Tag: Tips

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Keep an Eye on Your Website and Blog for Hidden Spam Parasites With This Tool

In today’s world, you’ve got to be proactive about protecting your online search engine capital. One way to keep an eye on your website and blog are to routinely review both for hidden parasitic spam hacks that will sap your search engine placement and could actually end up getting you banned (temporarily) on Google.com. Here is one tool you may want to do a few scans with to make sure that you are clean.

The tool is called Unmask Parasites. This free online tools scans a few random pages on the URL you input and then gives you a pretty fair report on activity, links, and if your site is carrying parasites. It is important if you feel you have a problem that you not just scan your home page. Do some directory scans as well to see if deeper in your site you have a problem.

Additionally I highly recommend that you review at least monthly, your Google Webmaster Control Panel and review the keywords that Google is finding on your website. If you are finding a prevalence of casino, gaming, or mortgage related keywords, your site has been hacked and needs a thorough cleaning.

Although Unmask Parasites may not find an all hidden parasites as it only scans random files, using it in conjunction with the Google Webmaster Control Panel will allow you to keep tabs on the security of your site and work to monitor others cracking in and using your site to funnel hidden spam links forcing your placement down in the organic search results.

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Add a Star or +1 on Your Google Searches to Share What You Like

Google has made some pretty cool updates on their search engine recently namely the +1 and the star option. These new enhancements to personalized your search results allow you to highlight what you like and then share the information with others in your social network.

As for stars, you don’t have to keep track of the things you star, Google does. In fact when you star something Google synchs it with your Google Bookmarks and Google Toolbar. Once you star something, the item will appear at the top of your search window allowing you to find the information you want to revisit quickly.

Google says: “With stars, you can simply click the star marker on any search result or map and the next time you perform a search, that item will appear in a special list right at the top of your results when relevant,”

Pretty cool! With stars you are actually ordering your search results the way you want! I am seeing stars now on my Google.com search pages already. Another thing Google rolled out recently was the +1. Now this enhancement I have not seen yet, but it looks powerful. The +1 is kind of like stars on steroids. Here, your social network will be able to see what you have +1’ed. Websites will even be able to add +1 buttons almost like Facebook Like buttons.

What I find interesting about both new enhancements is that Google will be using this aggregate information to move search results higher on the Google.com organic placement page. Based on that information, you’ll want to keep an eye on stars and +1 activity as this new technology matures and becomes more widely used on the Web.

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Get An Early Invitation to the Google +1 Website Button

Plus-OneDon’t be left behind, you can use our link to be an early embracer of the Google +1 website button. Google announced this past week that it would be rolling out this new enhancement to allow you to +1 website searches and share them within your Google social network, but now you can get on the waiting list to be an early embracer of +1 for your website.

To find out how the +1 button works you can watch the video from Google. Google says that not only will the +1 be seen on search results on Google.com but will even appear on search ads that you or others in your network have clicked. +1 allows you to receive a personal recommendation from others in your network, which we know will carry more weight in regards to buying decisions.

Personally I feel that the +1 button is big news and will be an early embracer of the technology. Google has also stated that the aggregate information supplied via the +1 button will impact organic search results. So get in the queue before others do, visit our link to get an early invitation for the +1 button for your website now.

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Getty Images Sues Users of Template Websites

Not only did I read about this on the Web, but one of my new clients has been sued by Getty Images for over $17,000. Here the full listing on Google.com if you are interested in reading more people’s comments on this topic. Many are calling it a scam, but use of licensed images for unlicensed purposes puts you in a very tough spot.

The person who I know who got sued, used a pre-designed template from another resource. Unknown to them, the template they selected used an Getty Image. Clearly the template designer had not purchased a license to resell the image and that is why Getty Images sued this person.

What ended up happening was the client on advice from his attorney, shut down his website, closed his business under that name, abandoned his domain, and had to open a new business. Wow, that is pretty harsh action to be forced to take. What if this happened to you and you really didn’t want to close up shop?

I guess the big takeaway on this is, if you use a template design, you now need to confirm that the template you buy has bought the license to any images in the design and has transferred the license to you. It is not good enough that a license has been bought by the original designer for their use, but that you must be covered as well. In most cases this means the original designer must purchase an extended license particularly for resale and boy those type of licenses are expensive.

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Get an Invitation to Google AdWords Experiment and Try Before You Go Live

Everyone wants to try the new tools when Google rolls them out and here’s one for you to try that is by invitation only right now. It is called AdWords Experiment and I think it looks like a terrific new tool for serious users of Google AdWords.

There is very little doubt that Google AdWords is among the most effective forms of Internet marketing available in terms of both effectiveness and cost.  With immediate visibility and completely customizable content, AdWords allows users to quickly and efficiently target the people who would be most interested in the product or service that they provide at a price they can afford. 

With the ability to now run simultaneous programs side by side in your account, you can do AB testing like never before. Previously if you tried to test on your own, AdWords would only service the keywords with the best CTR making it nearly impossible to test similar keyword lists. This is critical when your keywords are broad matched.

In order to offer their customers the best possible results from using Google AdWords, the company has just launched the Google AdWords Experiment, or ACE, which allows AdWords users to measure exactly how effective their changes would be, prior to making them officially.  The test is accurate because you would be comparing your proposed changes side by side with your current campaign at the very same time – so no extraneous situations which may or may not cause changes in web traffic would have any bearing on the results.

If you like what you see from your changes in keywords and placement – you make the changes.  If your original campaign performed head and shoulders above the one you were considering than you can consider yourself lucky for not having missed any opportunities while you tested out new possibilities.

If you want to consistently make the most of your marketing efforts without ever having to risk making a change that you’ll regret, grab your invitation to the Google AdWords Experiment here and get started managing your campaign to achieve optimal results. This new tool is in Beta testing and only available by invitation so grab your invitation and be one of the first to reap the rewards of improved AdWords performance. If you like this tool, you may want to check out other cool tools that Google is working on in beta testing by visiting the Google Labs page.

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WebCams 101

I just got a video camera for my browser and wanted to share with you how easy and fun they are to use. I actually decided to buy the webcam so that I could show my smiling face to clients when I am using Acrobat Connect. Acrobat Connect is my new online application sharing and conferencing tool that I use for clients and long distance contractor training. I am finding out that I am having a lot of fun with my webcam using Windows Live Messenger as well.

I use Windows Live Messenger to communicate with my independent contractors, clients with whom I am operating as their contractor, and even with my kids. I like the features, ease of use, and ability to see Yahoo users without them having to change instant messenger applications.

NNancy McCord as viewed in her new webcam.ow enter my webcam. First, I bought mine at Staples. I got a Logitech QuickCam for about $50. There are webcam versions from $25 all the way up to $150. In a snap I had loaded the software hung the camera on the top of my flat screen monitor and was looking at myself “live” via webcam.

Acrobat Connect auto-sensed my new webcam and started showing video online in the application immediately without any adjustments to my settings.

Windows Live Messenger also auto-sensed my new webcam and after clicking show my webcam in the settings options on the personal tab, other people with whom I am talking to via Windows Live Messenger can see and hear me online. The other party to your conversation has to have a webcam and microphone set up and installed to be able to talk back on a video call. I have to say that my new webcam is really very neat and super easy to set up. I only need to make sure that my hair looks great every day as you can now see me.

I have had more clients tell me how nice it easy to see who you are talking to and what cool new technology this is to allow them to see me online.

Up early working in your bath robe? Not to worry, you can choose a webcam model that comes with a lever to block the camera lens for added security on really bad hair days. Mine also has a software privacy screen setting to block video, so you can select to show your video only when you want.

Once you have your webcam installed, here are the steps on how to make a video call using Windows Live Messenger:

1. Click “Actions” in the top tool bar and then “Video” and then last of all “Start a Video Call”. You may also see an icon on the tool button bar just above contacts it looks like a phone with a piece of film behind it. You can click that icon if you see it to start a video call as well.

2. Live Messenger shows your online contacts. Double click the person who you want to talk to. The Live Messenger screen opens and you will see your live video on the right. If the other person has a video cam, you will be able to see them there on the side as well. For them to hear you, make sure that you have turned off microphone mute in your webcam software that is on by default before you start your call.

Wow, is that it? Yup, easy isn’t it. As you install your webcam software, sound wizards pop up and allow you to tune your settings, select which hardware to use for speakers and microphone, test settings, and to use Windows Live Messenger, Skype Video Calling, and even Yahoo Messenger Video Calling. Set up is easy and fast.

How can YOU use video calling? Wow, the opportunities are endless: call grandchildren, see the new baby, really connect with team members – get to know your clients better connect a face with a name, try out new technology, or just have some fun. Get the free Windows Live Messenger now then go to Staples or your other favorite store and get your own webcam.