What is a #1 Google Ranking Worth?
Aaron Wall has put together a really lengthy post (too long to be called a post, really) explaining how to figure out what a #1 ranking in Google for a particular search term will actually be worth in dollars and cents. Definitely one to bookmark and come back to [...]

What is a #1 Google Ranking Worth?

Aaron Wall has put together a really lengthy post (too long to be called a post, really) explaining how to figure out what a #1 ranking in Google for a particular search term will actually be worth in dollars and cents. Definitely one to bookmark and come back to a few times, at least.

The Single Most Important Ingredient in Your Internet Marketing Strategy
HubSpot discusses why there’s only so much you can outsource if you want SEO and site marketing done right, and then it’s all down to the time you put in. Only you know your site and your visitors. Only you can do the homework to make [...]

The Single Most Important Ingredient in Your Internet Marketing Strategy

HubSpot discusses why there’s only so much you can outsource if you want SEO and site marketing done right, and then it’s all down to the time you put in. Only you know your site and your visitors. Only you can do the homework to make sure you know them. Only you can set up the site so both visitors and search engines will get out of it what they need.

Matt Jones has a pretty good definition of the mysterious Google Sandbox, or at least what I’ve noticed of it.
From my experience Google gives sites a ‘trial run’ where upon first indexing the blog is given unnaturally high rankings for a few weeks and if it doesn’t gain enough links/content during that trial period it [...]

Matt Jones has a pretty good definition of the mysterious Google Sandbox, or at least what I’ve noticed of it.

From my experience Google gives sites a ‘trial run’ where upon first indexing the blog is given unnaturally high rankings for a few weeks and if it doesn’t gain enough links/content during that trial period it is de-indexed (sandboxed). Or if it gains some links/content it is given given lower rankings which have to be built up from scratch the old fashioned way.

That’s what I’ve observed, too. There must be some magic number you have to hit in those first few weeks to avoid the sandbox. It’s a very strange idea, and I’ve never understood the purpose of the strange boost they give you at first. What is that? Why not just make it hard for all new sites until they prove they’re not just parked domains someone’s leaving to sit? It’s that boost that ensures black hat spam sites will always be near the top of the search results for at least a few weeks (and at the rate spammers build sites, there’s always a new one out).

I’ve never understood the logic, but I guess if you figure out how to avoid the sandbox, you can really launch new sites fast right out the gate.

When Meta Matters - How I Wrecked My Search Listing
Courtney Tuttle rewrote his meta descriptions and found out very quickly that didn’t go over well with the SE’s. It’s interesting how this works, because if you leave meta descriptions entirely off a blog, the major SE’s will pull the first few lines of the article, [...]

When Meta Matters - How I Wrecked My Search Listing

Courtney Tuttle rewrote his meta descriptions and found out very quickly that didn’t go over well with the SE’s. It’s interesting how this works, because if you leave meta descriptions entirely off a blog, the major SE’s will pull the first few lines of the article, which is usually an awesome description for searchers/potential visitors (especially if you write them with that in mind, which is a good copyrighting practice, anyway).

But for sites other than blogs, it doesn’t seem to work the same way.

If you’ve ever wondered why this site sometimes goes several days without an update, the answer has two parts.

I get busy sometimes with other sites.
All you people write about is Google. OMGGoogleGoogleGoogleWTFBBQOMGGoogle.

Seriously, folks. I refuse to talk about Google. What are you, on their payroll? You’re just providing free publicity every time you talk about [...]

If you’ve ever wondered why this site sometimes goes several days without an update, the answer has two parts.

1. I get busy sometimes with other sites.
2. All you people write about is Google. OMGGoogleGoogleGoogleWTFBBQOMGGoogle.

Seriously, folks. I refuse to talk about Google. What are you, on their payroll? You’re just providing free publicity every time you talk about their latest remarks and activities. When you do this - and you know who you are - I can’t find valuable articles to link to.

Which reminds me: if you have a blog that talks about internet marketing, PPC, SEO etc. and not every post on it is Google this and Google that, let me know in the comments. If you’re any good, I’ll add you to my comments.

For future reference, here is all you need to know about Google. Once you understand the following, everything they say and do makes sense.

• They’re a big business operating like a big business, but delude themselves that they’re a Mom & Pop shop. I call this disease Corporatus Appleitus.
• They do favors for people who make them money, and don’t do favors for those who don’t.
• They skirt right on the edge of breaking US monopoly and fair trade laws, but so far they haven’t gone over so you’re stuck with it.
• And they use you to generate more free publicity and perceived value for their product than they could hope to buy.
• If you don’t get it, you’re a sucker.

The good news is: once you start to tune out Google and all related news, the web is a really beautiful place.

S is for……….
If you have the term Pasta Maker in your page copy, you have a chance to rank for the term Pasta Maker, but if you have the Term Pasta Makers, you can rank for both the terms Pasta Maker, and Pasta Makers.
Quick but valuable tip. Also check out Stu’s script that lets you [...]

S is for……….

If you have the term Pasta Maker in your page copy, you have a chance to rank for the term Pasta Maker, but if you have the Term Pasta Makers, you can rank for both the terms Pasta Maker, and Pasta Makers.

Quick but valuable tip. Also check out Stu’s script that lets you check whether multiple sites are up or down.