The YouTube Link

You may not believe this, but one of the most effective methods of advertising your site, and creating links directed to you, is through video. And one of the most visible video-hosting sites in the web today is YouTube.

It's not really hard to perform this kind of strategy. Say, for example, you are selling sneakers. From your dealings with people, you realize that they have a lot of questions related to shoes. You know that this can be a gold mine in getting visitors to your site. So what do you do?

Create a video, of course! Make sure that your video can answer the viewers questions immediately. If possible, give a very short introduction about yourself. Don't make any lengthy description about your credentials. After all, if you know what you're talking about, then you can easily convince your audience of your expertise.

It pays to observe the everyday trends in your site, so you can have a fairly good idea on what visitors would like to know about. Also, it would be good if you can start a video series about it. Search engines give good points for video series. Creating a video with a strong title can help increase your visibility. Make sure that the title contains your keywords plus the word “video,” since this is a widely searched parameter. Giving your videos a signature look would also be good for you.

Just remember that search engines do not access graphic links, so your URL should be included prominently in your upload information. Also displaying it at the beginning and end of your video can help in getting it noticed.

Promoting your video in different places is where the real strategy lies. Publicizing your URL via Twitter links, a Facebook or MSN page, YahooVideo, Digg or a personal homepage is recommended, in addition to a link on your website. A separate category should be created in your blog and a new channel should be assigned to it on YouTube.

In this way, you can get a very good ranking for your site.

Link Building In 3 Easy Ways

For a lot of web master and for first-timers, link building can be a pretty daunting task. After all, in order for you get a high page rank, you need to sift through hundreds of bookmarking sites and advertise your website through them by the use of inbound link connecting to you.

It may be irritating for some, but the rewards are overwhelming. After all, search engines like Google, Yahoo!, and Bing give a lot of brownie point for websites that have good quality links connected to them. This would mean a higher page rank for them, and higher visitor traffic.

Of course, there is a need to do these things properly. And there are three ways to do so. It's not really hard, and would certainly guarantee good results.

First of all, make use of anchor texts. Use your keyword as anchor text for your inbound links as much as possible. This is the key to ranking well for your specific keyword phrase. If you are not familiar on how to use HTML or BBC code (depending on where you are dropping your link), simply do a Google search to learn the very basic HTML code for creating an anchor text link.

Second, take time to do bookmarking. Adding every page to social bookmarking sites is a very good way to build high PR back links and bring traffic to your website. Sites such as Digg, Google Bookmarks, StumbleUpon and Delicious can be a big help in increasing visitor traffic and improving your search rankings.

And lastly, be consistent in your work. This is the last task that many website owners fail to do. Setting aside a certain amount of time each day, or hiring someone if you don't have the time, to build your links is critical. The search engines look for steady, natural growth. It won't be good if you make, for example, a hundred links in one day only to stop doing anything for a month. Search engines observe that and note that it is a natural trend.

If you follow these simple steps in link building, then you will certainly get some real results. It won't come as a surprise if you see more and more links connecting to you every day. And it's not hard to imagine the possibility that you will get your site to number one in the near future.

SEO 101: Building links

Aside from website content writing, you also get to improve your website's performance through the use of link building. This simple form of SEO is also an important factor in getting high page ranks.

After all, one of the most significant tasks in SEO is link building. This is like the silent version of your typical television commercial. And this requires some work. You need to be familiar with many concepts like link popularity, search engine visibility, PageRank, and a lot of others. There is also a need for you to be familiar with other link building techniques and tools used by professionals.

Research as much as you can about the various search tools and strategies employed by your competitors. Look at the websites that have been linked to them, study their rankings in relation to the rankings of your competitors. You should also explore the websites that are linking back to your competitors' sites. In this way, you can understand how back links work in their favor.

If you want to really increase the visibility of your sites, then it pays to invest on some premium links. Getting to display premium links from your site is the main goal of this strategy. This would require careful planning and design on your part to fully incorporate these, and this would normally include basics like link popularity, off-site submissions, and the site's internal link structure.

Getting a higher page rank is not really a simple thing. First of all, there is a need to understand the search algorithms used by search engines. If you don't know how they work, it more likely for you to end making a violation. So, instead of a higher rank, you either get promoted or banned from the search results.

Any self-respecting internet marketer knows how important it is to build and maintain good links. Although this strategy may be difficult and time-consuming for some, the rewards in itself is very important.

Making Your Web Site Memorable

Now, if you think that making a website fun and attractive to visitors, and full of information that they will need, is enough, then you are definitely wrong.

In the first place, you are making a website so that visitors will keep on coming back to it. It is very important to leave a lasting memory on your visitors. As a website owner, you would want them to think of your website every time they need something. For example, if you're selling running shoes, then you'd definitely want your site to be the first thing they think of when they want to purchase running shoes online.

It's also fairly simple to make a website. You can find a lot of materials and how-to guides in making a fun website. You don't really have to spend much, since many of these resources are offered for free. You can ask for these materials from libraries, from your friends who have made their own sites, or you can enroll in some online course. The wide range of materials available only shows just how popular building a website is.

It is important to keep in mind the following things when building a website: you need to have an objective, second a target audience, and third, the focus on the target. You will also need to be creative in putting visuals on your website, making it all the more attractive to visitors. Games, user interaction icons, and other options will surely help. It would also be a good idea to maintain a blog that can talk about your sites, and give additional venue for your visitors to interact with you as the web site owner.

In other words, yo need to think out of the box. This is the only true way for your website to really take the lead. Being creative and innovative allows you to constantly delight your users, find solutions to some of their problems, and give them more reasons to keep on coming back to you.

SEO and Web 2.0

Over the past years, there has been an observed trend in the SEO community of the changes in the way search engines rank web sites.

In past, merely being ranked high on search engine results pages is enough to give you high page views or visitor traffic. These days, it is no longer the case. Even if your site gets a low page rank, it doesn't mean that you will get lower page views. In fact, there is another way around page rankings. And this answer is definitely changing the way SEO's view the next wave in the internet – Web 2.0.

With Web 2.0, the basic factors that affect a web sites rankings is no longer a strong influential force. Although these are still important in getting a website visitors, these are relegated to the background once the principles of Web 2.0 kicks in. In this set-up, people get to have a say on how a web site should be made. Visitors now have the power to make a website make money despite not being able to rank high in search pages.

Web 2.0 is a really powerful tool in improving a web sites performance. And they don't really require the common SEO tools that optimizers have used during the years. What is important now is how to make the visitors of these sites happy, because they are the instruments in which websites can make money. They do that by interacting with other users, and if they happen to have the same interests, then their discussions would lead to either recommending or not a certain website related ti their interests.

Another thing that needs to be considered by SEO's is the variability of Web 2.0. Some website's have experienced being the star of the show on one day, only to end up in the bottom pile the next. This is all because of the fickle tastes and interests of the visitors and users of the sites.

That's why it pays to put more effort in making customers happy. After all, these people now have the power to make or break a website.

The Web 2.0 Phenomenon

Perhaps you've heard of the term already, perhaps not. But the thing is, Web 2.0 is here and is changing the way we use the internet.

Web 2.0 was first conceptualized in a conference between O'Reilly Media and MediaLive International. It is not a single technological feature or software enhancement. Rather, this is used to describe the current trends in web applications, which focuses more on visitor interaction and is user-centric.

The exact definition of Web 2.0 is not clear, since there are still dissenting views among experts about its exact coverage. Usually, Web 2.0 applications are the ones that have replaced or had improved upon older models, and are usually in greatest use today. A good example would probably be Google. The search engine giant caught on like wildfire when when it was first introduced. Aside from the usual search inquiries made with Google, it has also become a host of other services for its users.

Most probably, you're already using Web 2.0 applications even without you knowing it. As mentioned above, Google is a Web 2.0 application already. Other Web 2.0 applications are Facebook (a social networking site), YouTube (a video sharing site), and blogs (topic-specific sites primarily created by users). If you have noticed, all of these applications are user-focused, and aims to bring people with similar interests together. This is done through the use of information sharing and collaborations between different users. In other words, Web 2.0 is no longer about information retrieval, it is about being able to interact and participate with other people.

As of the moment, Web 2.0 is still taking the whole internet world by storm. A lot can be expected from this unique phenomenon, especially with the SEO community. After all, the internet is the bread and butter of the these professionals. They would be certainly interested in these changes that can very well improve the way they do business.

Web Writing 101: What You Should Be Writing About

These days, web articles are becoming more and more important in the field of internet marketing. We've seen hundreds of online entrepreneurs using them to promote their sites and improve their rankings. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of sites that suffer from low visitors, while others enjoy huge traffic and good SERP rankings.

If you want your articles to be read by the readers, then you need to make your articles worth their time and effort. First of all, be informative. People like to learn new things, and giving them useful information makes them all the more interested to read through your articles. Second, not only must your article be full of information, it must also catch their attention. What's the point of making an informative piece if people don't look at it? You must be creative in the use of phrases and nuances that would attract the eyes of the casual surfer.

Another thing that must be taken into consideration is in making your articles an interesting read. It won't do to make your articles information-packed and attention-grabbing when the reader will eventually stop and look for another one. You need to keep the level of interest a reader has in your articles, that's why you should be consistent with your writing from the beginning until the end.

And also, you need to make sure that whatever you are telling the readers, it has something to do with their lives. The articles must be useful for them and that they can use it in whatever what they are doing.

Another aspect that you, as a writer, must understand is the is knowing what your readers would like to read. It won't do to write an article about Micheal Jordan when all they want to know about is Yao Ming. Research about it, you could even conduct surveys or interviews as long as you can get relevant, up-to-date information about your topics.

And lastly, use simple sentences and terms. In this way, more people can understand what you're trying to say and more would be able to read your web articles.

SEO Writing Services: Why Do You Need Them?

In the first place, there are many people who wonder just what exactly can an SEO writing service do. Actually, SEO writing is just one of the many internet marketing tools used by web owners to improve visitor traffic and increase their ranking in search engines. You can use pay-per-click, search engine marketing, blogging, forum posting, link building, and banners. But of course, the one method that has proven itself to be one of the best is article writing.

This is because search engines tend to scan article for keywords that are used by people when they search for information. If your articles have it, then it would be a great boost for your site. It also pays to write articles that not only makes it look good to search engines, but also with people. In the case that you don't have the skills, or maybe the time to do it, then it would be a good idea to look for SEO writing services who can do the job.

And what are the benefits of getting SEO writing services?

First of all, you get good page rankings. When you regularly update your content with good articles, search engines tend to place your site on a higher location. An SEO writer can provide the necessary writing services to get the job done.

Also, if you are able to get the services of expert writers, then you can easily convince your readers that you are an authority with regards to the topic you have. It might take some time for you to find one, but it's worth the effort, since it would mean that your credibility would be enhanced.

And perhaps more importantly, you get to increase your sales. This is because an SEO writer can help improve your rankings. And once you've improved your rankings, you can also get to increase your traffic to your site. More traffic would mean a better chance to make a sale.

Niche Marketing – An Understated Winner

The first time I've heard about niche marketing would probably be back in college. And from that time onwards, I never fail to realize just how powerful a marketing strategy it is.

Now what is niche marketing. Niche marketing is the strategy of targeting a specific segment of the market. This would mean that the products and services you advertise are precisely what that specific market wants. This strategy will work since there are many people with unique needs and mainstream producers may not be able to cater to them.

If you are an online marketer, then you will realize that the products or services you offer will more likely be bought by visitors if the campaign style you choose appeals directly to them. It also helps in building a business relationship with your customers. If you consistently provide them with the products that they require, they will more likely return to you. They will also help in your marketing campaign through word of mouth. This will mean even more visitors. And when you have more visitors, it means more money for you.

Now how do you identify your niche market? Actually, there is no clear cut rules for such. There are various ways that you can try in discovering one, but the most important elements would be two: your products and services, and your target customers.

First, you need to understand just what exactly are you advertising. It would be unthinkable to sell baby food to athletes, and it won't be hard to imagine what would happen if you sell dog food to cat owners. Knowing what you sell would mean knowing who you are selling to. But that doesn't mean that you should stay in a particular demographic. There's the possibility that another niche can be tapped for a specific product. This is where testing the market would be ideal.

It would be good for you to take note of these. As long as you do it right, then there wouldn't be any problems at all when it comes to niche marketing. Keep yourself updated to the latest internet trends, and you can be sure of getting the right customers coming into your site.

A Simple SEO Definition

Not a day passes by without someone asking me about search engine optimization of SEO. I don't really blame them. SEO, despite being around for years, is a new term for the uninitiated. Many have the impression that this is a highly technical term that needs a long elaboration. Others believe that this is a concept that is akin to a fad.

For clarification, SEO is not a difficult thing to understand. Simply put, SEO is the process of improving a website's ranking in search pages. You do it by using specific words in the web content, changing the mete tags in the HTML, creating links with other websites, and improving the over-all appearance and functions of the site

But why is ranking high in search engines so important?

It's because of the simple reason that the higher your site is in the search engine results page or SERP, the better your chances of visitors to your site. So if you have a site that sells shoes or NBA tickets, then you would naturally want more visitors. More visitors would mean more earnings for you. This gives you more reason to be friendly with search engines like Google, Yahoo!, and Bing.

If you're not familiar with the process of improving your search engines, then it would be a good idea to obtain the services of SEO companies. They are experts in their respective fields, and they are professionals who can help your site get further ahead in rankings. Local firms can get the job done for a reasonable fee, but if you're on a budget constraint, then an offshore company would do just fine.

Or, if you have the time, then you can do SEO on your own. One of the most basic methods would be content writing. It is a powerful method, but it is also very easy to do. I've enumerated the steps in doing so in my previous post, and you will agree that this is quite simple indeed.

Five Easy Steps in SEO Writing

One of the most basic tasks in search engine optimization is SEO writing. Despite its basic nature, this is a serious job. An article can spell the difference between a good website and a bad one. If past experience is any indication, bad websites are increasingly becoming common these days.

Now, that doesn't mean that you should follow suit. As you may have noticed, there has been a continuing trend for search engines to improve their search algorithms. This effectively blocks out useless content and ensure that only the credible websites are the ones ranked high. If you want to be part of the credible group of sites, then one of the most popular choices would be hiring a professional SEO writing specialist.

But in case you're working on a tight budget, and you have the time to deal with it, you can actually write your own SEO content. Trying it out for the first time may be difficult, but in time your skill will improve. You may reach the point that you will no longer need to hire others for SEO writing anymore.

For SEO writing, there are only five basic steps to follow:

First, you need a topic. Once you have an idea on what you will write about, then it's time for you to begin writing the content. You also need to be clear on how the article will turn out. In this way, you can let your creative juices flow in the direction you want it go.

Once you're done, you can then proceed to step three. Go to your finished article and begin inserting the keywords you need. Take note that it should look as natural as possible. Don't stuff too many keywords. About two percent is enough density for one keyword in the article.

The fourth and fifth steps should go together. You will need to do an initial edit of your article. Check for grammar, insert any necessary key words, or rephrase the sentenced you've written. Once your done, then it's time for you to re-edit the article. In this last step, you will to inspect for the last time your article. Make sure that the thoughts flow smoothly and the keywords you've used appear naturally.

Once you've ensure that everything is in proper, then its the time to submit your finished article. Don't worry if it doesn't look good the first time around. Practice makes perfect. Continue SEO writing until you're used to doing it. In that way, not only will you have learned a new skill, it will also be handy in making your website look good.

Content Is King – Or Maybe Not

Perhaps you've heard about it, and maybe you've scoffed at the idea. But still, the trend is real. And it may just make SEO practices even harder. What's more, this is affecting one of the most fundamental elements of any website. They say that it's the time for Content to step down as king. Because right now, the Community is starting to call the shots.

It may be hard to believe it, but we are seeing the signs that Community is gaining importance over Content. With the advent of social networking sites and the millions of users visiting it everyday, it only makes sense that they can influence the way SEO's work. It's through Community discussions and recommendation that a website can become the next hot item. A Community's reactions can either make or break a website.

Content is still important, that is a given, but no matter how good your content is, if your visitors don't like it, then it's all useless. You just wasted a good amount of money. What you need to invest on is a good visitor interaction system. This is where your multimedia and web design comes in. It must be attractive, eye-catching, and most of all, built with the users in mind.

So what are the guidelines for a successful venture into the Community environment?

First of all, users these days are not a bunch of idiots nor a group of geeks. They know what they want and they want what is easy to understand. Giving the right amount of information is just right for first-time and returning visitors. Give your users a great experience. This is enough to keep them on your site and make them come back for more. As long as their happy, there is nothing that you can do wrong. Also, users love to hear new things, so if you can make your news or events in just the right mix for them, then you can expect them to come back for more. You should also learn how to build your own network. In this way, you can create an avenue for your users to interact with each other, share thoughts, and express their problems. And lastly, you should be always ready to answer any of their queries. Building good customer rapport will help you create a a name for yourself and increase your site's reputation.

Once you've done these things, then you will never be lost in the Community.

SEO Content Writer – Just How Important Is It?

There's no doubt that SEO is very important for any website. Website design, link building, and promotional ads all form part of an integral process of improving your website's visibility. But perhaps one of the most important tasks in SEO is being an SEO content writer.

Most people are under the assumption that an SEO content writer is no different to any kind of writer. Far from being correct, an SEO writer is a very specialized job. This is because they write content in a much more different manner than conventional writers. It is the content writer's skill that will define if a business will get visitor traffic or not.

Now, there are different types of SEO content writers. Which writer you will hire will depend entirely upon what kind of task you need done. A copy writer may suit your needs. They are responsible for writing content as well as different kinds of promotional materials. There are also writers whose medium are in blogs. They use their blogs to direct visitor traffic to your site through the use of links. Another kind of writer is what we call a web writer. They write specifically for websites and they are experts in understand the way people read a specific website.

SEO content writers work by taking targeted and relevant keywords and incorporating them in the content of websites. Not only should the content have the keywords, it must also be placed in such a way that visitors can understand the content itself. When done properly, it can generate a good ranking for your side and create a good impression on your visitors.

Aside from generating traffic for your site, it is also the SEO content writer's job to turn these visits into a sale. They are the ones who try to convince the readers to buy your products or services from your site. Professional and veteran content writers are able to do that job very well. And if you can obtain the services of such, you can expect your profits to increase.

Common SEO Stumbles

When in comes to search engine optimization or SEO, it pays to be careful in what you do. And being careful means avoiding the common mistakes that website owners commit. After all, if your site doesn't earn, then what's the use of maintaining one? That's why it's important to properly use SEO techniques available.

Now what are these common mistakes?No need to worry, they can be easily corrected by anyone with SEO knowledge.

First is the title and descriptions of your website. These two elements are important. Every web page must contain these two so that visitors can have an idea of what you're talking about. Additionally, search engines read your title and descriptions first before they go to the page's content. If you want your site to rank well, then make sure that the words found in the two are also found in the content.

Another factor is content. Remember that your site is designed so that people can read it. Which means it must written to be understood. It must not be stuffed with keywords. If visitors can't understand it, they will leave your site. Most likely, the will visit your competition.

Link structure is also an important element in SEO. There are websites that are difficult to navigate in. The links were placed in a manner that would not really help your visitor move around your site with ease. Failure to take this into consideration would result to negative user experience. If users don't like your site, then they will leave it and never come back anymore.

Keywords also matter. Depending on the target demographic, your content should contain the keywords and variants that are specifically for that audience. It won't do selling products if the keywords and variants used is not what consumers use in search engines.

Last but not the least is web design. There are a lot of websites that are very fancy-looking. It may look cool and just the right thing for customers – except that it can't be found in Google. All the money you've spent for designing the site will just go to waste if it's not optimized for search engines. How else will you be able to attract visitors?

That's why, when in comes to websites, SEO should be top priority.

The Google Docs Edge

Cloud computing is considered by many experts as the next huge wave in the internet world. It may be a new industry, but many businesses see great potentials in it. And one of these firms taking full advantage of this resource is the search engine giant Google. Among the many applications that has found such a huge following is its online office suite Google Docs.

Considered as one of Google's crowning achievements in enhancing work productivity, Google Docs is considered as a “software as a service” version of your typical office suite. With Google Docs, you can create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations using the application itself, import your files directly through the web, or even send them as part of your e-mail. You can also edit your existing files using Google Docs. If you want to keep a copy of your file when you go off-line, you can also download the file straight into your computer.

Google servers automatically save your files to prevent memory loss, and they would keep a tab of revisions you have made on your document. You can also tag and arrange you archives in a way you see fit. And you can save them in formats supported by other software office suites. The following formats are currently supported by Google Docs: ODF, HTML, PDF, RTF, Text, and Word files. At present, Google Docs is supported by the latest versions of Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, and Chrome browsers. Also, the software suite can function under Microsoft Windows, Apple OS X, and Linux operating systems.

One of the features of Google Docs that has attracted users is its collaboration system. It enables a user of the program to share his files to other parties either to be viewed, edited or shared with others. This is an especially important function when working with a team whose members are in different locations. Other websites also offer document-sharing features, but only Google so far has offered this service for free. Also, more users prefer Google Docs' advanced sharing features and better accessibility.

With the advances made by new technologies such as cloud computing, it won't be surprising that more and more websites will be taking advantage of its huge potentials. Google Docs is just part of the beginning. Other websites surely offer more products and services to its users. And a lot more can be expected in the years to come.

Google Maps' True Value

Ever experienced going to a place but getting lost in the process? Frustrating, don”t you agree? It happens all the time and with so many people. It can't be helped. There is a big difference between knowing where to go and knowing how to go there. Sometimes, it just gets bad. That's where Google Maps come to the rescue.

Ever since it was launched last 2005, Google Maps have become the top choice for an interactive and accurate depiction of various locations around the world, especially in the United States. And the range of functions available in Google Maps is impressive.

First time in a place and you don't know what the nearest hotel looks like? Google Maps features a photo function displaying the location's image. Need direction to the nearest shopping mall? Google Maps can give you that. You like the place you've just visited but wanted to know more? Google Maps provides you the latest information and history straight from Wikipedia.org. You're driving a car and you want to see that you're going the right way? Google Maps have a StreetView that will show what the place looks like from the driver's point of view. They even have videos from Youtube.com that features these destinations.

Dur to the interactive nature of Google Maps, many users find it a fun and useful tool in gaining information on places they plan to go. And all the maps Google maintains are updated regularly so that only the latest information will be available for you. And since it's available online, you can always get a treasure of information wherever you are. As long as you have an internet connection, you will never be lost.

Of course, there are also some criticisms. First are issues of privacy. There a people who object to seeing their faces recorded in StreetView. Google responded, of course, and had the offending faces blurred by their software. Another was the depiction of actual military installations. For security purposes, Google has purposely blurred these locations, or an entirely different, neutral area was super-imposed on the original. There are also places that are termed “phantom sites,” like the town of Argleton. These are places that were named by Google Maps but do not exist at all. Google has later on made the necessary correction on the these addresses.

These issues have been resolved, thankfully. Despite these obvious blemishes, it appears that there is nothing that will stop Google Maps from doing what it does best – organizing places in the right way.

The Google Books Issue

Imagine a world with unlimited access to books. Imagine that you don't need to buy books from a bookstore. Imagine that all the reading materials that you need are just at the touch of a keyboard. Imagine that there is barrier, physical or geographical, that can keep you from getting your hands on a book. Impossible?

Google Books is just doing it.

When the search engine giant first started, its founders imagined information stored in hundreds of thousands of books scattered around the world to become available. They dreamed that there will come a day that people can access any ind of book or magazine anywhere they are in the world. There's no need to travel to Italy just to see Leonardo Da Vinci's journals. You can view it in the comforts of your own home. Out-of-print books can have a new publishing life once they become available online. All you have to do is to purchase a copy from Google. And the tragedies that was the Library of Alexandria and others will no longer happen, since the virtual versions of the books would definitely be saved from the dangers of loss.

Despite these seemingly noble efforts, there has been some strong opposition to the efforts. Initially, Google Books planned to scan only books found in the public domain. However, as Google Books began their scanning operations, they started to include books that are still in the copyrighted domain. The Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers then filed a class-action lawsuit against Google Books for copyright infringement.

The basic issues being raised in the suit was copyright protection, access to published works, and profit issues. Authors and publishers would naturally want to have more control over the distribution of their works, and also a share of Google's profits with it. Google, on the other hand, wanted more control over the books they've scanned. Because if things go the way it is, not only will Google Books become the biggest repository of works, it can also become the biggest bookstore in the web.

The legal issues may have been settled by both parties, but questions still remain. And there are practically more questions than their answers. What will become of Google Docs in the end? No one really knows for sure. There's only one this for certain, whatever it is, it's bound to end big.

Is There Cash In The Virtual World?

It may sound like a weird question, but there is a good reason for it. For those of you who are familiar with the virtual world of Second Life and similar social networking and gaming sites, then the answer is a yes.

For those who have played Warcraft, Ultima Online and other multi-player online games, there are occasion that the armors, weapons, and even characters you have created and used can be offered for sale to other interested gamers. And the mode of payment may actually be in cold, hard cash. There was one person who sold some of his virtual assets and ended up earning $11,000. That's a respectable amount of money. And he's not the only one doing that.

Another good case in point is the popular virtual world of Second Life. Although at first glance it may seem to be no different to other social interaction sites, what sets it apart is its ability to convert its virtual cash into real currency, like US dollars. So, if you've earned some Linden dollars (the currency in Second Life) through your business dealings with other players, then you can have its US dollar equivalent deposited into your account. And if by chance you go broke in Second Life, you can also convert your US dollars into Linden money.

And there also ways for you to earn money online. One of the most lucrative ways is through the collection of virtual items that has real-world value. This is quite popular for people who play Warcraft. Players who collect them, called “virtual farmers,” spend a lot of time doing repeated tasks for a small rewards in the virtual world. The payment may be small, but the eventual pay will be enormous.

And there are also what we call virtual estate developers. They develop properties in the virtual world, build infrastructures on these, then sell these to interested individuals in the real world. CNN once reported an auction that took place in 2007. It was reported that three shopping malls in the virtual world of “Entropia Universe” were bought at the tune of $180,000.

Then there is also the entry of real-world businesses into the virtual world. In the case of Second Life, big firms such as Toyota, IBM, Sony, Reuters and Nike have all made in-roads into the virtual community. And since places like these are difficult to navigate for first-time users, these companies hire veteran players of that world. And these virtual employees receive an actual salary.

There may also come the day that an actual sale will take place in Second Life and other virtual worlds. You might want to buy the latest Avril Lavigne album, so you use your avatar to visit a Sony music store. You pay for the album in virtual dollars, and then wait a week for the actual album to arrive on your actual doorsteps. In this scenario, the fine line between real and virtual is not just crossed, it's also erased.

Who knows, it might be happening just now.

Click Fraud And Just How Bad Is It

You may call it as old news, but the implications of this phenomenon is still felt until today. And believe it or not, click fraud is costing companies hundreds of millions of dollars, every year.

You might point out that Google appears to be the only one that's raising a ruckus over this, but that's precisely the reason why.

Let's face it. Google is the largest search engine and web marketing company in the world. If you want your business or website gain a clear presence in the internet, then getting it indexed in Google is the way to go. And if you want to generate revenue for your site by increasing visitors, you pay Google to advertise your site. You can also earn money by advertising Google-sponsored ads in your site, in other words, become a second-tier publisher.

The basis of how much you pay for Google to sponsor you and the other way around is through the cost-per-click (CPC) system. The cost of each click depends entirely on the keywords that you want to be clicked for. It might go as high as fifty dollars or even as low as five cents for each click. Every time someone clicks on your site that Google sponsored, a certain fee is charged to your account. It goes the same way if someone clicks on a link you've placed in your site. Google will then pay you for advertising it in your site.

That's why it's understandable if there are unscrupulous individuals who takes advantage of that set-up. The most common is what we call network click fraud. The idea here is to fraudulently increase the money Google pays them by generating false (not productive) clicks on their site. The partner publisher could get more money using this method from Google than relying people who are actually interested in the ad.

The other type of fraud is called competitor click fraud. This more malicious form of fraud involves a company who targets its competitor's ads. It would then make hundreds or even thousands of false clicks to increase the competitor's marketing bill with Google. In this way, that company will end up depleting its marketing budget without making any profit from the visits at all. For small businesses with limited marketing budgets, it could mean the end of its marketing ability or the business itself. And the competing business will emerge as the victor.

Through the years, Google has employed various methods in identifying and stopping click frauds from happening. They are quite successful, although there are still companies who are not happy. Many are those who claim that they have not been fully reimbursed for the costs they have incurred from click fraud. Some have even filed lawsuits against Google for what they claim is negligence on the part of the search engine giant. It's still a big mess until now, but it's clear that something is being done. As long as click fraud could be kept at bay, then there shouldn't be a problem anymore.

The 2038 Question

Ten years ago, the internet world has been plagued with fears of utter chaos. No, this is not from some brilliant hacker who can steal your deepest secrets at the touch of a key, nor is it caused by some virus that can wreak havoc into any system and affect critical infrastructures.

Actually, it was just a programming shortcut used by programmers in applications they create. And it is called the Year 2000 or Y2K problem. This received a lot of media attention and has sent governments and private companies all over the world scrambling to mitigate it.

The good news is that it has been resolved with relative ease, and suffered less than expected problems. Perhaps a lot of people are happy now, since the problem is gone and the risk of losing their precious data or their computers crashing is virtually nil. A pat on the shoulder might seem in order.

Except that we now have the threat of the Year 2038 looming at the horizon.

The problem became obvious when much of the Year 2000 hullabaloo died down. Programmers using the C programming language were happy that it was resistant to the dangers of Y2K. The only snag was that something bad might happen in the year 2038. This is because most C programs use a library of routines (or instructions) called the standard time library . This library establishes a standard 4-byte format for the storage of time values, and also provides a number of functions for converting, displaying and calculating time values.

The standard 4-byte format assumes that the beginning of time is January 1, 1970, at 12:00:00 a.m. At this point, the value is taken as zero. And time or date value that follows after the zero value is measured in seconds. For example, the 4:18 p.m. of Sunday of February 21, 1999 date is roughly calculated as 919,642,000 seconds past zero.

This language format is very convenient since all you need is to subtract two different values to get the number of seconds between them. Once you have it, you can then convert them into the time, days, months and years that had passed the two times.

Now the Year 2038 problem came up because a 4-byte integer has a maximum value of only 2147483647 . The maximum value of time that can pass before it becomes negative (and therefore invalid) is 2,147,483,647 seconds. This value is converted into January 19, 2038. When this date arrives, all the C programs that used the standard time library will begin to have problems in calculations. It won't be surprising if these problems are the same ones that was feared in Y2K.

The good news is that this is easier to fix than the Y2K problem. A simple version updating of the C programs to use a better data value as their storage format can do the trick. It's possible since the time library uses a standardized format that includes all the time activities it has stored. At least we now know that the Year 2038 problem isn't as hard as the Y2K was.

How Safe Is The Cloud?

There is a huge debate regarding the application of cloud computing in the business community, and it appears that the main concern is with regards to data safety.

It does make some people nervous that the data they have worked hard for so long, or important dates and appointments they have stored, are all placed in external servers. It can create even more nervousness when they have no control whatsoever regarding the place the data was stored, or the personnel who can access such records. There's also the fact that with some services provided by cloud computing firms, you don't have a personal back-up of your files.

Just imagine how much fuel was added to the debate when Microsoft announced October last year that their subsidiary, Danger, Inc., had a system failure which affected hundreds of thousands of T-Mobile Sidekick users. It was reported that all the personal contacts, photos, and calendar dates stored by Sidekick users have been erased from the company's database. This has been often cited by many critics of cloud computing as an example of risking your data on a virtual network.

And this risk extends to even service providers that has taken advantage of the affordability of cloud computing. Last year, the FBI raised a ruckus in the internet community when they raided two buildings in Texas that offer co-location services. The reason was that they wanted to get evidence regarding a fraud complaint filed against one of the companies using the facilities. What was shocking during that time was that the agents confiscated all the equipment and servers found there, which adversely affected the operations of hundreds of other companies and businesses that were in no way connected to the guilty party. Their only fault was that they happen to share the same ISP address and building. According to one source, millions of dollars worth of revenue were lost, and that many of the affected firms were forced to close.

Stories such as these, despite the horror it generates, are simply what we call teething problems of this system. After all, all major companies today, and websites that we now trust, have experienced such problems in one way or another. Cloud computing is in now way immune to that. We can expect this technology to continue developing itself in the years to come. At the rate it's going, it won't be surprising if it becomes the major force to be reckoned with.

The Benefits of Cloud Computing

In the face of rising production costs, and diminishing revenue returns, it is only natural that businesses would look for additional ways to keep themselves afloat. The need has become even more acute with the world reeling from the US financial crisis. One of these ways, and the one that has seen an exponential growth, is through the use of cloud computing technology.

The main draw of this technology for people is its relative cheapness. Why spend hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars to purchase computers, create software programs, or hiring personnel, when all you had to do is to outsource the processing to others, at a much lower price? With cloud computing, you eliminate the need for capital expenditures. You also reduce the need for other utilities and fees like electricity, equipment maintenance, and employee salaries and benefits. All you have to pay is for what you actually use.

There are also other features that serves to make cloud computing even more attractive. First, it enables the user rapidly and cheaply change their technology resource. Second, cost is greatly reduced as capital spending is converted to operation spending. Third, since cloud computing capitalizes on internet connectivity, people can still perform their tasks regardless of their location. Users can also pool their resources and enable centralization of their shared data. It would also improve system efficiencies since they can now maximize data systems that are usually under-utilized.

Another factor is reliability. Since cloud computing would usually employ different servers in different locations, businesses can still continue their tasks in case a problem arises in one site, and recovering data can also be possible. Scalability is made possible since users need not to engineer an internal architecture to cope with increased computing demands. The service provider will simply just adjust their capacity for their users.

Security can also be enhanced since more effort can be directed in creating security resources and the centralization of data storage. It would also be easier to maintain sites since applications used by clients can be accessed in only one computer. And last but not the least, users get to pay for only what they actually use with the help of metering systems provided by cloud computing centers.

We can expect an exponential growth in this industry sector with the way businesses evolve to deal with the changing times. It won't come as a surprise that cloud computing will cease to be called a fad and would actually be the driving force in revolutionizing the way we use information technology in business.

Computing With The Clouds

One of the most phenomenal growth in the IT industry today is a form of data processing that we call as cloud computing. Since it was first coined and hyped by many service providers, it has grown to serve millions of users around the world. But what is cloud computing, really?

Unfortunately, the definition of cloud computing is not a very clear idea, hazy at most. There are those that are so broad that it includes everything we do that has a connection with the internet, while others are so narrow that they exclude social networking sites like Twitter.com, which is a good example of cloud computing. Fortunately, industry expert Dave Patterson, along with his colleagues at Berkeley, defined cloud computing as:

“...both the applications delivered as services over the Internet and the hardware and systems software in the data centers that provide those services. The services themselves have long been referred to as Software as a Service (SaaS), so we use that term. The data center hardware and software is what we will call a Cloud. When a Cloud is made available in a pay-as-you-go manner to the public, we call it a Public Cloud; the service being sold is Utility Computing. …We use the term Private Cloud to refer to internal data centers of a business or other organization that are not made available to the public. Thus, Cloud Computing is the sum of SaaS and Utility Computing, but does not normally include Private Clouds.”

To simplify things, this is data processing system where the data and applications you develop and/or own are stored in mainframes outside of your workplace. You will need an internet connection to in order to access and/or modify the data you have stored.

Although the concept has been kicking around years ago, it had only caught on today because of its implications and far-reaching effects. This would revolutionize the way we store data and the actual memory capacity needed by computers in order to perform their tasks. The concept has certainly caught on the laptop computer industry, netbooks particularly. Despite their small size and limited internal storage memory capacity, their enhanced high-speed internet connection enables them to use various on-line programs and applications. Also, as long as the netbook is connected to the internet, the data you have generated can be stored in a virtual storage space. For example, Google Docs' external servers can store on-line hundreds of documents or spreadsheets that you have created.

Pundits may call cloud computing a mere fad, but given it's potentials, it can very well rewrite the way we use the internet today.

Making Your Site Worth Visiting

I'm sure that many of my previous readers have been able to register their sites. Be it Google, Yahoo!, or MSN, it is important that your sites have to be indexed by these search engines. This is what every web master should never forget to do. After all, not getting indexed means not getting any presence in the world wide web.

Of course, there is also your site itself. It is very important that you make your site attractive to visitors and engaging enough for them to come back for. After all, in is only through building a relationship with your users that can you build your rank in the search results. And the best way to do that is being up-to-date.

In my previous articles, making a relevant page is very important. Visitors of irrelevant web pages often find themselves irritated with the ton of useless information that they have to sift through, and that takes them time. But don't forget that being relevant doesn't necessarily mean being up-to-date, as well.

Take Teleflora.com, for example. This floral delivery company in the United States is a very popular site for users who would like to send flowers for their loved ones and other special events. They have a lot of floral arrangements available, and all of them come at good prices. Now, imagine buying an arrangement for your mom. You found the flowers, and the price is good. You order for it – only to be told that it's no longer available.

That is an example of being relevant (in terms of the floral arrangement you wanted), but not being up-to-date (the arrangement you want is no longer being sold).

That's why it's very important for web administrators like you to regularly check you site. You might also need to check what items you are selling in it, and checking if you still have it. You would also need to monitor the trends in keywords used by users around the globe, as they change rankings and results everyday. In this way, not only will your site be relevant to the needs to your users, but you can also make sure that you have an updated site that will keep you in touch with the tastes of your visitors.

Making A Name In The Web

You've got a spanking new site, and you've also got a new product that is guaranteed to sell like hotcakes. You're sure that you've done everything right. You've used the right keywords in your web content, you placed the correct meta tags, and you've also checked that the links you have are relevant and reliable links. But still, your position in the web market is still not good. You wonder what happened. But it may seem that you've forgotten something.

Have you indexed your site with the search engines?

For those of you that have slapped their foreheads about that question. You're not alone. A lot of first-time web masters have also made that similar mistake. But don't worry, it's not too late. You can still have something done about it.

Always take note that it is very important to have your site indexed. It's only a one stop affair. All you need to do is to register your web site with many search engines. Particularly Google, Yahoo!, and MSN. In this way, you can alert them of your site's presence, and at the same time, enable you to gain some rank in their search results. They will then scan your site and index the specific keywords for storage purposes.

Of course, this does not mean that you can get yourself quickly to the top. Getting yourself just at the top twenty will take some time. It will all depend on just how good you are in attracting visitors t your site, and how well your site performs in relation to other similar sites. There is also an issue about back links, links that you've placed on another site so that visitors can use it to visit you. You also need to update it regularly. In this way, slowly but surely, you can improve your rankings in the search results.

Who knows, you might just find yourself at the top.

Spotting a Splog

Splogs are very prevalent in the online community. If we take into consideration the ease in creating and maintaining a blog, thanks to the user-friendly features of Google, then we can assume that these sites are certainly here to stay. But of course, it doesn't mean that we can do nothing about it. What we can do is to avoid these sites. The reason these exist is because there are people who unwittingly visit them, click on the links littered all over them, and in the process earn money for the site administrators. Which would imply that if there is no one visiting them, then splogs will not be able to generate revenue for their owners.

But how to we spot a splog?

Splog can be easily found out by their content. A real blog actually makes sense in how it is published. They would not be repeating paragraphs, changing the line of thought abruptly, nor litter their content with repeating keywords. The content matches the links and the title. And, most importantly, their content would actually try to get your attention. They will have “meat” and will seek to entertain or inform you.

Splogs do not care about matching or having an actual internal design or other normal features. The content will not at all match the links or even the blog's title or the post title. There are even some posts where the signature or the name in the article doesn't match the name of the post author. And if you continue reading the post, you will see that the main idea would change abruptly.

This will also extend to how paragraphs are composed — usually with each paragraph talking about really unrelated subjects — for example, a post that begins about a trip to India turns into a description of a new toy then becomes a paragraph selling some new gadget. Even how the sentences are constructed is made haphazardly, you'd swear some idiot writer just began typing all of the English words he knows. When you see these things happening in a blog you're reading, stop. You're just going to waste your time reading a splog. And also, don't try to leave the page by clicking on the link. You will just generate revenue for the splog's owner, since these links are actually for pay-per-click sites that they host. And there is also cases that spyware and other malware could be downloaded to your computer just by visiting the links.

So be smart. When you encounter a splog, no matter how curious you are, just stop and close the page immediately. There are other more rewarding sites for you to visit.

The Legality of Splogs

Splogs can be and irritating ordeal, especially to users like me who enjoy reading blogs related to my interests. There are times that my hear will skip a beat when I find a blog that seems to be talking about a topic I liked, only to find out that I have just clicked on a blog with just some random ramblings and peppered with links.

But splogs are definitely here to stay. Since the introduction of Blogger.com, powered by search engine giant Google, there has been a boom in the production of blogs for many people. Most just use it as a expression of themselves, while others see it as a venue for meeting friends and loved ones. Of course, this is also the perfect place for people to make money for a little cost.

And this is exactly where splogs enter the picture. And despite the many complaints of visitors to these sites, they are definitely here to stay. And not only that, they have been multiplying at an alarming rate. Because of the fact that creating blogs is free, a lot of unscrupulous individuals take advantage of it. They create thousands of blogs that link to each other in such a way that they can actually manipulate search engine rankings. And the worst thing about them is that they are not illegal.

Thankfully, there has been an effort by Google to solve this problem. They have announced some changes in the way their spiders scan webpages. One of these changes is to put “no follow” instructions to these spiders so that links placed on blog comments will no longer add to the ranking value of a specific site.

And thanks to these changes, it is expected that some concrete action could be finally attained to stem the flow of the problem. Whether these changes will be effective of not remains to be seen, but th most important thing is that something has been started to deal with it.

Splog: A Blogging Threat

Blog scanning is one of the most interesting activities I do as a hobby. Not only do I learn a lot of new stuff, there are also nuggets of insight that I get to learn about their authors. Blogs like Instapundit and Astronerdboy are some very illuminating sites that have a wide range of information available, whether it's about politics or comics.

But recently, there has been some cases where I have encountered some sites that do not possess any sense in their content. Most are just some innocent-looking blogs that seem to be the thing I'm interested in, but when I read further, it just seem to be a hash of different kinds of articles slapped together to get some content. Plus, all I get to see in that are clearly placed attractively are the links. Many are placed in such a manner that clicking on them will be such a tempting offer. And when I click on them, I just end up in an entirely different blog with the same useless content and peppered with so many links. And so is the next link I clicked on, and then again, and again. That is my first experience with a splog.

And splogs, as I have found out late on are exactly the kind that you must keep away from. They often take up a lot of your time, and they don't really do much for your well-being. And not only that, splogs are never designed for humans anyway. The only reason these were created is for the sake of earning revenue from pay-per-click sites that they feature as links.

Splogs are also nothing more than copyright thieves. Many of the contents that are found in splogs are actually copied from other blogs and sites. This process, called scraping, uses special software programs to scan sites for keywords and then copying the portion where the keyword is found. The purpose of scraping is merely to get enough keywords from other websites to be used in splogs. More keywords would mean a greater chance of getting on top of search engine results. But the process would only result in negative user experience and would later on lead to fewer visitors for the site.

Considering the number of splogs that have permeated the blogosphere, there has been concerted efforts by many blog hosting sites to remove these, particularly Google's Blogger site. In this way, more quality content can be given to surfers, and unfair marketing practices can be minimized. And in the end, we can have a better chance of visiting a more relevant blog.

The Blogging Connection

One of the most phenomenal aspects in the world of the internet today is blogging. Everyday, hundred of thousand of blogs are created, maintained, and expanded by people of all walks of life, creed, race and color. There are also no age limits in creating blogs. But just what exactly is a blog and what can you do with it?

According to Wikipedia, a blog s a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (Art blog), photographs (photoblog), videos (Video blogging), music (MP3 blog), and audio (podcasting). Microblogging is another type of blogging, featuring very short posts, typical examples of microblogging are the everyday posts of people on Twitter.

There are also many kinds of blogs, depending not just on the content but also the way it was written and developed. Most common in this category are the personal blogs. Here, people write about almost anything. They are free to say anything they want, express reactions, share information, or simply as a way to keep in touch with other viewers that matter to them.

There is also the corporate or organizational blogs. Very similar to personal blogs, but with a focus on the activities of the organizations the writers represent. Blogs can also be powerful portals for other sites in attracting visitors, as these blogs often have links that connect them to other sites. It can also be a source of income for blog owners, since pay-per-click arrangements can be made between them and organizations they write about.

Blogging can also be influenced by genre, and it can vary widely. It can be political, humor, entertainment, fashion and a lot others. The possibilities are endless. Two common genres of blogs are the art blogs and the music blogs. There are also those that are called mom blogs, sites written by mothers. Although this may not be acceptable, but blogs that are used solely for spamming, called Splogs, can also be considered as part of the category.

Content Writing's Proper Appearance

“Content is king!” That is the mantra that has shaped the the way SEO website content writers approach the subject of their works. Of course there are detractors over that belief, but thankfully, they are not that numerous.

One of the main reasons why there are website that still exist until today and there are those that doesn't is it's site content. Website content is very important for a site's survival, since this is what users consider as the 'meat' of the matter. Failure to appreciate this small detail will most likely result in failure to understand just what exactly what a website should contain. Like in literature, there are different ways to write. And website content is no different.

One of the very important things to consider in content writing is its brevity. Research shows that a great number of internet surfers merely scan content of website. They skip what they consider as unimportant and proceed directly to the information they want. This would mean that they will ignore very long sentences, complex words and phrases, and would actually avoid those sites that they may deem too 'academic' for their taste.

They key here in content writing is brevity. You don't need to write long sentences. Don't mince your words. Go straight to the point. It would also be better it you can place your main idea near the beginning of your article. Readers usually read the only the top part of articles, and if they don't find anything interesting, they will just proceed to the next one. You also need to be careful about the content you write since it must be easily indexed by search engine spiders and at the same time comprehensible to readers. So take time to research your topics and write your articles. In this way, you can create a much better content for site.

And easier reading materials for people

SEO Content Writing

We have all accepted the fact that SEO is an important aspect for a website's survival. And there are many methods that and SEO practitioner can use. One of the easiest methods perhaps would be website content writing. And this is where the skills of a website content writer will be needed.

According to Wikipedia, website content writer is a person who specializes in providing relevant text content to websites. Their expertise lies in adapting themselves to whatever particular website demands of them to compose. Most of their work centers on marketing particular product or service that sites are selling or endorsing.

In application, a website content writer is not simple job. One of the most important aspects that a website content writer must have is his ability to insert keywords in his content. Search engines put a high value for websites with a lot of keywords. However, putting too much keywords in an article may be concluded as keyword stuffing, and thus get banned from search engines like Google.

Content writing is a concern for SEO writers since they write words and phrases that their target readers will also use to find their writings. If they fail to insert the proper words and phrases, their articles will end up not being found at all. And because many websites have to compete with other websites in terms of search engine rankings for certain key terms therefore, it is very crucial that the texts are well written and truly present what the online users are looking for. If the resulting articles do not make any sense at all, even if they do posses the correct keywords, then theres no chance for users to retrieve them again or worse, no one will actually read it.

To be able to write web content convincingly, care must be taken and attention should be given by writers in their works. The rule here is that you must use the optimal number of keywords given to write the most sensible content for a website.

Is Gray Hat SEO Acceptable?

We've all heard about white hat SEO and black hat SEO, and its fairly easy for us now to differentiate between the two. It's also expected that we are familiar with which methods we could emulate and which methods we are to shun. However, there this middle area of this debate that, although it may be a point of debate for many, has been used by various SEO over the years. And this is what is commonly called as gray hat SEO.

According to Wikipedia, gray hat techniques are those that are neither really white nor black hat. Some of these gray hat techniques may be argued either way. These techniques might have some risk associated with them. A very good example of such a technique is purchasing links. The average price for a text link depends on the perceived authority of the linking page. The authority is sometimes measured by Google's PageRank, although this is not necessarily an accurate way of determining the importance of a page. Another is keyword stuffing. Although some argue that keywords stuffing is black hat, there are those who say that it is alright to put a lot of keywords in a text content as long as it makes some sense. And there are instances in grammar that repeating a specific word or phrase may actually make the topic clearer for the readers.

Also, there is a natural ambiguity regarding the true purpose of gray hat tactics. Some say that gray hats are nothing more than black hats that Google hasn't figured out how to punish yet, but there are also those who say that gray hats are simply people who are trying to push the SEO boundaries for the sake of gaining some advantage over their competition. Moreover, there are people who claim that gray hat tactics may actually help websites improve their performance, as long as users do not get a negative experience.

Whatever the reasons are, the debate over the gray hat issue in SEO will certainly continue.