I know it won't stay there naturally...I'll have to keep blogging, linking, updating and eventually redesign the site, to include more content
Saturday, 27 April 2013
Back on top!
After languishing at number 20, I got my site to appear back in the top 10, then number 8, 6, and now number 1 again!
I know it won't stay there naturally...I'll have to keep blogging, linking, updating and eventually redesign the site, to include more content
I know it won't stay there naturally...I'll have to keep blogging, linking, updating and eventually redesign the site, to include more content
Friday, 19 April 2013
A little slip
I'm a freelance artworker...I'm no expert on SEO, but I know a few basics.
I've managed to keep my site in the top 8 search results on Google, for about 4 months now, and whenever it starts to slip, if I update my blog, the ranking improves again.
I hit upon the idea of changing my linkedin url to include "freelanceartworker", but I forgot to reflect that in my site! This meant a broken link (as my old url said markcastrogarcia at the end) and my ranking dropped to a low of number 20!
Does this also mean that linkedin can heavily influence a ranking in a positive way? I've updated my site now, to reflect the change, and hopefully we'll see a drastic improvement soon :)
I wonder if the same will work with facebook...?
I've managed to keep my site in the top 8 search results on Google, for about 4 months now, and whenever it starts to slip, if I update my blog, the ranking improves again.
I hit upon the idea of changing my linkedin url to include "freelanceartworker", but I forgot to reflect that in my site! This meant a broken link (as my old url said markcastrogarcia at the end) and my ranking dropped to a low of number 20!
Does this also mean that linkedin can heavily influence a ranking in a positive way? I've updated my site now, to reflect the change, and hopefully we'll see a drastic improvement soon :)
I wonder if the same will work with facebook...?
Tuesday, 2 April 2013
What is an artworker?
I've been in the industry since the year 2000, and it seems the majority of people I come across don't fully understand my role (even people I've worked with/for)
An artworker is not a designer or a printer...we do work together, and there are elements of our roles which overlap (you may come across designers and printers who can artwork as well)
Typically, a designer will design 1 page, 1 spread, or one section. Once the client signs off the visuals, they'll be given to an artworker, who will recreate the visual, so that it is print-ready, a style sheet, and technical requirements such as adding bleed, checking swatches and images are CMYK, and so on.
Then they will usually flow in and format the text which is supplied*, which might be 12 pages, or could be 120, or anything – depending on the length of the document...the amount of pages will need to be a multiple of 4, so that the printed document will stitch together properly. This is known as pagination/imposition.
Other jobs which we carry out may include making amends (whether they are design/account management/client/proofreader ones), retouching**, transcreation/localisation/international adaptation, and getting the document ready for printing/repro/online use/interactive use/or even mobiles/tablets.
*this is also known as typesetting, and is sometimes done by a typesetter - our roles also overlap!
**also sometimes done by a retoucher - our roles also overlap!!
An artworker is not a designer or a printer...we do work together, and there are elements of our roles which overlap (you may come across designers and printers who can artwork as well)
Typically, a designer will design 1 page, 1 spread, or one section. Once the client signs off the visuals, they'll be given to an artworker, who will recreate the visual, so that it is print-ready, a style sheet, and technical requirements such as adding bleed, checking swatches and images are CMYK, and so on.
Then they will usually flow in and format the text which is supplied*, which might be 12 pages, or could be 120, or anything – depending on the length of the document...the amount of pages will need to be a multiple of 4, so that the printed document will stitch together properly. This is known as pagination/imposition.
Other jobs which we carry out may include making amends (whether they are design/account management/client/proofreader ones), retouching**, transcreation/localisation/international adaptation, and getting the document ready for printing/repro/online use/interactive use/or even mobiles/tablets.
*this is also known as typesetting, and is sometimes done by a typesetter - our roles also overlap!
**also sometimes done by a retoucher - our roles also overlap!!
I've had another idea...
I don't get many ideas very often, and then when I do, they all come along at once!
In order to build upon my new number 1 ranking, I thought about submitting my blog to some blog search engines/catalogues...I did this a few years ago, so I'm surprised I'd forgotten about it, until now!
The only thing that seems to have changed from 2010 is that there are less free services, and most seem to charge a fee now!
One free one that I came across can be found here, but they have a requirement that you have at least 10 posts (I only had 8, so I'm quickly writing 2 more now)
:)
PS. my site can be found here: freelance artworker
In order to build upon my new number 1 ranking, I thought about submitting my blog to some blog search engines/catalogues...I did this a few years ago, so I'm surprised I'd forgotten about it, until now!
The only thing that seems to have changed from 2010 is that there are less free services, and most seem to charge a fee now!
One free one that I came across can be found here, but they have a requirement that you have at least 10 posts (I only had 8, so I'm quickly writing 2 more now)
:)
PS. my site can be found here: freelance artworker
Back on top! Number 1 on Google, out of 2,340,000!
My recent ideas to improve my ranking have shot my page back to the top of the rankings on Google, if you search for "freelance artworker"!
Number 1, out of 2.34 million results!
It's the first time it's been at the top since 9th January 2013 :) It's been riding high in the top 5-8 spots for 3 months, so I'm happy with that :)
All I did was keep my blog updated from time to time, strengthen/improve some of the links, so that they contain "freelance artworker", wrote a little bit of content for the site, and a tiny redesign...
What it desperately needs is a proper redesign, but unfortunately, I'm not a designer...I've tried looking at some free templates, but none of them have really won me over yet
PS. my site can be found here: freelance artworker
Number 1, out of 2.34 million results!
It's the first time it's been at the top since 9th January 2013 :) It's been riding high in the top 5-8 spots for 3 months, so I'm happy with that :)
All I did was keep my blog updated from time to time, strengthen/improve some of the links, so that they contain "freelance artworker", wrote a little bit of content for the site, and a tiny redesign...
What it desperately needs is a proper redesign, but unfortunately, I'm not a designer...I've tried looking at some free templates, but none of them have really won me over yet
PS. my site can be found here: freelance artworker
Saturday, 30 March 2013
Keeping the momentum going
While working on my redesign, I also noticed that my ranking had slipped one place to number eight on Google, when you search for "freelance artworker", so I updated my "about me" page to include more relevant links and key words...by the next day, I'd risen to number five :)
However, it's already gone back to its previous number seven ranking again. So, as well as updating my blog (which might help it rise again), I've also created a new Google account - with more relevant naming - which now gives me a new Gmail address, YouTube username and Google+ account...hopefully a combination of these will add to it?
I also plan on uploading a video to youtube, about what being an artworker entails...hopefully all of this new, relevant content, coupled with stronger keywords, will help boost my ranking further.
Now I just need to finish redesigning my site!
However, it's already gone back to its previous number seven ranking again. So, as well as updating my blog (which might help it rise again), I've also created a new Google account - with more relevant naming - which now gives me a new Gmail address, YouTube username and Google+ account...hopefully a combination of these will add to it?
I also plan on uploading a video to youtube, about what being an artworker entails...hopefully all of this new, relevant content, coupled with stronger keywords, will help boost my ranking further.
Now I just need to finish redesigning my site!
Sunday, 17 March 2013
Upping my game
I haven't touched the site, or my blog, for a couple of months* - but it still features in the top 7 spots on Google, when you search for "freelance artworker"...
However, one of my other aims was to improve the look and feel of the site, not just the ranking, and another was to add more content
Well, I figured I could amend my text links to be icons, and that would make my site look more in line with the homepage (yewhew.com), and I've seen a couple of sites I like with a full graphic in the background, so I'd like to try that out - those should help improve the look of the site.
I also read an article about improving your "about me" page, so I also intend to incorporate their advice, in order to improve the content of my site.
* not because I've gone off of it, I've just been busy, and working long hours.
However, one of my other aims was to improve the look and feel of the site, not just the ranking, and another was to add more content
Well, I figured I could amend my text links to be icons, and that would make my site look more in line with the homepage (yewhew.com), and I've seen a couple of sites I like with a full graphic in the background, so I'd like to try that out - those should help improve the look of the site.
I also read an article about improving your "about me" page, so I also intend to incorporate their advice, in order to improve the content of my site.
* not because I've gone off of it, I've just been busy, and working long hours.
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