If you are running an online business, it's important that you learn how to promote it through search engine optimization. You should be aware by now that the competition for customers online has never been tougher. If you are not aggressive in optimizing your website or blog so that more people will be able to find it, your competitors can easily outsmart you and steal your potential customers. With that said, now is the time to focus a considerable amount of your time and resources on optimizing your website. SEO is not rocket science. As long as you have a good grasp of its most basic tenets, you are good to go.

The very first thing you need to do is find the keywords that your potential customers use to search for your products and services online. These keywords can be single words or phrases or combinations of both. There are numerous keyword research tools that you can use. Most of these are free to use so you have nothing to lose in utilizing them. If you are not too familiar with these tools, a good place to start would be Google's own keyword research tool. It has a lot of features that will enable you to find the most relevant keywords for your business.

Once you have come up with a list of keywords, the next step is to integrate them into your website content or in external websites that you utilize in your marketing campaign. However, you need to be careful in using the keywords lest you get penalized for using too much of them. The general rule is to use the keywords moderately. Make sure that they flow well with your content. Simply think of what your customers want to know then build your content around it. In a nutshell, if you want to attract more customers, you need to make keyword research an integral part of your marketing strategy.

A female wedding coordinator in Manila is being accused of carting away millions of pesos from a balikbayan couple who just recently returned home to the Philippines in order to get married. In a long post that he published on the social networking site Facebook, Merjerie Mamaril Lanzaderas (the groom) detailed what transpired between him, his wife and a female coordinator he identified as Karen Favis Carlos. The gist of Lanzaderas's post is that Carlos scammed him and his wife of millions of pesos that were supposed to have been spent on their wedding day.

According to Lanzaderas, he and his fiance got engaged sometime in 2014. They are both based overseas. And since most of their friends and families are still living in the Philippines, the couple planned on getting back home to get married. They decided to hire a wedding coordinator based in the Philippines to oversee the wedding preparations. With the recommendation of a friend, the couple got in touch with Carlos and hired her as their wedding coordinator. Also in 2014, the couple met with Carlos and her family to iron out the details of the wedding. The couple also made the necessary downpayments for the services needed in the upcoming wedding.

Everything seemed to be in order after the meeting with Carlos. But things got really messy on the wedding day which happened on July 18, 2015. According to Lanzaderas, Carlos didn't show up, she can't be contacted on her phone, and she deactivated her Facebook account. Carlos's assistants arrived at the venue but Carlos herself never showed up. That was when Lanzaderas realized that they may have been scammed.

Lanzaderas enumerated several things that he claims were supposed to have been handled and paid for by Carlos. These include the following:
1. There were no flowers waiting at the hotel where they were booked. The groom said that it was his wife's dream to have flowers by Teddy Manuel, a leading floral designer in the Philippines. But there were no Teddy Manuel flowers at the hotel. The worst part is that the groom says he holds receipts and contracts saying that the flowers were paid for two months prior. At the wedding, the couple's entourage didn't have any flowers. There were also no flowers at the church. And the bride used a bouquet of flowers that were bought from a store.
2. There was no bride's limo as well. The groom also holds a receipt given to him by Carlos showing that a limo from Don Robert's Bridal Cars was paid for months prior.
3. At the venue of the after-wedding party, the ballroom wasn't what the couple expected. The groom said that they paid for the venue's most expensive package but they were only given the basic services. The groom also lamented that the DJ as well as the event emcee were different.
4. The catering services were not paid. Lanzaderas said that they have paid nearly half a million pesos for the catering services and that they have a receipt for it.
Lanzaderas suspects that the receipts and contracts that Carlos gave to him and his wife were fake and forged. They called Teddy Manuel and the latter confirmed their worst fear - there was never a contract between them at all. According to the groom, the contract with Don Robert's Bridal Cars was faked as well.

In the end of his Facebook post, Lanzaderas exclaimed that Carlos "looked decent and trusting but she is the most heartless person" they have ever met. Lanzaderas also warned other people who might come across Carlos and her wedding services.

A quick search on Google about Karen Favis Carlos shows that she is the owner and manager of an events management firm called Glamworks. In the firm's website, it describes itself as "a full-service event planning team, specializing in Weddings and Corporate Events conceptualization, planning and coordination services". Carlos is named as the company's Managing Director.

You can read Lanzaderas's Facebook post here .

Update: Karen Favis Carlos has released an official statement about the issue. Carlos posted the statement on the website of Glamworks Events Management. Read it here .

Several Google algorithm updates had been rolled out by the search engine giant during the last few years and more of these updates will likely be implemented yet again in the coming months and years. This is totally understandable given the dynamic changes that occur on the internet in a daily basis. The creation and flow of information online goes through constant changes and Google must keep on updating its algorithm if it wants to deliver relevant and helpful search results for its users. There are consequences for these updates, the most notable of which is the negative effect they have on other websites. The question now is if your website was negatively affected, how can you get it back into Google's good graces? Below are some of the measures you can do.

1. Analyze your website to find out what could have possibly caused the negative effect on your site. If your website got penalized or its search rankings suddenly went down after an update, there's a reason or several reasons why that is the case. Google won't just demote you for no reason at all. With that said, what you need to do is try o find out why you were negatively affected. This way, you will know what to do. You will have an idea regarding the measures you need to follow in order to get your original rankings back.

2. Declutter your website if you are using too much widgets and if you are displaying too many advertisements. The Google algorithm updates look into several factors in determining whether a website should get improved rankings or demoted rankings. Some studies show that the number of advertisements and unnecessary widgets in a website are among these factors. And this makes real sense. If you have too much advertising in your website, you will likely get slapped by a Google update. The same can be said if your site is full of widgets that don't add value to your site's content. What you must do therefore is cut down the advertisements and widgets you use on your website.

3. Check on the affiliate links you've placed on your website. You might want to tone them down a little bit. Affiliate marketing is a great way to monetize a website or a blog but if you do it too aggressively, Google will not be very happy about it. Spamming with affiliate links is a major problem that Google really hates so don't put too much affiliate links and banners in your website. Always think about value first, monetization second. A lot of webmasters have found out that if they removed some of the affiliate links in their sites, their sites seem to improve their rankings in the search results.

4. Look for pages in your website that contain thin content and try to improve them. If your website contains articles that are just a paragraph long, then it's about time you work on them and make them longer. You see, if Google sees thin content, it usually ignores such content and doesn't index them at all. This means you won't get much search traffic.

5. Look for duplicate content and try to edit or eliminate them if necessary. Duplicate content is among the things that Google really hates. That said, you should look into the pages in your website and make sure that every piece of content there is unique. You should also scour the web if there are sites plagiarizing your content. If you find such sites, file reports to have them taken down.

Following and implementing these measures should significantly help you in bouncing back after your site got hit by the Google algorithm updates.

Agdao
Lapu-Lapu cor. Dacudao Sts.,
Agdao, Davao City
Tel No. (63 82) 222-1427
Fax No. (63 82) 222-0382 

Angeles
772-A Sto. Rosario St.,
Angeles City
Tel No. (63 45) 888-4050
Fax No. (63 45) 323-6542  

Balanga
J.P. Rizal St., cor. Zulueta st., Poblacion
Balanga, Bataan
Tel No. (63 47) 237-7370 / 71
Fax No. (63 47) 237-7372
 
Baliuag
BS Aquino Avenue Cor.
Tomacruz St., Baliuag, Bulacan
Tel No. (63 44) 766-6070/766-6073
Fax No. (63 44) 766-6071
 
Batangas
Rizal Ave. cor. Gomez St.,
Batangas City
Tel No. (63 43) 723-8424/ 33
Fax No. (63 43) 723-3342 

Butuan
A.D. Curato cor. San Jose Sts.,
Butuan City
Tel No. (63 85) 342-5028
Fax No. (63 85) 341-9496
Cabanatuan
140 Roman Catholic Bishop Bldg.,
Paco Roman St.,  Cabanatuan City
Tel No. (63 44) 464-1790
Fax No. (63 44) 464-1792 

Cagayan de Oro
JP Borja cor. Daumar Sts.,
CDO City,  Misamis Oriental
Tel No. (63 8822) 72-7723/ 72-3472
Fax No. (63 88) 857-2246 

Cebu
JRG Bldg., Mango Plaza II,
Mango Avenue, Cebu City
Tel No. (63 32) 254-5225/ 254-9402
Fax No. (63 32) 253-6831 

Dagupan
Diego Bldg., AB Fernandez cor. Rizal Sts., Dagupan City
Tel No. (63 75) 523-6562/ 522-2739
Fax No. (63 75) 523-3203 

Davao
San Pedro cor. Legaspi Sts.,
Davao City
Tel No. (63 82) 224-6453/ 300-6199
Fax No. (63 82) 221-0104 

Dumaguete
Corner Real and Colon St.,
Dumaguete CIty
Tel No. (63 35) 225-3062/ 422-6286
Fax No. (63 35) 225-4485 

Gaisano Mall
Upper & Ground Level Gaisano Mall,
J.P Laurel Ave., Davao City
Tel No. (63 82) 222-7371 to 72
Fax No. (63 82) 222-7374 

General Santos
Pioneer St., cor. Quezon Ave., General Santos City,
South Cotabato
Tel No. (63 83) 552-8860/ 302-1223
Fax No. (63 83) 552-8861 

Iligan
Quezon Avenue cor. Mabini St.,
Iligan City, Lanao del Norte
Tel No. (63 63) 221-9268/ 492-1619
Fax No. (63 63) 492-1014 

Iloilo
Eznart St.,
Iloilo City
Tel No. (63 33) 337-0982/ 509-7905
Fax No. (63 33) 337-2967 

Iriga
J.P. Rizal cor. Azucena Sts.,
Iriga City, Camarines Sur
Tel No. (63 54) 655-1126
Fax No. (63 54) 299-2512 

Juan Luna
145 Osme�a Blvd.,
Cebu City
Tel No. (63 32) 255-7637/ 39
Fax No. (63 32) 255-7638 

Laoag
Rizal cor. Bagumbayan Sts.,
Laoag City, Ilocos Norte
Tel No. (63 77) 771-6540
Fax No. (63 77) 772-0269
La Union
Quezon Ave.,
San Fernando, La Union
Tel No. (63 72) 888-2190/ 89/ 2946
Fax No. (63 72) 888-2947 

Legazpi
139 Pe�aranda St.
Legazpi City
Tel No. (63 52) 480-8595
Fax No. (63 52) 820-2421

Lucena City
Quezon Ave. cor Rizal St.,
Lucena City
Tel No. (63 42) 373-6337/ 710-4216
Fax No. (63 42) 660-2074 
 
Mandaue
Flormont Hotel,
A.C. Cortes Ave., Mandaue City
Tel No. (63 32)345-1532/ 346-5072  
Fax No. (63 32) 346-5073

Naga
Elias Angeles cor. Arana Sts.,
Naga City
Tel No. (63 54) 811-2072/ 472-2389
Fax No. (63 54) 473-5992 

Puerto Princesa
137 Malvar St.,
Puerto Princesa City, Palawan
Tel No. (63 48) 434-9800 to 01
Fax No. (63 48) 434-9502

San Pablo
231 A. Bonifacio St.,
San Pablo City, Laguna
Tel No. (63 49) 562-7770
Fax No. (63 49) 562-1040

Santiago
Heritage Commercial Complex
Maharlika Hiway, Malvar, Santiago City, Isabela
Tel No. (63 78) 682-6091 to 92
Fax No. (63 78) 682-8682
Tacloban
Fil. Chamber of Commerce Bldg.,
Justice Romualdez St., Tacloban City
Tel No. (63 53) 325-8120/ 225-8126
Fax No. (63 53) 329-3171 

Urdaneta
Alexander St.,
Urdaneta, Pangasinan
Tel No. (63 75) 568-4797/ 624-2943
Fax No. (63 75) 624-2182 

Zamboanga
P. Lorenzo cor. Sevilla Sts.,
Zamboanga City
Tel No. (63 62) 991-3489/ 992-5091
Fax No. (63 62) 991-0962

Alabang
384 East Service Road
Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Tel No. (63 2) 850-1651/ 1302
Fax No. (63 2) 850-1650

Benavidez
G/F TBA Center, 1411 Benavidez St.
Legaspi Village, Makati City
Tel No. (63 2) 812-0416 & 47
Fax No. (63 2) 812-0439

Cubao
Bay 8 & 9 St. Anthony Bldg.
(Formerly Stella Maris Bldg.)
891 Aurora Blvd.,
Cubao, Quezon City
Tel No. (63 2) 911-2781/ 912-2785
Fax No. (63 2) 912-0538

Ermita
1511 A. Mabini St., Ermita,
Metro Manila
Tel No. (63 2) 525-8499
Fax No. (63 2) 526-1050

Espana
1216 FEMCO Bldg.,
Espa�a Boulevard,
Sampaloc, Metro Manila
Tel No. (63 2) 734-2686
Fax No. (63 2) 734-4221

Greenhills
G/F Virra Mall Shopping Center,
Greenhills, San Juan, Metro Manila
Tel No. (63 2) 725-0475
Fax No. (63 2) 726-4431

Guadalupe
R. Magsaysay cor. Sgt Fabian Yabut, Sts., Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City
Tel No. (63 2) 882-1362/ 750-7597
Fax No. (63 2) 822-0931

Imus
551 Emilio Aguinaldo Highway
Imus, Cavite City
Tel No. (63 46) 471-3078/ 471-3007
Fax No. (63 2) 529-8609

Intramuros
Rm. 101 BF Condominium Bldg.,
Aduana cor. Solano Sts.,
Intramuros, Manila
Tel No. (63 2) 527-9675
Fax No. (63 2) 528-0217

J.P. Rizal
J.P. Rizal Cor. Cardona Sts.,
Makati City
Tel No. (63 2) 890-3743
Fax No. (63 2) 899-5695

Kalookan
New MBS Bldg., 265 EDSA, Kalookan City
Tel No. (63 2) 330-2188/ 364-6771
Fax No. (63 2) 361-6002

Kamias
Kamias Road cor. Salgado Sts.,
Kamias, Quezon City
Tel No. (63 2) 927-8513
Fax No. (63 2) 920-2087

Laong- Laan
1612 Laong-Laan St.,
Sampaloc, Manila
Tel No. (63 2) 781-5569/ 781-5565
Fax No. (63 2) 781-5567

Las Piñas
367 Zapote-Alabang Road,
Las Piñas, Metro Manila
Tel No. (63 2) 800-5638/ 801-0140
Fax No. (63 2) 805-6735

Makati Ave.
7848 Makati Ave. cor. Gen. Luna Sts., Makati City
Tel No. (63 2) 899-3442/ 3077
Fax No. (63 2) 897-5932

Malabon
Rizal Ave. Ext. cor. Leono St.,
Malabon, Metro Manila
Tel No. (63 2) 283-3939/281-5554
Fax No. (63 2) 281-5555

Mandaluyong
877 Gen. Kalentong St.,
Mandaluyong City
Tel No. (63 2) 533-8346
Fax No. (63 2) 718-1454

M. Dela Fuente
777 M. Dela Fuente Sts.,
Sampaloc, Metro Manila
Tel No. (63 2) 781-3306/ 749-7814
Fax No. (63 2) 781-6861

Marikina
Sumulong Hiway cor. P. Burgos,
Brgy., Sto. Nino, Marikina City
Tel No. (63 2) 943-4156/ 941-2044
Fax No. (63 2) 943-4155

N.S. Amoranto
120 N.S. Amoranto cor. Dr. Alejo St.,
La Loma, Quezon City
Tel No. (63 2) 416-2439/ 742-6846
Fax No. (63 2) 742-3831

Novaliches
905 Quirino Highway, Bo. Gulod,
Novaliches, Quezon City
Tel No. (63 2) 937-1190/ 418-4994
Fax No. (63 2) 938-9411

Parañaque
PSCOR Bldg., Elizalde cor. E Gaches Sts.,
Phase I, BF Homes, Parañaque, Metro Manila
Tel No. (63 2) 809-2535/ 809-5987
Fax No. (63 2) 809-2536

Paseo De Roxas
101 Paseo de Roxas cor. Dela Rosa Sts.,
Makati City
Tel. No. (63 2) 818-5151/ 818-2580
Fax No. (63 2) 812-5344

Quiapo
Center Theater Bldg., Quezon Blvd.,
Quiapo, Metro Manila
Tel No. (63 2) 733-4964/ 736-8862
Fax No. (63 2) 733-6539

Roosevelt
345 Roosevelt Ave., (near Muñoz Market)
Quezon City
Tel No. (63 2) 371-5190
Fax No. (63 2) 373-8982

San Juan
N. Domingo cor. Olazo Sts.,
San Juan, Metro Manila
Tel No. (63 2) 722-5619/ 725-8210
Fax No. (63 2) 724-9995

Tutuban
Tutuban Center, Cluster Bldg. II
C.M. Recto, Manila
Tel No. (63 2) 251-0423/89
Fax No. (63 2) 251-0487

Tayuman
1876 Jose Abad Santos cor. Tayuman Sts.,
Tondo, Manila
Tel No. (63 2) 252-4874/ 253-3190
Fax No. (63 2) 252-4879

Quirino-Taft
Lopez & Cabana Bldg.,
2104 Taft cor. Pres. Quirino Avenues,
Metro Manila
Tel No. (63 2) 526-8063
Fax No. (63 2) 526-6350

Rosario
43 Ortigas Ave., Rosario,
Pasig, Merto Manila
Tel No. (63 2) 641-0677
Fax No. (63 2) 641-4792

Sucat
Dr. A. Santos Avenue (Sucat Road)
Parañaque, Metro Manila
Tel No. (63 2) 825-5226/ 820-6173
Fax No. (63 2) 825-5227

Timog
24 K. Mansion,
Timog Ave. cor Sct. Tuazon,
Quezon City
Tel No. (63 2) 251-0423/ 374-3368
Fax No. (63 2) 371-4303