BY MIXING LOCAL LISTINGS IN WITH NATIONAL RESULTS

(Posted September 1, 2010 by SSD, Inc.)

Google has made another update to its search engine results pages and this time its a big one. In fact, this could be the biggest update in several years that will have a direct impact on the SEO industry as well as businesses trying to rank well across the globe.

Several months ago Google rolled out what they call Personal Search. This meant that if you were logged into your Google Account you would begin seeing natural search results based on your recent activity on Google. For example if you recently searched for 'red sox' and then clicked on a clothing website instead of the baseball team, Google would recognize that and the next time you searched they would begin excluding baseball teams from your search results. In addition Google has been tracking your cookies and providing local search results based on your location and search activity. (If you want to turn this feature off you can read this quick tutorial)

But this update is bigger- much bigger. We've discovered today (yes I said today because apparently nobody on the Internet is blogging or talking about this yet) that if you are logged out of your Google Account and you have also cleared your Internet cache and cookies, you will STILL see local results toward the bottom half of page one even if you've typed in a generic, national level keyword phrase!

Let me give you an example. Let's try an extremely difficult and competitive keyword such as 'used cars'. This keyword phrase has aprox 233 million websites competing for it! I am searching from a computer in Houston, TX so I would not imagine most of the results on page one to show listings from Houston. But low and behold what do we find? 4 out of the 10 listings are from Houston!

I began wondering if this was a fluke so I called several people who live out of state and they are all finding the same thing and same pattern. For almost any phrase you can think of (seo, sporting goods, travel agent, etc) they were all seeing local results in the bottom 5-6 listings on page one of Google.

If this is permanent then this will definitely change the entire SEO game. For example what if you own a company that sells clock radios throughout the entire United States? Your page one rankings will now be determined based on the address of your business- meaning that if your address is in Houston, TX then more than likely that will be your only true target becuase if someone in Tennessee searches for Clock Radios they will see 4-5 national companies and then 4-5 local companies (and this is not including local maps and paid ads). So it is now extremely difficult to compete on a global scale for keyword phrases since you are only shooting for the top 4-5 spots!

And what does this mean for Google? Well of course this means more PPC income because in order to compete on a national level now it will be almost mandatory to run PPC ads to get any exposure.

On the flip side it will now be easier for local companies to show up on page one for generic phrases instead of geo-targeted phrases. For example if a person in Houston is searching for 'flower shop' they might actually find "Lauras Flower Shop" based in Houston rather than 10 flower shops that are out of state. So for local business this Google update might actually be a good thing. But for national and international companies this may end up being a real nightmare and hit to their bottom line.

This is a new rollout so its possible that this could change quickly but as of today this is what many of us are seeing happen across all industries.

Roger Janik - Server Side Design, Inc.
www.serversidedesign.com

*UPDATE TO THIS ARTICLE (Sept 9, 2010)
It now appears that Google is only making the above update in the larger cities and has stopped in the surrounding metro areas. For example if you type in "Used Cars" in Google and you reside in the city of Houston you will still see a combination of national and local listings. But if you reside in an outer city such as Humble, Kingwood, Sugarland, Pearland, etc. you will NOT see the local results mixed in!

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The Pros and Cons of Search Engines Tracking Personal Data

Google Collects/Tracks the following data:
1. Search queries (with misspellings)
2. IP Address (does not tell who you are or always where you are- only general location) BUT your ISP can match YOU with your IP address
3. Unique cookie; does not tell personal information
4. Keeps log of query, ip, cookie, browser, time/date
Note: After 18 months Google will delete parts of your IP address and cookie to ensure privacy
Pros of Internet tracking for Consumers:

Users get personalized search results based on what sites they visit (cookie tracking)

Example; Is Golf a game or a Car?

Users get “interest based ads” based on websites they visit.
Local search results based on IP address
Website owners Use Analytics program (such as GA) to gather visitor information such as location, time on website, top landing/exit pages and much more.
Local business websites show up more often because of ‘personalized’ search.

Cons of Internet tracking for Consumers:

Location is tracked based on IP address
Search query logs are stored indefinitely
Local results will show up when looking for national businesses. (in major cities only)

Advantage for Engines:

Can offer highly targeted advertising solutions to business. Ads show based on user location and what sites user visits.
Finds common misspellings and native language querries
Saves data to offer personalized, local and instant search results (and future apps)
Higher click-through-rate of ads increases profit margin

Tips for consumer privacy:

If you have Google account go to www.google.com/dashboard to view all personal data collected so you can delete or opt out. (gmail, groups, web history, youtube, analytics, docs, maps, profile)
To quickly clear Web History (when logged into google account) simply click “Web History” link at top of page.
To opt-out of web history when NOT logged into google account click “Web History” link at top of page.
To opt out of behavioral ad targeting (interest based ads) go to www.google.com/ads/preferences

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Houston, TX (September 1, 2010) – Server Side Design Ranked No. 2 in Nation on TopTenReviews

Server Side Design (SSD) has earned a No. 2 spot on TopTenReviews’s list of Internet marketing companies that provide the best services in multiple areas such as search engine optimization, pay per click, link building, and social media optimization.

After carefully considering Internet marketing company’s practices and reputation, TopTenReviews recommended Server Side Design as second best on their list because SSD was on “the positive side of the spectrum.” According to their review, TopTenReviews said SSD provided original content and adhered to a good code of ethics in terms of their SEO services.

“This is awesome news coming from a reputable Internet marketing review company like TopTenReviews,” said Roger Janik, SSD president. “We have always said from the beginning that providing good service goes beyond just getting a client high rankings. It is integrity, good business ethics, a willingness to serve and doing things the other guys are not doing to show clients that we are in this for them and not just ourselves. The tactics we employ are grounded in solid principles that are geared toward helping clients grow their business without resorting to unscrupulous methods. This recognition demonstrates that we are able to provide great services that clients can trust.”

TopTenReviews went on to say that SSD’s code of SEO ethics includes practices and standards that protect their client’s company reputation and long-term relationship with the search engines.

“For example, they do not try to perform campaigns against competitor’s sites, employ bait and switch tactics, plagiarize or use duplicate content, link spam or place hidden links or generate doorways or re-direct pages,” TopTenReviews stated. “They are interested in the long-term success of a website and not quick, often harmful tactics to get fast short-term results. This online internet marketing service also does not make Google ranking promises they cannot keep.”

TopTenReviews also pointed out SSD’s penchant for providing a high level of customer contact by assigning each client an account executive of their own which enables them to contact SSD at any time by email or telephone. In addition, reports are frequently given to clients, providing them with pertinent information such as traffic statistics, keyword performance, any new content that is published and the performance of their pay per click campaigns.

Other factors TopTenReviews considered before making their recommendation included SSD’s comprehensiveness of services; social media marketing; help and support; timeliness; performance analytics; reputation; and customer education.

TopTenReviews provides companies with information needed to purchase the best product by comparing charts, news, articles, and videos. Their motto is “We do the research so you don't have to™.”

More information about Server Side Design is available by calling 1-888-736-2384 ext. 704 or logging on to www.ServerSideDesign.com.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Houston, TX (January 20, 2010) – Server Side Design wins BBB Award Second Year in a Row

Server Side Design, Inc. is on a winning streak thanks to earning the Better Business Bureau’s Winners of Distinction Award for the second straight year.

The prestigious award was handed out at the BBB’s 18th Annual Awards for Excellence on May 5 at the Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Houston, TX.

2010 BBB Award Ceremony

Server Side Design was listed in the Business, Technology and Services category. In 2009, the web marketing company took home the same honor. They are the only web marketing company in Houston to receive this honor for 2009 and this year.

“It is an outstanding accomplishment to receive this distinguished award for the second year running,” said Roger Janik, Server Side Design president. “We have not relinquished the standard of excellence that we set forth for each and every client. It is imperative to hold up high standards for ourselves, so we can accomplish every goal set by our clients. Maintaining good business ethics translates into success and we are an example of that.”

Winners of the award are chosen based on their commitment to excellence with clients, the high standards set by the employees, their ability to provide the best services possible even though it may result in a loss of profits, and the creation of a work environment that promotes growth and quality work.

Businesses that are accredited to the BBB of Metropolitan Houston are eligible for the award. A form with answers to several pertinent questions is submitted by businesses describing what they do in detail. The submission form also includes information on examples of how the company helps its customers, solicits business, and the promotion of ethics in the company.

Server Side Design has also made PromotionWorld's Top 10 SEO Company list numerous times and was selected at a first place winner by their award panel for being the best Search Engine Marketing (SEM) companies in 2009 in the Best PPC Management Company category. SSD also took home third place for PromotionWorld’s Readers Choice category and the Best SEO Company category. PromotionWorld is considered the premier news and information source for the search engine marketing industry.

The BBB Awards for Excellence recognizes businesses and non-profits for their achievements and commitment to overall excellence and quality in the workplace. Proceeds from the event help fund the four programs of the Better Business Bureau Education Foundation and extend its educational initiatives to outlying communities of the Greater Houston area.

More information about Server Side Design is available by calling 1-888-736-2384 ext. 704 or logging on to www.ServerSideDesign.com.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Houston, TX (January 20, 2010) – Server Side Design wins First Place for PromotionWorld’s Best PPC Management Company
Places third in two other categories

Server Side Design, a web site marketing and promotion company in Houston, TX, was recently selected as the first place winner by PromotionWorld’s award panel for being the best Search Engine Marketing (SEM) companies in 2009 in the Best PPC Management Company category.

Server Side Design also came away in third place for the Readers Choice category and the Best SEO Company category. PromotionWorld’s readers nominated who they thought was the best SEM company for the Reader’s Choice Award.

“I cannot say how thrilled we are to receive this honor,” said Roger Janik, Server Side Design president. “These awards reflect the integrity and hard work that goes into each and every project we undertake. Our team sets out each and everyday to provide the most excellent service we could possibly provide to our clients. This award truly represents all of them and the dedication they have in providing outstanding workmanship for our clients.”

PromotionWorld selected Server Side Design for these awards because of their ability to stand out among many high-quality companies and their contributions to the online advertising realm. These awards are based on the services offered, the package diversity, customer support, new products and services, feedback, website popularity, and overall performance.

“We strive to achieve excellence in each and every aspect of our business,” Janik added. “In order to do that, you have to be willing to be more than one-dimensional. By having a philosophy of excellence, you can aim high and reach goals that it would be impossible to obtain if it weren’t for our commitment to our clients. These awards are an indication of how much hard work and dedication can pay off in a positive way. We are grateful to PromotionWorld for recognizing our accomplishments.”

This is the fourth consecutive year that PromotionWorld has given special recognition to SEM companies that are well-known in their respective communities and have demonstrated growth in their business sector. PromotionWorld’s Annual Awards have grown in popularity and is considered one of the most prestigious Internet marketing awards given out today.

Server Side Design, Inc. specializes in search engine optimization, pay per click advertising and custom website design. Company specialists build, host, manage and promote web sites and web applications.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Houston, TX (October 28, 2009) – Server Side Design President Visits BBB Straight Talk

Roger Janik, president of Server Side Design (SSD), went live on the radio on the BBB Straight Talk Show with Dan Parsons, Sept. 28, to talk about the benefits of search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM).

The show was broadcast live on KIKK 650 AM in Houston and Lelia Perrin, vice president of marketing for the Houston Better Business Bureau (BBB), was also on hand. The show is produced by Steven Kay Media.

Janik, who has provided proposal work in the past for the BBB, started out the show by talking about how marketing on the Internet is an ever-changing medium.

“It is one of those things you have to stay on top of and watch the trends,” Janik said. “We started out as an SEM company. We had no idea if it would go away a year later. It is always changing and evolving. Over the next five years, the whole complexion of the Net may change.” Janik said he did not see SEM going away in the near future.

“Search engines are always changing the way they sort data and give results,” he said. “But people are always going to search engines and typing in whatever they are looking for and search engines are serving up results to them. The way companies like mine optimize results may change. There are search engines out there now like Bing. The way they sort data with images and videos along with text will always continue to change. You have to stay on top of it.”

Janik’s company, SSD, assists clients in receiving higher rankings on search engine pages. He explained that there really is no secret method in doing this.

“Google and other search engines never tell their secrets,” Janik said. “They are always updating their algorithms, which will change the outcome of the results. If you hire a company like ours, our purpose is to get rankings high on a search engine results pages for certain keyword phrases. That means we push out weekly articles, blog entries, press releases, and use a comprehensive link back building program. If we do this, we can get a client to the top of the search engines. It may take a month or six months to a year, depending on how tough the keyword phrase competition is.” Janik added that if a client decides to cut loose and stop the campaign, their rankings might slip over time.

“Those links will go dead and fresh content will no longer be posted to their Web site,” Janik said. “We have seen that with some former clients. In addition, if you stop the SEO process and your competitors are still campaigning, they could push you out of the rankings. Time and inactivity will work against you.”

Parsons asked if people looking for information on a search engine results page would stop at the first, second, third page or beyond.

“As a rule of thumb, page one is where everyone wants to be,” Janik said. “For paid ads on the right hand side, you want to be in positions one through five, not one or two, because you are paying for those ads. Every time someone clicks on one of those ads, you get charged for that as a business. The higher up you are, the more you get charged. That is called cost per click. But, if you are in positions three, four or five in the middle of page one, it will cost you substantially less. We have found out it gets just as good results.”

For businesses that cannot afford a paid per click campaign, a natural or organic SEO campaign might better suit them, Janik said.

“The downfall of a paid campaign is that while you may get to page one quickly, it will cost you an arm and a leg,” he said. “However, with a natural SEO campaign, you can pay a company like ours a minimal amount and get more results over time.”

Janik says he tells clients if they have the budget to afford it, it is a good idea to do both. “Your first goal should be natural rankings instead of paid,” Janik said. “The reason why is that 70 percent of the users will click natural. The other 30 percent click paid. It is more cost effective for you to invest in natural SEO campaigns.”

Giving advice on clients who are considering hiring an SEO company to net them higher rankings on search engine results pages, Janik said the first thing they should do is to check client references.

“Try calling at least five of them,” he said. “Ask questions such as are they getting results? Are their deliverables adequate? Are you happy? Are they a BBB member? Do they have awards? Do they have a clean record? You have to hold them accountable. Sending reports is another huge aspect. A good SEO company should send clients reports bi-weekly or monthly. Also, web traffic reports are important. Just because they have you at number one on Google, does that mean your traffic is going up? More traffic translates into more business.”

Janik said his philosophy on having a strong SEO and SEM company is based on how their formula for success is working.

“SEO and SEM is a blend of art and science,” he said. “You have to know the basics, do your homework and know how to manipulate the search engines to get to the top. Every SEO and SEM company should have a formula for success. We believe we have a strong one and have built upon that by trying different things. That is what it is all about – figuring out what the formula for success is.”

For more information on Server Side Design, call 1-888 SEO ADVICE (736-2384) or log on to www.serversidedesign.com.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Houston, TX (May 12, 2009) – Server Side Design, Inc. receives Winners of Distinction honor at BBB awards ceremony

Server Side Design prides itself on being different from other Website design and promotion companies.

They demonstrate a strong commitment to excellence when working with clients. The employees hold themselves to high standards, helping clients receive the best service even when it meant foregoing a profit or absorbing a loss. In addition, the company creates a working atmosphere that promotes growth and is conducive for producing quality work.

SEO Award from the BBB

These are just some of the reasons that led to Server Side Design being named one of the Winners of Distinction under the Business Technology category at the 17th Annual BBB Awards for Excellence luncheon, held May 6 at the InterContinental Hotel in Houston.

Server Side Design, Inc. is a Website design and Website promotion company based in Houston, TX. It specializes in search engine optimization, pay per click advertising and custom website design. Company specialists build, host, manage and promote Web sites and Web applications.

Server Side Design President Roger Janik was delighted to hear his company received the BBB award.

“We were greatly honored to have received the BBB award of distinction,” Janik said. “Server Side Design is a global company but it’s nice to be recognized and honored by an organization that holds business ethics to the highest standards. This award crystallizes our dedication to the Houston community as being a leader in Internet Marketing while upholding the utmost business ethics and practices. We were the only web marketing company in Houston to receive this award.”

David Phillips, Server Side Design senior project manager, said the award gives him and other employees a sense of pride.

“Winning this award from the Better Business Bureau was not only exciting, but was also something that made me feel a great deal of pride,” Phillips said. “It is rewarding to receive this and shows just how hard work and excellent customer service really pays off in a team effort. I am very proud to be a part of Server Side Design."

To be eligible for the award, businesses had to be accredited to the BBB of Metropolitan Houston. Entrants had to submit answers to several questions to be considered for the award. Businesses had to describe in detail what they do, give examples of how they assisted their customers, tell how they solicit businesses and follow up with the client, and talk about how they promote ethics within the business.

In addition to this recent award, Server Side Design has consistently made PromotionWorld's Top 10 SEO Company list. PromotionWorld is considered the premier news and information source for the search engine marketing industry.
The BBB Awards for Excellence recognizes businesses and non-profits for their achievements and commitment to overall excellence and quality in the workplace. Proceeds from the event help fund the four programs of the Better Business Bureau Education Foundation and extend its educational initiatives to outlying communities of the Greater Houston area.

More information about Server Side Design is available by calling 1-888-736-2384 ext. 704 or logging on to www.ServerSideDesign.com.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Houston, TX (January 12, 2009) – Server Side Design Acquires John Moore Services as Client

Server Side Design has earned a reputation as being one of the most trusted website design and promotion companies in business today. It is that respect and dependability that has caught the eye of one of the biggest names in Houston when it comes to home service companies.

This month, John Moore Services has signed on with Server Side Design, who will handle the company’s online advertising. This is a huge acquisition for Server Side Design since John Moore Services has been one of Houston’s most trusted home service companies for more than 40 years.

“I cannot say how proud we are to have a client with such a sterling reputation as John Moore Services,” said Roger Janik, Server Side Design president. “Many families and businesses in Houston call on them when they need service. We intend to preserve that reputation by offering top quality online advertising service with our staff of professionals. We share with John Moore the same type of dependability and commitment to excellence you expect from a company. My hats are off to them for putting their trust in us and we intend to deliver.”

John Moore Services, a family-owned operation, was ranked in the top ten nationally for customer service by the nations' premier contractors association, Contractors 2000. They work closely with community members, local government and industries to promote environmentally safe ways of operating. non-toxic chemicals are used for plumbing, air conditioning or pest control. They are also a 29-year member of the better Business Bureau, regularly support Fox 26 TV's “Emily Aiken,” CBS 11’s "Defender," and the Houston Chronicle's Goodfellows program. John Moore Services also donates resources regularly to cancer research, as well as assist churches, homes for unwed mother and other non-profit organizations with their air conditioning, electrical pest control and plumbing needs.

Server Side Design, Inc. is a Website Design & Website Promotion Company based in Houston, TX. It specializes in search engine optimization, pay per click advertising and custom website design. Company specialists build, host, manage and promote Web sites and Web applications.

Server Side Design has made PromotionWorld’s Top 10 SEO Company list more than once. PromotionWorld is considered the premier news and information source for the search engine marketing industry.

More information about Server Side Design is available by calling 1-888-736-2384 ext. 704 or logging on to www.ServerSideDesign.com.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Houston, TX (Aug. 25, 2008) – Server Side Design, Inc. named No. 1 on PromotionWorld’s list as one of Best SEO Companies

Server Side Design has reached the pinnacle as the best search engine optimization company in the nation as it was named No. 1 overall on PromotionWorld’s Best Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Company list for the month of August.

“It is amazing that we started out as a small SEO company in Houston and have made our way to the top of PromotionWorld’s list,” said Roger Janik, Server Side Design president. “We have strived to be the best and you do that by providing customers with high quality service that almost no one can match. Our professional staff has put in the hours it takes to provide that service and the record shows it.”

Server Side Design has made its way toward the top by signing on prestigious clients and providing professional services to them that promote their business, give them a higher ranking on search engine sites and keeps track of Web site visits.

One of the clients Server Side Design has signed on is DefensiveDriving.com, one of the most popular online defensive driving courses in Texas. Server Side Design handled DefensiveDriving.com’s online advertising. Within two months of hiring Server Side Design, DenfensiveDriving.com saw their best online sales produced since 2006. Acquiring a client such as DefensiveDriving.com, as well as being ranked No. 1 as one of the best SEO companies by PromotionWorld, is proof that Server Side Design is becoming a true leader in search engine marketing, pay per click advertising and management, and online advertising.

Server Side Design, Inc. is a Website Design & Website Promotion Company based in Houston, TX. It specializes in search engine optimization, pay per click advertising and custom website design. Company specialists build, host, manage and promote Web sites and Web applications.

PromotionWorld’s Top 10 SEO Company award initiative aims to list the best companies in the industry. Giving users the opportunity to learn more about company leaders and the services they provide, PromotionWorld is considered the premier news and information source for the search engine marketing industry. Its Top 10 SEO Company Awards are based on the offered services, package diversity, value, customer service, feedback and website popularity of the selected companies.

Along with the award, Server Side Design was given a high-resolution image to use for promotions. The image can be linked to their Web page to show potential customers the company is an industry leader.

More information about Server Side Design is available by calling 1-888-736-2384 ext. 704 or logging on to www.ServerSideDesign.com.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Houston, TX (July 23, 2008) – Server Side Design climbs up to No. 2 on PromotionWorld’s list as one of Best SEO Companies

Server Side Design.com is making its way to the top as one of the best search engine optimization companies in the nation as it was named to the No. 2 spot on PromotionWorld’s Best Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Company list for the month of July.

“This is just another indication that Server Side Design is not just another SEO company,” said Roger Janik, Server Side Design president. “We have strived to be the best and you do that by providing customers with high quality service that almost no one can match. Our professional staff has put in the hours it takes to provide that service and the record shows it.”

Server Side Design has made strides toward the top by signing on prestigious clients and providing professional services to them that promote their business, give them a higher ranking on search engine sites and keeps track of Web site visits.

One of the clients Server Side Design has signed on is DefensiveDriving.com, one of the most popular online defensive driving courses in Texas. Server Side Design handled DefensiveDriving.com’s online advertising. Within two months of hiring Server Side Design, DenfensiveDriving.com saw their best online sales produced since 2006. Acquiring a client such as DefensiveDriving.com, as well as being ranked No. 2 as one of the best SEO companies by PromotionWorld, is proof that Server Side Design is becoming a true leader in search engine marketing, pay per click advertising and management, and online advertising.

More information about Server Side Design is available by calling 1-888-736-2384 ext. 704 or logging on to www.ServerSideDesign.com.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Houston, TX (February 6, 2008) – Local Houston Web Marketing Acquires International, Enterprise Clients to begin 2008

The business world of today may seem a little smaller thanks to technological advances that allow a person on one side of the globe to communicate with another on the opposite side instantaneously.

Server Side Design.com in Houston has tapped into this style of thinking and has acquired some international businesses that have established them on the global market as a consistent and successful web marketing company.

Ningbo Huicong E-Commerce Co., Ltd., located in China, might be better known to some as MadeInChina.com. It is a leading business-to-business e-commerce export provider and it provides an online marketing platform for both Chinese enterprises and global buyers. Server Side Design is taking on a search engine marketing initiative for madeinchina.com that focuses on increasing their site’s visibility and natural search engine rankings over a 12-month period.

Greenpay LLC is another company Server Side Design has signed on for high visibility search engine optimization. The company, also known as Amazoniaflowers.com, is an online farm-direct floral company. They provide flowers for buyers worldwide, including wholesale and wedding flowers, and are experts in delivering the flowers at all four corners of the earth. Server Side Design is launching a full engine search marketing campaign that will make the Columbia based company more visible to the U.S. market, something the company sought out the services of Server Side Design to accomplish.

“With the recent client acquisition of MadeInChina.com and AmazoniaFlowers.com, we are extending our international reach to service the search engine marketing needs of enterprise clients on a global scale, while still pressing forward with mid to enterprise level clients in the states,” said Roger Janik, Server Side Design.com president. “It took us four months of negotiations to land the MadeInChina.com account, but we are happy to finally have them on board and have the opportunity to bring their website rankings and visibility to the next level of success.”

Server Side Design.com has previously delved into the international market. KMI Consultants in Prague has been on board since 2003. KMI provides financial services online for investors. They also offer financial planning services, portfolio management and tax free investment consulting. Their site, www.kmicentral.com, receives a high volume of hits thanks to Server Side Design’s ability to heighten a site’s ranking on a search engine page.

“Having KMI Consultants as a client gives us another aspect for our international reach,” Janik said. “In today’s online business world, growth can be accomplished by reaching across those borders and taking location out as an inhibitor to doing great business. This just adds to our targeted reach and international experience.”

Janik said some of his clients found out about Server Side Design.com when they were chosen as a Top 10 search engine marketing firm for 2007 by PromotionWorld, a premier news and information source for the search engine marketing industry.

Server Side Design is a website design and website promotion company based in Houston, TX. It specializes in search engine optimization, pay per click advertising and custom website design. Company specialists build, host, mange and promote web sites.

More information about Server Side Design is available by calling 1-888-736-2384 or logging on to www.ServerSideDesign.com

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Houston, TX (November 5, 2007) – Houston’s Server Side Design makes PromotionWorld list as one of Best SEO Companies for second consecutive month

Following up a win with another win is a good way to ensure your place as one of the best. Server Side Design in Houston, TX has made such an accomplishment when they were named to PromotionWorld’s Best Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Company list for the month of November. This is their second time in as many months to make the list. Again, they are the only Houston SEO company on the list.

“To be recognized once is wonderful. To be recognized again sends a message we are truly committed to excellence,” said Roger Janik, Server Side Design president. “Giving our customers the best is what we strive for at Server Side Design. And making PromotionWorld’s list for a second consecutive month solidifies our position as one of the best search engine optimization companies in business today.”

Server Side Design deals with customers from all four corners of the globe, including Europe. Some of their clientele includes Apartment Data Services, Executive Residence and Network Security Group.

“The Internet allows us to work with companies regardless of their location,” Janik said. “Where ever they are, they can check us out, see what work we can do and talk with previous customers to determine if we are the one for them. I can guarantee you that if they select us, they will be satisfied.”

Despite dealing with businesses from all over the world, the owners of Server Side Design have not forgotten their Houston roots.

“We have a great client base in Houston,” Janik said. “We provide the best search engine optimization whether it’s across the street or across the ocean. We treat everyone the same.”

Server Side Design made the list along with other Texas and national SEO companies.

More information about Server Side Design is available by calling 1-888-736-2384 ext. 704 or logging on to www.ServerSideDesign.com.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Houston, TX (October 10, 2007) – PromotionWorld names Server Side Design as one of Best SEO Companies for October 2007

Making top ten lists is usually an indication of a winner. The owners of Server Side Design in Houston, TX can attest to that after making PromotionWorld’s Best SEO Company list for October 2007.

“This is a tremendous honor to be recognized by a premier news and information source such as PromotionWorld,” said Roger Janik, Server Side Design president. “It lends us credibility and assures our customers that we work hard to be the best.”

More information about Server Side Design is available by calling 1-888-736-2384 ext. 704 or logging on to www.ServerSideDesign.com.

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Promotion World Interview with Roger Janik, President and CEO, Server Side Design, Inc.

Mr. Janik, could you tell the PromotionWorld readers more about yourself and your responsibilities at Server Side Design?
My entrance into the IT world began in 2001. I’ve worked with corporations, both large and small with tasks ranging from web design, flash animation, graphic design and website promotion. After a few years of getting my feet wet and building up a strong portfolio of freelance clientele, I formed Server Side Design. I’m the CEO but often act as a project manager for several of our enterprise level clients. I’m also very passionate about the process of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) so I often consult and work on the first 1-2 months of project implementation with my staff.

Can you please provide us with a brief history of your company? When was it established and how did it develop through the years?
Server Side Design was founded in 2004 with a focus on custom web design, web development, website maintenance and pay per click management. After a short time, I realized that I had a strong passion for search engine marketing, which fit seamlessly into our current operations. SEO was also a much better business model to gain long-term business relationships.

Over the years, Server Side Design has grown to a staff of well-rounded professionals that handle tasks such as web design, keyword research, SEO copywriting, SEO programming, link building, social networking, pay per click management, and reporting. We are now a very successful website promotion company that is dedicated to placing our clients on the very top of the major engines. We are extremely ethical, hard working and our customer service is beyond compare.

READ THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW HERE >>