Search Marketing For Dummies

Chicago Marketing Firm

2007-11-02T14:19:00.000-07:00

It's sometimes difficult to find a marketing firm that actually cares about small business. This becomes even more difficult when you are in a big city, but I managed to find a Chicago Marketing Firm that only services the little guys. They focus on marketing issues that face mom and pops, rather than fortune 100's making a welcome change.

2007-08-22T12:35:00.000-07:00

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Crewed Yacht Charters

2007-05-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

When it comes to keyword selection, most people talk about the long tail phrases that supposedly generate an ungodly amounts of sales because they are so targeted. The argument goes, that if you only get one hit on a word, but it converts well, then that's all good. I completely disagree. Take a keyword like crewed yacht charters. If you target this word, then would you target Greek crewed yacht charters, or Australian yacht charters? No. Because no one searches for those long tailed keywords. No point in spending a bunch of money on those types of words if there is no traffic.

Does Your Loved One Need Drug Rehab

2007-05-02T10:41:00.000-07:00

I once had a best friend in college that was extremely intelligent. Now please do not judge his overall intelligence by actions he performed when under the influence. This guy was as bright as they come. He always had big dreams that seemed impossible to most. Unfortunately, his dreams involved extensive partying and chasing the illegal dollar by selling drugs to other friends that participated. I lost touch with this friend once his dreams no longer involved going to class and being responsible. Soon he dropped out and disappeared to the west coast where he got involved with the wrong crowd. I sure wish I would have known the path he chose, because if I would have, I would have tried my best to seek a drug rehab facility for him to attend. By the time I found out what he had gotten himself into he was serving an eighty year prison term for armed robbery. If you expect a friend or a loved one's dreams revolve around drugs, do what you can to help, before it's too late for you and them.

Marketing Pens. Sure they help you advertise

2007-05-01T19:24:00.000-07:00

A lot of online marketers these days are scornful of old media. The idea of doing anything offline is abhorrent to them. Every marketing dollar should be spent online. But the practice of giving away imprinted items is alive and well, and also quite effective. Take marketing pens for example. You give a pen with your logo and your prospect will see it every time he or she writes anything down. A subtle reminder that they need to call you and buy some stuff. Two things you have to remember though. Make them quality pens, and put your number on there. In bold.

You Never Know When You'll Need A Coin Sorter

2007-04-24T19:22:00.000-07:00

As an individual who does not own a store, and is not in the business of emptying parking meters, you'd think that I'd never need a coin sorter. That, however is not the case. You wouldn't believe how handy these things are. I bought one from Brookstone a couple of months ago, and I have used it a whole lot. My daughter had a lemonade sale. We had a garage sale and my son collected money for a car wash. I was happy I had this handy little gadget to help me out.

Catholic Bilbles. Not too competitive?

2007-04-24T19:16:00.000-07:00

On the surface it seems like keywords connected with religious gifts are not too competitive compared to mortgages or insurance quotes. Not so. If you look at a keyword like catholic bibles, you will find that the competition is brutal. There are many companies that sell this item, but the one that stands above the rest has to be the Catholic Company.

Got a Hangover? Try Drinking Water or Gatorade to get rid of it!

2007-04-19T17:41:00.000-07:00

World-class hangover cures: Do you have a hangover that won't quit? If so, try the following tip to get rid of it. Try drinking as much water or Gatorade as you can to rehydrate your body. The symptoms that you're feeling post-drinking are signs of dehydration caused by the alcohol which is why you must rehydrate yourself by drinking a lot of water. Rehydrating your body is the key to recovering from the hangover. Remember, when drinking water avoid water that is extremely cold or hot, drink water at room temperature. Also, if you simply can't drink alot of water, try drinking some Gatorade instead or alternating between the two.

Drug Rehab A Difficult term?

2007-04-08T19:02:00.000-07:00

There are certain keywords or phrases that strike you as being highly competitive. Insurance, mortgages, vacation rentals etc. One that is brutal in pay per click, but one that is largely overlooked is drug rehab. There are hundreds of companies looking for positioning, and most of them are doing anything they can to be positioned in natural search results.

How To Get Your Blog To The Top Of Google

2007-03-21T15:05:00.000-07:00

Are you trying to increase your blog's search engine ranking on Google? If so, here's a tip: Put short descriptive words that describe specific subjects (better known as key words/phrases) all over your blog. You also might want to consider using those key words/phrases to link to any additional blogs or websites that you may have.
For example, if you have a chiropractic practice in San Diego you might want to use the key words, SAN DIEGO CHIROPRACTIC or if you have a blog on the internet that gives individuals in the restaurant industry all of the dirt on diners, you might want to use the key words,
DINER DIRT on all of your webpages and blog entries. Remember the more key words that you put on your blog increases the chances of your blog or website being brought up on page one or two in a Google search. Plus, it can also bring traffic to your other blogs or websites if you use those key words to link to additional blogs or websites. This linking process is called hyperlinking.

Picking Paint Colors

2007-03-15T11:38:00.000-07:00

I am looking to repaint my house this month. I need to do it in March, before the pollen descends from the trees and makes it impossible to paint. I think though, that I need a little help picking paint colors. The original color is yellow, but it hasn't been painted for at least six years, so I'm thinking the paint has faded, and I might be looking at a stronger color moving forward.

You don't have to live "in the hood" to take Hoodia

2007-03-11T19:22:00.000-07:00

SILLY PERSON ASKS: Do you have to live "in the hood" to take an appetite suppressant like Hoodia or can an individual who lives in Beverly Hills take it?
KNOWLEDGENARC ANSWERS: No, you do not have to live "in the hood" to take an appetite suppressant like Hoodia. Anyone regardless of social class and geography can take it. Hoodia doesn't discriminate, it helps you to lose weight and look great!

Fun Facts About Disney World

2007-03-06T20:10:00.000-08:00

Before you settle down in your Orlando rental, I just wanted to share something. I recently read some fun facts about Walt Disney World. I didn't know that there are more than thirty Mickey Mouse costumes at each Disney Resort. Plus, get this, all of the people employed as Mickey Mouse have to be exactly 5ft 2in tall! I wonder how Walt Disney World came up with that height requirement. And last but not least, men can play Minnie Mouse and women can play Mickey Mouse. Cool!

All Of Paris Hilton's Hardware Isn't Working

2007-03-06T19:28:00.000-08:00

Paris Hilton is in need of a serious computer memory upgrade because I don't think all of the "hardware" is working! Other than being good looking and extremely wealthy, this woman has nothing to offer society. She does some of the dumbest things known to man and I seriously wonder why the police haven't revoked her driver's license. One day this woman is going to seriously injure someone or herself. I will be glad when this woman's fifteen minutes of fame expire.

I just loved the commercials for Ayds!

2007-03-06T17:46:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, I just loved the commercials for Ayds. And i'm not talking about the deadly disease, I am talking about the appetite-suppressant candy that was available in chocolate, butterscotch, caramel and peanut butter flavors. It was a hot item and enjoyed strong sales in the 1970s and early 1980s. Watching the commercials 25 years later is so fun! I didn't realize how campy there were! When I was a kid, even though I was skinny as a toothpick, I wanted to eat those appetite-suppressant candies so bad! They looked so delicious on my old black and white tv. I always felt bad for the company when the disease, AIDS reared its ugly head, of all the names for a disease to be named. What rotten luck! No offense, no wonder nobody including me, wanted to buy it after that! I bet you drug companies that make appetite-suppressants like Hoodia hope that if another deadly disease rears its ugly head, that it's not named Hoodia.

The Georgia Apple Festival Is Good Clean Fun For The Whole Family

2007-03-06T17:11:00.000-08:00

Is your family looking for something fun to do in October? Well consider renting some
ellijay real estate for a week and attend the Georgia Apple Festival where the apple is celebrated on a grand scale. Some of the featured delicacies are apple fritters, apple turnovers and many other apple treats for the apple of your eye, but there are many other facets of The Georgia Apple Festival. There are hundreds of booths featuring those famous Ellijay craftsmen along with artists and craftsmen from throughout the Southeastern United States. The festival also includes a fun area for the kids and a rock climbing wall for older kids and adults. Plus the festival will feature top notch entertainment and a wide variety of acts - everything from cloggers to country music, gospel to rock and roll.

North Carolina Furniture Always A Good Buy

2007-03-02T08:02:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for any kind of furniture. For your office, for your home or just for the back deck, look no farther than North Carolina Furniture. For hundreds of years, North Carolina has been providing the furniture market with the sturdiest and best looking pieces of furniture available anywhere.

Where Is The Nearest Address Plaque Police Station In Connecticut?

2007-02-25T13:09:00.000-08:00

Call me crazy or call me stupid but I never knew that they gave out an award for the best address. A friend of mine just received an address plaque and a guy down the road also received an address plaque. I just wonder where the hell is mine! I should have already received an adress plaque because I have the best address in the world and my address is alot better than theirs! I wonder if the judging for the best address is rigged and if my friend slipped the judges fifty bucks just so that she could win. She probably did, I wouldn't put it past her. Can somebody please give me the address to the nearest address plaque police station in Connecticut.

Did Shelley Winters Have A Disaster Kit On The Set Of The Poseidon Adventure?

2007-02-25T12:53:00.000-08:00

I always wondered if one of the best disaster movies of all time, The Poseidon Adventure, which starred Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Roddy McDowell, Stella Stevens, Jack Albertson, Shelley Winters, Leslie Nielsen and Pamela Sue Martin had a couple of disaster kits on hand just in case of an emergency since it was filmed primarily in water where the potential of drowning was extremely possible. With the dangerous swim that Shelley Winters had to perform in the movie, I think having a couple of disaster kits on the set would have been the smart thing to do.

Most Parents don't like it when their Kids paint their rooms "Blood" Red!

2007-02-14T18:37:00.000-08:00

When I was seventeen, I didn't get along with my parents very well. One day I was so mad at them that I decided to do something drastic to really piss them off so I decided to paint my room "pitch" black. But when I got to Sherwin-Williams the black paint that I wanted was too expensive so I chose a "blood" red color instead because they were having a sale on it. I would have loved to hire a professional painter but with being seventeen, having a part-time waitress job that paid peanuts and the fact that painting costs in Iowa were outrageous I had no other choice but to do the painting myself. It took me about four hours to do it and it turned out really good! Plus, the icing on the cake was when my parents saw it! They absolutely hated it! I was so happy! The mission to piss my parents off was accomplished!

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall whose the Fairest of them All?

2007-02-14T18:06:00.000-08:00

Are you a vain female and proud of it? Do you love to spend hours on end looking at yourself in the mirror telling yourself how beautiful you are? If so, I have the mirror for you.
Powell Furniture has one of the nicest collections of mirrors for those females who can't pass by a mirror without fixing their hair or lip gloss in it. Check them out so that you can check yourself out in one of their beautiful mirrors.

Roanoke Island Festival Park is one of the Outer Banks Hot Spots!

2007-02-14T17:52:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for something fun to do on your vacation to the Outer Banks NC? Well, pack up a picnic lunch and head over to Roanoke Island Festival Park. The park offers a wide variety of things to do such as daily programs aboard the Elizabeth II, a sixteenth century representative sailing ship. Visit the Settlement Site and experience blacksmithing, woodworking and games. Explore 400 years of Outer Banks history in the interactive Roanoke Adventure Museum. Settle in for a docu-drama, in The Film Theatre, entitled "The Legend of Two-Path". See impressive works of art in the Art Gallery. Discover unique gifts in the Museum Store. Find ancient treasures in our Fossil Pit. Take a leisurely stroll on our waterside boardwalk and view our award winning shoreline restoration project, the maritime forest and marsh conservation area. Plus, there are several benches on the way for rest and reflection and also picnic tables.

Get Rid Of Those Winter Pounds With Metabo Fire!

2007-02-14T15:49:00.000-08:00

With Spring 2007 officially arriving in about 5 weeks, it's time to start shedding some of those extra Winter pounds. Metabo Fire maximum strength diet pills can help you to achieve this. Metabo Fire burns calories 24 hours a day, reduces hunger, boosts your metabolism and increases your energy level. It is the ultimate fat burner. So, order a bottle of it today and by Springtime a couple of your Winter pounds will have gone away.

Enviga is Full of Baloney!

2007-02-09T15:56:00.000-08:00

Just when I thought that I had heard every marketing and sale ploy on the planet along comes Enviga to shake up my world. The green tea energy drink created by Coca Cola & Nestle claims that their energy drink can burn up to 100 calories if you drink three cans of it a day. This is mostly due to the green tea extract called EGCG which supposedly increases metabolism. (Enviga has 90 mg of EGCG in each serving) Enviga further contends that the blend of green tea extracts (EGCG), caffeine and naturally active plant micronutrients are designed to work with the body to increase calorie burning. Hey Coca Cola & Nestle, you guys are so full of baloney! This energy drink doesn't work no matter how powerful and persuasive your claims are! If burning calories was that easy nobody on earth would be exercising or eating healthy! Shame on you guys for putting money over health! P.S. I still love Coca Cola and Nestle's Crunch Bars.

When You Visit Las Vegas, You Have To See Wayne Newton, It's The Law!

2007-02-09T15:19:00.000-08:00

I constantly hear that if you ever take a vacation to Las Vegas, you have to go see Wayne Newton at least once. It is a rite of passage. I hear that his stage show is spectacular and well worth the exorbitant ticket prices. Mr. Las Vegas is what they call him. I always wondered how he got his name until I found out that he performed over 25,000 concerts in Las Vegas over a 40 year period which earned him the nickname Mr. Las Vegas. I bet doing over 25,000 concerts over a period of 40 years has earned him some serious cash. I bet you Wayne Newton could probably buy ten Las Vegas Luxury Condos without it making a dent in his bank account.

Bactine is the Best! Hydrogen Peroxide's Bubbles are Cool Too!

2007-02-09T14:33:00.000-08:00

Thank God for Bactine! It was my favorite first aid kit item when I was a kid. I personally believe that all first aid kits should contain Bactine. I remember when I was a kid back in the seventies, whenever I got a nasty cut or burn the school nurse would always put Bactine on it and it would feel alot better plus it was one of the only first aid products that didn't hurt when you put it on. That was nice. I always wished my grandmother would have kept Bactine at her house instead she had a big brown bottle of hydrogen peroxide which hurt like hell when you put it on a cut but the one cool thing about it was that it bubbled when you put it on a cut.

Orlando Bloom in an Orlando Pool Home would be Orlando Heaven!

2007-02-08T18:23:00.000-08:00

I love Orlando Bloom! Ever since I saw him in the movie, Pirates of the Caribbean, I have been a fan. I thought him and Kate Bosworth were one of Hollywood's cutest couples. I was sad when they split up. I heard that they owned a few pieces of property together like an
Orlando Pool Home in Florida. I wonder who won possession of those digs. No offense Kate, I hope it was Orlando.

First Communion Clothes And Energetic Little Boys Don't Go Together!

2007-02-08T17:24:00.000-08:00

A tip for parents: If your child's first communion ceremony won't be held until late in the afternoon, don't dress your child in his brand new suit, one of the many first communion gifts
that he received from his grandparents, too early! Remember, boys will be boys, which means that he is liable to get his brand new communion suit dirty, wet or tear it. If possible, wait until the last possible minute for him to put it on and watch him! Give him a pair of old jeans and a
t-shirt to put on until it's time to change into his suit.

For the Record, Club Furniture isn't a Nightclub

2007-02-01T15:16:00.000-08:00

Three weeks ago, a friend of mine came by to pick me up for work. While I was puttering around the kitchen, she started telling me about a new nightclub called club furniture. I was only half listening because it was 6:45 am and my brain was barely functioning plus I hadn't had my morning cup of strong black coffee with two packets of sugar. I really must of been out of it that morning because I was wide awake last night when she started talking about club furniture again and I felt like such an idiot when I learned that the place wasn't a nightclub but an online furniture store! I don't know how the hell I missed that one!

Return Address Labels vs. Rubber Stamps

2007-02-01T14:16:00.000-08:00

I personally prefer return address labels over rubber stamps imprinted with a person's return address info on them. First, because they save you more time than rubber stamps do because you don't have to dip a return address label in any ink. Second, return address labels don't turn your hands black and blue. There have been many days that I have left the office with blue hands while other days I have left with black hands because most of the ink that I have used is permanent ink and it takes a couple of handwashings to get it off. And third, return address labels are easier to apply than rubber stamps because nowadays the majority of them have self-adhesive glue on the backs of the labels so all an officeworker has to do is peel and stick then they are done. Easy breezy!

Dolly Parton Should Buy Another Amusement Park

2007-01-30T15:15:00.000-08:00

I love amusement parks. My life's goal is to visit every amusement park in the United States. One of my next stops will be Dollywood in Pigeon Forge which is a small town in Tennessee. Since Dolly Parton is one of the co-owners of the park and one of my favorite recording artists of all time, I am making a concentrated effort to go there. I hear that it has plenty of thrill rides, a steamtrain, old-fashioned general store, blacksmith shop, saloon, plus traditional crafts and music of the Smoky Mountains. I also hear that since Dolly became a co-owner of the amusement park that it has become uber successful. I wonder if Dolly has thought about buying a second amusement park. Dollywood II would be a good name. Since Dolly is a small-town girl, a good place for Dollywood II to call it's home would be near Apex North Carolina.
Apex NC Real Estate could help Dolly find the perfect parcel of land for this venture.

I Just Love The Name Greeting Card Insanity!

2007-01-28T15:14:00.000-08:00

Greeting Card Insanity (I just love the name!) is an online website that lets you personalize your own printable greeting cards and print them out or email them to friends. The only work that a person has to do is download the cards to their computer, it's that simple. Plus, there is no charge to do this, it is 100% free and new cards are always being added so you'll never run out of choices. Greeting Card Insanity has an appropriate greeting card for all occasions.

Catholic Couples Like Victoria's Secret Too!

2007-01-27T16:55:00.000-08:00

Just because a couple's denomination is Catholicism doesn't mean that you have to get them "catholic gifts" for their anniversary. When I say catholic gifts I am referring to things like crosses, rosaries, bibles, baby jesus figurines, pictures of the pope ya' know things like that. Catholic couples also enjoy gifts like two day Walt Disney vacations, sexy lingerie from Victoria's Secret and gift certificates to Sizzler restaurant.

Property Owners: Invest in a House Marker!

2007-01-24T14:28:00.000-08:00

I love to travel but I hate trying to find places in other states that I am unfamiliar with. Maps can only help you so much and asking people out on the street where a certain place is can either be good or bad depending on if they give you the right information. I think what would really help me and alot of other people out is if addresses on houses, apartments or other buildings were more legible. From a moving car sometimes it's hard to see an address on a house or some apartments don't even have their address printed on the building. I wish the property owners would invest in a house marker to solve this universal problem.

A Fishermen's Paradise

2007-01-22T15:30:00.000-08:00

The Outer Banks North Carolina offer some of the nation's best fishing waters, it is a fishermen's paradise.
Fishermen and women can partake in surf and pier fishing, freshwater, fly and sound fishing, inshore and offshore charter fishing throughout the whole year. So if you are a fisherman going down to North Carolina to do a little fishing make sure your cupboards and cabinets are stocked full of tartar sauce, cocktail sauce, catsup, spicy mustard and malt vinegar.

The Electric Company's Catch Phrase "Hey You Guys!" Will Keep You Screaming

2007-01-21T15:58:00.000-08:00

"Hey You Guys!" (I always wanted to scream that famous phrase from the children's tv show, The Electric Company like Rita Moreno always did at the opening of every show and now my wish has come true!) Anyhoo, did you Guys know that Cialis is a drug known to be effective for as long as 36 hours? Hey You Guys! You know what this means? Me and Rita Moreno won't be the only ones screaming once this drug takes effect!

different Language in the UK.

2007-01-10T18:56:00.000-08:00

Interesting the little differences. In the US they call them orlando vacation rentals. In the UK it's called an Orlando Holiday Villa. If you are a US company trying to rent them out, which one do you target. Most of your business comes from the UK, so you should use "villa". But you are in Orlando so maybe you should use "vacation rental". You can't really use both in the content on your site, so I suppose you should use both in paid search and pick your poison for the natural search crawlers.

Weight Loss Is Hard

2007-01-10T18:43:00.000-08:00

Why is it so hard to lose weight? All this exercise and eating right. It is way too much effort. I wish weight loss was easier. Then I'd be able to work out a little and have big results. I think it's because my metabolism is too slow. I heard about supplements you can take that speed up your metabolism. Maybe I should give them a try. I'm sick of being fat.

Need Help With Power Supply

2007-01-07T18:51:00.000-08:00

This winter weather has caused many problems for my small business. I couldn’t open my office for 3 days last week because of snow and this week I find out that because of severely cold weather conditions we lost power to our facility, so I had to look up a power supply repair company to help me fix all these problems before this winter runs me out of business.

Preparing to Send My Sons To College

2007-01-07T18:14:00.000-08:00

My twin sons and going off to college this year and so my husband and I are buying all the things that they will need for the school year. We’ve bought refrigerators, microwaves, emergency supplies, towels and lots of other things. They’re making it easy for us because they both got early admission to the same university and they will be rooming together.

On My Way to Orlando

2007-01-07T18:12:00.000-08:00

This spring I’m going to be moving to Orlando, Florida. I need a change in scenery and weather, so I’ve been looking into Orlando Condos for the past couple of months before my move. I’m looking forward to the move I found a job near on of the theme parks in the area so I’m very excited to see how life will be on that side of the country. I know my nieces and nephews will love to come visit me in Orlando.

Planning a Summer in the Outer Banks

2006-12-31T18:49:00.000-08:00

I’m trying to get an early start on planning for our summer vacation. I figured this year if I’m more organized I can make more time for fun. I’m looking into Outer Banks Vacation Rentals because we’ve never been to the Outer Banks, but I hear it’s beautiful there. I’d like to plan a week’s vacation this summer for myself and my husband. We haven’t had a really nice vacation together since before the kids were born, so we’re going to try to take advantage of them going away to summer camp this summer.

Painting my mom's house

2006-12-31T18:48:00.000-08:00

My mom’s birthday is coming up soon and I’d like to repaint her house for her birthday. She’s been complaining about her exterior paint for a year now and I’m tired of hearing it. So I’m in the process of getting estimates on the price to paint a house and trying to find the best price, for reliable, professional and speedy service. I think this is something she will really appreciate and enjoy. Plus, it will be nice to not hear her complaining and dropping hints all year long.

Getting in Shape for Self-confidence

2006-12-14T14:16:00.000-08:00

I've never really been popular in school and I've never been really active. I think in part because I've always been really embarrassed about my weight. But next year will be different. I graduate from college this December and start a new job in March and I'm looking forward to changing things. I've made my weight loss and beauty goals for 2007 and I'm sticking to them.

Kichler Lighting Is Great For Entertaining

2006-12-12T18:50:00.000-08:00

I was looking for something to replace my old outside lights, and happened upon some Kichler Lighting fixtures in Home Depot. I had thought that the big box stores were incapable of carrying such cool lights, but they were right there. They were old world without being overdone. These lights from Kichler Lighting made a great addition to the outside look of our house.

Losing weight for my summer wedding

2006-12-10T19:23:00.000-08:00

My fiance and I are planning a summer 2007 wedding ceremony. Since we've started dating I've gained about 20 pounds and I'd like to slim back down for the wedding (and honeymoon). I'm trying out these new diet pills to help me in the process. I know how busy my life is gonna be during the next few months because I work full time and planning this wedding is like having a part-time job, so I just need a little bit of extra help to get where I want to be.

Fleck Water Softeners Is Easier

2006-12-09T11:27:00.000-08:00

When looking at the competitiveness of water filter related phrases, it is a no brainer that the longer keyword would be easier, but that is not always the case. In fact, Fleck Water Softeners looks like it would be simple, but the word fleck is often used, so the combination of words actually results in more matches on Google and makes it a little harder.

Family trip to the Outer Banks this Spring

2006-12-07T00:50:00.000-08:00

This spring will my kids are out for spring break, my wife and I decided to take a family trip to the Outer Banks. I'd never actually considered the Outer Banks because we live so close, but actually my daughter suggested looking at Outer Banks Rentals this year for our annual family trip. It turns out my 11 year old daughter was on the right track. We found a really great rental and my family and I really look forward to taking this trip this year. Even though it will be too cold to swim, I'm sure we'll find loads to do.

Re-doing the kids rooms

2006-12-03T06:52:00.000-08:00

My twin daughters want to re-do there rooms this year for Christmas. The two girls are 13 and although they are twins that have very different personalities and needs. One is very artist and earthy, the other is a bit of a girly girl. But they both really love school, music and math, so I want to set up a cool desk & music are in each room. The hard part will be picking paint colors for each room. They are both really excited and have given me a list of different ideas that they like. It's my job to pick one and sure it's done in the right way.

Water Softeners Not An Easy Keyword

2006-12-01T12:28:00.000-08:00

It is interesting when clients ask marketers how long it will take a particular keyword to show up on search engines. The answer is always, it depends. That is purposefully vague, but does contain an element of truth. Take a keyword like water softener. That would seem like a fairly difficult one to rank as it contains a word, "water" that is very general and results in the whole phrase having a lot of matches on Google.

Starting a Family in Cary NC

2006-11-29T09:35:00.000-08:00

My husband and I are expecting twins this April. So we've decided to move out of our one bedroom apartment and into a nice home. We're looking into Cary NC Real Estate because we love the area and it is perfectly located between his job and my graduate school. Plus the Triangle area is such a great place to live anyway. I'm hoping to find a nice 3 bedroom home, with an office and big backyard. I've done some online searches and I've found some great resources and some great deals. I'm very excited and look forward to having more room to start a family.

World Imports Lighting

2006-11-20T18:40:00.000-08:00

World Imports lighting produces some of the finest lighting products you will see online. If you are looking for that hard to find piece, then look no farther than this brand. It is easy to position, easy to market and has a tremendous markup. I actually didn't realize how much of a markup there is in this kind of product, but from an etailers standpoint this stuff is gold. Only problem is that a lot of them break, so be very generous with the packaging.

Orlando Vacation

2006-10-22T11:50:00.000-07:00

I was looking to take a trip to Orlando to visit the Mouse House. I have two kids, so I was really looking for an Orlando Pool Home. This way I can be drinking my morning coffee, while the kids play in the pool. I found one at Moremouse.com.

Supplement Industry Revived By Hoodia

2006-09-12T05:25:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago it was coral calcium. The supplement was found to have benificial effects and suddenly everyone with a website was selling it. Paid search bids went through the roof and everyone was happy; until it got pulled from the market. The new thing is Hoodia, but Hoodia may just be the real deal. It comes from South Africa, is served in liquid form and is said to help with weight loss. The full name is Hoodia Gordonii, so look for it on the web and give it a whirl.

Stop Foreclosure Goes Up In PPC

2006-06-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

For a while now, mortgage related terms have been increasing in price with both Google Adwords, and Yahoo paid search (formerly Overture). Stop Foreclosure is well over $2 a click, while avoid foreclosure is not all that far behind. As the debt problem in America grows, these keywords will continue to escalate in price.

Cary Real Estate Marketing Leads Market

2006-06-28T06:01:00.000-07:00

Real estate professionals are increasingly using blogs to both communicate with potential clients, and to rank their sites higher on the major search engines. The Triangle in North Carolina is leading the way. Cary Realtors are blogging almost every day, and are endorsing themselves as the leaders in the Raleigh Real Estate Industry.

Blogging Helps Every Profession

2006-06-28T04:33:00.000-07:00

The practice of company blogging is helpful for almost every industry. Whether you are in Los Angeles auto repair or you're a Los Angeles Chiropractor you will benefit from writing in a blog. It is really a pure form of promotion. The more you write about what you do the more of an authority you will become. Then you will create a following of people subscribing to your content.

Performance Parts Need Marketing Too

2006-06-27T04:13:00.000-07:00

All of the talk recently has been about web 2.0 and social networking, but the what the techno geeks and market movers fail to realize is that not everyone can be the next Myspace or Delicious. If that's the way you spell it. A lot of niche websites can also take advantage of the the new wave fo blogging and company promotion. Take the Performance Parts niche for auto accessories. A lot of beautifully designed product sites selling things like the APS C6 Twin Turbo Kit can be enourmously successful in finding a niche market. They can also promote themselves through blogs and good pr.

Is Internet Marketing The Same In Raleigh As It Is In Dundee?

2006-06-02T07:10:00.000-07:00

I really don't think it is. There is just not the same level of awareness when it comes to all things online. Raleigh Realtors are starting to jump all over the internet and are using search engines as a viable source of leads. Dundee realtors just rely on print and word of mouth. It may have something to do with general business etiquette. Scots are not so into self promotion as Americans. In areas like Chapel Hill, homes are sold like candy. They go on the market and are bought within a few days with a big scramble between North Carolina Realtors to see who gets the listing. The listings in Scotland seem almost predetermined.

Looks Like Scotland Is A little Behind When It Comes to Blogging

2006-05-31T05:56:00.000-07:00

I have spent the last few days trying to impress upon some realtor friends in Scotland that blogging would help them on search engines and with communicating with clients. They are actually known here as estate agents, but none the less they are clueless about blogging. Where I come from, Raleigh Realtors and Chapel Hill Realtors are being very aggressive with their marketing and are looking to corporate blogs to help them reach out to clients.

Is Orion Going to Make Google Search More Accurate?

2006-05-15T20:53:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot of talk and speculation over Google's new purchase in the arena of search marketing and the way their engine ranks websites. They bought a company from down under called Orion with the intention, a lot of people thought, of reorganizing their search algorythm. In the future we can conduct a search for Seattle carpet and rug cleaners and not get a bunch of lead gen sites trying to sell us mortgages. Not so fast though, because Google may not use the technology, and may have bought the algorythm just to keep it out of the hands of Yahoo and MSN. Stay tuned, and make sure that when you do a search for Seattle architects-residential- that you get what you're looking for and at the top of the page, not buried under a bunch of ads like Yahoo's search results page.

Blogging Is Perfect for Attorneys And Realtors

2006-05-11T21:14:00.000-07:00

The uptick in blogging for commercial purposes has a special appeal in the areas of law and real estate. I talked with some Los Angeles Attorneys the other day, and they mentioned that their industry was becoming so competitive, that they had no hope of getting near the first page of Google if they didn't write at least four or five unique articles a week. Not a problem when it comes to describing lawsuits and precedents. Also not a problem in the Chapel Hill Real Estate market, where there is always something new to talk about, be it a new subdivision, school redistricting or a new listing. Blog and you get noticed.

Increased Visibility Creates Leads In Chapel Hill Real Estate

2006-05-10T17:32:00.000-07:00

One segment of the population which has grown more than any in recent years is the realtor. With the housing boom continuing at breakneck pace, and interest rates at all time lows, it seems like everyone is becoming a realtor. There are thousands of them competing for that precious listing. Unfortunately, most have no idea what they're doing when it comes to technology. Many have pages on their corporate websites, or small and disorganized websites of their own. Very few have cottoned onto the idea of using blogs to increase search engine rankings.

One realtor who has is Kim Van Dusen in Chapel Hill. She has been blogging about the areas she services, and is both creating a following, and getting her site ranked on search engines. Her content is also being sydicated by her potential clients as a trusted source of information. She can be found at www.rememberkim.com. Give her a call if you're thinking of buying Chapel Hill real estate.

Google Changing Algorythms?

2006-04-14T06:35:00.000-07:00

Here's an article that landed in my inbox from Alaxa, the makers of IBP, a program I use on a somewhat regular basis to track my rankings and track my traffic. Not as effective as a free hit counter, but still useful. They market to a lot of Raleigh Realtors, and the program is useful for them to submit to search engines. So if you are buying a home in Chapel Hill or looking for a rental in Seattle, then the top sites are probably there because of an automated seo program.

Google recently acquired an advanced text search algorithm that has been invented by University of New South Wales PhD student Ori Allon.

Although the acquisition has not been confirmed yet, Google has confirmed that Ori Allon is now employed at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California.

Three search engines tried to get Orion

The new algorithm has been given the name Orion. The ownership rights of Orion belong to the University of New South Wales in Australia because it was developed as a part of Ori Allon's Ph D program.

The University acknowledged that Yahoo and Microsoft had conducted negotiations with its business development company. As all big search engines tried to get the rights to use this new algorithm this seems to be a hot algorithm for the future of search.

How does this advanced algorithm work?

Unfortunately, there's no live demo of the new algorithm yet. Orion aims to make searching easier and less frustrating. According to what has been revealed so far, Orion rates the found web page texts by quality of the site in which they appear.

For every search, Orion will offer a list of topics related to the original source:

"Take a search such as the American Revolution as an example of how the system works.

Orion would bring up results with extracts containing this phrase. But it would also give results for American History, George Washington, American Revolutionary War, Declaration of Independence, Boston Tea Party and more. You obtain much more valuable information from every search."

Orion finds pages where the content is about a topic strongly related to the key word. It then returns a section of the page, and lists other topics related to the key word so the user can pick the most relevant.

"Orion will display the results to the query in the form of expanded text extracts, giving you the relevant information without having to go to the website - although you still have that option if you wish."

What does this mean to your Google rankings?

It's hard to tell how this new algorithm will change the way Google ranks web pages. If the algorithm really allows web surfers to get information from web pages without really going to the web pages than webmasters might choose to block search engines that use the Orion algorithm. There is no point in giving search engines valuable information without getting something in return.

Until Google uses the new algorithm, you should make sure that your web pages are optimized for Google's current algorithm so that you get customers and sales now.

To get best results on search engines, you should use a tool that is continually update to reflect the latest search engine changes. IBP is such a continually updated tool that can help you to get the best possible rankings for your site.

Metatags Revisited

2006-04-10T04:20:00.000-07:00

To Metatag or not to metatag? That is the question. I had said in an earlier post that metatags were not too important in gaining rankings. Mathew Coers from Profit Choice seems to disagree. I found his great article on Site Pro News. So whether you are in Los Angeles Auto Repair, or you are a Los Angeles Chiropractor,, you will be able to get better rankings on your website if you put keywords in your tags. Unfortunately Los Angeles Carpet & Rug Cleaners do not have much call for meta tag work as most of them don't have websites. They tend to use the pennysaver, money mailer or flyer in the windshield approach.

The Importance of Meta Tags:
Providing the Human Touch
By Matthew Coers

For the uninitiated, meta-tags are pieces of code within your website that contain information about each page. These tags are supposed to tell search engines and users what the page is about.

If you're a little rusty on your Internet jargon, here's a primer. There are essentially three types of meta-tags that concern most marketers:

* Title - This is the text that appears in the title-bar of your web browser.
* Description - This is a quick summary of the information on the page.
* Keywords - These are words that are important in the page.
Up until about 4 years ago, there was a tremendous focus on meta-tags as a method of improving search engine rankings. Webmasters could stuff all sorts of words into the meta-tags to improve their search engine rankings for the words they wanted to rank well for.

It wasn't long before the search engines caught on to this little trick, and as a result the efficacy of "keyword-stuffed" meta-tags dwindled over time. Posts on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) boards heralded the demise of the meta-tag with posters claiming that Google all but ignored the meta-tags. It seemed that there was no use for meta-tags anymore - at least from the perspective of the online marketer.

Meta-tag Re-emergence

But then a funny thing happened. The search market started to fracture. Yahoo and MSN both spun up their own search engines and dropped Google's results from their engines. Both Yahoo and MSN's new engines seemed to use content from the Title and Description meta-tags to display in the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages).

These observations appear to be the case even today. By running a query for the term, "Online Advertising" on MSN, I got some interesting results (screenshots available at http://www.profitchoice.com/articles/support/meta_msn.asp.

Steps to Take To Improve Your Meta-Tags

As a general rule, Yahoo uses the first 25-30 words of your Meta Description tag in the site description it displays on your SERPs; MSN uses the first 15 or so.

Write out a 30-word description of each page of your website that is broken up into two parts. The first 15 words need to get across what the page is about - this is all the MSN searchers will see. The second 15 words should support the first - this will be visible to Yahoo searchers.
Don't Drop the Meta-Tags

Several years ago the search engines devalued the use of meta-tags in determining rankings. But because they use the meta-tags as page descriptions in their SERP pages, you must make special efforts to ensure that the content presented to searchers inspires them to click on your links rather than your competitors'.

If you don't put meta-tags on your website's pages, then Yahoo and MSN (with a combined market share of around 45%) will just guess at what to put in the description of your website. They will pull phrases out of context (much the way Google does) from your site and slap them in there. The result is not nearly as inviting as it could have been otherwise. That's why it is always beneficial to learn to write effective meta-tags.

How Long Will a Handful of Search Engines Dominate?

2006-04-06T09:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a great post by Max Kalehoff, Wednesday, April 5, 2006 posted on Media posts search insider, a site which needs a hit counter. He raises an interesting point. If we are living in a digital democracy, how can a small group of search engines so completely dominate the search landscape? Companies live and die by being positioned on the engines, so what right does Google or Yahoo have to control their destinies?

THE GOLDEN AGE OF MASS media was perhaps best characterized by the peak in audience of the three big broadcast television networks. Of course, that era ended as a fourth and fifth network emerged, and even dozens and hundreds more arrived across cable, satellite and now the Internet.

Many have said the Internet is most responsible for furthering media fragmentation and driving consumer empowerment. The notion of control by only a few traditional media institutions is going away. We've entered a digital, distributed world where the little guy can be heard. Internet search--the rising gatekeeper and window into our media world--is at the center of this evolution.

Fine. But if all that is true, then one of the biggest paradoxes amidst this media power shift is that the new digital ("do no evil") world follows a pattern of dominance similar to the old, in at least one fundamental way. Mainly, while Internet search has been simultaneously disruptive and beneficial by making the world's information more accessible--essentially, exposing the niches and democratizing information--search itself is following a curve where only a few control that access and exposure.

The concentration of power in search is significant: In November 2005, Nielsen//Netratings (via SearchEngineWatch) reported that Google claimed 46.3 percent of total U.S. search volume, Yahoo had 23.4 percent and MSN had 11.4 percent. In other words, the top three services claimed well over three-quarters of all searches.

Perhaps that concentration of audience and power--particularly via Google--helps explain why search is now so often referred to as a mass, shared media experience. How many times has someone asked, "Did you Google this or did you Google that," implying that we all share in the reverie of common results?

So, will the reign of a few big search companies follow the fate of other big media subcategories, which continue to bow to competition and fragmentation (for example, the big three television networks)? Will the disproportionate power structure equalize? This question is applicable to the three top search services as a whole, though Google certainly draws the most scrutiny.

In its most recent annual report filed with the SEC, Google blatantly acknowledges its concerns with the other two major players:): "We face formidable competition in every aspect of our business, and particularly from other companies that seek to connect people with information on the web and provide them with relevant advertising. Currently, we consider our primary competitors to be Microsoft and Yahoo."

Yahoo and MSN as competition are obvious. But what is more interesting in Google's SEC filing is its declaration of other unknown competitive forces: "We also face competition from other web search providers, including companies that are not yet known to us. We compete with Internet advertising companies, particularly in the areas of pay-for-performance and keyword-targeted Internet advertising."

Jeff Jarvis, author of the blog BuzzMachine, recently wrote: "I've been arguing for some time that the real competitor to Google will not be the next big thing but lots of little things." He points to vertical search examples, such as Oodle for job search and Kosmix for specialized searches in health, travel and politics.

I think Jarvis is right, for there is no shortage of specialized services for the niches. All one must do is subscribe to Michael Arrington's Techcrunch blog for a steady stream of scoops on the latest, greatest and most promising. Google is a powerhouse with momentum, with two hungry runners-up, but can only a few institutions be everything to everybody?

Which is probably why Google then alludes to new competitors it will face as it tries to expand into new territories, both online and offline: "We may compete with companies that sell products and services online because these companies, like us, are trying to attract users to their Web sites to search for information about products and services. In addition to Internet companies, we face competition from companies that offer traditional media advertising opportunities."

So, back to that core question: Will the unequal distribution of power in search ever change? Will the Goliaths of search be at all swept by the tide of fragmentation and niches that they helped create?

I think there will always be a place--even a longing--for popular, trusted purveyors of media and information services (which is why big media brands, as in television, will not disappear altogether anytime soon, if ever). But in a distributed online world, I'm not sure the concentration of power in search can remain as strong as it is today. And I happen to be a Google fan. What do you think?

Max Kalehoff is vice president of marketing for Nielsen BuzzMetrics, a global measurement service for consumer-generated media. He blogs at www.attentionmax.com and can be reached at max.kalehoff@buzzmetrics.com.

SEO basics

2006-04-03T17:58:00.000-07:00

This may seem a little basic, but to make sure that readers have th basics down, here is an SEO primer, courtesy of Jack Connely from ekzact.com. He doesn't mention anything about hit counters, but nobody's perfect. This article was posted on Go Articles, an excellent source of news on pretty much any topic.

What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
It can be defined as the process by which a site's rankings in the search engines are increased for the keywords it is optimized for. Good SEO keeps both the user and the search engine in mind. Things that look beautiful on your site may have a negative influence on your site's ranking. Good content ensures return visits. Keyword enriched content ensures that people will find your site.

How many people do you know who actually look at the fourth or tenth page of a search engine's results page? Most people only look at the first ten to twenty search results. SEO can get your site ranked in the first bundle of results.

Aspects of SEO: Content

The web is indexed with keywords. The user types in a keyword string, exact phrase or a single keyword to find a relevant page. Information specialists make use of advanced searching techniques to find deep web content such as information imbedded in databases or dictionaries, but the average user thinks of the first thing associated with his query and types it in. That is why broad keywords on your site will not generate enough traffic because many thousands of pages have that exact keyword. You need specific keywords and keyword phrases.

There must be enough content on the page. Too little information guarantees that the keywords cannot be repeated enough without keyword stuffing. Keyword stuffing is where there are too many of the same keyword on a page. Search engines will rank your page lower if they see your page as stuffed.

Keyword density must be balanced with their relation to the rest of the page. This means that your main keywords must appear in certain areas of the page. They must preferably stand out from the rest of the text. There are a number of ways to do this but it is a new topic.

SEO: Meta Tags

There cannot be enough emphasis on Meta tags. Meta tags are in the invisible part of your page. It forms part of the source code. This is where the Title, Description, and Keywords, are placed for the search engines. Most engines will not be able to find your site if a Meta Tag is not present. This area is very important because this is where you place your main keywords and the description of your site. Once again, the relation to the title, description and content becomes important. Don't stuff this area with long descriptions since the search engines will throw your page out if the description is too long, or the keywords repeated three or more times. Keep a balance.

You must write a robot.txt file for the spiders to exclude certain parts of your page. The reason is that most of them cannot read Java, and CGI scripts. There are a number of extensions to pages that will lead to exclusion from search engines.

Other SEO factors that also influence the way your page will indexed:

- ALT, TITLE, and AUTHOR tags.

- Number and quality of links to your site.

- Links from your site.

- Sitemap for search engines.

- Names of links to your other pages.

- Color and total number of links

These are just a few of the online and offline factors that influence your ranking. SEO is needed to make your page visible on the Internet where you have to compete with other sites.

Should I spam engines to get better rankings?

2006-03-31T14:04:00.000-08:00

As long as there have been search engines, there have been spammers. Not to be confused with email spam, search engine spammers attempt to manipulate search engine results by using black hat or forbidden tactics. Such tactics include doorway pages, free hit counter, link farms, mouse over redirects, doorway pages, cloaking, keyword stuffing, hidden text and many others. If you use these tactics you may have a short term gain on the engines. You also could get permanently black listed. Is it worth the risk? You decide.

What's the deal with Google pagerank?

2006-03-30T04:08:00.000-08:00

There is a lot of debate about Google pagerank and positioning on search engines. Google pagerank is not everything, but it's pretty close. Like having a good free hit counter. That little green bar measures your link popularity on Google; how many other sites or blogs link to you. The higher the pagerank the better your rankings. Google feeds results into AOL and taken together these two engines represent over half of all searches done online. More than Alexa or any other measure, pagerank is worth paying attention to.

Should I use reciprocal linking?

2006-03-29T05:47:00.000-08:00

Absolutely not. The most valuable kind of link is a back link or a one way link. Reciprocal links used to be benificial a few years ago, but that is no longer the case. Linking schemes were developed to take advantage of Google's algorythm, so reciprocal linking is now frowned upon and in some cases can lead to your site being banned from search engines. Link to good content, and link to directories. That is how you get ranked on Google. Also make sure you have a cool free hit counter on your site.

Who looks at metatags?

2006-03-24T06:30:00.000-08:00

There is a little debate as to whether the manipulation of metatags is an effective way to get better positioning on the major search engines. Do the engines really care about what you have in your titles, descriptions, keyword tags and h1 tags? For the most part the answer is no. Google completely ignores the description and keyword tags, but the title tag can be very important. That is the first line of your listing on Google, so you need to have keywords and a call to action. The title should be around eight words long, and contain the most important keywords at the beginning. Keyword tags should concentrate on eight keywords, with once again the most important keywords being listed first. Another thing that can help you with conversions, and give your visitors a good visual to look at is a hit counter.

Paid search strategy part 1

2006-03-22T10:44:00.000-08:00

This may sound like a fairly simplisitic approach, but you'd be amazed how many people still don't get it when they are dealing with Google and Yahoo paid search. Be specific. If you are selling shoes, do not bid on shoes men's shoes or women's shoes. Bid instead on the brand name or the specific type of shoes. Reebok running shoes, New Balance cross training shoes etc. You will get less traffic, but you will pay less in advertising and your conversions will be much higher. The paid search engines will encourage you to bid on more generic terms, but you need to target the hundreds of highly specific terms that will make you money. Do not waste your advertising dollars on generic keywords. Also make sure you have a cool hit counter on your site. Your clients will love it.

to hit counter or not to hit counter?

2006-03-20T17:17:00.000-08:00

There has been a lot of debate about free hit counters and their value in the area of search engine rankings. It seems like a lot of companies offer these counters, but are can they help you with your rankings on Google? The simple answer is probably not, but they are cool to look at. If you search a lot of sites, you can pick up a counter that fits in with the feel of your website or blogs, and one that matches the personality of your visitors. One word of caution though, be sure and stay away from counters that express an opinion. A Chicago Bears counter may appeal to you, but you don't want to alienate all the Packers fans who are ready to give you business.

Purpose of the blog

2006-03-20T16:00:00.000-08:00

The purpose of this blog is to shed some light on the strange and wonderful world of search marketing. I will look at issues like; How do you make money online? What do search engines look for when ranking your site? What is the correct strategy for using paid search advertising? Should my website be section 508 compliant? What's the deal with web standards anyway? I will be culling information from around the web and also throwing in my two cents worth, so enjoy and if you can improve your rankings and the revenue from your website, I'll can feel like I'm giving something back to an industry that has treated me very well.