Google have recently upgraded the importance of page loading speed in regards to Search Engine optimization.

As a consequence we have changed our template from the previous one which had all the bells and whistles but could also be slow to load, to this one which has just 1 image. This results in fewer processes and allows us to handle more people at any time.

All sites in the carryonshopping.co.uk network have been amended and we are increasing our promotional campaigns through twitter as a result.

Have recently begun a major site restructure.

The 'Directory by Location' section has been removed from the website. This section was outdated and I believe added confusion to the site. It was a leftover from when we created the site. This section was always the slowest to load and with Google now taking into account website loading times for search engines listings a restructure was needed.

Over the next few months I will be checking and updated the 40,000 listings found in this section and moving them across to the directory pages.

The end result will be an upto date main directory area and clear site navigation for visitors. As new listing will be added daily this will also help with indexing in search engines.

As a consequence the urls for directory listings have changed. As the number of listings will increase dramatically we will now be adding unique identifiers to each listing. This means businesses with the same name (franchises) will be able to add listings without confusion.

Our specialist directories have had the updated set up since they were created and we are simply bringing the main site in line with those sites.

We've finally settled on a front page which we think highlights the free services we provide and also gives a taster of the activity within the site.

The key thing to remember about Internet Marketing Online is that you get back what you put in. This site is a platform for your to concentrate on core backlinking strategies.

We of course are going through the same process as you and are in the early days of our own online marketing. In fact our niche directory sites are only a few months old.

In the next few weeks we will begin an e-mail marketing campaign, continue our ongoing twitter and search engine avenues, and at our current stage most importantly launch our own article syndication campaign.

The aim is to submit to 200+ article sites on a daily basis. For the sake of honest SEO this must be done on a manual automated basis. With the emphasis on manual.

Each article will be refined to the max with useful keyword relevant content. We do not believe in junk or spam articles. In the long term they provide negative results.

We want our articles to be popular and syndicated around the net. Providing us with good backlinks, traffic and a positive online presence. This all comes down to good content and YOU should have the same ambition.

We recently upgraded the template to all our websites. The old template was fine and served us well but times change.

The look of the site is now slightly darker. The blue colour has gone but we hope you like our new professional look.

An important part of the upgrade is that we are now accessible through iphones and smartphones. Obviously this opens up the mobile market and enables us to reach more potential viewers. This will benefit all of us.

Google ads have been moved and are now integrated naturally into the site.

On the left hand side you will also see new articles and directory submissions now stand out.

The downside of course is the majority of get rich schemes which are prevalent on the net.

One sound piece of advise.

If it sounds to good to be true then it probably is.

When promoting on the net the safe route is to go with an established name like Yell, Thomson Local, Google, Yahoo or BT. They all provide established services and may even connect you with a lead or two. Of course the downside is you will have to pay for those services.

If you are strapped for time but have the cash go with the above named companies.

If money is limited but you have a couple of years to spare to build awareness of your business then it's time to get real about the net. Throw out those ideas of simply creating a web page and hoping people will visit it because they won't.

Visit established business forums, read articles and do your research. Ignore any wild promises you come across.

Build as many avenues as you can to lead people to your site, ensure you have regular updated content on your website, optimize for search engines, submit articles to social bookmarking sites, join and become part of business forum communities, exchange your website url with other similar websites, submit to free directories. Use as many channels as you can find. Do all of this over and over again.

This is the reality of advertising on the internet.

Last weeks Woolies discounts were just the beginning.

The BBC are now carrying a report that Woolworths have struggled to find a buyer and in an attempt to offload stock they are starting a closing down sale from Thursday 10th December.

The BBC story can be found here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7776113.stm

It's a sad end to a cherished UK institution. But with a debt of over £300 million they have struggled to find a market over the last few years.

This announcement means we should keep an eye open for further discounts from other major retailers.

After a very long time the site upgrades have been completed. The new website is totally integrated into the internet through search engines and social bookmarking sites. How you promote your business is now down to you.