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Merry Christmas from DVH Design

We would like to wish our customers, friends and followers a very Merry Christmas and great prosperity for 2025.

Our highlight this year has been reaching our 25 year milestone of trading.  I wish I could say the rest of the year has been a breeze.  It has certainly been challenging.

But next year will see a new look website, regular posts and we are thinking aobut having a YouTube channel to answer some of your most asked website questions.

Watch this space and we will keep you update din the new year.

In the meantime, if you would also like to make a donation to our charity this year, Children's Hearts UK (formerly the Children's Heart Federation) you can do so by click the button below.

Recent Showcase: Removing fake reviews from google

First thing last Monday morning I was greeted with an email form one of my longstanding clients.  Over the weekend they had found themselves gain 6 reviews to their Google Business profile.

This would normally be "Great I have 6 reviews to improve my business!".  But these weren't:  They were all 1 star reviews from "people" claiming to have had a bad experience, while using their service.

As a result the business owner contacted me, absolutely depserate to get this sorted out, which naturally I did.

Step 1: Research

So after being given access to their Google Business Profile, I started off doing a bit of research into these reviewers.

First I noticed the reviews had had a signifcant impact on their business.  Their average review rate had been 4.3 (which in this industry is pretty good).  Thanks to 6 1 star reviews, it was now 3.6.

Also the reviews were quite standardised.  So the service on offer here is dotted at locations across the capital by different people.  No location was mentioned, no person was mentioned.  If anthing it sounded more like a salon where you get yours hair or nails done.   All but one review, I will get to that one in a minute. 

Next we had a little investigate of our esteemed "reviewers".  No other reviews could be seen from their profile.  They had been hidden.  That's not how  a normal disgruntled customer behaves!

But the one review (circled) caught my attention.  Sounds a bit being held to ransom.   Cheeky Devil.

"Contact me and I will make the evil reviews go away. probably for a lot of money"

Step 2: Reporting Time

Of course we wasn't going to play this idiot's game.  Google aren't particularly quick at dealing with issues and sometimes have to be asked more than once.  I am resigned to this fact.

So for every fake review, we reported it by hitting the trport button that can be found on the list of reviews in your Google Business profile.  This was clearly a scam and also spam.  and then we got an ok message for our troubles.

Hit that Exclamation button and get reporting!

This is definitely Spam

Step 2 1/2:  Raise a Support Ticket

This part could be dropped, but for someone who can spends days and even weeks trying to sort out issues with Google Support, You should be able to send them message at least reporting the issue.

It probably is unnecessary but it can give you some decent help from people that have had the ame issue, but its worth going through the process 

If you click the Get Support button on the left of your Google profile dashboard.

From here you can tell Google which profile has the issue (if you have more than one), search for your issue, read article and posts from similar users that have been there and email the issue to Google.

It might be overkill but you can also raise a support ticket to alert Google to the issue.

Step 3:  The Waiting Game

After then, it's a case of waiting for Google to reply.  Bear in mind they can take up to 3 days to reply to your concerns.

The Outcome

But in this particular case, it didn't take 3 days.  This was my first task on a Monday morning.  By about 4pm my client emailed me to say that the main review (shady business post) had been removed.  But the other 5 were still online.  Nice to end the day on a cliff hanger.

By the following morning, all 6 bad reviews had been removed .  Cue one very happy client.  He also added that Google were invstigating the profiles involved and would track these pesky offenders.

Not all outcomes are this straightforward but in this one case, it was open and shut.

I hope this showcase has helped you.  Please let me know in the comments about your experiences,

And if you are suffering the same fate and not sure how to deal with it, then please get in touch using the button below.

As written by a website reviewer

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Because experience matters.

I was getting ready to write a LinkedIn post a couple of weeks ago. My goal was to drive home the benefits of backing up your website in case it all goes a bit "Pete Tong" (wrong). I was able to locate an image of Pete Tong off Wikipedia, but it wasn't his best.So I went to some of the popular stock image websites. There was a great selection of Pete Tong related images, but these were all marked Editorial. This means that the image could only be used for reporting and non-commercial only.I could of course argue this was the case, but in the end decided to abandon the whole piece just to stay safe.

All about Copyright

The first instance of copyright law dates as early as 1709, to protect the interests of publishers. In time this has come to protect artists, writers and photogrpahers. A website is no exception. Printed material may only reach a limited amount of people for a short time. A website is there all the time for anyone across the globe to stumble across.Twin that with reverse image searches in Google Images and monitoring services such as Pixsy or Tineye and you could find yourself in trouble very quickly and it can get expensive.The first experience I had of web copyright was as far back as 2005. I had a local manufacturing firm that told me his story. He bought 2 images from a well known stock company to use on his brochure. When he came to create his first website, he thought "oh let's use the 2 images I've just bought for my brochure."Two weeks later there was a dull thump on his doormat. In the form of a hefty copyright bill for £7k per image. Ouch.Of course this is the story I tell to advise my clients to not full foul of the same fate. After all, a lot can be done with £14,000. Paying a disgruntled photographer or artist shouldn't be one of them.

That goes for Artwork as well

This isn't limited to photos, this can be videos, graphics and so on. I recently complimented one of my clients for the graphic for one of her product hampers. When she announced "Oh I just did a Google search and copied it", I took it upon myself to recreate a graphic that was just as good but wouldn't potentially cost her 5 figures. Deviant Art, one of the largest art galleries online does a pretty sterling job of explaining copyright on their website .

A quick word about celebrities

I have recently called out someone who I was going to work with by pointing out he had an image of a popular tennis player on his website. As this was a PT, it could be implied that he trained them.I was shot down in flames due to the fact that he had inclded this image for several years and had not had any issues. In fairness the image has about 100 pixels wide and very bad quality.But why even take the risk? As I found out from my Pete Tong expedition, the only images are editorial. To include them on your website unless you are a news resource is a very dangerous game.Celebrities (and their photographers) take a very dim view on having their work exploited and have as Kendrick Lamar said it at the Oscars, are "lawyered up".

So what can you do?

There are a number of ways still to include images on your website and stay above board.- Original Content. This is the best method. Take your own images, make your own graphics. Or enlist on the help of a professional to create something that is truly yours. - Get written permission. It nevers hurts to ask. A polite email or letter might lead to a "no" but how would you know, if you don't ask?If you're selling products on behalf of a company, they should give you consent and probably even point you towards a trade website allowing you to take what you need. If not then just get an ok in writing, even as an email. - Popular stock libraries. If all else fails there are many stock websites for photos videos and graphics. The top ones are iStockPhoto and ShutterStock. Generally you can get an image for about £7-£20. I would however read the licence agreements prior to using any stock website. Unsplash.com is also a good library to check out. Mostly these are free for commercial use. Access to premium images are available for £10 for a month. - Try free stock libraries.  I have had some success using some of the free options, such as FreeImages and Pixabay. Again read the small print first, just so you know whats ok and what's not. - Check Out WikiMedia. If you are that adamant on getting an image try WikiMedia which look after the images on Wikedpia. It can be a bit hit and miss, BUT read the Reusing content link first and follow the instructions thoroughly. Chances are you will be asked to add an attribution.

Not Gwyneth Paltrow, but a smart use of a stock image from the back is just as convincing

Conclusion

A recent conversation about keyword repetition sparked this post to guide anyone else falling into the SEO trap.

I was talking to a client this week who was panicking about the content on their website.  Basically they had been speaking to an outside expert about their page copy and how it could be improved.  Fair enough so far.But then the age old subject came up about keyword repetition.  Cue the client physically counting the times a keyphrase is repeat throughout several of the blog posts I had written.For anyone that hasn't been working in the web world for nearly 25 years, I shall bring oyu up to speed:  Before 2012, it was possible to game Google (et al) into ranking your website higher than your competitors.  One of those early tactics was to stuff your chosen keyphrases into copy as many times as you could.  it didn't have to make sense but it worked.Luckily at around 2012, Google put a massive stop to that with the Google Panda and the Google Penguin updates.  Between them, websites that were both thin on content and were blatantly using bad techniques to promote their website saw a massive drop in rankings.  Overnight.So now the playing field is more even.  Yes, you will have to repeat your keyphrase in the content you write, but what extent of keyword repetition is bad?

An Extreme example of how not to do Keyword Repetition

I shall start with what is not allowed.  What i am about to give you is an extreme example of keyword repetition. Tell me if you can comfortably read the copy in this image:

An example written in an image so it doesn't get me into trouble! Yes. neither can I!  This is too much.  That text isn't even readable and reeks a bit of desperation. Copy like this will make any visitor to your website do a 180 and go back to Google.  And after a short while, Google will want to know why so many users are doing the same.  And bang!  You are on the naughty list.

So what Should I do?

When talk about a subject, you know a lot about, or are passionate about, you talk about it using using common terms with a second thought.  So by creating compelling content about the subject, any potential keyphrases are repeated naturally. Whether you are writing a page or a post, it also helps to know what keyphrase you would like to rank for.  I will tackle this in another post, but let's just say for now, you have your keyphrase in mind.

Write Something Compelling

Remember the internet is still an information super highway that most of the population of the world use for information. Google and other search engines exist so web users can find the best information to serve them.So if people are coming onto your website to read your content on X keyphrase, it means they want to know more about it. Not necessarily to buy your product/service.  They could just be seeking advice on the subject, or doing research or comparing ideas. So how can you best help that end user?  What advice can you give them about X subject?  What do they need to know moving forward?  Even better, what shouldn't they do?  These should give you ideas for good content.

Is there an actual number for Keyword Density?

Keyword density is the number of times a keyphrase appear in a web page (or post).There is not a definite number to adhere to, but as a guide, there is a formula according to SEM Rush.If you divide the total word count of your post/page with the number of times your keyphrase is repeated.  Then multiply this number by 100 and that is your percentage.

But that's a bit techy isn't it?  You may get some SEO consultants give you a figure such as repetition every 1-200 words and SEO software that say aim between 0.5%-3% for the optimum in SEO.

My Best Tips

- Focus on User Experience not SEO. You could easily drive yourself mad by focusing on keyword density for SEO, so don't!  Instead focus on serving the user.  The keyphrase needs to appear as early as possible, for example in a heading.  This at least tells the end user that they are on the right page. - Write for the people, not the search engines. An age old tip that applies even now.  You are not a robot and your users are deifintely not.  So write natural content for them.  If you try writing your copy with search engines in mind, people will turn away.  A massive red flag for Google. - Use an SEO plugin. If you are on WordPress, a shop site or any CMS based platform, you can add a good SEO plugin that can notify you if your repetition is just a bit too much.  For WordPress, I use the free verison of Yoast SEO.  This checks your content in real time and warns you if you are over optimising for your keyphrase.If you aren't on any platform then try an online tool like SEMRush's Online Checker - Read through your content. Copywriting can be mentally draining, so once your've written your piece, go away and take a break from the screen.  Make a cup of tea, watcha film or something. Then look back on your article on a fresher mind.  Does it read ok?  Do you understand it?  If not then make changes. - Get someone else to read it.  it's also easy to get to engrossed in your writing.  So ask someone else to read it:  A colleague, your boss, your friend.  They will tell you if it sounds forced.  If you are stumped, then I volunteer my Mum who gives a very honest opinion!

Conclusion

This is a true story of a domain name that expired and what you can do to get it back.  But any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. About this time last year, I took on a customer of a family run business.  Their original website had been created by a "friend".  This friend had created the website, set up their .co.uk domain name, their hosting and kept it updated. Then to cut a long story short, this friendship went sour.  The friend stopped communication and as a result I got a frantic phone call. Everything was going well, their website was re-designed, set up on a new hosting provider and everyone was going great. All we needed now was the access details so we can forward the domain name to point to the new server.And that was a problem.  Because the friend was not playing any more.  This was a red flag.

Is the domain name in your name?

This was my first question.  If the website is at least in your name, you can go to central registry (Nominet for .co.uk, ICANN for .com) and dispute/claim your domain name.Sadly, GDPR doesn't allow Joe Public to view personal details on who owns a specific domain name anymore.  So we could only assume that it wasn't set up in their name at all.This was confirmed when this was requested and friend said he would change this when the domain name expires. Red Flag number 2,In the meantime we used a new domain name if just to launch the website.

The Honourable Thing

So fast forward to expiry day and I try the domain name transfer feature on my registrar.  The friend will get the email and in theory, just needs to log in and change the IPS Tag to the new registrar.The client also sent a nice polite email just keepin the friend in the picture of what was expected.They got nothing back.  Not a sausage.  I however got a notice from my registrar telling me that the transfer had been refused by the owner.I tried this a couple of times.  And got the same outcome.  Oh boy.

Expired.  Now what?

So of course the domain name expired.  So that must mean that now the domain name would be released and we can call first dibs on it.  Right?  No.A domain name doesn't become free as soon as someone forgets to pay for it. This varies depending who you register with but domain registrars tend to give you a grace period of around 30 days before that domain name is suspended officially.  it can still be renewed in that time but friend did not. When it is finallly suspended, the registrar cannot touch it.  But now neither can we. In fact there is a separate little problem now.

The unwritten rule

Everything I have written so far, I already knew, but this bit was a little bit of a grey area. So, when a domain name is finally suspended by a domain registrar, is goes into a quarantine period for 91 days.  On the 92nd day, it gets deleted and only then is it available for anyone to reclaim or register.

The salvation

By this time, I was having nightmares about Google Calendar reminders set for 90 days time and whether I should be getting up at midnight to ensure I register this little delight.I also mentioned this whole escapade to an IT consultant friend of mine.  He sent me the link of a Dropped.uk. At Dropped, you can back order a suspended domain name and they keep an eye on the dates and do all the donkey work so you don't have to. You have to pay for the actual back order but only if they successully obtain the domain name for you. 

The 92nd day

So finally we get to the day where the domain name was going to be deleted.  I checked the login panel at dropped and the actual release date was announced for 10.30am.  I did have something booked but thankfully the client was late for his meeting.  This enabled me to check at the time.Almost immediately it came up with Successful, please pay us.  So I did.  In this case I paid £35.  Which considering what they've done for me and my client was an absolute bargain.All I had to do now was add the correct registrar details and trasnfer the domain name to my actual registrar and we were good to go.Cue me sending a good news phone call to my client.  Which I wish I could do many more of!

The Takeaway from this

Let's have a quick show of hands:  Who wants to get more reviews on their Google Business page? We all know that reviews to our Business profile give us an unfair advantage over our competition and and is a potential way of getting onto page 1 of Google. But we also know that it's a long, arduous task to get your customers to sit still long enough to post those all important reviews.  It's not their fault:  Business, Personal and Life in general gets in the way.  We at DVH Design are always looking to make this an easy task.

And We have just found the solution ...