Lot’s of people have been having fun creating a video of their Search Story on YouTube courtesy of a new Google app that makes it fast and easy. Here’s mine:

_{Michael Rowles
1971-2010}

I was deeply saddened and shocked by the unexpected passing of Michael Rowles, a long-time client whom I recently got to know as a friend.

By connecting up with Michael on Facebook, I learned about his newborn baby, Cash Duncan Rowles (who I believe is about 11 months old) and his wife Avery. While many who use social media for their business would prefer not to have their family information exposed, it was through this connection that I could relate a bit to Michael’s life and occasionally interject personal stories in our phone conversations.

Without that, I really wouldn’t have known much about him at all. And that would have been my loss.

Michael’s bio read as:

“Michael has a passion for the art of the deal! Since 2003, he and (his business partner) Chris have been growing Copia Marketing, LLC into a premier lead generation company. In 2009, they launched MzMzIz.com to serve as a portal for lead buyers and sellers to come together in order to structure the best possible opportunities for building powerful, lucrative relationships. Prior to that, Michael served in various management and sales roles with McAfee, Property Automation Systems and Dickinson and Co.

Michael earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the University of Texas in 1993.”

While I had assisted Michael and Chris with e-mail marketing and IT-related technical articles in years past, it was only this year when I was hired to assist with blogging and social media for MzMzIz.com that I really got to know a bit about Michael Rowles, the person and his family.

I last spoke with Michael by phone early last week and we discussed his trip to Las Vegas to attend LeadsCon. He remarked to me that in the “old days” he would have partied and soaked in the Las Vegas atmosphere. But now, with a wife and baby as his primary concerns, his Las Vegas trip was work, work, work – from the early morning to late at night and he had very little sleep during the trip. Still, he had fun because it was what he liked to do – make deals, network, etc.

Michael Rowles passed away unexpectedly due to a reaction to anesthesia during surgery. He had turned age 39 just a few weeks ago. He will be sorely missed and fondly remembered.

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I’ve been busy lately – working for my clients and their clients. In the meantime, I’ve decided that the old HelpDocuments.com domain just didn’t make much sense for me anymore.

When I started HelpDocuments.com I was a contract technical writer. It only made sense – Help – like online help, and Documents – for all of the documents that I created. But I don’t get many technical writing contracts any more.

I had decided some time ago that it wasn’t worth constantly paying for software upgrades for RoboHelp and Framemaker, buying technical documentation software like Madcap Flare and all the stuff that goes with it to fit myself into a niche I found somewhat boring.

It’s all about the web for me, and it has been for years.

Even before I became a Certified Webmaster in 1999 it was about the web. When I was writing technical documentation, I wanted to specialize in online help and go “under the hood” in the tools that create online help to tweak the HTML and XML to my liking.

Then I got involved in SEO copywriting for a search marketing firm right here in New Hampshire. I loved it! I also had a thirst to know more about SEO and how I could apply my web knowledge to more than just copywriting and delivering keyword articles as Word docs. I wanted to get at the code!

So I started freelancing out full SEO services, including keyword research and coding. I got exposed to eCommerce sites and I got exposed to MFA (made for AdSense) sites. One thing led to another and I decided I’d start SEO Searchlight in addition to HelpDocuments.com. That site was intended to showcase my subcontract SEO services.

One thing led to another. I started getting a little frustrated with SEO and decided to return to my roots – writing! Yes, I still love to write, always have and always will. And, I can write for the web so that works out great, too. I took to blogging as part of my duties on About.com and fell in love again. What a great way to deliver content!

So here I am now, at a crossroads of sorts. I’ve had the distinct pleasure of becoming associated with a copywriting agency in New York City. That brought me back almost full circle. First for SEO and web content, and more recently for writing papers. Wow, I had fun doing the research and learning about a relatively new area – content marketing.

Now I’m focusing on subcontracting again. Why? Because the experience with the NYC copywriting firm reminded me that I have a lot to learn, and if I service only direct clients, I’m not likely to learn much – they need me to teach them! I also remembered the great relationship with the search marketing firm her in New Hamsphire that introduced me to SEO in the first place. These are the types of clients I want to serve. This is the direction I want for the rest of my career.

So here I am now. Starting randyduermyer.com. Why? Because it’s me. I don’t need a company name if I’m primarily working as a subcontractor. My clients want me to serve their clients as if I were there employee – not an independent business that might steal their clients in the end. And, because I’m focusing more now on communications and marketing – getting back to my writing roots, Because my SEO services are mostly centered around content – SEO copywriting (and coding pages for turnkey deliver when needed), and because in my mind there’s no such thing as an “SEO expert” – we’re all just enthusiasts trying to figure out what the search engines are doing – I really don’t need SEO Searchlight, either.

So if you ‘ve been wondering why both seo-searchlight.com and helpdocuments.com seem to be fading off of the search engine’s radar, or if you ended up here from a redirect on one of those sites, it’s because some of their content will be brought over here. It’s also because I have other plans in the works for both sites – when I get the time!

And, when I get the time to build out randyduermyer.com, which has to take priority right now – in between client work and my site at About.com – I’ll feel a lot better. But I feel pretty good right now. About my decisions and new direction, anyway.

Thanks for listening and stay tuned!

Randy D.