North Bay Multimedia Association

Events - Web Developers SIG

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Staying on Top: The Changing World of Search Engines

Who: Robert Charlton, Search Engine Optimizing and Marketing Consultant
When: Thursday, April 22, 2004
Time: 6:30 PM, networking, 7:00-9:00 PM, program
Where: Marin Community Foundation Hangar #5 directions
Cost: Free to NBMA members; $10 for non-members; $5 for students with a valid ID
Register: Members and non-Members, please pre-register with Acteva to hold your spot.
Info Contact: , Web SIG Leader.

In the past year, search engine marketing has become the fastest growing area in the advertising business. The year has also brought revolutionary changes in many areas of search: in search engine ranking algorithms, business alignments, and the options that the engines offer to advertisers and users.

Search engines continue to be by far the most popular method of finding sites on the World Wide Web. According to Nielsen/NetRatings, “114.5 million or 39 percent of Americans used a search engine during January 2004.” In round numbers, that’s 1/3 of all Americans. Each spent nearly forty minutes using search engines during the month.

Yet most businesses and designers ignore search engine visibility as part of site design, and most sites are not the useful marketing tools they should be.

In this program, for Web marketers and webmasters, Robert Charlton, search engine optimizing (SEO) and marketing consultant, will introduce the basics of being found on the web and discuss new developments in the world of search. He will take a look at the options and long term strategies for making your site more visible to searchers, and explain how search engine optimizing coupled with intelligent link-building is one of the most cost-effective methods of online marketing.

Charlton has optimized sites and achieved top rankings for clients of all sizes. He has provided SEO consulting to companies and organizations in a variety of fields, including education, publishing, entertainment, travel, software, and consumer products.

In addition to his seven years of Web optimizing experience, Charlton brings to his projects a twenty-five year background as an award winning filmmaker. He may be contacted at robert.charlton@gmail.com.

For more background on the basics of how search engines work, check out Robert Charlton’s two part series, “Revving the Engines” on the NBMA website. Charlton wrote these to accompany the NBMA March 2000 main meeting, “A Webmaster’s Guide to the Search Engine and Directory Universe,” which he moderated. Now, four years later, he points out that while the articles are a bit dated in the specifics, they still provide a very solid introduction to the fundamentals. Recommended reading before the meeting.

Revving the Engines, by Robert Charlton:
Part 1: An Introduction to Web Site Search Engine Optimizing
Part 2: Web Site Search Engine and Directory Optimizing

NBMA Policy for People with Disabilities
In order to make NBMA meetings accessible for people with disabilities, NBMA has the following policy: Any member or paying nonmember may bring an aide for free to any NBMA meeting. Aides may include a captioner, signer or any other assistant needed to make the disabled person's attendance to an NBMA meeting more comfortable and enriching. NBMA cannot pay for this service. However, you may qualify for state paid assistance. Contact the California Department of Rehabilitation at: www.rehab.cahwnet.gov for more information.

Marin Community Foundation
5 Hamilton Landing
Novato, CA

From South of Novato:
Highway 101 North
Exit at Hamilton Field/Nave Dr.
Veer RIGHT at the end of the exit ramp.
Follow Nave Drive going north, parallel to 101.
Turn RIGHT at Main Gate Road, which leads into Hamilton AFB.
At Crescent, Main Gate Road becomes Palm Drive.
Go to end of Palm Drive.
Turn RIGHT onto Hangar Avenue.
Right after you pass So. Palm Drive, go a short distance and take an immediate left into the parking lot.
MCF is in Hangar 5, at 5 Hamilton Landing.
The entrance is down the pathway between Hangar 5 and Hangar 6.

From North of Novato:
Highway 101 South
Exit at Bel Marin Keys/Hamilton Field Exit (cloverleaf exit).
Turn RIGHT onto Ignacio Blvd.
After crossing the freeway, take an immediate RIGHT onto Nave Drive.
Go about .8 mile
Turn LEFT at Main Gate Road, which leads into Hamilton AFB.
At Crescent, Main Gate Road becomes Palm Drive.
Go to end of Palm Drive.
Turn RIGHT onto Hangar Avenue.
Right after you pass So. Palm Drive, go a short distance and take an immediate left into the parking lot.
MCF is in Hangar 5, at 5 Hamilton Landing.
The entrance is down the pathway between Hangar 5 and Hangar 6.

From the East Bay:
Cross the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge
Continue on 580 until it merges onto 101 North.
Then follow the directions above “From South of Novato.”

Here is a map for further clarification.