There is no point in building a website unless there are visitors coming in. A major source of traffic for most sites on the Internet is search engines like Google, Yahoo!, MSN, Altavista and so on. Hence, by designing a search engine friendly site, you will be able to rank easily in search engines and obtain more visitors.
Major search engines use programs called crawlers or robots to index websites to list on their search result pages. They follow links to a page, reads the content of the page and record it in their own database, pulling up the listing as people search for it.
If you want to make your site indexed easily, you should avoid using frames on your website. Frames will only confuse search engine robots and they might even abandon your site because of that. Moreover, frames make it difficult for users to bookmark a specific page on your site without using long, complicated scripts.
Do not present important information in Flash movies or in images. Search engine robots can only read text on your source code so if you present important words in Flash movies and images rather than textual form, your search engine ranking will be affected dramatically.
Use meta tags accordingly on each and every page of your site so that search engine robots know at first glance what that particular page is about and whether or not to index it. By using meta tags, you are making the search engine robot's job easier so they will crawl and index your site more frequently.
Stop using wrong HTML tags like to style your page. Use CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) instead because they are more effective and efficient. By using CSS, you can eliminate redundant HTML tags and make your pages much lighter and faster to load.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Microsoft May Be Running Out of Time on Yahoo Deal
May 2 (Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer may be running out of time to clinch his proposed purchase of Yahoo! Inc. as the Internet company forges tighter ties with Google Inc.
Microsoft was leaning toward making a hostile bid as of last night, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Yahoo may agree to use Google's Web advertising software within a week, the newspaper reported. The decision would build on a test program the companies ran last month.
After three months of pressing Yahoo to give up looking at alternatives and agree to a deal with Microsoft, Ballmer faces a potential setback. An accord with Google may spur Yahoo's sales and give it a better chance of staying independent, pressuring Microsoft to raise its $44.6 billion bid.
``The board and management of Yahoo are trying to retain independence at all costs,'' said Laura Martin, an analyst at New York-based Soleil Securities Corp. who has a ``hold'' rating on Yahoo shares.
Yahoo's test of Google's ad system initially applied to 3 percent of its search queries. If the company extends that to all of them, it may generate more than $1 billion in incremental cash flow, Citigroup Inc.'s Mark Mahaney said in a report last month.
The San Francisco-based analyst, who advises investors to buy Yahoo, said then that the deal might force Microsoft to boost its $31-a-share bid. Last month, Ballmer gave Yahoo a deadline to negotiate a deal at the original price, which the Internet company ignored.
Walk Away
Ballmer said yesterday that he would walk away from the purchase before he overpays for Yahoo, the Sunnyvale, California- based owner of the second-most popular Internet search engine.
``I know exactly what I think Yahoo is worth to me, exactly,'' Ballmer said in a meeting with employees, according to remarks provided by spokesman Frank Shaw. ``I won't go a dime above, and I will go to what I think it's worth if that gets the deal done.''
Yahoo spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler and Google spokesman Adam Kovacevich declined to comment. Shaw didn't return a call late yesterday.
Yahoo has repeatedly turned down the bid since Microsoft's first approach Jan. 31. Microsoft, the world's biggest software maker, would use the takeover to bolster competition with Google, the leader in the $41 billion online advertising market.
Jerry Yang, Yahoo's CEO, has said the offer is too low. Ballmer, who gave the company until April 26 to agree to a deal, let the deadline pass without taking action.
Microsoft's Options
Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft may make a friendly deal with Yahoo, start a proxy fight to replace Yahoo's board or abandon the bid, Ballmer said at the meeting. The company will make an announcement in ``very short order,'' he said.
``Not getting this done is putting a substantial amount of pressure on him,'' said Rob Enderle, president of the research firm Enderle Group in San Jose, California.
Microsoft rose 8 cents to $29.48 in trading before exchanges opened after closing at $29.40 on the Nasdaq Stock Market. The shares have dropped since Jan. 31, pulling the value of the half- cash, half-stock deal to $29.48, based on yesterday's close. Yahoo climbed 89 cents to $27.70 in early trading.
Google may be using its Yahoo partnership to delay the deal, Enderle said.
``Google wants it to go as long as possible,'' he said. ``The longer this goes on, the happier Google is.''
Google Fights
Yahoo said last month that it would test displaying ads sold by Google next to Internet search results. The trial would last as long as two weeks, the company said.
Google, Yahoo and Microsoft sell text links that appear next to search results, charging advertisers when they are clicked. Google generates more revenue from each search query, so a partnership may boost Yahoo's revenue.
Yahoo and Google may strike a nonexclusive partnership, meaning that the system could display ads from competitors, including Microsoft's, the Journal said. That approach is designed to keep antitrust authorities from blocking the deal, the newspaper said.
The U.S. Justice Department is reviewing the initial test, Mountain View, California-based Google said last month. The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee would examine any formal partnership between Google and Yahoo, Chairman Herb Kohl, a Wisconsin Democrat, said last month.
``Regulators will not allow this,'' Soleil's Martin said. ``It would put all of Internet advertising into the hands of Google, the predominant search marketer on the Web.''
To contact the reporter on this story: Amy Thomson in New York at athomson6@bloomberg.net; Jonathan Thaw in San Francisco at jthaw@bloomberg.net
Microsoft was leaning toward making a hostile bid as of last night, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Yahoo may agree to use Google's Web advertising software within a week, the newspaper reported. The decision would build on a test program the companies ran last month.
After three months of pressing Yahoo to give up looking at alternatives and agree to a deal with Microsoft, Ballmer faces a potential setback. An accord with Google may spur Yahoo's sales and give it a better chance of staying independent, pressuring Microsoft to raise its $44.6 billion bid.
``The board and management of Yahoo are trying to retain independence at all costs,'' said Laura Martin, an analyst at New York-based Soleil Securities Corp. who has a ``hold'' rating on Yahoo shares.
Yahoo's test of Google's ad system initially applied to 3 percent of its search queries. If the company extends that to all of them, it may generate more than $1 billion in incremental cash flow, Citigroup Inc.'s Mark Mahaney said in a report last month.
The San Francisco-based analyst, who advises investors to buy Yahoo, said then that the deal might force Microsoft to boost its $31-a-share bid. Last month, Ballmer gave Yahoo a deadline to negotiate a deal at the original price, which the Internet company ignored.
Walk Away
Ballmer said yesterday that he would walk away from the purchase before he overpays for Yahoo, the Sunnyvale, California- based owner of the second-most popular Internet search engine.
``I know exactly what I think Yahoo is worth to me, exactly,'' Ballmer said in a meeting with employees, according to remarks provided by spokesman Frank Shaw. ``I won't go a dime above, and I will go to what I think it's worth if that gets the deal done.''
Yahoo spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler and Google spokesman Adam Kovacevich declined to comment. Shaw didn't return a call late yesterday.
Yahoo has repeatedly turned down the bid since Microsoft's first approach Jan. 31. Microsoft, the world's biggest software maker, would use the takeover to bolster competition with Google, the leader in the $41 billion online advertising market.
Jerry Yang, Yahoo's CEO, has said the offer is too low. Ballmer, who gave the company until April 26 to agree to a deal, let the deadline pass without taking action.
Microsoft's Options
Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft may make a friendly deal with Yahoo, start a proxy fight to replace Yahoo's board or abandon the bid, Ballmer said at the meeting. The company will make an announcement in ``very short order,'' he said.
``Not getting this done is putting a substantial amount of pressure on him,'' said Rob Enderle, president of the research firm Enderle Group in San Jose, California.
Microsoft rose 8 cents to $29.48 in trading before exchanges opened after closing at $29.40 on the Nasdaq Stock Market. The shares have dropped since Jan. 31, pulling the value of the half- cash, half-stock deal to $29.48, based on yesterday's close. Yahoo climbed 89 cents to $27.70 in early trading.
Google may be using its Yahoo partnership to delay the deal, Enderle said.
``Google wants it to go as long as possible,'' he said. ``The longer this goes on, the happier Google is.''
Google Fights
Yahoo said last month that it would test displaying ads sold by Google next to Internet search results. The trial would last as long as two weeks, the company said.
Google, Yahoo and Microsoft sell text links that appear next to search results, charging advertisers when they are clicked. Google generates more revenue from each search query, so a partnership may boost Yahoo's revenue.
Yahoo and Google may strike a nonexclusive partnership, meaning that the system could display ads from competitors, including Microsoft's, the Journal said. That approach is designed to keep antitrust authorities from blocking the deal, the newspaper said.
The U.S. Justice Department is reviewing the initial test, Mountain View, California-based Google said last month. The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee would examine any formal partnership between Google and Yahoo, Chairman Herb Kohl, a Wisconsin Democrat, said last month.
``Regulators will not allow this,'' Soleil's Martin said. ``It would put all of Internet advertising into the hands of Google, the predominant search marketer on the Web.''
To contact the reporter on this story: Amy Thomson in New York at athomson6@bloomberg.net; Jonathan Thaw in San Francisco at jthaw@bloomberg.net
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Blogs Build Up Back Links in Search Engines
One of the most powerful online tools that any online entrepreneur can use to quickly build up back links pointing to their sites is a blog or web log as it used to be referred to in the early days.
Actually there are very few other online tools that can be as effective as a blog in helping a webmaster build up the number of back links pointing to their site at high speed. Link Bait Articles and Blogs One of the most effective techniques to use with blogging is to create a link bait article on your blog.
Link bait articles as the name suggests is the kind of article that provokes others to link to it. To succeed with link bait articles, you will need to be very focused about what you want to achieve because there are various techniques and the worst mistake you can make is to try and combine several of them instead of selecting one.
The most common technique is to target the most popular blogger for a well orchestrated campaign. You can contradict them on a certain controversial issue for instance. The idea here is to create a buzz around the controversy. The more people discuss the issue the more they will want to link to your article as they refer to it. If you have access to explosive industry news that nobody else has, this is yet another way to create a link bait article or post.
It will help if your news item is closely related to a hot topic of debate or discussion that is going on at the moment. Remember that the objective here is to accumulate a high number of back links as quickly as possible pointing to your site.
The effect of this will be to dramatically increase traffic to your site immediately and gradually to help improve your ranking with search engines so that you get even more traffic coming in directly from search engines. Using Blogs to Create a Presence and Winning Image Yet another way in which you can use blogs effectively is in creating a presence for yourself and an effective image. This is very easy to do. All you need to do is to launch a blog that shows off your expertise. And then to attract attention to yourself visit other blogs that cover a similar subject to what you are an expert in. Give free advice and useful incites but make sure that you do not link back to your site in your comments.
Just concentrate on building up the right image you want as an expert in your field. If you do this effectively, two things will happen. Firstly sooner or later those reading your comments will start to look for your site. Finding it should not be too difficult because most blog software links back to your site using your name.
The blogs that do not do this like blogger will link back to your profile and so all you have to do is update your profile and it will be very easy to find your site. The last resort is to use your name on a search engine which most folks are able to do very easily.
The second thing that will happen is that as traffic to your blog grows, so will the back links to your site Link to Other Blogs to Receive More Links Than You Can Handle This strategy may look suspect but it usually works like a charm. It is based on the simple golden rule of life that to receive, one has to give first. All you have to do is to create a useful blog with plenty of valuable information and then link to other blogs and sites that are useful resources for further information concerning what you have discussed on your blog.
Now while it is true that not every site you link to will link back, the truth is that some will and if you continue with this practice for a reasonable period of time, you will end up with a sizeable amount of back links pointing to your site. Blogs are very valuable online tools for helping any webmaster quickly build up their traffic and back links.
Actually there are very few other online tools that can be as effective as a blog in helping a webmaster build up the number of back links pointing to their site at high speed. Link Bait Articles and Blogs One of the most effective techniques to use with blogging is to create a link bait article on your blog.
Link bait articles as the name suggests is the kind of article that provokes others to link to it. To succeed with link bait articles, you will need to be very focused about what you want to achieve because there are various techniques and the worst mistake you can make is to try and combine several of them instead of selecting one.
The most common technique is to target the most popular blogger for a well orchestrated campaign. You can contradict them on a certain controversial issue for instance. The idea here is to create a buzz around the controversy. The more people discuss the issue the more they will want to link to your article as they refer to it. If you have access to explosive industry news that nobody else has, this is yet another way to create a link bait article or post.
It will help if your news item is closely related to a hot topic of debate or discussion that is going on at the moment. Remember that the objective here is to accumulate a high number of back links as quickly as possible pointing to your site.
The effect of this will be to dramatically increase traffic to your site immediately and gradually to help improve your ranking with search engines so that you get even more traffic coming in directly from search engines. Using Blogs to Create a Presence and Winning Image Yet another way in which you can use blogs effectively is in creating a presence for yourself and an effective image. This is very easy to do. All you need to do is to launch a blog that shows off your expertise. And then to attract attention to yourself visit other blogs that cover a similar subject to what you are an expert in. Give free advice and useful incites but make sure that you do not link back to your site in your comments.
Just concentrate on building up the right image you want as an expert in your field. If you do this effectively, two things will happen. Firstly sooner or later those reading your comments will start to look for your site. Finding it should not be too difficult because most blog software links back to your site using your name.
The blogs that do not do this like blogger will link back to your profile and so all you have to do is update your profile and it will be very easy to find your site. The last resort is to use your name on a search engine which most folks are able to do very easily.
The second thing that will happen is that as traffic to your blog grows, so will the back links to your site Link to Other Blogs to Receive More Links Than You Can Handle This strategy may look suspect but it usually works like a charm. It is based on the simple golden rule of life that to receive, one has to give first. All you have to do is to create a useful blog with plenty of valuable information and then link to other blogs and sites that are useful resources for further information concerning what you have discussed on your blog.
Now while it is true that not every site you link to will link back, the truth is that some will and if you continue with this practice for a reasonable period of time, you will end up with a sizeable amount of back links pointing to your site. Blogs are very valuable online tools for helping any webmaster quickly build up their traffic and back links.
Why it's a BAD Idea to Promote Hot Selling Products on eBay
Do a quick search on Google, Yahoo, or your favorite auction resource site, and you'll quickly discover there are several software programs targeted to vendors who want to promote hot selling products on eBay.The infatuation with hot selling products exists because sellers believe if you target items that have a robust sales pattern, you'll have a better chance at profiting on eBay. This is both true and false.
Yes... hot selling products can improve your bottom line. But unfortunately by the time the average eBay seller (a) realizes what the hot selling products are, (b) purchases stock to sell on eBay, and (c) actually puts the items up for sale, the demand is already being met by other eBay sellers who probably started the hot selling product trend some time ago.
Not only that, with thousands of people also having access to the same hot selling product lists, you'll have to contend with other eBay vendors who have the exact same ideas that you do. So you'll be up against the original sellers who are currently feeding the demand, AND doing the tango with newer sellers who have jumped on the same hot selling product bandwagon that you did.
Okay maybe this won't happen to you. But suppose it does. What if competition becomes so great that prices start dipping below the wholesale cost that you paid for the item? (It happens all the time on eBay.) And what if you lose $100, $200, or even $1,000 on inventory that you thought would be flying off the shelf? Suddenly that hot selling item is looking rather cold sitting in your garage collecting dust.
So if not hot selling products on eBay, then what? Do what the majority of PowerSellers do. Sell what you want, instead of what's hot. Repeat after me, "Every day ordinary items sell extremely well on eBay... Every day ordinary items sell extremely well on eBay... Every day ordinary items sell extremely well on eBay." Allow this to become your mantra, because it is very much true.
I know this from first-hand experience as I analyze top sellers instead of hot products. And my research has continuously shown me that mediocre products don't necessarily translate into mediocre sales. For instance, there's a seller right now who clears about $1,000-$2,000 a week selling magnets. And that's AFTER eBay and PayPal fee's. Another seller promotes homemade CD's to a specific audience and clears $900-$2,000 a week.
A few sellers make $500-$700+ a week - after expenses - promoting public domain information. And the cool thing about public domain information is that anybody can sell it because it's free. So that's pure profit by selling something they never paid for. Talk about the ultimate arbitrage opportunity!
The ultimate key in succeeding no matter what product you end up selling, is to build a successful strategy. To figure out 'how' to profitably market what you have, instead of chasing after the next great thing. Because once you have the strategy part down, you can sell anything on eBay and make it a hot seller to your bank account.
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