“What is creative chaos?”

Christian Internet Marketing Company

Christian Internet Marketing Firm

Creative Fusion Media does social media and search engine optimization. We would love to help your organization increase its search engine ranking, traffic, and business success.

Internet marketing ranges from pay per click management to affiliate marketing to social media marketing to what we think is the best long term strategy in search engine optimization.

We provide a full range of SEO copy writing, content development, link development, and search engine marketing services. What can we do for you?

Here are some interviews with other Christian SEOs that I did earlier this year:

• Christian SEO interview of Creative Fusion Media
• Christian interview of Palmer Marketing
• Christian search optimization interview Ryan of Strider

Check out our Christian SEO services and Local SEO services.

Christian SEO and Ethical SEO Tips

I offered some free advice to a Christian client and I provided the info here. This guide should prove very helpful for your the search engine optimization for your faith based organization.

Fundamentals of SEO:

What is the Google algorithm?
Google evaluates your site based on grouped keywords (proximity and emphasis)
and number of incoming links. Those links preferably are from:

• trusted sites (high page rank or just show up high in Google search results)
• link anchor text with relevant keyword (ie Google values “Christian social justice” over “download here” and “Christian SEO” over “click here”)
• Though experience you will understand both link diversity and link quality are very important. Generally if you focus on high quality links, low quality links will naturally happen (ie low quality blogs then link to the quality sites that originally linked to your content)

Fundamentals of SEO and Link building Tips
1) Relevant Content Rocks. Release more relevant content. Google loves new content.
2) Create a Good Neighborhood. When you release content, link both to your website and to other trusted sites.
3) Linking Out is Marketing. One easy example of linking out is linking to bible verses on your website at Biblegateway or linking to specific Christian books (either their website or Amazon’s specific URL)
4) The Joys of Powerpoint. Posting Powerpoint presentation content on Slideshare and link to the presentation on your blog. This will help you rank for the keywords in the Title of the slideshare.
5) Ethical SEO Takes Community and Collaboration. Collaborate with similar organizations (Faith in Public Life, Cross Left, the Beatitudes Society. For more check out “Christian Progressives” or “Christian Moderates” on Google). This could include guest posts and interviews. This could be you linking to their content and telling them when you release new content.
6) A Little Debate Never Hurt Anyone. Also, engaging even opposing sites in dialouge and friendly debating (and linking appropriately) can be helpful for your link building and overall ethical SEO. Thats some of the beauty that a blog enables.
7) Picture Perfect SEO. Use proper SEO for your pictures “darfur-genocide.jpg” Use dashes. (this doesn’t make sense to me.)
8} Focus Your Ethical SEO Strategy. Focus on search ranking factors and Google’s algorithm. Knowing the Google algorithm can help you tap into how Google works.
9) Everybody Loves Google. Google also provides a free guide for SEO. This guide won’t tell you how to link build, but it will tell you the key issues that Google is looking for when its bots search a given website. For instance bolding and italics emphasizes particular keywords to the Google bots.
10) My Brain Hurts. Its good to think about Google juice like ice cube trays or sap running through a tree. (I have to explain this one)
11) Keywords Require Focus. Focus on individual content you want to get promoted or keywords you want to rank for. You don’t want to rank every site your your page, maybe just your dozen or so issues pages and your most important resources.
12) Ethical SEO Requires Patience. Realize SEO is a long term strategy. However getting a couple quality (PR 4 or PR 5 links) can amp up your search rankings for an individual post.
13) Aggregate, Aggregate, Aggregate. Aggregate your best content and make it easy to link to. I need to do this better. Some people do this on their about page, because it generally ranks in the top 10 to 15 most read pages on a website. (also having a Badge that signifies your best content on your main navigation can help. My favorite for this is Josh Brown or now Anne Jackson on the right side of her blog. She doesn’t explicitly have a “best of”, but the nice and helpful use of visually interesting and clear badges probably means those posts get the most traffic.
14) Google SEO Domination is Not the Goal. When you do SEO keep in mind that your intent probably shouldn’t be to dominate the search results (unless its anti-church or non-christian based search), but rather you probably want your intent to raise up your website and related websites.
15) Google Hates Spam. Avoid spammy tactics. You don’t need 10 or 100 copies of one document or page. Google doesn’t appreciate super-spamming tactics.
16) Need more Ethical SEO Tips? Check out these ethical seo keyword tips and techniques.
17) Glossary of Key SEO Terms. Learn what link building and link baiting are.
18} The Future of SEO and Search. Learn what Universal search and personalized search (aka the Google search wiki are) and what they mean for ethical search engine marketing.
19) Think Outside the Box. Pick another platform.

• Do things off the blog like guest posts on (influential either via traffic, RSS readers, or Technorati ranking) Christian blogs with similar content.
• You can create a Work guide for and link back to the content on your website. Not only does this allow you to build links, but it allows you to do so in a way that you get specific anchor text for your link.
• Notice your Ning community should allow you to create relevant links both in the blogs and forums.

20) “And In the Real World.” Real world events and conferences can help create links back to your website. For instance if you talk at a university (Google loves links from .edu websites) or go to a nonprofit event with other Christian organizations there may be a way to get a link or two.
21) Testimonials for SEO. Some SEOs suggest offering to give a review or testimonial for your vendors that has a link back. (Note: in most cases this won’t be the most relevant of links, but it should have some value in Google’s eyes)
22) Unique Content is Golden. Remember unique content is more likely to get links. Visuals can help create a feel of uniqueness and actually add to the total amount of content that Google searches with its bots.
23) Long Tail Principles. Remember the long tail, but the end is not where you want to be. You want to be on the fat belly for maximum return. This just means you won’t rank for “christian” but you can rank for “christian social justice” or the individual issues you are discussing.
24) Social Media and Conversation. Finally, remember the conversational aspect of social media and blogs. If you use that to link to similar people and get a dialouge going you will likely create links in an ethical and responsible way.
25) Be Different. Stand Out. Pictures and metaphors help tell a better story. (I officially stink at this SEO strategy)
26) Experiment with SEO. The only way to get better is to experiment with SEO. Experiments help you try outside of the box thinking and strategy and is one of the key things that makes SEO interesting.

Search Engine Optimization Tools for Christian Websites

• Using SEO Book Keyword tool or Google keyword tool to determine how much traffic an individual term gets can be helpful.
• If you want user data about your site (or someone elses site) Quantcast is free and fantastic.
• Website grader is a basic way to tell how your site is doing in terms of SEO.

I don’t think that you necessarily have to get too technical to have a good campaign. Create useful content. Link to other useful content that your audience will like. Focus on evergreen content over more time sensitive content.

Have any question about ethical seo or Christian SEO?

How your business can save thousands of dollars: How can I save you $6,000…

How can your organization save thousands of dollars?

I can help save you $3,000 by finding you professional and affordable web design.

I can help save you $3,000 dollars by providing training for you in search engine optimization and social media.

To find out how, give me a call at (615) 974-9662

Guide to WordPress Blogging

Guide to Word press Blogging: A Tutorial for WordPress Noobs:
Everthing from blogging tips to seo for wordpress to adding helpful widgets to your wordpress blogs.

Everybody Get Your WP on!!!! Enjoy!

• Here is a great how to on WordPress Installation

• Best Word press Theme = Thesis

• I created this SEO for WordPress Guide

• WordPress on Alltop

• What else should I add????

My Favorite and Best Ethical SEO Blog Posts of 2008 and 2009 | 16 Awesome-tastic Guides for Marketing Your Small Business and Blog

Free Ethical SEO Tutorials and Guides

• How Can Social Media Help My Small Business

• Mega-list of the Best Social Media Marketing Checklists

• Thought leadership marketing which answers the vital question: Why Social Media?

• Simple Guide to SEO An SEO Introductory Guide to Search Engine Optimization

• SEO for WordPress A Guide for WordPress Bloggers Everywhere

• 26 Awesome Keyword Strategies for Ethical SEO

• Ethical SEO for Nonprofits and Charities

• Social media marketing for non profits and charities

• White papers for Search engine optimization

• Five Disadvantages of Unethical SEO

Local SEO for Small Business

• The Best of the Best of Local SEO The Greatest Hits of Local SEO

• Local SEO Interview with Andrew Shotland

• SEO for Lawyers and Law Firms

• SEO for Real Estate Agents

• Christian Social Media and Networking: An Introductory Guide for Church and Christian Leaders

• Marketing for General Contractors

Bonus: SEO Resource from SEO MOZ Linkbuilding for Kindergardeners

Bonus #2 (Old School): 66 Ways to Build Links from Brandon Hopkins [FYI: but don’t buy links]

Purpose Driven Marketing and Business Communication | Christian Business Ethics

Christian Business Ethics in Marketing and Communication

I think Rick Warren is a pretty smart guy and generally biblically sound guy. As Christians we should be driven by purpose both in business and out. Its sometimes a difficult road, but thats what we’re called to. I’m going to suggest there are a couple verses to guide our Christian communication habits in business that may help us.

The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:14 – 16 has some great insight. Hiding it under a bushel is not the right answer:

14″You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Try to fortify and be supportive of others in your communication. The movie Jerry Maguire is famous for “show me the money.” I like the phrase “show the love” in contrast, because at the end of the day “Love Wins”

You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Got Questions, a Christian living portal has a couple other suggestions on the issue of Christian communication I think are relevant to the discussion:

Love one another – John 13:34 & John 15:12,17.
Forgive one another – Ephesians 4:32 & Colossians 3:13.
Be servants to one another – Galatians 5:13.
Show hospitality to one another – 1 Peter 4:7-10.
Pray for one another – James 5:16.
Build up (edify) one another – Romans 14:19, 1 Thessalonians 5:11.
Teach one another – Colossians 3:16.
Do not lie to one another – Colossians 3:9.
Be kind to one another – Ephesians 4:32.
Comfort one another – 1 Thessalonians 5:11.

Check out the rest of their suggestions on the issue of Christian communication at Got Questions. Its quite insightful, illuminating, and a great resource.

Is that what these bible verses are saying about business and communication? I don’t know. Am I missing something in these verses? I would like your input. Leave a message in the comment section with your perspective on Christian business ethics and communication.

“Love Wins” Graduation Speech Video

(its 17 minutes…but I think well worth it. its a message we can’t remember and live out enough)

“He believed not in the me concept, but the we concept.”

Bibliography and Other Resources:
• Bible Verses and communication

How did I become a Christian SEO?

How I became a Christian SEO

Well, I grew up in Nashville going to Harpeth Hills and then later at Natchez Trace Church with a great and supportive Christian family. Through out my life my family helped me connect with great learning opportunities like Christian summer camp and vacation bible school.

I graduated from college in 1999 and then got my graduate degree in communications at Ball State University in 2001. About a year later I started doing professional policy research and instructing at the University of Rochester, which was exciting and a great opportunity to showcase my winning strategic skills.

How I went from Collegiate debate coach and professional researcher to Christian SEO

Later I moved on to Weber and then Washington DC to coach several nationally award winning debate teams. I grew a bit tired of debate and started learning the basics of search engine optimization. I was utilizing keyword research, content development, relationship building, and the fundamentals of link building to grow my blogs readership.

Applying My Strategic SEO Skills to the Marketplace:
I soon was hired by a local seo firm in Nashville to do content development for 6 of their client blogs. From there I’ve gone on to work with a handful of seo clients. Thats my story. Thats how one becomes a Christian SEO or at least how I became a Christian SEO. Its been a learning curve, but fun. My online research, strategy, and training from teaching debate to college aged students has been tremendously helpful to SEO content development and marketing strategy. Its also been helpful in staying on top of the constantly changing world of search engine rankings, Google, and social media marketing.

Our Christian Principles in Life and Business
The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalms 27:1

Your Christian Internet Marketing Agency

Looking for Christian Internet Marketing Agencies?

Excellent. Welcome. You’ve come to the right place.

Throughout my life and the Creative Fusion Media, I’ve tried to work with and provide internet and marketing consulting for quality Christian organizations, Christian ministries, and Christian businesses.

Working with Christian people and organizations gives me the opportunity to work set down with an organization and provide an assessment of the overall online marketing, communications, SEO, and public relations.

What exactly does that involve? How can you help my Christian business with marketing? Well its really pretty simple:

• Strategic market assessment
• Communications consulting
• Comprehensive social media and marketing training
• Online business strategy
• Search engine marketing and optimization
• Online PR
• Internet marketing execution

We can help you connect with your community leveraging social marketing and online public relations strategies.

Creative Fusion Media. A professional and friendly Christian marketing agency. How can we help you with your marketing needs? Please contact us at (615) 594 – 2095 for your free, no obligation twenty minute consultation.

Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.
Proverbs 15:22

Christian Social Media and Social Networking

Christian and Church Related Social Networking Communities : Your Definitive Guide to Church Social Media

Why social networking?Christians along with the unchurched are going online in mass and slowly abandoning mass media. Social networking, blogs, and interactive social media are creating a revolution in how people interact and connect online. Its also fundamentally transforming Christian and church marketing practices, but these changes typically are slow with some maven churches on the leading edge of social media marketing.

Why should your church or christian organization be involved with social media? Its about sharing your story online. Its about connecting to the people in your organization. Its about being found in Google. And its about being missional.

God Tube-Christian version of YouTube

My Church-Christian version of MySpace

Shout Life-Another Christian version of MySpace.

Christian Leaders on Twitter-Just a Facebook group for Christian leaders. There are several other groups for Christian leaders. Check out this free Facebook for Pastors e-book

Belief Net Community-in addition to a blog community, Belief Net which is owned by Ruport Murdoch a per his acquisition about a year ago.

Ning-Ning allows you to create your own social network in 60 seconds. There are several Christian communities on Ning

God Blogs-Christian-esque social news community (I believe this community no longer exists)

Linked In and Christian Social Networking–
• Christian Professionals
• Business as Mission Network
• Christian Ministry and Church Leadership
• CBMW

Other Non-Christian Relateded Social Networking Communities to Check Out:
Shelfari and Good Reads are book social networks for books. I would probably just pick one.

Flickr-a photo sharing site. A great way to share your story, especially if you or someone in your family or your church enjoys taking pictures. Also, if you have artistic or visual content that isn’t video, but instread two-dimensional flickr is a fantastic option for putting that content online and giving it a home.

Yelp is social networking for restaurants and local business reviews.

Facebook-this is the mack daddy of social networks. Churches like Lifechurch have applications here to drive online engagement and community. Leveraging groups in facebook is a great way to connect with fellow church goers for activities.

Twitter-people tend to like twitter. Lots of church leaders and Christian authors are on here. A great place to connect with those folks and others.

Vimeo-Great place in addition You Tube and God Tube to post videos.

Viddler-Another fantastic video sharing community.

UStream is a great way to live stream church services, church events, or classes. There are several other players in this space that are worth looking at.

WordPress is a great blogging platform and arguably the best blogging platform.

Second Life I don’t recommend Second Life (SL) for everybody, but a very small number of churches (around 100 or so according to recent article by Christianity Today) are creating online communities on the social network Second Life.

Upcoming is social networking for events. Although in the short term, Facebook events is probably the best place to coordinate this rather than Upcoming, because not a lot of people are on upcoming except in major cities like Washington DC, San Fransisco, and New York.

More Christian and Religious Social Media Marketing Resources

For more about church social media and social networking check out our other posts or Aaron Marshall church social media. You can see his video on Vimeo called Social Media 101, which he delivered at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Christianity on Alltop-aggregation of some of the best blogs on Christianity and Christian related subjects

Religion on Alltop-aggregation of some fo the top blogs in the area of religion

Have any Christian social networking suggestions or tips? Do you have any questions about religious social media for me or others? Where do you digital missions and e-ministry moving towards?

What are the principles of ethical SEO and principled internet marketing?

What is ethics in marketing?

Ethics in marketing is about using both ethical means and ethical ends in your product development and marketing process. It providing quality customer service so that product delivery and execution is nearly flawless. Responsible companies want to really add value to their customer and to humanity. Consistently the best companies are companies which respect customers intelligence and interests and use that as the foundation of their product and guiding principles.

Principles of Ethics in Business and Marketing: Ethical SEO in Context
These principles extend from product development and marketing through the product (or service) delivery phase. They are based in respect for the dignity the consumer and community and are at the backbone of all ethical systems.

• Based on products and services that add real value to the consumer. Products and services that solve real consumer problems.
• Practices honesty in marketing and advertising. Ultimately, truth in advertising.
• Create win/win solutions for consumer, community, and business. On balance does more good than harm.
Some businesses go so far as to promote the triple bottom line (profit-planet-people)
• Practices sound business ethics

What is ethics seo and principled internet marketing?
How do you determine if you are using responsible and ethical web marketing tactics? How do you determine if your are using ethical tactics and strategies in your web marketing strategies? Here are some core ethical communication and ethical seo principles:

• Creating great, audience centric content that adds value.
• Avoid spam and spam-like methods for marketing and promotion
• Not manipulating or tricking the user to increase search rankings
• Not manipulating or tricking the search engines such as cloaking
• Making your website usable for users. User centric design is critical.
• Avoiding duplicate content helps SEO
• Avoid link farms

And generally avoid the marketing practices that Yahoo, Google, and Microsoft frowns upon. For instance the search engines generally dislike. The best way is to assess your internal values on a regular basis. What do the principles of ethics internet marketing mean in terms of search engine optimization and search engine marketing. Initially, you want to avoid black hat seo and black hat seo firms. Additionally, you also want be very sure the kinds of tactics your seo company utilizes generally avoid gray hat seo.

You may also want to check out my presentation on ethical seo or my other resources about ethical seo.

Living Waters Website Analysis | Christian SEO Casestudy

Giving Away Free Christian Resources and Link Bait

The Living Waters is connected to Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort. I ran across the Living Waters website and wanted to point out some of the upsides. For instance, they seem to have great link bait for Christians. In fact, they have four different free resource links on their top level menu. Website grader reports they have a PR of 5 and nearly 10,000 backlinks. For those that don’t know, link bait is useful or fun web content meant to be linked to in order to increase search ranking. Its helpful for webmasters, churches, and bloggers wanting to add content to their website and free advertising for the creator. Its generally win/win for both parties and is a great Christian SEO strategy.

I think they do need a usability update. Initially, their site looks a little circa 2002. In sharp contrast, their The Way of the Master website is pretty modern looking in design and layout. Second, they don’t have a blog connected directly the website, but this may be a better choice for them. You can check out Ray’s Comforts Atheist Central blog here. Finally, their 150,000 people will die to day is an interesting widget–but annoying to me as a user. I’m not sure if you want to have your other messages heard why you would add this to your website.