Skaffe Web Directory

Dec 23rd

Recently Skaffe and GoGuides split ownership. Many have speculated that neither directory will be able to exist with split resources.

Today I submitted a friends website (Paradise Maui) to Skaffe and today I got an email reply stating the submission was accepted to the category I submitted using the exact text I submitted it with.

With the frustration many other directories offer, (such as DMOZ) this is an exceptionally refreshing approach, which forces me to give free advertising to Skaffe! You can submit your site either by becoming an editor or paying a one time $39.99 fee to have your site reviewed. 4 out of every 24 hours will also have a limited time free review open!

Top Ten Usability Errors 2003

Dec 22nd

The more you read, the more you realize how narcissistic many top professionals are. Everyone believes that what they are doing is not getting its fair share of coverage.

The experts are usually viewed as the experts for a reason though. While they may say some incorrect or far reaching ideas, most of their ideas are "Spot On."

With that being said here are Jakob Nielson's "Top Ten Usability Errors of 2003."

Black Hat SEO

Ok so we all need to have a little fun now and then. As I stated earlier I have been trying out some of the directory script software.

Here is a fully functional tounge in cheek directory I titled "Black Hat SEO"

Thanks Bob for telling me the origin of tounge in cheek.

  • Over 100 training modules, covering topics like: keyword research, link building, site architecture, website monetization, pay per click ads, tracking results, and more.
  • An exclusive interactive community forum
  • Members only videos and tools
  • Additional bonuses - like data spreadsheets, and money saving tips
We love our customers, but more importantly

Our customers love us!

Why Alexa Ranking Alone is Worthless

The problem with any general web monitoring software which has publicly available results is that it is open to abuse. Alexa is a browser plugin owned by Amazon.com which detects user traffic and ranks the web on it.

The problems with Alexa are that
1.) it has an incredibly small user base.
2.) it is very easy to manipulate.

http://www.sitereturn.com/ is a network which places computers on autopilot to search other peoples websites through alexa while you are away. In return you get half your visits back by others linked into the same ring.

Its fun to read terms of services from such networks as they try to appear ethical and as if they have standards. "Should you wish to promote a site that is adult in nature, we suggest creating neutral pages for the sole purpose of boosting Alexa ranking." - good stuff

Selling Text Links

Dec 22nd

There are literally a ton of websites out there selling text links. From newspapers to newsless papers. Here are a couple of the networks which aim to undermine the ability of search engines to rank websites based primarily on link popularity.

http://www.pradnetwork.com - network with a 50% payout and links starting as cheap as $29.00 a month for PR4

http://www.linkadage.com - online link auction

I see the appeals these networks have. If I could get $15/page per month X multiple thousands of pages I control...I would be making a ton of money.

There are more elequent ways to buy links than blind auctions or blind sales. Given these prices some directories are exceptionally appealing!

Creating Your Own Directory Site

Dec 21st

With the current change in the Google Algorithm it is apparent that a better way to make money off the interent may be by running ads in a directory of something that intersts you instead of trying to convert customers and make sales. If those in charge of information distribution on the interenet dictate that they want to lead people to information vice commerce it would not be that hard to comply :)

With that being said, I recently asked for "Software to make a directory" at the Highrankings Forums.

Jill recommended Free PHP Directory Script
a couple other recommended products:
Link Department
PHPhoo

My biggest complaint with the first version is that the full feature version costs $700. They would actually sell quite a few coppies if they were smart enough to drop the price to around $100.

I am going to try out a few of the others before I go too far with the first one...just to see what they are like. From my guess Link Department will end up being my favorite of the three (after I actually try it).

In a few weeks I will unveil a few new directories and which script is my favorite.

Another Scumbag Wants to Help Me

How ironic is it when a person spams you to tell you they have a high quality non opt in list that they want to sell you the rights to?
How stupid woud you have to be to buy these rights?
Dear Sirs,

I am intersted in promoting your products & services as an affiliate,
because I have necessary means to hit your target audience! I maintain a
fantastic b2b email list which allows me to contact the directors & the
executives of business websites (over 24,000) and also businesses advertising on pay-per-click search engines (over 17,000).

However: this list is NOT opt-in. At the same time it is of a very high
quality
and its use could bring many clients to your company.

Lets think over this opportunity together and I'm sure we'll find a secure
way to make use of this exclusive data.

Please email me to info@ppcexperience.net (instead of
replying to this message).

Sincerely,
Alen Leraux | PPCXP Inc.

Web Site Software Submission Spam

Most search engine traffic comes from the top few search engines. Time spent registering a website with all kinds of small random third pary engines is just a waste of time. As hard as it may be for you to promote your own business imagine how hard it would be to promote a search engine, especially one with no technological advantage over those already in existance.

As part of my service to do good on the internet I will point out crap offers for garbage software I do not use.

Today I got spam from brainfind@eliteconcepts.com for BuildTraffic.com To Your Web Site !
Stop Submitting
To Search Engines

Do you ever wonder how some people get
Top 10 Rankings on Search Engines ???

Now you can have access to the same professional tools as the "search engine experts".

Platinum !
Search Engine Tools

BuildTraffic is the most efficient, powerful, and completely automated way to promote your website to over 700,000 Search Engines, Directories, Link Pages, Online Malls, Classified Sites! 100% Automated - A Complete Traffic Generating Machine !!!

Join Now Trial Membership Start Tour
Here is what one user has to say:
"I have never seem such a complete set of website promotion on one website. Not only that, I have gone from having an ok ranking on major search engines to top 10 rankings !"

Jo Buckly,Software Springs

Top Reasons BuildTraffic.com is a MUST HAVE Service :

Do you have multiple domains and pages to submit?

Unlimited re-submissions!

100% automated !

Submitting your web site consistently is the #1 way to get indexed by search engines.

Search Engines re-index their databases every 4-8 weeks

Web Sites are removed and re-indexed during their updates

BuildTraffic.com gives you the power to submit from once per month to once per day and many options in between, completely automated !

You can simply set up BuildTraffic.com 1 time and the system is then on Auto-Pilot! Never worry about resubmitting your site again !

There's nothing to download, no software to learn. BuildTraffic.com's easy-to-use Wizards walk you through several simple steps and you're done! If you know what your domain name is, you can use the BuildTraffic.com System!

All of your data is stored with us. Want to change your resubmission schedule? It's done with 2 clicks! Nothing is more simple and can drive traffic like BuildTraffic.com!

BuildTraffic.com does all the work for you 24x7 ! Set up your domains ONE TIME and BuildTraffic.com will resubmit your site on the schedule YOU CHOOSE !

About AdSense

Dec 20th

So I try to subscribe to a ton of information so I can learn as much as possible.
I probably read close to a hundred pages of text in one form or another...about every day.

It is rather quick that I loose interest in a news source after it prints blatently wrong information. In the lastest issue of About AdSense (#9) they offered a Q and A with the following information:

"Question #5: I recently noticed there was an AdSense ad with a phone number in it (toll free #) as one of the AdWords on my site. This did not make me very happy, since if someone calls, I don't get paid anything. Is this common and what should I do (if anything)?

Answer: This isn't common. Nonetheless, we recommend you email Google and let them know the details. They will almost certainly notify the advertiser that this is inappropriate and disallow that ad."

When you read this it sounds like it is pertinent information. It sounds like truth from an authority. I know it is wrong because I actually did ask Google this quesiton in the past. It is ok to have a phone # in the ad.

If you do want to block ads with phone numbers in them you can specify the ad and block it in your AdSense settings. Its pretty rare that an ad is so compelling that people are just going to call without seeking any further information from the listed site.

The moral of this post is that name or ranking alone should not mean the information is correct. Trusted sources keep being mentioned over and over again by other trusted sources. SearchEngineWach, SearchEngineGuide, Clickz, Internet.com, Marketing Wonk... those are the types of resources that I read and know I am reading news.

Join AdSense!

Kanoodle Allows Pay Per Click Daytrading

Some of the top pay per click firms (such as Did It) control their clients accounts by disabling them for portions of the day where the clicks would not be effective. Kanoodle announced the release of Autoscheduler which automates this process.

"The product, AutoScheduler, is offered by Kanoodle.com at no additional cost to advertisers. It saves money, the company says, because advertisers aren't charged for the periods when their keywords are inactive."

As these simple add on technologies advance we can start to see how marketing is getting smarter and targeting is becoming easier.

old Kanoodle news:
Kanoodle recently announced that it recieved a round of VC funding and has hired 3 top Sprinks executives. Kanoodle also soon will debut its Kontext program which aims to rival Google AdSense.

Try a free $5 Kanoodle account today!

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