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.

Are Friends More Influential Than “Influencers”?

Grokdotcom analyzes a recent study revealing that people trust the recommendations of friends and family over bloggers and social networkers they see online. The opening line of the article is just right: “This may not come as a shock…” Indeed.

There’s value in networking online, but I think you find yourself doing it all wrong when you imagine you’re going to become some trusted voice in people’s lives. You’re not. Your goal is to make some actual pals online - people who count you in their trusted circle - and from that hub, you have an extended “family” formed by the various trusted circles of all the people who trust you. Your recommendations will radiate out indefinitely if you can motivate a handful of people to each tell another handful, and so on.

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.

Measure Your Pixels with JR Screen Ruler

Enter the JR Screen Ruler. This little download can give you an expandable moveable ruler on your screen – just perfect for quick measuring of images, webpages or the size of Ivan the Terrible’s hat (200 pixels!).

That is so seriously cool!

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.

You are Worth What you Say you are Worth

Really? Then double your rates today. Now. And then you’ll hear the chorus of internal doubting voices, telling you why you think you can’t get away with charging that kind of money.

What you make per hour, per ad, or per project is directly proportional to how much you value your own time, expertise, and contribution to your clients.

This doesn’t work like magic. But the next time you think you’re charging too much, ask yourself if that’s really the problem, or if it’s more likely:

• No one who’s willing to pay any price knows my site/work exists
• I’m not providing the value
• I’m not conveying that I provide value

The voice in your head that tells you to lower prices is the voice of insecurity - the voice that lives in fear that someone won’t like me more than it fears failure. Instead listen to the quieter, calmer voice that asks, “What am I doing wrong? How am I not creating value and/or conveying it to the right people?” That’s the voice that will lead you in the right direction.