#chicago web marketing
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kdramaxoxo · 1 year ago
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SUBWAY IS BACK!
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mozwebmedia · 1 month ago
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Quick & Trustworthy Chicago Web Hosting & Assistance
Experience fast & reliable web hosting companies chicago and support tailored to your needs. Enjoy seamless website performance, secure servers, and 24/7 expert assistance. Perfect for businesses and individuals seeking dependable hosting solutions in the Chicago area.
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filldesigngroupmarketing · 2 months ago
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Get Expert SEO Services in Chicago!
Want to rank higher on Google and attract more customers in Chicago? Fill Design Group offers tailored SEO strategies that drive organic traffic and improve your search rankings. Let us help your business grow with top-notch SEO services. Read more
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southeastlegalmarketing1 · 3 months ago
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Law Firm Marketing Florida: Innovative Approaches to Attract Clients
 In the competitive landscape of legal services, effective marketing is crucial for Florida law firms looking to stand out. Law Firm Marketing Florida offers a range of innovative strategies to help your practice attract and retain clients. At Southeast Legal Marketing, we understand the nuances of Law Firm Marketing Florida and are here to guide you through the best practices that can elevate your firm's presence.
Embracing Digital Strategies
One of the most effective ways to enhance Law Firm Marketing Florida is by leveraging digital platforms. Establishing a strong online presence is essential, and it starts with optimizing your website for search engines. A well-designed, SEO-optimized website can significantly increase your visibility in local search results, drawing in potential clients who are actively seeking legal services.
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Social Media Engagement
Social media is another powerful tool in Law Firm Marketing Florida. Platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter offer opportunities to engage with your audience, share valuable content, and build a community around your brand. Regularly posting updates, legal tips, and firm news can help maintain client interest and attract new clients who are active on social media.
Content Marketing
Creating valuable content is a cornerstone of successful Law Firm Marketing Florida. By publishing blog posts, articles, and legal guides that address common legal issues or provide insights into recent legal trends, you can position your firm as a thought leader. This content not only helps with SEO but also builds trust with potential clients who find your information helpful and relevant.
Local SEO Optimization
For Florida law firms, local SEO is critical. Law Firm Marketing Florida should include optimizing your Google My Business profile and encouraging client reviews. Local SEO ensures that your firm appears in local search results, making it easier for clients in your area to find and choose your services.
Effective Client Outreach
Effective client outreach involves personalized communication strategies. Consider using email marketing campaigns to keep past clients informed and engaged. Offering free consultations or legal webinars can also attract new clients and showcase your expertise.
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Key Strategies for Law Firm Marketing Florida:
Optimize your website for local SEO.
Engage actively on social media platforms.
Create and share valuable content.
Focus on local SEO optimization.
Utilize personalized email marketing.
By integrating these innovative approaches into your Law Firm Marketing Florida strategy, you can enhance your firm's visibility and attract more clients. For tailored marketing solutions, contact Southeast Legal Marketing at (800) 710-4300 or email us at [email protected]. Let us help you navigate the competitive landscape of Law Firm Marketing Florida and achieve your business goals.
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siteitnow · 6 months ago
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Site It Now is a leading Chicago digital marketing company offering web design and SEO services to businesses in Chicago IL
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innoventureind1 · 1 year ago
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AWS Cloud Managed in Birmingham
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With Innoventure Fintech Pvt. Ltd. AWS cloud managed services in Birmingham, you can unleash the power of cloud innovation! Enhance your business with flexible, scalable, and secure cloud solutions. Performance and efficiency are guaranteed by our expert team. Please do not hesitate to contact us.
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markatoonsmarketing · 1 year ago
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Markatoons: Your Trusted Choice for the Best Web Design Company in Bristol, UK. Elevate your online presence with our expert design solutions. Contact us today!
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andersongill202 · 1 year ago
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Top digital marketing services in Chicago:- IT Commit Solutions is a software company based in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India. They specialize in web development, web design, mobile app development, search engine optimization, social media marketing, and search engine marketing. They have a team of experienced and skilled professionals who are committed to providing their clients with the best possible services. https://itcommitsolutions.com/
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webtagewebdesign · 2 years ago
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The key to enhancing your reputation as an expert in your field and drawing new patients to your health system’s website and online channels is timely, pertinent, and consistent quality information.
Finally, you might want to consider asking for support from a professional healthcare digital marketing agency in Chicago to help handle this challenging task with ease and comfort.
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illusivelle · 6 months ago
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chicken scratch
pairing: carmen 'carmy' berzatto x reader rating: t (for now) length: 1,028 words content: mild cursing summary: you've never met your neighbour, but you've received plenty of their mail and now, a large package. of all the stories you made up in your head about who this 'carmen berzatto' could be, the real thing might just be your new favourite. a/n: brain rot means a middle of the night word dump. will likely be the first of many little stories about your next door neighbour, carmen, because that dynamic lives in my mind rent free. fluff for now, but we all know what that means (it means it'll definitely become nsfw later, sooner probably). read part two link to ao3 here!
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The first letter was a mistake, the second one was a coincidence. The third one was not a big deal and the fourth was only a little more than a nuisance. But when a much larger package thudded against your front door at the ass crack of dawn, the recipient clearly written across the top of the cardboard box as your neighbour… well, that was just flat out annoying at this point. You hadn't even known deliveries made their rounds so early in the day and as big as the box was, when you lifted it to carry next door, it weighed lighter than a feather.
The pile of letters that accidentally found their way to your apartment were usually slipped through the small mailbox of your neighbour's, sometimes under the door. You'd thought about dropping the package and simply going about your day, but curiosity got the better of you as your knuckles rapped against the door and waited instead.
What could a Carmen Berzatto have possibly required to be delivered at this time?
In the time you've lived in the building, there'd been very few run-ins with other tenants. Not that you'd ever complain, perfectly content with your own company. You made friends with one elderly lady who always offered you some of her freshly baked bread, and in return you picked her up flowers and some extra produce on your farmer's market runs. The landlord wasn't your friend, but he wasn't your enemy either, and somehow you'd convinced him to let you paint your bathroom your favourite colour with little to no resistance. But your next door neighbour remained a mystery, one you've conjured up about a dozen different backstories and personalities for.
Carmen Berzatto, notorious criminal, hiding out in a tiny Chicago apartment. Carmen Berzatto, hundred-year-old vampire, who might either burn in the sun or look like they'd walked through a glitter bomb. Carmen Berzatto, part time Chicagoan, who actually doesn't live here anymore and maybe there's a squatter inside instead. Carmen Berzatto, the tax evader, because why else would they have so much goddamn mail being sent to them?
You'd been lost in the web of made-up histories for your neighbour when the door swung open to reveal said neighbour, and it slowly dawned on you that there wasn't a single story where you imagined Carmen Berzatto to look like that.
Piercing, wide blue eyes and a head of shaggy brown tufts that made you want to tangle your fingers through them, especially that small curl dangling just above his forehead.
"Hi." His greeting was laced with mild confusion that seemed immediately alleviated when his attention dropped to the box in your hands. "Oh."
"Hi," you blurted out, lifting the package, "got another one for you."
"I—I'm sorry about— about, uh, about all of that. It won't happen again."
"Won't it?" You were mostly teasing now. Although you were jolted awake by the sound of it thrashing against your door, and although you were rather peeved about getting up before you wanted to, you couldn't find it in yourself to be irritated anymore.
Carmen reached out to take the box from you, giving it a small shake with what you thought was a ghost of a smile before he set it down to the side somewhere you couldn't see. "It won't. I'm sorry." The flirt of his tongue along his lips brought your gaze toward it before you met his eyes again.
Those stunning icy blues.
"It's okay, nothing to be sorry for."
"I must've really fucked up on the— the uh, apartment number."
"What?"
"The apartment number."
"Yeah," you looked at him a bit dumbfounded, gaze darting to the door where the number and letter were, "what about it?"
"I—"
"You don't know your apartment number?"
"My writing's shit."
Both of you seemed to blink in unison, another lick of Carmen's lips which you mirrored before a stupid smile curled your lips. "Oh."
"Not a good excuse, I know." He nodded, jaw working as he turned his head to the metal on the door, a short and deep chuckle sounding from him. "Again, I—"
"Not sorry," you shook your head, "just chicken scratch."
For a moment, Carmen stared at you, and if it wasn't bad enough to have those too-blue eyes simply looking at you, to find them nearly boring holes as they danced between your eyes and across your face made you want to evaporate. Made you wish the ground would open up and swallow you hole. Made you want to drown in the depths of the ocean blues that were his irises.
"Just chicken scratch," he murmured after a beat of silence and what was once a ghost of a smile was definitely something now, the corner of his mouth lifting enough to wrinkle the corner of his eye. Enough to show you the dimple in his cheek. "Thanks for— for bringing the package."
"Yeah." And the smile unfurling on your lips was nothing short of genuine. "You're welcome, Carmen."
"Just, uh, just Carm is good. Carmy."
"Okay."
Another beat passed where you thought you might have been rendered frozen by one of your favourite shades of blue, glued to the floor through hypnosis, until a sound down the hall caught your ear and you nodded at Carmen. Turning on your heel, you took the first step back to your apartment, then another, and another.
And it wasn't until you had your hand stretched out to grab for your doorknob when you heard his voice echo from where you'd came. "See you around?"
"Yeah."
"Okay."
The moment hung in the air on a thin thread, the both of you sharing furtive and hidden smiles before his door closed and yours opened.
Carmen Berzatto, not a notorious criminal (to your knowledge) or a hundred-year-old vampire (yet). Nor was he a part-time Chicagoan (not with that accent) or a tax evader (maybe). None of the ideas you had floating in your mind about your neighbour even came close to the real thing.
Carmen Berzatto, curly-haired blue-eyed boy-next-door with chicken scratch for writing and a fleeting dimple you wanted to see again.
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mostlysignssomeportents · 5 months ago
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This day in history
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TODAY (July 14), I'm giving the closing keynote for the fifteenth HACKERS ON PLANET EARTH, in QUEENS, NY. Happy Bastille Day! NEXT SATURDAY (July 20), I'm appearing in CHICAGO at Exile in Bookville.
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#20yrsago RIAA’s INDUCE Act letter deconstructed https://corante.com/importance/the-excessively-annotated-riaa-letter-on-the-induce-act-iica/
#20yrsago Lou Reed wants remixes https://web.archive.org/web/20040804104424/https://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000577588
#20yrsago ICANN emancipate domain owners from scummy registrars https://web.archive.org/web/20040722061910/http://www.byte.org/blog/_archives/2004/7/14/105552.html
#20yrsago Disney’s $80 million mistake: Fahrenheit 911 https://web.archive.org/web/20040804183640/https://www.technicianonline.com/story.php?id=009702
#20yrsago Druid busted for possession of a sword https://mg.co.za/article/2004-07-13-swordpacking-druid-appears-in-court/
#15yrsago Michael Jackson didn’t sell 750 million records https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124760651612341407
#15yrsago Phones confiscated at preview screenings: whose hypothetical risk is more important? https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2009/jul/14/mobile-phones-and-movie-security
#15yrsago Visa claims teen spent $23,148,855,308,184,500.00 on prepaid credit card https://web.archive.org/web/20090716125509/https://consumerist.com/5314246/unruly-teen-charges-23-quadrillion-at-drugstore
#10yrsago Freedom of info funnies: CIA cafeteria complaints https://www.muckrock.com/news/archives/2014/jul/14/doc-note-cia-cafeteria-complaints/
#10yrsago Economist examines empirical evidence of file-sharing on box-office revenue https://web.archive.org/web/20140816180401/http://conference.nber.org/confer/2014/SI2014/PRIT/Strumpf.pdf
#10yrsago Understanding #DRIP: new spy powers being rammed through UK Parliament https://web.archive.org/web/20140711071612/https://www.openrightsgroup.org/campaigns/no-emergency-stop-the-data-retention-stitch-up
#10yrsago Tesla’s “car-as-service” versus your right to see your data https://appliedabstractions.com/2014/07/14/elon-i-want-my-data/
#10yrsago Scalia may have opened path for Quakers to abstain from taxes https://www.salon.com/2014/07/14/scalias_major_screw_up_how_scotus_just_gave_liberals_a_huge_gift/
#10yrsago Unions considered helpful (economically) https://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/stumbling_and_mumbling/2014/07/unions-productivity-.html
#10yrsago Hearings into mass surveillance begin in UK https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jul/14/court-gchq-surveillance-tempora-ipt-nsa-snowden
#10yrsago Everyone hates the NSA: survey https://web.archive.org/web/20140715012054/http://www.pewglobal.org/2014/07/14/nsa-opinion/table/country-citizens/
#10yrsago GCHQ’s black bag of dirty hacking tricks revealed https://web.archive.org/web/20140714190448/https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/07/14/manipulating-online-polls-ways-british-spies-seek-control-internet/
#10yrsago Snowden: #DRIP “defies belief,” could have been dreamed up by NSA https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/13/edward-snowden-condemns-britain-emergency-surveillance-bill-nsa
#5yrsago Florida DMV makes millions selling Floridians’ data…for pennies (and you can’t opt out) https://www.wxyz.com/news/national/florida-is-selling-drivers-personal-information-to-private-companies-and-marketing-firms
#5yrsago #TelegramGate: leaks show Puerto Rico’s appointed officials mocking the dead as hurricanes devastate the island https://web.archive.org/web/20190714004011/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/puerto-rican-chief-financial-officer-resigns-chat-scandal-64318436
#1yrago Why they're smearing Lina Khan https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/14/making-good-trouble/#the-peoples-champion
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Support me this summer on the Clarion Write-A-Thon and help raise money for the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop!
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mariacallous · 6 months ago
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One night this past February, over drinks and moody bar lighting in Brooklyn, Eric Green and his friends were swapping stories of their recent hookups when one mentioned they’d used the app Sniffies to have public sex. A 30-year-old tattoo artist who works in Bushwick, Brooklyn, Green identifies as a bottom, is a frequent user of dating apps, and has an active sex life—only, he’d never heard of Sniffies.
It wasn’t long after that night out, Green was overtaken by “complete and total horniness” while at home, and decided to sign up himself. When he opened the app he was reminded of Google Maps, only instead of restaurants and shopping recommendations, he was inundated with nudes and suggestions for the nearest pump-and-dump. “I expected it to be like Grindr and Jack’d, but after I checked it out I realized it was super accessible,” Green says, referencing two other popular queer hookup platforms. “More accessible than any other app.”
Access is Sniffies’ main selling point. A map-based cruising platform for men of all sexual identifications (gay, bi, DL, and straight-curious—yes, you read that right), Sniffies has become something like an adults-only Disneyland for queer men interested in sex-positive, no-strings-attached casual encounters. “We really focus on in-the-moment connections,” says Eli Martin, the company’s chief marketing officer and creative director. “On other apps, it’s not always clear what people’s intentions are—some people want to find a boyfriend, others just want to look around—but on Sniffies, we try to make it clear that people are fulfilling their sexual desires and fetishes.”
Sniffies is not your typical dating app, or a dating app at all, really. In lieu of the typical song and dance on Tinder or Bumble, where conversations are bogged down in endless chatter that often never materializes into an IRL meeting, on Sniffies you can anonymously browse a map of guys looking for sex with other guys. Along with web-apps BKDR (short for backdoor), Motto, and Doublelist (think a more streamlined Craigslist personals), it has reignited an appeal in cruising culture that for so long had been taboo, even among certain queer circles, for fear of acceptance or health concerns.
“Destigmatizing casual sex has been our biggest hurdle in general,” says Martin. “It’s been ingrained in us to be monogamous, but we should have this sexual freedom. Cruising doesn’t have to be seedy or something that only happens in back alleys.” Thankfully, he says, that’s changing. “In the last couple of years, we’ve been able to enjoy it more without as much judgment, but it was still hard on day one, because I was like, how do we create an app that’s [not only cool] but going to continually push people to engage in?”
Launched in 2018, Sniffies was the brainchild of former Seattle-based architect Blake Gallagher. A problem-solver by nature, Gallagher was fascinated by the way urban environments influence sexual interactions. He wanted to better augment natural human connection in public spaces, and decided to implement a map feature and geolocation technology as the basis for Sniffies—tapping into what author Jack Parlett calls “the democratic potential of cruising.” Gallagher first tested his idea in Seattle and, with the help of his brother Grant, a programmer, slowly built Sniffies into what it is today—a “cruising app for the curious” with an increasing global reach.
“We really push for the physical aspect of getting off your phone and out and about,” Martin says. And it’s paying off. According to data shared with WIRED, the US cities that see the most action—that is, the horniest cities—are Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Chicago, and Atlanta. (These figures are based on the highest number of sessions within a geographic area.) London saw a 475 percent growth in usership from 2022 to 2023, and Vancouver is Sniffies’ most discreet city.
Green says he uses the app twice a week “if I’m actually going to meet up with somebody, but I will go on there and scroll every so often.” (His last name was changed to protect his privacy.) According to the company, the average Sniffies user identifies as vers (25.6 percent of total users), has a penis size of 6.67 inches, prefers to cruise a park, restroom, or a residential tower of some sort, is into edging and cum play, and is most likely having sex on Mondays. Since joining, Green describes his time on Sniffies as “kinda calm,” compared to his friends. The encounters he has had, he says, have been “from apartment to apartment, nothing outside or in the gym.”
BKDR is another rising player among the burgeoning world of queer cruising apps. Eric Silverberg says users on Scruff and Jack’d—sister apps to BKDR (all three are owned by Perry Street Software)—were identifying “a clear desire for a platform that prioritized sexual expression and sex.” Cruising has occurred for centuries, he says, and an app like BKDR is a “direct, no-nonsense product that allows people to get on and get off in a very literal sense.”
The demand certainly seems to be there—and the potential for such apps is only growing. Although BKDR launched less than a year ago, it has already expanded to Latin America and Europe. “It’s early days for us, but over 1 million people have visited BKDR in the past month,” Silverberg tells me, adding, “We think it will be the biggest product in our portfolio.”
Growth brings its own set of problems, however. A recent Reddit post detailed how a more conservative kind of user now inhabits the Sniffies. “Now that [the app] is getting really popular in some places there are a ton of guys on the map in my area and most of them are just there to waste your time. I'm looking for [a] hookup right now,” user @curiousFriend2 wrote. “Sniffies used to cater to lowkey guys and even some cumdumps and the more sleezy side, but now the Grindr crowd [has] come in and a lot of them are not even into those things and publicly announce it.”
Sniffies took off following the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, and Martin believes the isolation of the pandemic led to users being more open-minded about cruising. “People’s mindset changed to realize that they want to take advantage of the moment,” he says.
That’s mainly what Green is after most days, though he says he tries not to use Sniffies as a crutch. “It’s cool to go on during my downtime—late at night or early in the morning,” he says, “because I actually have stuff to do, and I don’t want to throw my day looking for dudes,” he says, before adding that “if you’re solely looking for fun,” it’s unbeatable.
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mozwebmedia · 2 months ago
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Stand Out Online with Innovative Website Design Company in Chicago
Transform your digital presence with a leading website design company chicago. Our innovative designs help businesses stand out online, attract more customers, and enhance user experiences. Elevate your brand with creative solutions tailored to your unique vision and goals.
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filldesigngroupmarketing · 2 months ago
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Web Development: Turning Ideas Into Functional Websites
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Having a beautifully designed website is important, but it’s the underlying web development that powers its functionality. If your website isn’t functional, it doesn’t matter how great it looks—users will leave if they can’t easily navigate or interact with it. That’s why hiring a skilled web development company in Chicago is critical to ensuring your website performs optimally.
Why Web Development is Critical to Your Success
Web development is the backbone of your site. It involves the coding, programming, and integrations that ensure your website runs smoothly, loads quickly, and delivers an exceptional user experience.
Here’s why professional web development is essential:
Custom Functionality: From eCommerce to booking systems and custom forms, your website needs features that cater to your business. Professional developers ensure that these features work seamlessly without slowing down your site.
SEO-Friendly Coding: A well-coded website helps search engines crawl your site more effectively, which can improve your rankings. Additionally, factors like fast load times, mobile responsiveness, and clean code all contribute to better SEO.
Security: Online security is a major concern for any business operating on the web. Professional web development ensures your site is secure, protecting it from potential cyber threats and ensuring your customers’ data remains safe.
Scalability: As your business grows, so should your website. With the right development foundation, your site can scale to accommodate increasing traffic and new features without crashing or becoming slow.
Fill Design Group: Chicago’s Web Development Experts
At Fill Design Group, we combine creativity with technical expertise to deliver high-performance websites that drive results. Whether you're starting from scratch or need to update an existing site, our web development team ensures your website runs seamlessly on all devices and is optimized for search engines and user engagement.
SEO Expertise: Drive Traffic and Generate Leads
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the foundation of any successful digital marketing strategy. It’s not enough to just have a stunning website; it must be optimized to appear in search results when potential customers are looking for your services. As a leading SEO expert in Chicago, Fill Design Group ensures your website ranks higher, attracts organic traffic, and generates qualified leads.
Why SEO is Essential
Increased Visibility: SEO helps your website rank higher on Google and other search engines, ensuring your business is visible to potential customers.
Targeted Traffic: SEO allows you to target specific keywords that your ideal customers are searching for, driving qualified traffic to your site.
Cost-Effective Marketing: Unlike paid advertising, SEO offers long-term results. Once your site starts ranking, you’ll receive free, organic traffic without having to pay for clicks or impressions.
Competitive Edge: A well-optimized website can outrank competitors in search results, helping you capture more market share.
Our SEO Services
At Fill Design Group, we take a data-driven approach to SEO. Our services include:
Keyword Research: Identifying high-intent keywords that your target audience is searching for.
On-Page SEO: Optimizing your website’s content, meta tags, and structure for better rankings.
Off-Page SEO: Building high-quality backlinks from reputable websites to boost your domain authority.
Technical SEO: Ensuring your site is fast, secure, and easy for search engines to crawl.
By combining SEO with our web design and development expertise, we create websites that are not only visually appealing but also highly optimized for search engines.
Conclusion: Why Fill Design Group is the Best Digital Marketing Company in Chicago, USA
When it comes to digital marketing, web design, logo creation, and web development, Fill Design Group is your go-to partner in Chicago. Our comprehensive approach ensures that every aspect of your online presence—from your website’s design to its performance and SEO—is optimized to help your business thrive. With years of experience and a track record of delivering results, we are committed to helping businesses like yours achieve online success.
Contact Fill Design Group Today
USA: 212 Bronx NY Phone: +1 (716) 226-6426 Email: [email protected]
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us-cj · 2 months ago
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"CONFIRMED: [BUSH-OBAMA] DEA Struck A Deal With Mexico's Most Notorious Drug Cartel" "...U.S. government had an arrangement with Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel that allowed the organization to smuggle billions of dollars of drugs..."https://www.businessinsider.com/the-us-government-and-the-sinaloa-cartel-2014-1
"These maps show how Mexican cartels dominate the US drug market"https://www.businessinsider.com/dea-maps-of-mexican-cartels-in-the-us-2016-12
"This Mexican Cartel Kingpin Supplies 80% Of The Drugs Flooding Chicago"https://www.businessinsider.com/sinaloa-cartel-runs-the-chicago-drug-game-2013-9
"ATF’s Fast and Furious Seems Colored With Shades of Iran/Contra Scandal" "Congressional Inquiry Raising Specter of [CIA] Spooks in the Soup" https://web.archive.org/web/20200323142037/https://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/bill-conroy/2011/07/atf-s-fast-and-furious-seems-colored-shades-irancontra-scandal.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20200323142037/https://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/bill-conroy/2011/07/atf-s-fast-and-furious-seems-colored-shades-irancontra-scandal.html
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fragile-practice · 1 year ago
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Week in Review
October 23rd-29th
Welcome to Fragile Practice, where I attempt to make something of value out of stuff I have to read.
My future plan is to do longer-form original pieces on interesting topics or trends. For now, I'm going to make the weekly reviews habitual and see if I have any time left.
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Technology
OpenAI forms team to study ‘catastrophic’ AI risks, including nuclear threats - Tech Crunch; Kyle Wiggers
OpenAI launched a new research team called AI Safety and Security to investigate the potential harms of artificial intelligence focused on AI alignment, AI robustness, AI governance, and AI ethics.
Note: Same energy as “cigarette company funds medical research into smoking risks”.
Artists Allege Meta’s AI Data Deletion Request Process Is a ‘Fake PR Stunt’ - Wired; Kate Knibbs
Artists who participated in Meta’s Artificial Intelligence Artist Residency Program accused the company of failing to honor their data deletion requests and claim that Meta used their personal data to train its AI models without their consent.
Note: Someday we will stop being surprised that corporate activities without obvious profit motive are all fake PR stunts.
GM and Honda ditch plan to build cheaper electric vehicles - The Verge; Andrew J. Hawkins
General Motors and Honda cancel their joint venture to develop and produce cheaper electric vehicles for the US market, citing the chip shortage, rising costs of battery materials, and the changing market conditions.
Note: What are the odds this isn’t related to the 7 billion dollars the US government announced to create hydrogen hubs.
'AI divide' across the US leaves economists concerned - The Register; Thomas Claburn
A new study by economists from Harvard University and MIT reveals a significant gap in AI adoption and innovation across different regions in the US.
The study finds that AI usage is highest in California's Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area, but was also noted in Nashville, San Antonio, Las Vegas, New Orleans, San Diego, and Tampa, as well as Riverside, Louisville, Columbus, Austin, and Atlanta.
Nvidia to Challenge Intel With Arm-Based Processors for PCs - Bloomberg; Ian King
Nvidia is using Arm technology to develop CPUs that would challenge Intel processors in PCs, and which could go on sale as soon as 2025.
Note: I am far from an NVIDIA fan, but I’m stoked for any amount of new competition in the CPU space.
New tool lets artists fight AI image bots by hiding corrupt data in plain sight - Engadget; Sarah Fielding
A team at the University of Chicago created Nightshade, a tool that lets artists fight AI image bots by adding undetectable pixels into an image that can alter how a machine-learning model produces content and what that finished product looks like.
Nightshade is intended to protect artists work and has been tested on both Stable Diffusion and an in-house AI built by the researchers.
IBM's NorthPole chip runs AI-based image recognition 22 times faster than current chips - Tech Xplore; Bob Yirka
NorthPole combines the processing module and the data it uses in a two-dimensional array of memory blocks and interconnected CPUs, and is reportedly inspired by the human brain.
NorthPole can currently only run specialized AI processes and not training processes or large language models, but the researchers plan to test connecting multiple chips together to overcome this limitation.
Apple’s $130 Thunderbolt 4 cable could be worth it, as seen in X-ray CT scans - Ars Technica; Kevin Purdy
Note: These scans are super cool. And make me feel somewhat better about insisting on quality cables. A+.
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The Shifting Web
On-by-default video calls come to X, disable to retain your sanity - The Register; Brandon Vigliarolo
Video and audio calling is limited to anyone you follow or who is in your address book, if you granted X permission to comb through it.
Calling other users also requires that they’ve sent at least one direct message to you before.
Only premium users can place calls, but everyone can receive them.
Google Search Boss Says Company Invests to Avoid Becoming ‘Roadkill’ - The New York Times; Nico Grant
Google’s senior vice president overseeing search said that he sees a world of threats that could humble his company at any moment.
Google Maps is getting new AI-powered search updates, an enhanced navigation interface and more - Tech Crunch; Aisha Malik
Note: These AI recommender systems are going to be incredibly valuable advertising space. It is interesting that Apple decided to compete with Google in maps but not in basic search, but has so far not placed ads in the search results.
Reddit finally takes its API war where it belongs: to AI companies - Ars Technica; Scharon Harding
Reddit met with generative AI companies to negotiate a deal for being paid for its data, and may block crawlers if no deal is made soon.
Note: Google searches for info on Reddit often seem more effective than searching Reddit itself.  If they are unable to make a deal, and Reddit follows through, it will be a legitimate loss for discoverability but also an incredibly interesting experiment to see what Reddit is like without Google.
Bandcamp’s Entire Union Bargaining Team Was Laid Off - 404 Media; Emanuel Maiberg
Bandcamp’s new owner (Songtradr) offered jobs to just half of existing employees, with cuts disproportionately hitting union leaders. Every member of the union’s eight-person bargaining team was laid off, and 40 of the union's 67 members lost their jobs.
Songtradr spokesperson Lindsay Nahmiache claimed that the firm didn’t have access to union membership information.
Note: This just sucks. Bandcamp is rad, and it’s hard to imagine it continuing to be rad after this. I wonder if Epic had ideas for BC that didn’t work out.
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Surveillance & Digital Privacy
Mozilla Launches Annual Digital Privacy 'Creep-o-Meter'. This Year's Status:  'Very Creepy' - Slashdot
Mozilla gave the current state of digital privacy a 75.6/100, with 100 being the creepiest.
They measured security features, data collection, and data sharing practices of over 500 gadgets, apps, and cars to come up with their score.
Every car Mozilla tested failed to meet their privacy and security standards.
Note: It would be great if even one auto brand would take privacy seriously.
EPIC Testifies in Support of Massachusetts Data Privacy and Protection Act -Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC)
Massachusetts version of ADPPA.
Note: While it may warm my dead heart to see any online privacy protections in law, scrambling to do so in response to generative AI is unlikely to protect Americans in any meaningful way from the surveillance driven form of capitalism we’ve all been living under for decades.
Complex Spy Platform StripedFly Bites 1M Victims - Dark Reading
StripedFly is a complex platform disguised as a cryptominer and evaded detection for six years by using a custom version of EternalBlue exploit, a built-in Tor network tunnel, and trusted services like GitLab, GitHub, and Bitbucket to communicate with C2 servers and update its functionality.
iPhones have been exposing your unique MAC despite Apple's promises otherwise - Ars Technica
A privacy feature which claimed to hide the Wi-Fi MAC address of iOS devices when joining a network was broken since iOS 14, and was finally patched in 17.1, released on Wednesday.
Note: I imagine this bug was reported a while ago, but wasn’t publically reported until the fix was released as a term of apple’s bug bounty program.
What the !#@% is a Passkey? - Electronic Frontier Foundation
Note: I welcome our passkey overlords.
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