"Rising Above the SEO Reputation"
How many times have you seen an article referring to SEO (search engine optimization) as a "Black Art" or "underhanded", "manipulative", "sleazy", "deceptive", "sneaky" etc?. I could go on and on but you get my drift. The thing is - our industry has a pitiful reputation which is being reinforced on a daily basis by the media and word of mouth.This realization hit me between the eyes recently when I read a comment in a search engine forum from an SEO who claimed he used his ethical SEO methods as a Unique Selling Point. Look what we've been reduced to - differentiating ourselves from the masses because we DON'T break the rules. What other industry could boast such a thing? Apart from the used car industry, I can't really think of any.So where did this nasty reputation come from and why has it been allowed to propogate? Well, it's mainly care of the hundreds of cowboys out there who decide one day they are online marketing experts, announce themselves as SEO's and set up a backyard biz, deciding (naively) that the fastest way to achieve high rankings is to break the rules, "crack" the search engine algorithms and undermine the search indexes by generating pages and pages of search engine spam.
They do this by creating doorway pages designed for search engine spiders rather than humans, complete with hidden text, hidden links, cloaking and lots of other "tricks" they come across as they surf the Internet.Problem is these self-proclaimed experts don't bother to do their research and learn that such spamming techniques have long been ineffective. Nearly all the search engines these days have sophisticated methods of detecting and removing spam within days of receiving submissions. Penalties for spamming the search engines differ from engine to engine, but can range from being "red flagged" and put on a watch list, to being hit with a ranking penalty, to having your site permanently banned from their index (in severe cases). The type of scumbag SEO's that would play Russian Roulette with their client's web sites in this fashion are well-deserving of scorn. It can take months for search engines to lift such penalties, if they decide to at all.While ineffective, such search engine spamming techniques have defined the reputation of the search engine optimization industry to date.
In turn, this reputation is eroding business for so-called "ethical" SEO's - a term I use loosely to describe SEO's that don't try to undermine the search engine indexes when optimizing web sites. Actually, I'm not really comfortable with the term "ethics" to describe SEO. Until the industry establishes and accepts a standardized Code of Practice, we are just measuring others by our own personal standards and a set of arbitrary rules. But the SEO's I'm talking about strive to keep search results as relevant as possible by revising the visible site content and following the guidelines set down by the search engines in the optimization process. Some SEO's call this "White Magic SEO" - a tongue in cheek response to the "Black Magic" jibes I guess.
Not surprisingly, search engines have been reduced to lumping all SEO's into the "untrustworthy" basket. On their Webmaster Do's and Don'ts page (http://www.google.com/webmasters/dos.html), Google state: "Be very careful about allowing an individual consultant or company to 'optimize' your web site. Chances are they will engage in some of our "Don'ts" and end up hurting your site". Chances are? Sounds a bit presumptuous if you ask me. Likewise, at a recent search engine conference, a representative from AltaVista declared that "all SEO's could be described using four letter words".
The typical Internet user can only come to the conclusion that, according to some very reliable sources, SEO's are not to be trusted - now how fair is that? So the main problem is - how do we address this reputation issue? Do we establish and agree on a standard Code of Practise as in development on sites such as the World Association of Internet Marketers (http://www.waim.org/ethics.html), SEO Consultants (http://www.seoconsultants.com/seo-code-of-ethics.htm) and SEO Pros (http://www.seopros.org/members/practices.htm)? Do we race around locating and reporting search engine spam in the hope of improving our reputation in the eyes of the search engines? Or do we simply follow our own set of standards and hope potential clients can come to their own untainted conclusions? Personally I'm looking forward to the day when I no longer detect immediate suspicion when I tell people I optimize web sites for a living..
Digging Up Earthnuts (Conopodium Majus)
The custom of grubbing for Earthnuts, or Pignuts is as ancient as mankind itself. Although these tasty tubers are beloved of pigs (hence the name) they are a most unusual and rewarding woodland snack and there was a time when they were a popular nibble for country children on their way to and from school.The fern like leaves appear along with the Lesser Celandine in the spring. During May and July they develop umbellifer heads with white flowers not unlike Cow Parsley. According to Gerard and others the Dutch once ate them 'boiled and buttered, as we do parseneps and carrots'. Unearthing a pignut is a delicate operation.
The root disconnects from the tuber very easily, which can be several inches from where the stem appears above ground.Follow the stem under the earth using careful scraping with a twig, fingernail or knife. Eventually you will reach the pignut which is covered with a chestnut coloured skin. If you can wash the nut at this stage it avoids getting muddy fingernails...
Digging Up Earthnuts (Conopodium Majus)
Spring break > Digging Up Earthnuts (Conopodium Majus)
Ten Easy, Yet Powerful way to get in the spirit to date again after a break-up or time-out
Ten Easy, yet Powerful ways to get in the spirit to date again after a break-up or time-out Divorce and relationship break-up are devastating to most people. Most have learned that jumping from the frying pan into the fire is not a good thing. However, we can get ourselves into a deep rut and have difficulty looking out again for a relationship. Here are some ways to get the energy moving to see over the top of the valley1.
Smile at the world. Have fun. Look for positive in everyone you meet. Increase your awareness. Like attracts like.
You never know who you meet when you smile.
2. Look at your surroundings . Are there negative "leftovers" from former relationship/s? Remove what no longer is positive for you. Surround yourself with things that bring you joy.
You may want to consider the feng shui of your environment. 3.Make changes to what you hear . What music puts you in a romantic mood? Spend some time each day listening to your special music. Avoid...
Ten Easy, Yet Powerful way to get in the spirit to date again after a break-up or time-out
Spring break > Ten Easy, Yet Powerful way to get in the spirit to date again after a break-up or time-out
World?s Most Exciting Towable Water Float Ready for Market Launch
Norwalk, OH (ContentDesk) August 29, 2005 -- Wake Breaker?, a patented breakthrough in high thrill "towable" water floats, has completed research and development and will begin marketing the high performance float in spring 2006.Dave and Sharon Barman, inventors and owners of the Wake Breaker?, announced the appointment of Duquesa Marketing Inc., Ft. Thomas, Ky. to guide their cutting edge, thrilling water float through final stages of pre-market planning. "We've spent several years and several hundred thousand dollars, designing, testing and patenting the ultimate performance water ride experience" said Mr. Barman.
"Nothing on the water performs like Wake Breaker?, we wanted to insure the best possible marketing strategy for the launch, that is why we chose Geoff and Nancy Ficke's firm".Wake Breaker? offers a thrilling, high performance ride experience made possible by the insertion of a lightweight concave, rigid plastic insert that stabilizes the tube and allows for almost...
World?s Most Exciting Towable Water Float Ready for Market Launch
Spring break > World?s Most Exciting Towable Water Float Ready for Market Launch
Secrets to Working and Pumping
When I had my first son I hadn't planned to go back to work.
I suddenly had to return to the workforce when he was three months old.
I was completely unprepared and my son went from an exclusively breastfeeding baby to a mostly formula baby within a short period of time.
I learned a lot from my experience with him and was much more prepared when I had my daughter.
I was able to exclusively breastfeed her and work full time.
Because of what I went through, the emotions of trying to pump enough milk for the next day, I wanted to gather up all my tips and write them down for others to use.
I hope that you find these tips helpful.1. Plan ahead if possible.
Get a freezer stash going before you go back to work.2. Do not just pump at work.
Pump at home on your days off and before and after work.3. Pump while nursing.
Pump on one side while nursing on the other.4. Find a good place to pump, where you are comfortable...
Spring break > Secrets to Working and Pumping
How to Plan a Vacations of the Mind
Part 1Recently, in a women's therapy group that I run, the desire for fun and a change of pace over took me. I suggested that we deviate from some of our typical work and instead go around the room imagining a vacation treat designed to suit each woman's desires.It was fascinating to see how many marvelous vacation ideas quickly emerged. One woman wished to go to Mexico and South America to view the ruins and lie on the sun in beautiful beaches. Another woman wished to go to Greece and see the ancient ruins there and then slowly make her way through Europe. This could take a leisurely period of time, perhaps even a year.
Another also wanted to go to Europe but to do other things, such as take gourmet cooking classes in the South of France and become somewhat fluent in several languages. Another woman opted for spas and other experiences to bring vitality to her body and ultimately her spirit. One person was in reality making plans to go to several meditative retreats over the...
How to Plan a Vacations of the Mind
Spring break > How to Plan a Vacations of the Mind
Teaching Your Child Courage
Courage is the ability to overcome fear in order to do what is right, even if it is difficult or risky. Courage can mean facing physical dangers, but it also can mean standing up for beliefs and making hard decisions on the basis of evidence rather than on what is the easy or popular thing to do. It means being neither reckless nor cowardly but facing up to our duties and responsibilities.Courage, however, does not mean never being afraid; and children should be told that there are times when it is allright to be frightened and to run away from danger. But they also need to learn how to face and overcome somefears, such as a fear of the dark.What You Can Do? Coach your child on how to be brave. Praise him when he acts courageously (but never ridicule him for anyreason--ridicule can have long-lasting effects on a child's self-confidence).? Discuss with your child how to say no.
Sometimes children don't know how to say no to peers who ask them todo dangerous or risky things. After...
Teaching Your Child Courage
Spring break > Teaching Your Child Courage