Lately it has amazed me how quickly the days are flying by. My daughter just turned 9 and celebrated her First Holy Communion. It seems like just yesterday I was counting down the days until my due date.

The same can be said for the days that I have worked at DDA, a graphic design company. This year marks 12 years that I have been working with this company. I still remember getting a phone call from my older sister who was then a Graphic Designer with DDA. I was home from school and was asked if I could come in and help put together a product catalog that was designed by DDA. Before working here, I never really used computers. Then I became proficient on a Mac. Over the years, I was in charge of mailing lists, software, data entry, proofreading, and many other tasks that could look like a laundry list if every aspect was included.

Today, my title is simply a Search Engine Optimization Specialist. This is not something that happened overnight and it wasn’t quite simple either.

Back when I started to learn about the techniques used for website optimization, things were much simpler. But back then, the switch from using a Mac to switching to a PC was my hardest challenge! As each year passed, I became more and more independent in my website optimization. And now, I handle all of these websites each month without a second thought.

So here I am today, three children later, still managing to keep up with the latest search engine marketing and optimization tips and trends. Time flies when you’re having fun! Enjoy your weekend everyone!

As a Search Engine Optimization Specialist at DDA, a search engine marketing company, Dreamweaver is always open on my computer. Dreamweaver is a combination of visual layout tools, application development features, and code editing support… everything I need for my website optimization on a daily basis. From editing meta tags to adding alternate text, this all encompassing program can handle it all. When I first started using Dreamweaver many, many years ago, I only knew how to do the basics. Over the years I have learned how to use several of the tools and even how to make changes in the code, of all things!!

Sure from time to time it will throw me a curveball and make me redefine all of my websites. Or give me the occasional “fatal error” and “this program is not responding” message. This usually happens when I have been working on a page for a while and right before I get to save my work. So with a few words mumbled under my breath and a click of the mouse, I continue on. This program has become my right-hand man when handling optimization of websites.

Forget diamonds (although they will never be turned down)… Dreamweaver is a search engine optimization specialist’s best friend!

At DDA, a graphic design company, we are lucky enough to work a four-day work week. So after today our week is half over. I woke up in a great mood today, maybe it’s the gorgeous weather, hearing my favorite song on the radio on my way in, or the fact that I was able to zipper up with ease pants that didn’t fit me last year!

Whatever it was, I am happy as can be. Coming into work as a Search Engine Optimization specialist means everyday brings something new. Each website in our SureThing Optimization Program, whether designed by DDA or not, is unique and needs its own focused optimization.

From search engine and directory submissions to meta tag enhancement, we cover all bases when optimizing a website. Using our keyword research and content development services, each of our client’s websites have the necessary components to achieve higher rankings in the major search engines. Our own website statistics show that we have 1698 terms with 1st place rankings on Google.

When I think of cookie cutter, I think of the dictionary’s definition… a device, usually of metal, for cutting shaped forms, as circles or stars, for cookies from dough that has been rolled flat. This is probably because I love baking!

Baking was one of my all time favorite things to do with my Mom. She baked all of our elaborate birthday cakes and always had cupcakes ready for us as a little surprise on holiday mornings. I have taken her recipes and secret tips and continued the baking tradition. From cakes to cookies, cupcakes to cobblers she taught me how to do it all. Over the years, I haven’t had as much time to bake and at times have resorted to running to the store to pickup something from the bakery section… but this weekend I was back in the kitchen and baking cakes, cupcakes, and making sand pudding.

In today’s world, cookie cutter has come to mean the footprint/shape/base of something that is the same and repeated over and over.

Cookie cutter is probably used most often to describe website design. Other website design companies are using templates to create websites. DDA knows better!

Search engine optimization could also be considered to be cookie cutter by having the same meta tags on each page etc. At DDA, a search enging marketing company, we take the time to focus each individual page of an optimized website on a specific topic. We treat each of the sites that are enrolled in our SureThing Optimization Program like we are baking them from scratch, in a sense, making sure that each site has the proper ingredients to increase their website rankings on Google. And when the timer has gone off… our client’s websites have achieved numerous rankings on the first page of Google.

At DDA, we leave the cookie cutters at home!

As each new calendar month begins, I start over on my alphabetical list (of course) of websites to optimize. Each website needs different optimization each month. I cannot just say, “OK, this month I am going to submit a press release for all of my clients.” Each site has individual needs and there is no blanket statement to make for them all. As I setup my monthly website optimization schedule, I need to review past optimization as well as look through the website to see what is needed.

Occasionally, while deleting Spam emails, I run across search engine optimization tips. I read through and realize that I already know all of the tips they are so graciously spamming to everyone.

Each client that comes into our SureThing Optimization Program, wants to be listed #1 on Google. DDA stays on top of Google’s changing algorithms, and can make this possible. Our own website, www.zeroonezero.com, currently has 1,698 terms with first place rankings in Google. We are constantly updating and optimizing our website and keeping up with Google’s algorithms, and we strive to do the same for our clients so over time, they will see the same results.

Being a Search Engine Optimization Specialist, I have many sites to optimize each month. As the final days of each month roll in, I can get a little panicked. Having so many websites to optimize in one month’s time can be overwhelming. Even with optimization schedules, calendars set up, and basically doing as much as I can as fast as I can, the last few days usually hold those sites that I have been putting off for the entire month. But somehow, I manage to get everything done by the stroke of midnight on the final day of the month.

Living in a world of meta tags, website analysis, ranking reports and of course Dreamweaver, website optimization is an important part of a website’s design and functionality. Years ago, when people would ask what I do, they had no idea what website optimization was.

Now, everyone seems to know the meaning and importance of the work that I do on a daily basis.

After making it through my weekly case of the Mondays, next up comes the Tired Tuesdays. It’s not so bad, since at DDA, we work a four-day work week. So after today my week is half over.

With my cappuccino in hand, I check my emails, check my calendar to see which websites I will be optimizing today, and of course there is that request for something that was not scheduled. All tasks will be handled, completed and all of this with a smile on my face to compensate for the bags under my eyes.

Website optimization is a tricky task. Knowing what the major search engines are looking for and implementing those items into your website without changing the website design, functionality and overall appearance, can be challenging at times. And once Google changes its mind on what is the most important element for a website to have, I need to go back and make the updates.

Years ago, keywords were everything to Google. I would create lists and go back and forth with clients on which keywords were just right for their website. Nowadays, Google doesn’t even weigh as much importance on keywords as much as having keyword-rich content.

DDA, a search engine optimization and marketing company, stays ahead of the game and knows what optimization aspects to implement into our clients websites. Not to mention our own website that is over 3,000 pages! www.zeroonezero.com.

As I look at my day ahead, full of sips of cappuccino, Dreamweaver and Filezilla, I know that the efforts I put into my clients website, will over time increase their website rankings.

Happy Tuesday Everyone!!

People always look at me funny when I say that I come to work to relax. My weekends are hardly relaxing.

This crazy weekend consisted of completely redecorating my sister’s bedroom for her 13th birthday, celebrating a communion, doing the normal chores, and then on top of it all having to create a 3D model of a piranha for my daughter’s rainforest project… I was actually looking forward to coming into work to have a few hours without having to run around like a chicken with my head cut off. And it is always nice to be able to eat lunch without having to cut up and serve three other lunches first!

This morning at DDA, as soon as I came in I was given the task of researching URLS and listing all contact information, etc. This was not listed in my calendar of events for a Monday, but I held off on all other projects to do so. This isn’t a rare occurrence, being a Search Engine Optimization Specialist at a graphic design company. Aside from my normal tasks of optimizing websites, I will be asked to take on several other tasks on a daily basis.

I may not have been able to relax just yet, but it is a Monday so that’s normal. I honestly don’t think that I am capable of being 100% relaxed. Pretty much the only time I sit at home is to fold laundry or eat dinner. And even then I am usually up and doing something on the in-between.

But it is nice coming to DDA, taking a deep breath and being Jess for a while instead of Mom.

Time rules my life. I seem to do everything at the same time everyday. I am always on time if not early… and on time to me means at least 5 minutes early for any event. So when someone tells me that they will be at my house at 8:15 a.m. to pick up my daughter for “take your daughter to work day,” they get a phone call at 8:14 a.m. seeing if it will take more than one minute to show up.

Ten minutes later, I am mentally stressing and seeing how much time left I have to take my sons to school and race to work. Somehow, time was on my side and I didn’t get a single red light on my way to work.

After arriving at DDA, a graphic design company, I sit at my desk, check the clock (of course) and begin my role as Search Engine Optimization Specialist. I check my calendar to see which websites I will be optimizing on each hour of my glorious Thursday.

With our SureThing optimization program, we take several steps each month, and over time this increases website rankings. It is very interesting to see how the work that I do on a monthly basis helps a website climb higher in the major search engines.

I would continue… but I only have 2 minutes until I need to begin optimizing my first website of the day.

On my way into work this morning, I was next to a truck with a logo displayed on the side and thought, DDA could design a better logo than that one! As a search engine optimization specialist at a graphic design company, I look at things with a critical eye. Whether its ending up proofing a menu when trying to decide what to order for dinner or looking at all of the billboards on my way to the shore, I find myself critiquing other company’s design work. It makes me realize just how talented our designers are at DDA.

Now I am by no means a designer myself, but I can definitely see a big difference in skill, experience, and ability when comparing DDA designs to other company’s logo designs, website designs, billboard designs and catalog designs.