OVBlogger: Blogging and SEO

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How cool. I just got $50 from the Shoemoney contest last week, from Tom at FINDgascards.com. Very cool. And to think all I had to do was click a button. Not bad. Thanks a bunch, Tom! and Shoemoney, of course, for having the contest.

So, I just read an article today that said social bookmarking had little value for IM. It said you can get tons of visitors but that they bounce and never buy anything. Hmm… Is it worth the effort?

I spend at least 10 minutes a day doing the social bookmarking thing for my client’s blogs, and we do get some traffic, and I have to admit that it’s nothing to write home about. Still, realize that those bookmarks stay around for as long as the site will. So, like, two years from now, people could read a bookmark and still come to the blog and read. It has to have a cumulative effect. Right? Web 2.0 isn’t going away.

I don’t find that we get very many visitors from socially bookmarking the IM blogs, except from PlugIM, which is a very targeted site. But even then, I have to write about something that’s kind of obscure. Tellman concentrates on new marketers, making that rather tough. Newbies don’t know about PlugIM yet. They will. I’ll keep spreading the word, OK, Ryan? :-)I have to say that Mike Paetzold told me about PlugIM to begin, so I certainly can’t take credit for discovering it on my own. But here’s the thing… it will eventually be good for us, I have no doubt. And I’ll keep plugging stuff until it is. I like to go over there and read what other people are writing, too, to see what’s going on and what people are thinking right now.

However…

We get much more traffic via social bookmarking for the ADD blogs. People are interested in the topic, especially since it’s now understood it bleeds over into adulthood. I used to wonder if ADD wasn’t just the creation of companies pushing drugs on our kids, but the more I study, I know that’s not true. And I know Tellman. He’s totally ADHD, and I mean that in a good way. He, like, thinks at the speed of sound, and it’s awesome to watch. I’ve actually come to see that being ADD is not all bad. I mean, it has its drawbacks because this is still linear-thinking world, but AD/HD is real and people want to know more about it. The topic is becoming hotter every day.

So, before I go off too far on an ADD tangent, let me explain why I went into it to begin with.. ADD is a popular topic. If you are in a popular niche, you’ll get readers from Web 2.0.

Here’s how I see it:

Even if you don’t get traffic now and plan to stick around, social bookmarking works.

It just might be a delayed reaction.

And don’t you wish you were one of the first 100 links at DMOZ? Or the first person to join MySpace? Or early on whatever?

I’m betting that social bookmarking sites will just get bigger. Google should be a little bit nervous. They’re just an unfeeling “corporation,” and give the results as they see fit to give them. With social bookmarking people decide what’s hot and what’s not, and as with everything else, word of mouth is way more powerful. We tend to believe other people more than corporations. Think about it.

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And there you have it. Proof positive that Google is pissed off about paid links. I’ve been demoted from a PR4 to a PR3 to a PR2. Owie!

So, whom do I owe my allegiance to?

My advertiser, though I’m not sure they’ll stay with me since this Google abasement. I wouldn’t blame them, if they left. Yet, according to CrazyEgg.com, that link gets more clicks that any other links on my blog.

If my sponsor leaves, will it help me? I doubt it. I’ve been writing this blog for almost two years and I think my feed still has all the back posts, though this place is only showing posts since my recent hack and destroy. A real pisser.

Do I use keyword phrases in my blog to make it SEO friendly. Nope. Do I just write stuff and let the chips fall wherever. Yep.

To me, blogging isn’t all about SEO, unless you’re using a blog for a specific purpose–of driving traffic to a main website. I’m not driving traffic to OVMarketing with this blog because it’s a bullshit site. I put it up when I was a brand newbie and it pretty much just sucks. So, I don’t try to promote it. I’d rather promote my 7 Secrets to Writing Killer Articles site, but I have a blog for that. I don’t write in it, but I have one.

My issue is time. When a blog entry strikes me, I write it.

But I’ve started working on something of my own. It’s about something I totally enjoy, which is blogging. I love the mechanics, the plugins, the writing, the Web 2.0ing and all of it. I run 5 blogs for Tellman, and one for me, so it’s something I’m involved in all day long. So, I’ve mustered a great deal of blog knowhow energy, and my new website is all coming together.

Stay tuned…

It will be preceded by a killer free teleseminar series, and then…

This is going to be awesome! And it’s where I’ll be gathering all my personal SEO eggs–in that one basket. I’m going to put more information and effort into this project (well I’ve been hacking away at it for a couple of months now already) than into anything I’ve ever done online before.

I love teaching and helping new people online. In fact, doing it tonight over at Tellman’s List Building Club. If you’re a member, be sure to dial in. Brian Edmondson and I are going to be looking at people’s websites and giving our thoughts on how to make them better, plus fielding questions. We’ve started doing these calls twice a month now, since they’ve become so popular.

Hope to see you on the call!

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Don’t you love it? I mean, search engines are great. If I’m researching something, I’ll use Google. But if I’m looking for someone, wanting to know about a product, or interested in making important friends, I’ll choose Web 2.0 every time.What makes it so cool?

Web 2.0 allows people to decide what’s hot and what’s not. Search engines rely on META titles and descriptions, on page factors, off page factors, linking, etc. so they can decide what should be at the top of the list. But with Web 2.0’s social bookmarking sites, people (not spiders) decide what shows up at the top of the list.

Some great social bookmarking sites are:

DiggIt!

StumbleUpon

Reddit

Furl

Propeller (formerly Netscape)

… and on and on. There are tons of sites out there now where people are making choices. You’ll notice the little pictures under this post, which are all Web 2.0 sites. Click on them and vote for me! If you’re not using Web 2.0 as part of your marketing strategy, you’re losing out.

PlugIM is especially cool for those of you in the Internet marketing space, like I am. You can plug other people’s posts or announce your own, and people see the posts as they come in. It’s quite popular, and it can help you to build your list, and get some attention. With all the big boys and girls out there, we “under the radar” folks need all the traction we can get, eh?

There are also places like MySpace and FaceBook. MySpace is pretty cool for making friends. FaceBook is just plain fun. You make friends there, too, but you can be turned into a vampire, have a sheep thrown at you, or find JV partners. I didn’t know Reed Floren before Facebook, really, but I promoted for him because now I do know him. I have some great friends there, and to think… Tellman dragged me into it. LOL I didn’t bother to see the potential until I became a member. No matter what IM niche you’re into, use places like this to make friends and JV. It’s really cool. Go over and be my friend there. We’ll make you a Vampire Slayer.

Except, well… I always liked Angel better.

And then, there’s GoodReads, which I love, because it’s all about books. Ben Mack invited me to join that one, and it rocks. In fact, think I’ll go over and spend some time right now before I get down to serious biz.

Come on…

Lose yourself in Web 2.0 for a while. It’s good for business.

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I won the Shoemoney contest from yesterday. How cool is that?

See? I told you to enter.

Check this out:

http://www.shoemoney.com/2007/10/25/shoemoney-rss-contest-winners-for-wednesday-october-24/

Thanks, Jeremy!

Go over and enter, but be sure to subscribe to the blog. I really enjoy it and get lots of great ideas. It’s great for keeping you up on the blogosphere and what’s going on with SEO.

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Today, I got an email from BlogRush saying that my site had been approved. Well, that’s very cool. But…

I get an email from Tellman saying that our ListBuildingBlog didn’t pass muster. What are they thinking over there? This blog is relatively new (because of my hacker issues), while Tellman’s has almost 200 posts in it. There’s only AdSense on that blog and it doesn’t break the TOS. What are they thinking?

I just wrote them an email, and if your blog is all up to snuff but still got the smackdown, I encourage you do to the same.

I write my fingers to the bone over at List Building Blog. How much does that suck?

I’m waiting for a response. I hope they say it was an error because if not, what’s the deal?

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This weekend, I’ve been busy making videos for my new membershp site, set to open early next month or sooner. I can give you step-by-step instructions on how to do this and that in relation to blogging and I’m getting pretty good at keeping it short and to the point. (Sometimes.)

Anyway, I hesitated buying Camtasia, but I’m sorry I waited. It’s so easy to use and has tons of great features that you can use to make your videos really great.

The feature I like the best is the audio fixer. It modulates volume, takes out noise, and it optimizes for male or female voices. It really makes you sound professional. I love it!

So, if you’re marketing, you have no choice. You’ll have to get into video. Get the new Camtasia version. You’ll love it.

Unfortunately, I didn’t realize there was a new version coming out, so I have 4.0. Damn. Missed by a couple of months. I just don’t feel like shelling out another $149 right now. As much as I love the software, I think TechSmith sucks for not giving you automatic updates within a year of purchase or something.

Hey guys, over at TechSmith… That’s a really good idea. Think, as Mark Joyner would say, “Word of Mouth.” The viral effect of giving us free upgrades would be so worth the goodwill, dudes.

But then, I’m already pumping up your product and you didn’t even have to give me that FREE UPGRADE.

Hmm…

Guess you already have that WOM thing going for you.

(Love your product. I’m jes’ pulling yer leg.)

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A little over a month ago, John Reese opened his new blog traffic exchange system, BlogRush. To use the system, all you need to do is register, and put a widget into your sidebar that advertises other people’s blogs. Actually, just the most recent headline. Then, when people come to read your blog, they may find something of interest to click on in your BlogRush widget. Each time that happens, you get traffic, too. You can also build referrals and get a portion of traffic from each of them. It’s pretty cool, and if you look to your right, you’ll see my widget displayed proudly above the fold.

BlogRush had some issues with spam traffic in the beginning, and people were up in arms about it. In fact, I’ve seen some horrid comments about BlogRush, which I feel were rather unwarranted. They said that Reese would never be able to stop the spam. Well…

Apparently every blog listed in BlogRush has now been reviewed manually and those that were spamming the system and continued to spam the system will be unceremoniously removed from the system, too. They’re very interested in quality control there now.

I’m looking forward to the new dashboard. Looks pretty cool with lots of stats and interesting information. I have no idea what all is included, of course, because it hasn’t been unveiled, but soon… It keeps saying soon. I hope it is because I just love stuff like that. Then, I’ll be able to compare Google Analytics, MyBlogLog, and BlogRush to see how they compare. I don’t totally trust Analytics’ stats. MyBlogLog picks up opt-ins much better. But then…

Time will tell. I really respect John Reese. Getting a link on his blog was pretty cool, too. I gave it to Tellman. I know where my bread is buttered.

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So, I subscribe to Shoemoney’s feed because I like his style. He’s a dryly funny and he brings up lots of great stuff to consider. But the new thing (and a very ingeneous list building and RSS subscriber building strategy) is that you click on his feed link everyday to enter this ginormous giveaway contest.

There are books, advertising, and the top prize is a $1,500 website customized for any niche you want.

So, he shows you in 3 different examples of how and where to click on the link. Cripes are people that dumb? well…

yes.

But when you do click on the link, you add your name and email address. Bada-bing! You’re also added to Jeremy’s list. Great idea, especially since the prizes were donated. Not bad advertising for those involved.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, go to http://www.shoemoney.com/ and subscribe to his RSS feed.

Pretty smart, I’d say. Hmm…

There seems to be a connection between balding young men and Internet success. I watch ‘em.

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So, did you ever spend a day on the telephone? I mean, like almost all day? There was Tellman’s coaching program, which he did from Norway and was pretty cool, and there were meetings and appointments and argh! I feel as though my headset is glued to my ear.

But it’s all good.

I chatted with someone that I was really hoping to get in touch with and everything worked out very well.

And I chatted with someone who wants me to work for him on a limited basis. You know, I’d love to work with every single person I talk to. The issue is time. Time is money. I can’t work 24/7, though I’ve been attempting it lately.

I’m in the process of getting a couple of sites and teleseminar series launched right now. It’s quite hectic. But good hectic. I love it when things are popping and happening and I’m making money and meeting great people with like mind.

God, I love this business.

Amazing that it took me 50 years to find it. This month, it will be 4 years since I started online. I was about as dumb as a person can get. But I learned. If you’re at the overwhelm stage right now, you’ll get it. Just takes a little time and patience. I know I was frustrated before I paid Tellman to coach me, and then we got to know one another and now, I don’t pay him anymore. He pays me. Great arrangement.

Anyway, telephone days. Profitable? Indeed. I’ll take it.

Need a good ecourse on blogging? 

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You know we do some pretty cool things over at Overcome Everything, Inc. We care a lot about the people who are in our extended family and we try to help them in any way we can.

If you haven’t gotten the free List Building CD, then you should. It comes with a free month to Tellman’s List Building Club, which if I have to say it myself, is THE BOMB. It won’t work for you, if you’ve been around a while. You probably know all there is about installing blogs, using press releases, articles, etc. But there are tons and tons of new people coming into Internet marketing every single day and this site is for them.

We’ve made some awesome step-by-step videos (well, Brian Edmondson has) and there are lots of audios and articles and each video comes with an action steps checklist. It’s awesome.

Do check it out. It will cost you $5.77 for the postage & handling of the CD, but so what? It’s worth it! Plus, you can schedule a one-hour consultation with me or one of the other Overcome Everything folks, who are ready and able to help you. Pretty sweet deal for that little bit of money, I’d say.

If you’re new to this, go to http://listbuildingpower.net and check it out.

If you’re not new to this, well… disregard this message.

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