M L Symonds

Planning a project, in its very simplest terms, requires putting a series of tasks in the correct order and determining any dependencies between the tasks, in order to reach a desired outcome at the end of the project. In practise things are never quite so straightforward.

A successful SEO campaign is vital to the success of every small online business. Without it your website will not receive many visitors and if people aren't visiting your website then they are not buying your product or service. But is there more to online success than just SEO?

If you know anything about search engine optimisation you will know that the critical first step to a successful SEO campaign is getting your keywords right. And there is plenty of advice available about tools that can help you to do this, but keyword research and analysis cannot just be performed by a software tool.

Whilst formal Project Management techniques are recognised as vital to large, complex projects many organisations insist on using recognised methodologies for projects of every shape and size. Is there a case for doing away with the rules and regulations in small, simple projects or is that just the route to failure?

Large corporations and government organisations that embark on major projects have for many years been aware of the need to use professional project management methods and tools to oversee and control their activities. But smaller companies are also now starting to appreciate the benefits of undertaking work in a structured and controlled way.

The major part of SEO work involves building backlinks to a website from relevant, authoritative sites to boost search engine rankings. This off-site work contributes something like 80% to the overall ranking of a website. But what about on-site SEO? That 20% could just push you ahead of your competitors so don't ignore it.

For those who are new to Search Engine Optimisation find out how to get started on promoting your website on the internet. And learn why completing the first step thoroughly is so vital to a successful SEO campaign and high rankings in the search engines.

Many small start-up businesses will have spent a considerable amount of their limited resources having a website developed. Their website is now fully functional, well designed and looks great. They have probably had many compliments from friends and colleagues, but where are all the visitors? Then someone mentions SEO.

All projects, from the simplest project involving a single team of people working together in the same location, to hugely complex global projects with teams using different skill sets across the globe, will benefit from the tried and tested project management techniques and tools widely available.

Plenty of information is available about the best ways for a project manager to manage risk within a complex project. How best to communicate those risks to stakeholders and how to mitigate or avoid risks. But what are the best ways of identifying those risks in the first place?