Make Hay Ethical E-Media

I’d like to apologise to our readers for the recent silence on the Make Hay blog. The only reason for this is work, work and more work which means that we’re getting the opportunity to collaborate with more amazing, ethical businesses and individuals.

So, less about us and more about them. Here’s our latest client news round-up:

Introducing…

London Insight Meditation

One of our latest web design creations, launched just this week is the London Insight Meditation website. London Insight offers a programme of events based in the insight or vipassana meditation tradition. With a group of leading teachers, they explore the application of authentic Buddhist teachings in London city living.

They now have a brand new look website plus visitors are able to book online for their events, listen to talks and find useful resources. There is also a new blog to keep you up to date with all their news.

Check them out at www.londoninsightmeditation.org.uk

Susan Davies Life Coaching

Our latest Make Mail (e-mail marketing) client Susan Davies is an expert in personal development and life coaching. Her services include addiction recovery, emotional freedom technique, spiritual mentoring and personal, professional, couples and family coaching

Why not sign up to her newsletter to find out more? Also, see her testimonials page for an impressive read!

Visit: www.susanscoaching.co.uk

Greenmystyle.com

Now using our Green Hosting, powered by the wind, Greenmystyle.com is a place to find and share discoveries, reviews and tips about fashion, beauty and home style done the kinder way.

Now there’s no excuse not to keep up with the latest in eco style with Greenmystyle.com’s daily updates. Take a look at their directory too!

Check it out at www.greenmystyle.com

Leonora Speaking at Sustainable Event

Green Hosting and Make Hay web design client Leonora Oppenheim is playing a big part in a major event this autumn. Leonora works as a Sustainable Design Consultant and will be speaking at Grand Designs Live in Birmingham.

The Grand Designs LIVE event will feature several ‘Grand Seminars‘ focusing on environmentally friendly building and design. Running from 10th to 12th October these seminars will include talks on reducing the negative environmental impact on self-builds, the eco credentials of prefabricated houses and furnishing your home with eco interiors. Leonora will be speaking in the ‘Best Eco Footprint Forward’ debate.

Allthingseco Directory Helps Passion Debate Biofuels

Green Hosting client Allthingseco are working alongside radio station Passion for the Planet to encourage debate on biofuels. As there are so many views on the pros and cons of biofuels Passion will be bringing in experts to discuss the issues from different perspectives.

An online poll is available for you to give your opinion on the subject. Visit the Allthingseco website at: www.allthingseco.co.uk/econews-september08.php to find out more.

Just a quick update following the previous post.

The new Green Girls Global and Green Guys Global sites are here!

As well as our slick new look we have new features and opportunities for guests to contribute.

Check them out at www.greengirlsglobal.com and www.greenguysglobal.com…

As you may already know Jez and I here at Make Hay manage and coordinate the Green Girls Global and Green Guys Global blogs. On Monday we will be very happy to re-launch fresh, new and even better versions of them both.

The GGG blogs are all about editors from different parts of the world sharing their experiences, ideas and views on living a more sustainable life.

Since the beginning of Green Girls Global in November 2006 and subsequent launch of Green Guys Global exactly one year later we’ve enjoyed fantastic support from our readers and contributors. We’ve even been featured in The Times (Top 50 Eco Blogs and Anna Shepard’s Greenie Points) and Marie Claire and been voted number 2 in the People’s Choice Best Green Blogger.

So on the 1st September make sure you stop by www.greengirlsglobal.com and www.greenguysglobal.com and tell us what you think.

There will also be lots of opportunities for contributors so if you’d like to get involved let us know!

Quite a lot of our Make Hay clients are bloggers so this one is especially for you.

In my view it is all the more important that green bloggers have engaged and interested visitors because the issues that you’re blogging about can make a big difference.

So here are 5 links from the blogging experts to help you along the way:

How to Create a Blog that People Want to Read
Chris Garrett

Using Titles Effectively on Blogs
Problogger

Common Mistake Bloggers Make
Business Blogging Tips

Creating Stories that Resonate
Seth Godin

Six Simple Things You can do to Enjoy Blogging More
North x East

One of the first questions many potential clients ask is “how to I get to number 1 in Google?”.

Well, this is a massive question. SEO is a detailed and complex subject in itself relating to technical aspects of web development, semantics and copywriting, not to mention keeping up with the changing ways that search engines track and index sites on the web.

Those of you who have worked with us before have probably, at some time or another, heard us say “content is king”. When it comes to potential clients finding you on search engines and then staying on your site when they get there your content is extremely important. This is where you have the most control of your SEO destiny.

Unless you are hiring a copywriter to do the job for you it is likely that you will write the text content for your own website. And why not? Who knows your business better than you? The skill is in taking this knowledge of your business, industry and market and creating clear, concise and relevant copy that both search engines and website visitors will like.

It sounds complicated but following certain rules will go a long way to helping you get to grips with writing in this way. Here are a few resources that you may find useful.

Rule No 1 - Don’t underestimate the importance of good content
See this Webcredible article:
“Website content - Getting it right for search engines“

Rule No 2 - Write for your audience as well as Google
See this Copyblogger article:
“Seven Copywriting Tips for a Well-Staffed Business Website“

Rule No 3 - Understand how linking affects your search engine position
See this Webcredible article:
“Advanced link building“

As I mentioned earlier there are many other things involved in having a search engine friendly website and much of that relies on the coding and way it is built. Please see our article ‘Standards Design Works!‘ for an example and do contact us if you would like to know more.