Robert Redford and the Law of the Jungle

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The trouble with trying to arrange a memorable vacation isn’t the lack of choice but too much of it. With so many options available on the Internet, it’s hard to know what offers the best experience. You might find yourself on a cookie-cutter tour and miss a destination’s hidden treasures.

Last year, I worked with the team at Frank Design Strategy in Calgary to help create a website for travel agent Natasha Rhodes. Her company, Rhodes Less Travelled, offers active and experiential vacations that enable clients to explore other cultures, get up close and personal with wildlife and immerse themselves in natural wonders, ranging from kayaking in the stillness of the High Arctic to exploring the lush jungles and wine lands of South Africa.

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Cause and Effect at Kids Help Phone

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“I grew up being abused – physically, sexually, mentally. Like a lot of boys, I didn’t know how to ask for help. I kept things compartmentalized and cramped down. I’d have nightmares as my brain tried to cope with what was happening. . . .”

I tell Aidan’s story as part of the 2014-15 impact report written for Kids Help Phone, Canada’s only 24/7 counselling and information service for young people. As a charity with no government funding, Kids Help Phone depends entirely on the kindness of strangers, and friends, for the money, volunteers and expertise to carry out its mission, reaching kids in trouble through its phone line and, increasingly, the Internet, with its popular Live Chat service.

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From Link Building to Brand Building

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At one time, search engine optimization was a narrowly defined profession, tinkering under the online hood to up page rankings in search engines, particularly Google. But SEO has made the transition from link building to brand building – from specialty supplier to essential digital marketing partner.

In the past year, I have served as senior writer on a number of projects with Toronto SEO/digital marketing agency Above the Fold Media, run by David Sahly. The work has included content marketing plans, specialized landing pages, pay-per-click campaigns and sales personas for lawyer, bankruptcy trustee, real estate and other clients, as well as site writing and blogging for ATF itself.

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