Richard Burckhardt

Current

• VP of Search / SEO Strategist at FramesDirect.com

Past

• Webmaster at Desert Publications, Inc
• Web Site Marketing Manager at Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention and Visitors Authority
• Senior Web Designer at Desert Publications, Inc

• Adjunct Instructor, Windows & Internet at College of the Desert

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Education

• University of Houston

Recommended

2 people have recommended Richard

Connections

190 connections

Industry

Internet

Richard Burckhardt’s Summary

I am in the Palm Springs, California area, not in Los Angeles as LinkedIn insists. I'm just about as close to San Diego as L.A.

SEO in The Desert!

I started out to be a journalist, snagging my first reporting job at the Houston Chronicle around 1982, but a little something called a personal computer was introduced to the masses in the 1980s, sending me on a slightly different career path. Somehow writing about technology seemed more natural to me than writing about bank robberies or sports.

I have experience in the publishing field, both online and offline, as an Internet marketer, search engine analyst, web site developer, blogger, writer and newspaper reporter. I have designed and written software user manuals, news/feature articles and web site/blog content. I have training and teaching background, too, including one-on-one and classroom, as well as software beta testing, search engine optimization (SEO), social media, e-marketing and tourism experience.

I was raised in Houston, Texas, have lived in Dallas, Austin and Idyllwild, CA, but currently reside near Palm Springs, CA.

I love to write and am currently writing and editing two blogs, The Eye Zone (where I am "The Eyeglasses Guy") and The Web Optimist and doing SEO (natural search) as a full-time virtual contractor.

You might call me a "Web Traffic Controller."

I offer local SEO training workshops and Internet marketing consulting to businesses in the Palm Springs area and virtually.

Richard Burckhardt’s Specialties:

Search engine optimization, search engine marketing, SEO, blog editor, content development, writer, training, teaching, journalism, blogger, reporter, analyst, web site administrator, virtual, blogging, workshop, web analytics, social media, natural search

Richard Burckhardt’s Experience

• VP of Search / SEO Strategist

  FramesDirect.com

  (Privately Held; Retail industry)

  April 2005 — Present (4 years 8 months)

  Manage search engine optimization and ranking efforts for FramesDirect.com, an online optical company at http://www.framesdirect.com, including organic SEO, PPC campaigns, blog content, writing, editing, social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.), feed optimization and press relations/releases. Manage staff of two SEO assistants. The company is based in Houston and Austin, Texas, but I work virtually (telecommute) from Palm Springs, CA.

• Webmaster

  Desert Publications, Inc

  (Publishing industry)

  March 2004 — April 2005 (1 year 2 months)

  Web site administrator and management of tourism and travel related sites for Palm Springs Life Magazine, GuestLife Publications, the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau and various Palm Springs area businesses. Publishing of quarterly Houston Guide newsletter, search engine optimization, e-mail marketing and web banner advertising sales.

• Web Site Marketing Manager

  Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention and Visitors Authority

  (Public Company; 11-50 employees; Hospitality industry)

  February 2003 — February 2004 (1 year 1 month)

  Managed content, technical platform, marketing and use policies for the Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention and Visitors Authority web site http://www.palmspringsusa.com. Optimized the travel and tourism site for search engine performance and managed pay-per-click and paid inclusion programs, quadrupling the site traffic in nine months. Created and edited monthly electronic newsletter.

• Senior Web Designer

  Desert Publications, Inc

  (Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Publishing industry)

  September 1998 — February 2003 (4 years 6 months)

  Designed, edited and published web sites for Desert Publications, Inc., Palm Springs Life Magazine, GuestLife Publications, the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau and various Palm Springs area businesses. Technical support for employees of Desert Publications, Inc. The Houston site grew to be a major destination site while I was webmaster, including a fifty-fold increase in traffic during my 4 ½ years. Designed screen savers for the Palm Springs Life site (http://www.palmspringslife.com) and web design/hosting clients. Researched and arranged for co-brand, marketing and advertising partnerships.

• Adjunct Instructor, Windows & Internet

  College of the Desert

  (Internet industry)

  1998 — 1999 (1 year )

  Taught college credit courses on using Windows and the Internet, including search and research applications, history of the web, basic web design and navigation.

Richard Burckhardt’s Education

• University of Houston

  Journalism , Communications , 1974 — 1983

  I worked my way through college, which is why it took longer to get my degree. I attended school part-time for the most part while holding down a full-time job. I worked at The Houston Chronicle in various capacities, including as a general news reporter (internship) and sports reporter during those years.

  Activities and Societies:

  Dean's List

Additional Information

Richard Burckhardt’s Interests:

seo, seo training, sci fi, travel, tourism, e-marketing, blogging, classic rock, new media, coffee (I am so addicted!)

Richard Burckhardt’s Groups:

SEMPO, NASE

•    Web Analytics Demystified
•    LinkedSEO
•    Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) - OFFICIAL GROUP FOR THE ORGANIZATION
•    SMX - Search Marketing Expo
•    Search Engine Strategies Conference & Expo
•    eMarketing Association Network
•    Search Engine Land
•    Tourism 2.0
•    SearchEngineWatch.com Forums
•    Social Media Marketing
•    SEO Hardcore
•    Tweeple
•    Retail Industry Professionals Worldwide
•    SEO Bloggers
•    New Media Hire
•    SEO Secrets
•    WebmasterWorld [WMW]
•    PubCon
•    Palm Springs Life
•    TwitterJobSearch.com
•    Search Engine Journal Contributors

Richard Burckhardt’s Honors:

Certified eMarketing Associate (CeMA)
Certification in Advanced Search Engine Strategies
Certified Internet Marketing and Business Strategist (CIMBS)
Competent Search Engine Marketer (CSEM)
Professional Search Engine Marketer (PSEM)

Richard Burckhardt’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• expertise requests
• business deals
• reference requests
• getting back in touch