Search Engine Friendly Content Management Systems

What is a Content Management System?

A Content Management System (CMS) is a third party software application which allows web site administrators to add, update or delete content, photos, and documents to their web site in “real time”. Many web sites are modified using these web-based tools as they require little to no knowledge of HTML or web scripting languages. CMS programs make it easy for a webmaster or site owner who does not know HTML or have access to a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) HTML Editor, such as Macromedia’s Dreamweaver, to update their site.

In today’s high paced web world, a good CMS is integral to the efficient operation of a web site. Many webmasters and web site developers are building database driven, or dynamic web sites, which require a third party solution, such as a Content Management System, to update the content that lives in the database. In addition, a CMS allows the web site owner to outsource content development remotely to contract copywriters and other willing contributors. With built in access level hierarchies, webmasters can allow various users to register as authors and start submitting articles and news to be published on their site.

How do Content Management Systems Work?

Content Management Systems create a dynamic web site environment, where all the content is stored in a database or XML file. Using a web-based interface, the webmaster can select which page they want to update and then can modify the web content in a text editor, with many of the familiar formatting keys that can be found in a word processing program. Once the content has been updated, with the simple click of a button, the CMS will turn their text into HTML code and publish the content to the web site.

Problems Between Search Engines and Content Management Systems:

Historically, search engines have had difficulty indexing dynamic pages. While their ability to index and rank dynamic pages has improved dramatically, there are some basic things to avoid. One of the greatest enemies of search engines is URL strings that contain many URL parameters. URL parameters are variables that are passed to the CMS through the URL, which tell it what information to retrieve from the database. URLs with too many parameters generally make little logical sense to the average user and may also scare off search spiders. For example see:

http://www.mysite.com/mg/vbclass/search.asp?A9_MAKEVBCookie=Yes&vertical=CLTH&cat=Mens&subcat=ID&displayTarget=Subcategory

It is suggested to limit the number of URL parameters to two or three per URL to ensure that that search spiders will not have difficulty indexing pages deep within the web site.

Certain URL parameter names may automatically flag a filter on the search engine. One example is the URL parameter names that contain ‘ID’, such as ‘sessionid’, ‘sid’ or ‘userid’. Historically, search engines detect the term “ID” and assume it is associated with a session dependant variable. As a result, search engines have learned to flag these parameter names and it can cause problems with page indexing. Passing session dependant variables through the URL is a problem for search engines because the spider essentially sees a unique URL each time they visit the site because the session dependent variables change with each visit. For example, on one visit to the site, a page URL may be http://www.mysite.com/page.asp?sessionid=12345. The next time the spider visits the page, the URL may be http://www.mysite.com/page.asp?sessionid=56789. This creates a situation where a spider may think that there are multiple URLs with duplicate content, resulting in penalties which will negatively impact search rankings.

Based on the above, it is imperative to employ a CMS that does not pass session dependent data, such as session variables, through a URL string. Doing so will not only create potential usability issues for the end user, but will also result in indexing problems for the search engine spiders.

Finally, search engines gather understanding from your web site’s content by filtering through the HTML code. For this reason, it is extremely important that your CMS generate HTML code that adheres to the latest requirements of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Use the W3C Code Validator to determine if your code meets the W3C standards. Be aware that some CMS’s add in many lines of proprietary code or JavaScript at the top of the file, which can choke search spiders. This violates a cardinal rule of SEO; ‘To always have more content then code’.

Finding a Search Engine Friendly CMS that will Work for You:

Now that we have explored many of the potential problems with Content Management Systems, lets look at how to go about finding one that will be both search engine friendly and suit your specific needs. First you will need to determine what server platform you will be using. Many Content Management Systems use scripting languages and databases that are platform dependant. If you are married to a particular platform, it may limit your CMS options. Ideally, you will want to find a CMS that is platform independent, which can run on any server.

There are many search engine friendly CMS’s that will allow the web site owner to generate a URL structure that is both meaningful to their users and digestible by search engine spiders. Instead of having a URL that is packed with parameters, you can create a URL structure that looks like this: http://www.mysite.com/children/hats/prodid/121576. Your next step is to check whether your CMS builds HTML pages to the latest standards established by the W3C. Most CMS providers will be able to tell you if their solution generates valid code. If they can’t, then ask for a sample page and run it through the W3C Code Validator. In order to rank effectively in organic results of the search engines, it is imperative that your CMS allows you to update your title tags, meta data and alt tags on a page-by-page basis.

The most important aspects of a good CMS are the ease of use and richness of content formatting features. This one is a no-brainer because the very reason that you are looking for a CMS is that YOU DON’T WANT TO CODE. Any good CMS should provide an editing stage that is similar in feature and function to a standard word processing program, such as Microsoft Word. The technical term for this is a WYSIWYG Editor or a Rich Text Editor. This important feature will allow you to type and format your content using standard buttons and keyboard shortcuts. When you publish the content to the live web site, the CMS will write the HTML, CSS and scripting to display your content as it was formatted during the editing stage. Many Content Management Systems are offering additional technologies, such as RSS feed, shopping cart solutions, forums and live chat integration, which can really enhance the functionality of your web site. The key is to find a CMS that will suit your core needs and then determine what add-ons would be beneficial. The ends result will be a web site that is easy to manage and usable for both your customers and the search engines.

The Five Things You Must Do Before You Can Start Selling On Ebay

Many people make a full-time living on eBay. This is not only possible but it is also quite easy once you know what you are doing. Some people just make a little extra money through eBay auctions simply because it is fun – it becomes a hobby.

Whether you just want to sell some old items lying about your house, or you want to build a business by becoming a PowerSeller, there are five things you absolutely must do before you can start selling on eBay.

1. You must Register. Begin by registering as a member of eBay.

This registration is free, and it will allow you to participate in auctions – as a buyer. As soon as you have completed your registration as a buyer, you can register as a seller simply by logging into your eBay account and clicking on the ‘Sell’ tab at the top of the page. The information that you will enter is very basic information, but as a buyer, you will need to enter a credit card number, or sign up for a paypal account.

2. Sign up with paypal.

Paypal has become one of the most popular payment gateways on the Internet. This website allows people to transfer money from their bank accounts or credit cards, and to transfer money from one Paypal account to another. Signing up is quite easy, but you will need to verify your account with a checking account, and you can optionally add a credit card to the account. Paypal is very secure. As long as you don’t give your password out to anyone, you shouldn&t have any problems.

Paypal is not required to sign up with eBay, but it is highly recommended. This will allow you to give your buyers more payment options. Signing up with Paypal is free.

3. Find items to sell. You may already have items that you want to sell.

For instance, if you have recently cleaned out your attic or your garage, you probably have tons of stuff that you want to get rid of. Some items won’t sell well on eBay, while others will sell like hot cakes! So a little research to see what sells well before you set up any auctions.

You can also find items to auction by going to yard sales around your area.

Many eBay PowerSellers sell brand new items through drop shipping companies as well. It is all just a matter of determining how you want to profit from eBay, and what items are hot sellers.

4. Set up your auction. Once you are signed up, and you are ready to set up your auction, eBay has a form for you to fill out.

Here, you will determine how you are going to sell the product. You can choose to sell a group of items, or just one item. You will have a list of categories to choose from, and these categories determine where your item is listed on eBay. Choosing the proper category for your item is essential – this is how people will find your auction.

You must choose a title for your auction. You want to use your title to catch the buyer’s eye. Coming up with a great title isn’t always easy, and it does require some thought. Look at some past successful auctions to get some ideas. Make sure that you follow eBay’s guidelines for titles!

Make sure that you use the form to add as much information about your item as possible.

The more information you can include, the more successful your auction will be.

Look at the history of past auctions for items similar to yours. This information will help you determine your title, your description, and even your reserve price. The reserve price is the absolute minimum bid amount that you are willing to accept.

You will be allowed to include pictures of your items, and it is very important that you do so.

Make sure that the pictures are clear, and take several different shots from different angles. Pictures will help make your bid more successful. Many bidders won’t even look at auctions that do not include pictures.

You will also need to determine how long your auction will run. Don’t make the auction too short – give bidders time to find your item and place their bids – but at the same time, don’t make it too long. Force bidders to act by getting their bids in before the auction closes!

eBay has many upgrade options that will make your auction more noticeable.

Depending on the reserve price of your item, it may be well worth it to take advantage of these upgrades to get your auction noticed more easily.

5. Communicate with your bidders.

Make sure that you monitor your auction, and keep the lines of communication with your bidders open. Bidders will have questions about the item you are selling. Make sure that you respond to the questions and comments in a timely manner.

Think of yourself as a shop keeper, and reply to the bidders just as you would to a customer who was standing in your shop!

CopyRight Ian D. Major 2005

How to Choose and Purchase Your Domain Name

Copyright 2006 Alicia M Forest and ClientAbundance.com

One of the very first steps you need to take when setting up your business online is to choose and purchase a domain name for your website. Buying a domain name is actually cheap and easy, but there are some things to consider when choosing the best domain name for your business.

If you have a domain name that gives people an idea of what it is that you’re offering, it will make your site that much easier for them to not only find, but to actually visit. For example, the name of my website is www.ClientAbundance.com, so when people come across my URL anywhere, they can take an educated guess that what I’m offering relates to getting lots of clients.

This is what makes it so important to get a UNIQUE domain name, and not a sub-domain name (for example, www.WebHostingName.com/thenameofyoursite). And a unique domain name gives your website credibility and a much more polished and professional look.

Something else that’s important for you to know is that once you purchase your unique domain name, you own it. So no matter how many times you change web hosts, you, as the owner of that domain name, have the right to take it with you. If you have a sub-domain with your web host, that web host actually owns the domain name.

And just as important, if you do end up moving your website to a different host, all your marketing efforts to date will not have gone to waste because your customers and clients will still be able to find you under your unique domain name.

Your unique domain name can be any combination of letters and numbers, but it cannot include any special characters, except for hyphens (because the search engines actually prefer hyphens!). It can be as short as two characters or as long as 67. The shorter and catchier your domain name, the more likely people will remember it. Just don’t make it hard to spell…

Another strategy for increasing your search engine rankings with your domain name is to choose a domain name that includes the keywords that your niche is searching for. That’s not always possible, especially as more and more people get savvy about internet marketing and snap up those domains. But search engines do give more weight to domain names that include keywords because they have higher relevancy to what people are actually searching for. For example, www.howtobakeacake.com would get higher search engine rankings than www.sweetsandthings.com.

One of the most frequent questions I’m asked is whether or not to register any other domain levels, like .net and .org. I always strongly suggest to get a .com first. If you don’t, you are losing potential clients and customers. Most people (and web browsers) will default to a .com first. Remember, you always want to make it as easy as possible for people to find you online.

But, in addition, you should also consider buying the .net and .org domains as well, just so you’re not losing traffic to another site with the same name but a different extension. And since domain names are so cheap, there’s really no reason not to.

Another tip to consider is to purchase common misspellings of your domain name as well. For example, for my name (which I also recommend you register), I own www.aliciaforest.com and www.aliciaforrest.com.

Once you’ve decided on a domain name, you can check to see if it’s available at www.powerpipe.com. If it is, you can register it there and park it for free for $7.99 per year. I’ve been using PowerPipe for over 5 years and find them to be not only extremely competitively priced, but also to have excellent customer service. They also offer a free domain name brainstorming tool in case you need it. (I don’t get anything for recommending them; I’m just a happy customer).

So now you know what to consider when choosing your domain name(s), and you have an excellent resource for registering them. So don’t wait any longer to claim your space on the web!

For Registering A Domain Name You’ll Want These Tips

Are you planning for registering a domain name? Well, before you do so, here are some important points that you must know about the process for registering a domain name.

For registering a domain name, you need to consider that sole means to register and begin using a domain name is to apply the services of a domain name registrar. It is also nice to know that in terms of the domain name, the domain name industry is regulated and overseen by the ICANN or the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, which is an organization that has the duty to certify companies as domain name registrars.

For registering a domain name, it is necessary to know that it is only the domain name registrars who are allowed to access and modify the leading database of domain names which is now maintained by the InterNIC. And speaking of the master database, it is considered that it contains the documentation on the entire domain names registered to date.

For registering a domain name, you should know that if you come across a said domain name registrar that is not on the list, it is probably a group that is solely acting as a reseller for one of the official registrars as only an official domain name registrar has the right to amend the domain names’ database.

For registering a domain name, another important point that you should know is that the ICANN or the recognized domain name registrars have the power to allot domain names for the TLDs of the top-level domain names such as .com, .biz, .info, .name, .net, and .org. In relation to that, if you are registering a domain name, the ICANN does not particularly make official registrars to provide registration supports or services for country code TLDs.

For registering a domain name, it is an important fact for you to know that the domain name registrar that you choose will identify the cost for registering a domain name. However, it is a general view that the registrars expect to pay a yearly fee from the domain name consumers. There are also some domain name registrars that provide discounts for registering a domain name for more than one year, but then the registrars have no right to sell more than a 10-year registration transaction for any domain name.

And for registering a domain name, there are some laws that regulate the process for registering a domain name, like registering a copyrighted name or registering a domain name for the mere aim of blocking a domain name holder form using it. So it is better for you to check with your registrar for the laws that greatly affect how you register a domain name.

ICANN Violating Free Enterprise

Message to ICANN: Let those who want to create a tld, simply register it with ICANN.

If the tld is not already taken, if they have the technical capability to mange the tld, and they have the desire to market domain names on that tld, then let them do so.

It should be similar to the registering of a domain name, except on a higher level, with the added technical requirements. ICANN should be sort of an uber-registry for tlds.

It would be ludicrous for a domain name restrar like go daddy or enom to ask you for a business plan, or a non-refundable application fee, before allowing you to register a domain name. It would be ridiculous for a registrar to have “rounds” of domain name releases of names “they chose” in advance.

Okay, this month, go daddy will be allocating cheaperwebhosting.com, doggrommingmadeeasy.net, and virtualinternetwebnetwork.net. We will be taking applications and public comment during the month of february. We will then spend another month reviewing the applicants business plans to decide who we will allocate the domain name to. If you are not approved to manage the domain name you apply for, your application fee will be held by go daddy until further notice.

Some people will say that is not a good analogy, but it is a perfect analogy. Here is why. If info.com was still available and I registered it. I could then start selling subdomains like car.info.com, computer.info.com, icann.info.com or any other subdomain someone wished to purchase from me. The subdomain is one dot removed from the domain name the same as the domain name is one dot removed from the tld.

There is no longer any reason to believe ICANN is doing anything other than restricting free enterprise and free trade by not opening up the market for tlds. It is no longer acceptable that ICANN should be the one to decide which tlds will or will not be created nor is it acceptable that ICANN gets to choose who can or cannot run a tld.

Do you present a businesss plan to the city you live in before they allow you a business license? No.

Does the city ask you to prove you are financially stable before issuing you a business license? No, as long as you pay the registration fee.

If you apply for a business license to open a clothing store, does the city ask how you will run your clothing store or if you have the necessary expertise to run a clothing store? No.

Does the city think you will hurt them economically if your clothing store goes out of business? No, it’s none of their business.

Is the city concerned that there may not enough demand for yet another clothing store? No, again none of their business.

ICANN not allowing me, or anyone else in the world, to create a tld of our choice in any language we choose, is a blatant violation of our rights. In many countries, America among them, the right to free enterprise still exists. ICANN is denying me that right as an American citizen and doing so when even their own organization exists under American law.

There are no needs for auctions or rounds or anything else. If you want to run a tld, then you register it and start selling domain names. If you fail, you fail, just as in any other business venture you take on.

Artificially restricting namespace to make a few business IP interests happy has to stop.

Understanding the Game of Search Engines.

When I started my e-business, I ask my web-designer friend to make a site which is really brainstorming. He did me a great favor and really made an excellent site. My site’s design is fabulous, it’s graphics are mind blowing and coding is superb. But now what? What I seen in the coming days, I am not earning a single penny because no one is visiting my site.

I think for a while that why all this is happening, then I make a search on Yahoo and see the first site which is coming on the top. It doesn’t have a good design like mine but still he is making good money. Then I came to know that the site’s design is meaningless if site’s ranking on search engines is not good.

When it comes to search engine every ear just not hears it but listens it’s every aspect and try to locate it’s presence in his site. Well why not it be done as it is the place from where all of us get our business.

Every search engine has it’s own criterion of ranking and it’s clear from the fact that when you do a search on Yahoo or Google or any other search engines there results vary. Here is the listing of some of the Top Search Engines and a few noteworthy points about all of them. Know which engines get you more bangs for the buck?

Google

Google has increased in popularity tenfold the past several years. They have gone from beta testing, to becoming the Internet’s largest index of web pages in a very short time. Their spider, affectionately named “Googlebot”, crawls the web and provides updates to Google’s index about once a month.

Google.com began as an academic search engine. Google, by far, has a very good algorithm of ranking pages returned from a result, probably one of the main reasons it has become so popular over the years. Google has several methods which determine page rank in returned searches.

Yahoo

Yahoo! is one of the oldest web directories and portals on the Internet today, and the site went live in August of 1994. Yahoo! is a 100% human edited directory, and provides secondary search results using Google.

Yahoo! is also one of the largest traffic generators around, as far as web directories and search engines go. Unfortunately, however, it is also one of the most difficult to get listed in, unless of course you pay to submit your site. Even if you pay it doesn’t guarantee you will get listed.

Either way, if you suggest a URL, it is “reviewed” by a Yahoo! editor, and if approved will appear in the next index update.

AltaVista

Many who have access to web logs may have seen a spider named ‘scooter’ accessing their pages. Scooter used to be AltaVista’s robot. However, since the Feb 2001 site update, a newer form of Scooter is now crawling the web. Whichever spider AltaVista uses, it is one of the largest search engines on the net today, next to Google.

It will usually take several months for AltaVista to index your entire site, although the past few months scooter hasn’t been deep crawling too well. Unlike Google, AltaVista will only crawl and index 1 link deep, so it takes a good amount of time to index your site depending on how large your site is.

AltaVista gets most of its results from its own index, however they do pull the top 5 results of each search from Overture (formerly Goto).

Inktomi

Inktomi’s popularity grew several years ago as they powered the secondary search database that had driven Yahoo. Since then, Yahoo as switched to using Google as their secondary search and backend database, however Inktomi is just as popular now, as they were several years ago, if not more so.

Their spiders are named “Slurp”, and different versions of Slurp crawls the web many different times throughout the month, as Inktomi powers many sites search results. There isn’t much more to Inktomi then that. Slurp puts heavy weight on Title and description tags, and will rarely deep crawl a site. Slurp usually only spider’s pages that are submitted to its index.

Inktomi provides results to a number of sites. Some of these are America Online, MSN, Hotbot, Looksmart, About, Goto, CNet, Geocities, NBCi, ICQ and many more.

Lycos

Lycos is one of the oldest search engines on the Internet today, next to Altavista and Yahoo. Their spider, named “T-Rex”, crawls the web and provides updates to the Lycos index from time to time. The FAST crawler provides results for Lycos in addition to its own database.

The Lycos crawler does not weigh META tags too heavily, instead it relies on its own ranking algorithm to rank pages returned in results. The URL, META title, text headings, and word frequency are just a few of the methods Lycos uses to rank pages. Lycos does support pages with Frame content. However, any page that isn’t at least 75 words in content is not indexed.

Excite

Excite has been around the web for many years now. Much more of a portal than just simply a search engine, Excite used to be a fairly popular search engine, until companies such as Google seemed to have dominated the search engine market. As of recently, Excite no longer accepts submissions of URL’s, and appears to no longer spider. To get into the Excite search
results, you need to be either listed with Overture or Inktomi.

Looksmart

Getting a listed with Looksmart could mean getting a good amount of traffic to your site. Looksmart’s results appear in many search engines, including AltaVista, MSN, CNN, and many others.

Looksmart has two options to submit your site. If your site is generally non-business related, you can submit your site to Zeal (Looksmart’s sister site), or if you are a business, you can pay a fee to have your site listed. Either method will get you listed in Looksmart and its partner sites if you are approved.

Once you have submitted your site, and it is approved for listing it will take up to about 7 days for your site to be listed on Looksmart and its partner sites.

AOL Search

America Online signed a multiyear pact with Google for Web search results and accompanying ad-sponsored links, ending relationships with pay-for-performance service Overture Services and Inktomi, its algorithmic search provider of nearly three years.

Ok, now you have got a better understanding of search engine’s game and finally you come to know which search engine is best for you and which one is leading in today’s Internet World. In nutshell, the thing which every e-entrepreneur wants is Top Search Engine Ranking. Isn’t it right? So take some time to register with these search engines as soon as possible and watch the traffic grow.

————————————————————————
Copyright 2005 Raamakant S.

All About Online Auctions

How to make Auctioning a Profitable Business

It wouldn’t be exaggeration to say that hundreds of thousands of people from across the world visit buy and sell myriad products on auction sites. One popular site has a market share of 76%, reports 42.7 million users recording a growth rate of 100% every year!
What are these auction buyers looking for?

A poll conducted by Harris Interactive on 2,196 people shows that online auctions appeal to people for the following reasons.
- Bargains (43 percent)
- Hard to find items (23 percent)
- Collectibles (21 percent)
Not just that, a record 83% people have actually bought something!

Buying What?

People visiting auction sites buy all sorts of products from different categories, but it simply doesn’t mean that everything and anything sells. What is critical, in this context is Targeted Marketing, more so, since auctions, as days went by has become a serious business line. The buying on auction is no longer restricted to sales only, most of the firms are using the auction sites to generate business and traffic to their own sites with added offers.

In a nutshell:

It all boils down to the point that if you have what the buyer is looking for and your listing is found you get bids ad sales subsequently. The real test for the seller is figuring out what the buyer is looking for.

Online Auction – Ideal Marketing Tool

The buyers flock to auction sites for innumerable number of myriad items provided on them, therefore the issue of how to attract the buyers is solved. Different customers arrive at the site with different perceptions and different frame of mind. The auctions are all about enjoying the bids of different products and item available along with the pictures.

Then How to Make Most of it.

The advantages can be properly utilized by using the targeted strategies in line with the habits and patterns of online auction buyers with built-in categories found on the auction site.
One of the most popular site boasts of more than 3,000 categories of auction items. The idea is to make the transaction fast by categorizing the items helping them narrow down on items thick and fast. This makes self-targeting easy for sellers to find buyers easy.
Making items available on auction sites is easy!

Although serious auction sellers have a website, it is not necessary to own a website and generate traffic with advertising. You can join a reputed auction site by registering with them, which is fast and easy. And for immediate returns and to generate income with little registration fee, this a much better approach to e-commerce.

The fundamental formula for online selling:

Provide something the buyer is looking. Having a target and product in mind is important.
Make a list and put them in order
The list should be attractive.
The process is simple, costs low and formula easy. Perhaps this is precisely the reason why millions of people flock to these sites for instant gains.
Bottom line
List items that attract potential buyers from time to time.
Provide unique offering that are different from others
Classify your products effectively.
Different items in different categories with help generate multiple incomes from different quarters.

Take advantage of huge number of people looking for multiple products, learn and understand from other sellers.

Domain Name Registration Basics

The domain name registration process can be confusing to first time buyers. There are a number of terms to worry about. Hopefully, with the information below, you’ll be able to successfully register domain names while avoiding the pain that can sometimes come from the domain registration process.

What the heck is a nameserver anyway? Nameservers refer to a service that runs on servers belonging to a web hosting company that hosts the account that the domain name will point to. Every domain name on the internet must point to an IP address but each IP address can have multiple domain names on it thanks to shared hosting. Entering the nameservers of the hosting company you have for the domain name you are registering lets the big DNS nameservers on the internet know where to find the hosting account for the domain name in question. Without this service, it would be impossible for any computer to find any web page. This is all usually done very quickly – in a fraction of a second.

Whois information is another thing to get knowledgeable about. Whois refers to the owner of the domain name. This information is provided by you when you register a domain name. This information in turn is offered to anyone who cares to search for it. For this reason, it is important to consider privacy issues when entering your information for a domain name. It is not advisable to falsify domain name information. At the same time, you may use the most generic information you can when entering your domain. If you have a work address and home address, use the work address. If you have a post office box number and a street address, include the post office box number only.

How many years should you consider registering your domain name? I would argue that it depends what you are going to use the domain for. If it is your business name and you intend to be in business for at least the next five years, I would register it for five years. That way, you don’t have to worry about it for a long time. In fact, you can register domain names for up to ten years. If you register your domain for that long, you won’t have to worry about it for a decade. Maintenance and stress free.

Make sure you lock your domain. After you’ve registered your domain name, log into the control panel for your domain name and confirm that it is locked. What does locking do for you? It prevents anyone from transferring your domain name to another registrar without your authorization. Most registrars require you to approve the transfer by clicking on a link but some registrars may simply allow the transfer if you don’t expressly forbid it. Miss an email and you could lose your domain name. Don’t take a chance. Lock your domain name right away.

Google Sitemaps’ useful SEO Tools

One of the most useful utilities that the engineers and think tank at Google have ever devised is the Google Sitemaps program.

The said program, which is a product of their much publicized and much vaunted policy of allowing its engineers to spend 20 per cent of their paid time on personal projects, has been a boon to many webmasters, website operators and SEO professionals because it has made certain aspects of their work far easier and more intuitive.

Google’s decision to come out with Google Sitemaps is based mainly on the desire to present more intuitive and better search results to users. Because of the current limitations presented by web crawling, there is a high probability that not all pages in a website will be noted and registered with the search engine. There are also many variables and factors that are not addressed with the current methods and technologies used for website submissions. These limitations are what Google Sitemaps seeks to address.

Google Sitemaps was officially started in June 2005. This handy utility makes the submission of web pages to Google easier. The added features though are the detailed reports that is also generated by Google Sitemaps. In order to use the Google Sitemaps program, a person need only download a free open source tool called Sitemap Generator or use one of the many 3rd party applications. These utilities are what helps in creating a sitemap of the webmaster’s website using the Sitemap protocol that is being backed by Google itself.

The complement of new features that are part of the Google Sitemaps programs also means that it has become a great tool for search engine optimization professionals. The automation of these features has made it easier for SEO professionals to do their job and formulate the proper strategies to increase the page ranking of a website.

For example the “top search queries” feature of Google Sitemaps allows you to see the top search queries that not only returned the client website as a result as well as those that Google searchers actually clicked on. This feature also allows you to see the top position for the website in the search results generated for either set search queries. The positions indicated are an average of the movement for the last three weeks.

Since any type of error can have a detrimental effect not only on the functionality of the website but with the page ranking of a website in Google, the report function of Google Sitemaps is a big help to SEO professionals. With the new feature, a webmaster or SEO professionals can download information straight from the Sitemaps account into a comma separated value (CSV) file. This file, which can be accessed through any text editor or spreadsheet software can contain the specific details of the website, including the errors generated (via dead links, broken links, etc) or statistics. The good thing is the file can even contain the information for all of the websites operated by SEO professional and included in the Sitemaps account. This is monumentally beneficial because it fully automates the search for any dead or broken links that may otherwise be a tedious chore if done manually. The good thing here is that this is periodically updated so you will know if the changes incorporated into the website will produce broken links.

How To Post Your First Auction On eBay

It’s very easy and simple to get started posting your first auction on eBay. This article will cover the steps you need to follow to get your first auction up.

The first thing you need to do is set up your eBay seller’s account. If you have already bought things on eBay in the past, then you already have an account. Just log in and click “Sell” on the toolbar at the top of the page and then click “Create a seller’s account”.

If you have never bought or sold on eBay, then you need to create a new account. First click on the “register” link beneath the toolbar, then click “Sell” and “Create a seller’s account”. From there the eBay website will guide you through the process of getting set up. For security reasons, this may involve including providing your card and banking information.

You can register for your eBay account here: eBay.com

Now that you’re registered, you need to decide what you want to sell. It doesn’t really matter what you sell, this is just your chance to get your feet wet. Check your garage and attic, I’m sure you can find something that you’re not attached to and something interesting. Small items like books and CDs are great for your first time.

Once you have your item picked out, it’s time to submit it. Just click “Sell” and you’re on your way. The first thing you need to do is choose the best category for your item. eBay makes this easy, you just type in your item, and eBay suggests the best category for you. It’s usually best to just go with the category that eBay comes up with.

The next step is writing the title and description for your item. You want to make sure to include any keywords that people might use when searching for your item in the title. Include all the rest of the information in the description.

Now you need to set your starting price. In order to draw people to bid on your auction, set a starting price of $0.01. Don’t worry because items almost never end up as such a low price. Next set the duration of the auction. You have the choices of 3, 5, 7 and 10 days. This is really up to you, the longer the auction the more bids you are likely to get. Add a picture to your auction because items with pictures always sell for more.

Great, now you’re ready to select the payment methods you want to accept, and where you will post to. I would just go with PayPal for now, and limit yourself to the country you are in. Just click the “Submit” button and you are done!

Now you can just sit back and let eBay work it’s magic. Potential buyers will search for your item and submit bids on it. Some bidders may email you with various questions about your item. Just do your best to answer the questions as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

Don’t worry if your item doesn’t sell the first time. The great thing about eBay, is that if your item doesn’t sell the first time, you can list it again for free!

Once the auction closes and you have a winning bidder, eBay takes care of all the work. eBay will send your buyer emails guiding them through the process of sending you payment for the item your are selling. Just make sure you have the money in hand before you send the item.

eBay prefers that you use PayPal to send and receive your payments. PayPal is very safe and secure and you will get your money instantly so it’s a good idea to use them. It’s also free to create an account with PayPal.

You can create your free PayPal account here: PayPal.com

As soon as you have received the payment, all you have left to do is pack up the item and send it to your buyer. If you’re not sure of the best way to get this done, just take your item to your local post office and they can help you. Use the buyers address from the confirmation email that eBay sent you and write it on the package. That’s it, you’ve made your first successful sale on eBay!

Sorting Out Different Domain Name Registration Cost And Services

There are a number of different domain name registration cost and services out there that you can consider when registering the name for your website or websites. Some services are included in registration costs while others are usually included only when additional fees are paid. In order to totally understand what you are getting from a domain name registrar, it is important that you understand the different domain name registration cost and services and what the function of each one really is. By doing that you will find that you can better decide which registration services is best for you and where you can get the best value for the services you receive.

The most common of the different domain name registration cost and services are included in the initial domain name. For most companies, simple domain name registration will cost you less than $10, but will also generally include a number of other services. With most domain registrations, your fee will get you some basic services.

First of all, you will usually get email forwarding addresses that go with the domain you register. These are email addresses that, when used, will direct mail to an existing email address you are already using. That way, you can begin using and advertising your domain name even before you have established an actual site.

Another of the many different domain name registration cost and services is some sort of web-based service account. This is so you can manage and keep track of domain names you have registered. Your contact information as well as domain time left is often included and the service account allows you access 24 hours a day if your contact information changes and you want to be able to sell the domain name.

There are though other domain name registration cost and services that are add-ons. For instance, most companies will charge you a fee to get a catch-all email service. This means that when people send an email to your domain, no matter what the prefix, it will get caught. That way you never miss messages because of a customer miskeying or misunderstanding an email address.

Another of the domain name registration cost and services that may be added on in many cases is domain parking page. For a few bucks, some companies will put up a “park” page where your domain is. That way when someone goes there before you have set up an actual page, they will know that a page is going there and who it is from. Your contact information my be displayed so that potential buyers or customers can get in touch with you through your domain, even if you don’t have a site yet.

There are a number of different domain name registration cost and services available out there. Some are free with your domain name registration, and there are a number of other features that may be added for additional costs. If you build a relationship with a company, sometimes you can get features for free, so that is something you should consider. When shopping for your domain name registrar, you should always shop around to see which features you can get for free versus what you will pay for so that you end up with the service that best fits you.

7 Things Every Webmaster Should Know About Links

Link building in a nutshell, is the process of getting other web sites and web pages to link to your web site. These links will not only drive direct targeted traffic to your pages; but more importantly will increase your overall search engine visibility and rankings. Building a solid incoming linking structure for your site is one of the most effective techniques used by search engine optimization professionals to improve your search engine rankings and boost the overall amount of traffic any given web page receives. However the process of building incoming links to your site can be a daunting and tedious task when just getting started. The purpose of this essay is to outline the importance of building a strong linking profile for your site as well as offer a handful of key strategies that any webmaster regardless of marketing budget can employ to climb to the top of the search engine ladder.

1.) Purchasing Links and Sponsored Reviews

Paying other web masters to place a link on their site back to yours is probably the easiest and most straight forward way to generate links to your site. However the down-side of purchasing or renting links from other web masters is that it can become a very expensive venture, not to mention you need to pick and choose your potential candidates vary carefully. There are many services out there to help connect you with other web masters that are interested in selling links from their web pages, however you will save yourself a lot of time, and money by working directly with other web masters as apposed to paying a middle man to act as a link broker. Unfortunately there is no set standard on determining what any given link is worth: however you should pay careful attention to a few key factors before cracking open your wallet and spending your hard earned money on a paid link. These things include but are not limited to the number of incoming links the candidate site itself has, it’s overall page rank, the age of the site and finally the search engine saturation (number of pages indexed in the major search engines) of the site. When approaching a web master to purchase links from make your goals as clear as day – and ensure that he or she knows you’re interested in purchasing a link for Search Engine Optimization reasons. You need to ensure the link will not be cloaked (hidden from search engine spiders) or nofollowed (marked to inform search engines not to follow the link with the rel=”nofollow” attribute) as either of these conditions will make the link relatively worthless from an SEO stand point.

2.) Comment and Post on Related Blogs and Message Boards

Even a web novice can find a litany of blogs and message boards for any given niche or market to post comments and feed back . I strongly encourage you to register on message boards related to your topic or subject and include links within the signature of your posts and messages. The same goes for blogs and commenting. There are many blogs that will allow you to include a link back to your site either within the content of your message, or make your user name a clickable link back to your site. However there is a fine line between spamming and offering valid comments, posts and responses to community based web sites and blogs. Making obvious spam posts such as “Cool site, check my site out at …” will likely get your IP address banned from the web site or network, and can negatively impact the reputation of your brand or web site. If you don’t have a valuable view point, or comment to offer other readers of the site you’re posting on, you’re better off not commenting at all.

3.) Write User Testimonials and Product Reviews

Writing user reviews or testimonials is an under appreciated technique to create a wealth of back links to your site. Most often when you write a review for a product or service you’ve had success with, the web master will include a link back to your site in the signature of the review. This technique is simple and straight forward; if you’ve purchased a product or service write up a short 100 – 300 word review for the product outlining it’s strengths and your positive experiences and include your full name, and web site address in the signature of the review. Nine out of ten times the web master of the site you’ve written the testimonial for will be more than happy to include and activate the link when they post the review onto their website.

4.) Develop a Free Online Service or Software Application

Most people wouldn’t even consider spending their valuable time developing an application or online utility to give away for free. However the benefits of creating and distributing a free online utility or software application can create several 1,000 back links to your site very quickly. A perfect example of this is creating a small, easy to use Mortgage Calculator with javascript and offer the code to embed the Mortgage Calculator onto other web pages. Include a link back to your site within the coding of the Mortgage Calculator perhaps in a copyright statement at the bottom of the application and require the link as a condition for using your free application.

5.) Write Articles and Distribute Them Online

Assuming this isn’t the first essay you’ve read on improving the amount of links to your web site, you should be well aware that writing articles and submitting your articles to the popular article directories is a fantastic way to generate many back links to your web site. The premise is simple yet effective; Write a handful of articles geared toward your topic and subject matter and distribute them to the many article directories on the Internet. Often times when your article is posted on these article directory sites they will include an authors bio, or resource box. Within the authors bio area you want to include a little information about your company or product(s) as well as a link back to your site. Whenever your article is picked up by other web masters or syndicated across other popular web sites you will receive a free one way link back to your site. Repeat these steps over and over to build several 1,000 links back to your web site. This is an amazing technique as your only investment is a little time to write and submit an article.

6.) Submit Your Site to Directories

Over the past few years links from directories or web indexes has become less and less valuable. However there are still a handful of well trusted and high quality directories that you should consider submitting your site to. This will boost both your linking profile, as well as your page and trust rank. Some of the most notable directories to submit your web site to in no particular order are DMOZ, The Yahoo! Business Directory, JoeAnt, Gimpsy, GoGuides, Linkopedia and Uncoverthenet. Though most of the directories l’ve mentioned here are not free to submit to, the cost of submission is well worth the price as the links you’ll receive from this investment are quality one-way links that carry a good amount of page trust and rank. When submitting your site to any of these directories, pay special attention to the category you are submitting your web address to, make sure that you are submitting your site to the most relevant, and related topic to the subject of your own web site. As this will ensure that you’re submission is not denied, or skipped by the directory editors once it gets reviewed.

7.) Exchange Links and Build Partnerships

Link exchanges or trading links with other web masters is another technique that has lost a little of it’s gusto over the years, however this method of generating back links does still hold a bit of value and should not be overlooked. Many webmasters dedicate a page of their site titled references or resources and use this page to link out to other web pages that have agreed to link back to their site. As mentioned above this technique is not as effective as it once was; however picking and choosing web sites that are well trusted and ranked by the search engines and that are related to the topic and subject mater of your own site promise to be well worth the effort. Finding other web sites that are prime candidates to exchange links with are those that are linking out to other relevant sites in your field or niche. Once you’ve found a web site that you’d be interested in swapping links with, contact the web master via email with your offer. When soliciting another web master for a link you want to write a personal email message and refer to specific content and aspects of his or her web site. Doing so will show the prospective linking partner that you’ve actually taken the time to give their site the once over before sending your solicitation; as a result you will be far more likely to receive a positive reply. As with purchasing paid links you want to ensure that the site you are requesting to exchange links with doesn’t end up cloaking it’s outbound links (hidden from search engine spiders) or nofollowed (marked to inform search engines not to follow the link with the rel=”nofollow” attribute) as either of these conditions will make your link relatively worthless from an SEO stand point.

In this article we’ve discussed 7 of the most effective, and commonly used methods to generate a massive amount of incoming links to your web site. With any luck, after reading this article you should have a handful of ideas and techniques in your tool box that you can employ to kick-start your web site’s model for success. Building links to your web site is by no means a set-it and forget-it facet of web marketing and requires time, dedication and ongoing analysis. You can never have too many quality incoming links to your site and once you’ve had a small taste of success with link building I’m confident you’ll be hungry for more.

EU Domains

If you own a website and are located anywhere in Europe, especially the U.K., you’re probably well aware of all the attention surrounding the Eurid offering of .eu domains to the public. .Eu domains have been long awaited and their popularity is expected to be similar to .com domains. These domains were originally only available in what was known as the Sunrise 1 and Sunrise 2 stages. Sunrise 1, the first of the three stages, began on December 7, 2005. To be considered for a .eu domain, applicants chose a domain name had to be related to a registered trademark. This policy greatly restricted the number of applicants that could apply for a domain. The Sunrise 2 stage was offered on February 7, 2006 and allowed applicants to reserve domains related to both unregistered trademarks and company names. The purpose of the Sunrise phases was to allow well established companies the first rights to their desired domain names. As with other types of domains, many times people will purchase a number of domain names hoping to resell them at an elevated cost. Unfortunately, some individuals have even tried using domain names that are similar to well known companies hoping to gain exposure for their product or business.

The last stage known as the “Landrush” became available on April 7, 2006. This final stage allows much greater flexibility for persons wishing to register a .eu domain. Basically anyone who resides in the European Union or who has a business located there can qualify for a .eu domain. Much like other domain extensions, .eu domains are now being assigned on a first come basis. This has caused many companies and businesses to scramble in an effort to acquire their desired domain name. If a domain name under the .com extension is not available, a similar domain ending in the .eu extension may be available instead.

After the opening of the Landrush stage, the sale of .eu domains has skyrocketed. To date there are well over 1.7 million registered domain names and the numbers are expected to keep growing. Many experts believe .eu domains will some day come close to the number of registered .com sites. If current registration trends continue, this could very well occur.

Discount Domains, a company specializing in website design and web hosting, offers .eu domains to the public at an affordable price. They hope to soon become an accredited registrar with Eurid in order to provide additional high quality service to the public. Customers can purchase top level domain names from Discount Domains for their business or organization. The only requirement is that domain names must be registered for a minimum period of two years. The company also offers a wide range of services including domain transfers, web hosting, marketing expertise, and search engine submissions. Discount Domains offers many options for customers wishing to register a .eu domain.

When choosing .eu domains for your business, there are some important points to remember. As with any type of domain name, it is a good idea to choose a .eu domain that is the same or very similar to your business or website name. This will make it much easier for customers and clients to remember. Even if they forget your website address, by running a search on your company name, they can quickly locate your domain name and link to your site. Using your business name within you domain name is a valuable resource for search engine purposes.

If your requested domain name is not available, the provider may suggest similar domain names to the one you suggested. Be careful when considering this option. First of all you will need to make sure that your domain name is not easily confused with other similar names. When marketing your site, be sure to use the entire .eu domain name. This will help to alleviate any misunderstanding or confusion. Lastly, it is much easier to purchase your domain name first before designing a new business or choosing a company name. Trying to come up with a domain name for a well established company can sometimes be a headache. Often times the desired domain name may already be taken. If you plan on establishing a new website or opening a business in the near future, you can greatly benefit by choosing your .eu domains ahead of time.

Building Web Communities With Free Forums

Looking for somewhere online to meet new people, discuss hobbies, plan events, or just have fun chatting? Internet forums have been around for some time on the web and often are free and easy to setup. Forums are basically online discussion web sites where people share information and chat grouped around a set of topics. One example might be a local photography club. You could setup topics around types of cameras, locations for shooting, local events and meetings, printing tips, etc. Often there are administrators and moderators that help to keep the discussion orderly and on topic.

Some items to consider when starting an online forum include…

Cost – Often you can find them for free. There will probably be some advertising on the site, but don’t most sites now a days?

Features – Does the forum support avatars, private messages, user levels, themes, etc.

Security – Is it possible to create forums that only register users can post in? Helps to avoid those spammers.

I cannot stress the last one enough. You should be completely able to control who is in your forums. One bad apple spoils the bunch. On that same note, it is common for a forums to have moderators. These are people that help enforce the rules in the forum. Make sure your choose your help wisely. When it comes to administrators, there should only ever be one. Administrators have the keys to the city and can set your forum ablaze.

Finally to make a forum a success you need to attract people to it to join. Obviously if it is for a church or some other established group, this is relatively easy. Tell your friends, family, club members. If you are starting from scratch, do the same. Tell people, show people, invite people. Check to see if your forum site is listed in search engines like google. Once you get past that initial setup and recruitment your will soon be on your way to having a forum that you and your friends can enjoy.

How I Got My Site Into Google

Google calls Sitemaps “an experiment in web crawling”. In general, you place a sitemap on to your web server. This helps the crawlers identify the pages you have and add it to the search index. And when you update your site map (after changing a page or adding new content), it also marks the pages you’ve changed and makes a note of what order to review it.

It’s a lot more systematic and efficient than random crawling, where there are no guarantees that the web crawlers will pick up on the most important pages. So even if it requires an additional step for web developers, it’s greater assurance that all the hard work you put into your content actually shows up in the searches.

Google Sitemaps was developed partly to resolve the problem encountered by big websites, wherein web crawlers would skip over some pages and fail to index some of the content. Considering the effect this can have on your search engine optimization efforts, that glitch can have a big impact on your ranking. And for websites that regularly change content (like product sites), you’d want your new stock to actually register—especially when you’re promoting a hot, trendy item.

So in short, to get your site into Google, you’ve got to make it easier for Google to find you—via their map. It’s not as complicated as it sounds. You just need to use a software tool to create a sitemap in Google’s chosen XML format, upload that to your site, and then send a URL notification to Google. And since you’re doing that anyway, make an HTML sitemap for the other search engines (Yahoo, MSN, etc.) and then include a link to it in an unobtrusive corner of your website. Many of those software tools can do that for you.

Is it expensive? Not really. For smaller sites (less than 500 pages) you can find several free Google Sitemap Generators. Look for those that allow you to restrict the directories that are being searched, and give instructions as to which files to index and which to avoid. This can be programmed through the filters and settings. For your convenience, you’ll also want one that lets you include PDF, .doc, .xls, and .zip documents.

Larger sites may require a trained webmaster, who can install a program on the site to help you index it and generate a sitemap. Of course, you can do it on your own (and again, you’ll find many XML sitemap tutorials and software on the Internet), but with 800 pages to handle you probably have other web administration worries to think about. It’s just easier to pass it on to a professional. Or at least, invest in a very efficient XML software that will take care of most of the details and has several tools and functions at its disposal.

Once you’ve chosen a program (or hired someone to set it up for you), you’ll have to create a Google account. They don’t charge for the service, and you’ll want to get features like tracking the status of your Sitemaps and reviewing the diagnostic information for your sites.

Now, you’re ready to conquer Google.

Reverse Domain Name Hijacking Now!

Reverse domain name hijacking is one of the serious problems in the world of domain name today. Many people were engaged in such silly activity and so create a great bang in the domain name industry.

Accordingly, the reverse domain name hijacking is such a ploy that is applied by a complainant in bad faith to attempt to deprive a registered domain name owner. In fact, there is a certain rule for reverse domain name hijacking and it was under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy or UDRP rule 1. Aside from that, there is also a certain rule under the same policy that the panels finding a reverse domain name hijacking are not just sanctioned to deny the objection, but they are really directed to positively locate the presence of bad faith.

Speaking of the bad faith as the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy holds, it is considered that in the true statement of the rules for reverse domain name hijacking, there is really no vivid view of what a bad faith means and what makes for a bad faith UDRP objection as well as the facts that justifies a finding of reverse domain name hijacking. As such, it is then necessary to look at some clear illustrations about this thing.

Essentially, according to a current rulings of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy, the reverse domain name hijacking basically surface when an objection is taken regardless of the knowledge that the domain name owner has an authority or justifiable willingness in the domain name or the case in which the domain name was registered in good faith, with or without the frustrating situation of nuisance or proven bad intent by the plaintiff who is in search of owning the domain name.

For further interest, the reverse domain name hijacking is in fact mentioned in the ruling for the Goldline International, Inc. v. Gold Line with the statement as “To prevail such a claim (of reverse domain name hijacking), Respondent must show that Complainant knew of Respondent’s unassailable right or legitimate interest in the disputed domain name or the clear lack of bad faith registration and use, and nevertheless brought the Complaint in bad faith”.

Another important distinction of the reverse domain name hijacking was the Goldline panel’s adoption of a rule that was set down in Smart design LLC v. Hughes, in which the panels also found out that there is a reverse domain name hijacking not because of an established bad intent, but for the fact that the allegations of the respondent’s bad faith were established in a mode that the panel concluded as unsatisfactory to the plaintiff.

Out of those two cases about the reverse domain name hijacking, there are still others and others that continue to create a booming impact to the world of domain name and to the lives of the domain name holders. So if you think that the rules for reverse domain name hijacking leaves a lot of room for interpretation, well, you are right, but it is just necessary to know that it does not end there. Such is how the reverse domain name hijacking bangs the domain name disputes.

How to Get Listed on DMOZ

How does one obtain listed on the dmoz or the Open Directory Project? The dmoz is an eventuated blessed directory that lists sites and links to explicit websites on the World Wide Web. This list, which is called dmoz to define its artistic field name, directory.mozilla.org, is owned by Netscape and is maintained by a set of editors who have volunteered their services. The dmoz ODP is and called the largest human-directory on the web.

A consubstantial list was launched by AT&T and was called the Anywho directory. The Anywho directory is a telephone directory that can be commence online and is linked with the Yellow Pages of the according to company. The Anywho directory is a searchable telephone build and superscription database past the dmoz is a current slanting of sites according to category. Both directories are searchable, but that is where the similarities end. Getting listed on both directories, the Anywho directory and the dmoz, requires overly mismatched guidelines and requirements now they are two fully contradistinctive directories.

Getting listed on the Anywho directory is as homely as having a telephone craft with AT&T. These telephone interject listings are intent from the company’s records and are updated every three months on the online Anywho directory. While the counsel on the Anywho directory of AT&T lists phone numbers of registered individuals and businesses, practiced are options for humans who get not yearning their encircle to be shown in the Anywho Directory. Logging in on the Anywho directory station and organism asset of their privacy oblique process consign help those who yearning their phone incorporate to outlast hermetic get done related a status. There is and an choice on the Anywho directory for horde to headway to the brochure if they demand to by using the close privacy indirect commotion to conflicting the removal.

Getting listed on the OPD or the dmoz is a largely unrelated motion as compared to the slanted deed for the Anywho directory. Website owners conclusively have to submit their website details to the editors of the dmoz for try and inclusion to the list. While the Anywho directory gets the network from their burden database, the dmoz OPD gets its report for these residence listings from the whistle stop owners and contrastive sources. Publication and inclusion in the register is matter to the volunteer editors’ perusal and approval. Often, suggesting a corner for inclusion in the inventory and acceptance known may produce a extended look-in depending on the conglomerate of your residence and the backlog that the set may have appurtenant to the unqualified introduce of suggestions.

The simple stirring for site submission for experiment to the list involves four steps. Initially, you have to have information whether a point should certainly be listed and is not today listed on the ODP. Next is great which combination prime describes or fits the website you are suggesting for inclusion. After these prime three steps, you will thus infatuation to fill out the author on the dmoz abode on the party you buy best describes the compass you are suggesting. Approval for inclusion in the record may depend on the editors’ right with the power of final, also depend on the receiving of volunteer editors the spot currently has deal for them.

Avoiding The Carriage Before The Horse

Marketing your practice on search engines is attractive to a lot of coaches. The traffic can be used to grow your subscriber list, sell products and get more clients. It can be a great way to grow your practice.

But it can also be a big disappointing nightmare.

A lot of businesses have pumped a lot of time and money into search engine marketing efforts (SEO) only to find them useless.

One main cause of this is “putting the carriage before the horse.”In other words, you attempt to get high search engine rankings before you have a solid, sound web site.

What often happens?

Your web site can get rejected or even banned from search engines if it is created by a web designer who is not aware of search engine technicalities.
You can waste your money when you try to register with search engines.

Some charge a non-refundable fee for submitting your web site and it does NOT guarantee you will be included. If your site isn’t well done, you get rejected lose your money.

Your pages become invisible. If your site isn’t coded the right way, then a lot of your content won’t get into the search engine for people to find or they are listed on page 1,334,203 … which virtually no one will visit.

On a more content-based level, if your site is not interesting and valuable, others will be hesitant to link to it. Good links are vital to getting good rankings.

If your site isn’t effective at converting traffic, you won’t sell as many products or attract as many clients. You won’t get as many newsletter subscribers.

With all the information and hype out there it can be easy to get wrapped up in the dream of high traffic leading to tons of business. I’ve seen others make this mistake. I’ve blundered myself.

So, how do you saddle-up your horse and oil the buggy to get the most from your search engine marketing?

There is a lot of information on developing a good web site. Be sure to focus special attention on the “marketing”of a good web site. Here are some main points to guide you.

• Make sure your site works “without search engines.”That is, make sure the traffic you are sending to it now, such as people from networking, are doing what you want on your site.
• Make sure your site is “search engine friendly.”This means to make sure that the code was designed to enable search engines to access the information on your site. This means getting a technically savvy search engine expert on hand during the creation of your site.
• Make sure you have a target audience. This is a good idea in general for your business, but it’s also critical that it’s expressed on your web site. Make sure your site is appealing to that target audience.
• Make sure your site answers basic usability questions such as, “What is this site about?”"Where do I begin?”and “Why should I be here and not somewhere else?”Answers to these questions will get your visitors moving through your web site.
• Make sure your site is easy to navigate. Sit down with at least one person who is in your target audience and watch them use your site. Seeing people do everything other than what you intended is often an eye-opening experience … even for the most advanced web designers.
• Make sure your site will capture your target audience in different “buy states.”Some visitors will be ready to buy into subscribing to your newsletter. Some will be ready to buy an ebook. Some will want to buy your one-on-one service.

Search engines are great. They can take your business to higher levels. But without solid horse and buggy combo, you may be in for a bumpy ride.

The Five Things You Must Do Before Buying On Ebay

As a consumer, you will find many great deals on items that you want and need through eBay auctions. Many people visit eBay on a daily basis looking for auctions for items that they may be interested in – simply because eBay auctions are so much fun!

However, before you start buying on eBay, there are some steps that you need to take. Here are five things you must do before buying on eBay.

1. You can’t buy anything without registering first.

Registration is free and only takes a few minutes. You will be asked for credit card information, and this is required before you will be able to bid on auctions. Your email address must be confirmed before your account will become active, so make sure that you use the correct email address.

You will be given the option to sign up for a Paypal account, if you don’t already have one, and you should strongly consider doing so. Signing up with Paypal is free, and many auctions will require you to have a Paypal account.

2. Once you have completed the registration process, you are ready to start bidding on auctions.

However, don’t jump in right away. Navigate around the site a bit, and get a feel for things first. Some unscrupulous sellers try to take advantage of new eBay users, and you must be wary of them.

Start by searching for the items that you are interested in. Using the category list, click on the categories that you feel that you are interested in, and start looking at the open auctions in those categories. You should find the items that you are looking for quite easily.

3. Once you have found items that you want to bid on add the auction to your favorites – but don’t place your bid just yet.

Instead, go find old auctions for similar items. See how much those items sold for so that you know how high to bid. Research the item as best as you can. Determine what the item would cost if it were brand new, and what you should bid now on the used item, in the condition that it is in.

4. Learn more about the seller.

Remember, not everyone is honest. Avoid buying from sellers who have low reputations. The reputation system at eBay is an important tool for buyers. This will enable you to determine whether or not you can trust the person that you are buying from.

Read their feedback page. Read the seller’s &About Me& page. Get to know who you are dealing with a little bit better by communicating with the seller about the auction.

5. Place your bid.

Once you know what item you want and how much you should bid on it, you are ready to place your bid.

There are two ways you can do this. Some sellers take bids on their auctions, with the item going to the highest bidder. Others choose to use the &Buy Now& feature, which means that they have a set reserve price that you must meet – but you are not in competition with other bidders. This is a typical option that sellers use when they have multiple identical items to sell, or when they sell brand new items on eBay using drop shippers.

If you are entering into an open live auction – where bids are placed and the highest bidder wins – you will need to watch the auction closely to ensure that you keep raising your bid to win the item. Just make sure that you don’t end up winning by paying way too much – unless it is a unique item that won’t be found elsewhere!

CopyRight Ian D. Major 2005

How Auctions Work

Just about anyting you can think of can be found at an auction. Anything from jewelry, collectibles, boats, books,cars, household items; I repeat, anything and everything. That’s the excitement of the auction.

You can find auctions in your area by various ways including your local newspaper who would have a section in the classifieds for auctions that will happen in the coming week or weeks. You can search for auction houses on the internet. If they have a web site, their upcoming auctions along with pictures and descriptions of items would be listed so customers know what is being offered. Usually, there are signs placed close to the auction site indicating an auction is taking place or will be soon. The ads or web site should also give directions to the location.

After you find the auction or auctions of interest, you need to check the time it starts. There should be a starting time for the auction and for viewing the items. Make sure you allow lots of time to get to the auction to check out the items. Then you will decide which items you want to bid on and how much you want to bid. Take a pad of paper and pen to make notes of the items and your top dollar you are willing to bid for the items. This will also be a good time to find the auctioneers and auction workers so you can get to know them. They have the all of the details about the items and should be happy to provide any information you require.

You will want to find out when the auction will start. Find out where the auction will start and what direction it will go. There may be more than one auction ring, if there are many items. Some auctions last for several days. Each auction ring will have an auctioneer, a recorder, and helpers. Find out how many rings and which auctioneer will be in which ring. Introduce yourself to the auctioneer and the workers so they will recognize you when you bid and be more apt to look your way for a bid. It is also an avenue for inside information to the type of auction it is, the type of items being offered, etc. Some auctions have multiple estates represented, so some sections of items may look like it doesn’t really go with the other items. The auctioneer and workers should know this and will share that information with you.

There will be a payment and registration table which are usually together. You will want to stop at the registration table before the auction starts to register. They will need your name, address, phone number, picture ID, and tax number, if you have one.

The auction can be indoors or outdoors, so dress appropriately. You might want to think about taking a snack or lunch. There might be a vendor available near the auction. Check out where you want to park to get your winning items to your vehicle easily.

Each item will have a lot number or description associated with it. This information may not be on the actual item, but the recorder will have it. It will be on the tickets for each of your winning items. Keep track of what you were the winning bidder on and what the winning bid was. This way, you can match each up to your ticket when you check out.

The items up for auction are usually kept in boxes or flats. The items may be auctioned per box or per item. You should be able to request a certain item be pulled out of a box to auction separately, if you like. A lot of times, you can get a better bargain if the item you want is together with other items that may be less in demand.

The more expensive items are kept in locked cases with an attendant close by to open the case for inspection when requested. These items have been determined by the auctioneer to be more valuable pieces and will be auctioned individually. Since you have gotten familiar with the auctioneer, you will know where the auction will start. Get yourself in a position so that you can see the items as they are auctioned and so that you will be readily seen by the auctioneer for your bids. Make sure you have your bidder number card ready to show the auctioneer when you bid and also when you win an item.

Before and during the auction, as people look at the items, some may get moved from box to box. Make sure you pay close attention to what is being auctioned, in case some things were moved. When you win, make sure to take your winnings directly to your vehicle. Once you win the bid, the item or items are you possession and you are responsible for them. Items have been known to get up and walk away while you are not looking. It is best to keep an eye on your winnings or have another person attend to them and take them to your vehicle.

Depending upon the auctioneer, bidding may start at what the auctioneer thinks the item will eventually sell for. That offer may not get any bids, so in order to get people bidding, the auctioneer will lower the starting bid. If you are really interested in an item, you may want to bid first thing. This quick bid may scare off other potential bidders and you will win the item. Toward the end of the auction, there may not be as many people at the auction so this is a good time to get in on some good deals as well.

When you are ready to leave, you will need to go to the payment or registration table to pay for your winning items. They will have a list of items or a ticket for each winning item. Make sure the item and price match what you have recorded. It will be much easier to resolve any conflicts immediately rather than later. Good luck with your bidding!

Domain Name Extension And Its Types And Options

What is a domain name extension? This is the most popular and foremost question when it comes to domain name extension. Many people were really asking that question times every time a subject about domain name and its extensions is tackled. Well, fortunate for them that they are actually left with answers on their hands. However, many of the people today are still not aware of the nature of domain name extension and its types especially those who haven’t heard anything about domain names.

For such matter, it is indeed a nice idea to present some of the facts about the domain name extension and its types for the people to know what a domain name extension is and how it functions in the world of the internet. So here it is.

Essentially, a domain name extension is also called a top level domain name such as .com, .org, .net, and a lot more. It is considered that a domain name extension is the top most part if the domain names under which all of the domains on the web are registered. To further create a vivid idea on the uses of a domain name extension, it is interesting to know that a domain name extension like .com is particularly intended for the commercial organizations. The .net domain name extension is then designed for network services just like the Internet Service Providers or ISPs, and on the other hand, a domain name extension like .org is specifically designed for non-profit organizations. Along with that, it is also interesting to know that such mentioned domain name extensions – .com, .net, and .org – are the most common and they belong on the international front.

For further information, such mentioned domain name extensions are called as the “Big 3” for the reason that they accessible to anyone, without limitations, and now widely recognized in all parts of the globe.

In terms of the a country by country basis since most countries now have a matching top level domain name, under which domain names are sold, the most common domain name extensions are based on two characters ISO country codes.

In terms of a country by country basis, the common domain name extensions are based on the two-character ISO country codes and this is for the main reason that many countries offered these kinds of domain name extensions. Among such kind of domain name extensions is the .fr for France, .jp for Japan, and so on and so forth. Most popular country top level domains include the .fr for France, .jp for Japan, and http://.co.uk. It is well noted that these domain name extensions are generally under the control of the government and so adding a level of stability and durability seemed so tough to match.

Besides, during the year 2000 the ICANN approved a new set of domain name extensions which is composed of seven new top domains such as .aero, .biz, .coop, .info, .museum, .name, and .pro. They are generally called “alternative top level domain names” and that they are officially known, thus they will work in all parts of the globe, in any browser or other software.

And just recently, five organizations have proposed for the creation of the newest domain name extensions which are noted to be applied or to function officially on 2005 if the proposal will be approved. And it is interesting to know that what is included as the newest domain name extensions are .asia, .cat, .jobs, .mail, .mobi, .post, .tel, .travel, and .xxx.

Sell Your Art Online With Your Own Unique Website

If you are serious about selling your art online, then you should be serious about developing your own website. I am not referring to those free website builders your Internet Service Provider gives you or any other free website providers. I am talking about a professional website with your own unique domain name: www.yourname.com.

There are good reasons why you should never use a free design service. The company that provides the free service owns your website space and they can do whatever they wish with your site, namely advertise on it.

There is nothing more unprofessional than unrelated banner advertising and popup windows that are usually associated with free websites. Not only are they annoying, but they also distract visitors from your art.

There is also the risk that your website provider may go out of business. That free site you spent all that time promoting is gone and your efforts were in vain.

With your own unique domain name, the worst-case scenario is you have to change hosting accounts. Your domain name remains unchanged and your customers can still reach your site.

Having your own website with a unique domain name tells your potential customers that you are a professional and serious about your business. It also looks wonderful on business cards!

Can you imagine handing out business cards at art shows or to other interested people with this printed on your cards: http://www.some freewebsite.com/artists/yourgallery/index.html. This is unprofessional and it’s difficult for your customers to remember.

Having your own unique website offers convenience for you and potential customers. For instance, lets say you are traveling to another state, or another part of the world for that matter. You meet someone who is interested in seeing your work, but you don’t have your portfolio with you. You may have just lost a potential customer. If you have a nice business card, with your website address printed on it, the potential customer can simply visit your website at his or her convenience to view your work, and it doesn’t matter if they live around the corner or on the other side of the world! Your website is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Now that you see the benefits of having your own website, you will need to take the first step, and that is to register your domain name (http:www.yourname.com).

Registering your own domain name is easy and extremely affordable today. My recommendation is to register through a site called Godaddy.com. They are amongst the lowest priced domain registration services online at around $9 for the entire year (this was the price at the time of writing this article). Once you register your domain name, its time to begin your website design. You can either hire a web designer or do it yourself. Whichever method you choose here are some general guidelines:

My advice is to keep your site clean and simple. Do not load your site with lots of fancy graphics or long multimedia presentations. These only annoy and distract visitors away from your art and increase the amount of time it takes for pages to download.

Make your site navigation is easy to follow and consistent throughout your entire site.

Make it easy for your visitors to contact you. Put a “contact” or “contact us” link on every page in clear view.

Avoid animated graphics, moving text, or other animated features on your website.

Make all of the links on your site standard colors and underlined. Blue is for unvisited links, purple for visited.

Resources for do it yourself web design – There are many places online where you can learn HTML and web design completely free. One of my favorite sites is W3 Schools – http://www.w3schools.com/. W3 Schools is a wonderful site packed with lots of great information on HTML and web design. The tutorials are informative and very easy to follow.
If you are not the type who enjoys learning online, there are also a handful of great books you can purchase. “Learning Web Design” by Jennifer Niederst is a book that gives you a good all around introduction to web design. There are other great books. Just head over to a site like Amazon and a do a search for “beginner web design”. Find books that have good feedback ratings from customers. Read through the feedback to make sure the book is the right fit for your experience level.

I hope this article has got you excited about getting your own website. If you have any questions about anything covered in this article, do not hesitate to contact me. Please send your question to: ralph@sellingartnews.com.

Be sure and head over to http://www.sellingartnews.com, for more great articles and tips on selling your art.

Affiliates, 3 Things You should Own though You dont Own a Product

1. Your Own web site:

Most affiliates put a redirect link directly to their affiliate
product. It is not such a good practice.

*Register a domain that closely resembles your affiliate product
website. For example, if you are an affiliate for affiliateproduct.com
web site, try to register affiliate-product.com or affiliateproduct.net.

*Follow the lay-out of your affiliate product web site.

*Put content on your web site (minimum of 10 pages). Like articles
and reviews related to your affiliate product. No need to say to put up
links leading the visitor to your affiliate web site.

*If you have a multiple different affiliate products, don’t mix them up
and put all of those links on same web site. Choose a multidomain host
and host your different affiliate web sites for cheap.

2. Your Own opt-in list:

You need your own opt-in list **no matter** what you sell and your own
or your affiliate product.

Start giving free ecourse or an ezine related to your affiliate product
and collect email addresses.

You need a follow up autoresponder or a maling list manager to manage
this process of collecting emails, follow up, sending promotional emails
etc. etc.

Here is a PHP script that you can use as BOTH follow up autoresponders
and mailing list managers:

http://www.scripts4webmasters.com/follow-up-autoresponder-pro/index.shtml

3. Your Own Ezine articles:

Yep! You have to spread the word about your affiliate product. Don’t You?
Write articles related to your affiliae product and publish them on your
web site, send them to publishers, submit them to content sites.

Do a search on Google or Altavista like &submit+article&, you will get a
big list of sites. Keep your favorites on your Favorites folder and submit
to them on regular basis.

Few tips in writing ezine articles in the affiliates perspective:
=Don’t expose your affiliate link directly in your resourcebox.
=Usually affiliate links comes as long URLs. These tend to breakup.
So use some kind of redirection.
=Only promote one product in one article.

More on hiding affiliate links:

http://www.webmasters-central.com/t/siteprotection/affiliatelinks.shtml

Find the best keywords for your web pages

If you want to improve your search engine rankings, then you need to put attention on keywords. Keywords are what lead search engine users to your site. Choosing the right keywords is really important. But how can you find the best keywords for your website? Well, there are few free tools you can use.

Take a piece of paper and write down all keywords that can relate to your business. Analyze carefully your business and think of any keywords that relate to your company or product. Ask your friends what keywords would they search for if they were looking for products like yours.

Try to avoid common words, you need to focus on specific keywords. Than more specific your keywords are than more chances you have that your potential customers will find you.

When you have your list of possible keywords, you can try to find out which of them are most popular and try to focus your search engine optimization on these keywords. There are some good tools you can use here.

Remember that people often misspell words, so you can include also some misspelled words.

The first one is the Google AdWords keyword sandbox at https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordSandbox .
Submit your keywords and you’ll get a list of popular queries that include your keyword and also a list of similar keywords to consider.

The second tool is the Overture Keyword Selector Tool . This one shows you the related searches to your term and how many times that term was searched on last month.

The third tool is a free software, Good keywords for finding the best keywords for your web pages. It provides you with the following features: keyword suggestion, misspelled words, web page explorer, keyword phrase builder, site and link popularity, keyword organizer.

Once you have your keyword list, you can use the Overture View Bids Tool to find out what they’re worth to other advertisers. You can check here your list of most fruitful keywords. You may find out that you can pay very little money in pay-per-click advertising for some hot keywords related to your business.

Google AdWords also provides a similar service, but only to registered members. And Google doesn’t show you the highest bids. You can use their tool named Traffic Estimator and see the traffic estimates for different bid values.

There few other places where you can find lists of popular keywords:

http://buzz.yahoo.com/ – you can find here the most searched terms on yahoo.
http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist.html – What people are searching for at Google.
http://50.lycos.com/ – The 50 most popular searches on Lycos.

Power Blogging – Blogging For Business Or Pleasure?

Blogging for business
Because the search engines index blogs very quickly, blogging can be a good way to get your company or product to a wider audience. There are two ways to do this, either closely align your blog with your product, or blog about the market your product serves and reference your product. For the first it makes a deal of sense to include either your company or major product name in the blog title and domain. In fact you could just install a blog in a sub-directory of your main website which would tie it in very closely with your company. Many web hosts now have a domain control panel which enable WordPress blogs to be installed almost completely automatically. I would suggest WordPress as suitable blog software as there are an enormous number of add-ons and plugins available to make your blog look and act exactly as you want. A second option would be to register a suitable domain, install WordPress on it and go from there.

If you want to initially distance yourself from your product, then you might well find it easiest to register a blog with one of the major blog hosts and set yourself up as a special interest blogger. You may wish to do this to attract visitors who might not frequently visit your site but are interested in the markets you serve. If you sell wine for instance you could blog about wine in general and reference the special offers that you sell, maybe including short tasting notes. It might be beneficial to come clean about your association in an About Me page, as being professionally involved in a specific market adds a certain authority to what you write. It would be clear to frequent visitors that you only mention one company but they would have initially been attracted by the content, and would most likely continue to visit as long as the content is valuable to them. The important thing about doing it this way is that your content should hold up regardless of your promotion of your product otherwise you won’t get visitors returning.

Blogging for pleasure
If anything this is the most rewarding way to blog. Writing about something you have a passion for is most likely to get visitors who share the same passion and can grow a community as you link to other blogs which have the same focus. I am an Arsenal Football Club supporter and have a blog http://blogs.goonerville.com/blog/LGS_blog.php where I vent and applaud everything about the club and football in general. If you leave the comments turned on, you will get visitors posting their replies to you which can help you gauge reaction to your opinions. But beware, you may not always like what people say about you! It’s not compulsory, but you may also be able to make a little money from Adsense or affiliate sales as long as you don’t overdo the adverts because you will have a very targeted audience reading the blog.

Whether you are blogging for business or pleasure, the important things to remember are:

1. Write in your own style, don’t try and copy anyone else.
2. Use original content. You can use other material, but make sure you are not breaking copyright and add your own content.
3. Pace yourself. Don’t start out intending to post every day if you don’t have the time and inclination. It is better to start slowly and increase if you can rather than gradually tail off.
4. Use humour if you are humorous. Even if the blog is factual, visitors like to be entertained.

If used well, blogs can be a tremendous aid to communicating whatever message you wish to advance. There are many things you can do to make your blog more accessible and popular, but that are beyond the range of this article and will be covered in future articles.