Matt Cutts and Link Building

I ran across this link and thought I would share.  Matt Cutts heads up Google’s Spam team which if I was running Google, I would immediately fire him as much spam is actually in their results.  But, many in the SEO biz seem to worship the guy so enjoy the babble. 

 

Long Lasting SEO

I’ve had a few conversations with other people in the SEO business lately and they all have one thing in common…they don’t agree with me on seo timelines.  They are looking at SEO as a race to the top instead of building the company brand so that it stays at the top.  This is a key difference in SEO strategy that can actually ruin a company.

For instance, let’s say SEO company A focuses solely on getting a clients website (let’s call them Speedy)ranked as high and as fast as possible.  Sounds great, huh?  Well, it can be great for a few months or a few weeks.  There are a few things you can do to make this happen (and no i’m not going to give that info away for free) but the effects are not sustainable.  You will fall and you will fall a lot.  Now, some say that it doesn’t matter because you will make so much money during that time that it will make up for the fall.  In theory yes.  But in actuality it’s not going to happen that way.  Let’s say the Speedy company has increased sales 500% as a direct result of being ranked at the top of the search engines but this is only going to last for 2 months. 

Now Speedy doesn’t know this is not sustainable, the SEO company probably knows this but won’t tell them because they want to look great and justify their fees.  So what if Speedy decides to expand their business based on these new sales numbers and then 3 months later sales are down 40%.  What do you think happens to the Speedy company?  They tank. 

Don’t be fooled by the “I guarantee you top 10 rankings” people.  Ask them how long that ranking will last?  If you ask that specific question then most of them will move on to the next sucker.   They know the only way to make it last is to do it right which takes a long time and a lot of work.  Not something any sane person does for free.

Correcting the NBA Draft Lottery

I am so sick of hearing this argument.  Let’s get rid of the lottery!  Let’s fix the lottery!  Let’s leave it the same!

Look, it’s so simple.  Now stay with me.  First of all, the system is broke and needs to be fixed and the best part is that there is a really really easy solution. 

The draft lottery is set on March 1st.  If you are the worst team on March 1st then you get the first pick in the draft.  And the rest of the picks fall in order with the exception of any teams that make the playoffs…those teams will be seeded by record after all non-playoff teams are seeded. 

This will prevent teams from benefitting from tanking at the end of the season…Miami.  They tanked game after game this season in March and April.  It will also allow NBA teams to play their young players at the end of the year without affecting the order of the draft.  If a team sucks on March 1st then they suck and the worst team on March 1st should get that 1st pick.  Because all teams are competing up until March 1st and if you are getting beat during that time then yeah you are the worst team in the league and should get the 1st pick.  In March and April, teams who are already out of the playoffs start resting guys who otherwise would play and they do nothing to better the team..knowing that they need the draft pick. 

Many NFL fantasy leagues are run similar.  Whoever has the worst record after week 12 gets the 1st pick in the draft.  Because any one who has played fantasy football knows that if an owner is clearly out of the playoffs those last few weeks then they tank…either on purpose or just stop paying attention and start guys who are injured,etc.  I’m surprised someone as smart as Mark Cuban hasn’t presented this as a solution. 

Easy solution NBA.  There’s no real argument against it. 

Don’t believe the SEO hype

I get a lot of questions from readers who want “free advice” on seo.  I rarely give any out and there’s a few reasons.  First, I can’t tell people everything I know about SEO because then the value of my work will decrease.  It’s just not a smart business decision.  A pointer here and there is no big deal but I’m not going to give out exact instructions on how to do SEO. 

I’ve had some people tell me that this isn’t smart because the information is being offered out there by someone else so why not be the one to offer the advice.  Well, let me tell all of you out there one thing…”Do not believe the SEO hype that you read”.  Most of it is wrong and is written to mislead you away from the things that really matter in getting rankings.  Yes, I know that no one is else is saying this but those of us who do SEO everyday in a variety of industries know exactly what works and what is just hype.  And my experience has told me that most of the things out there on SEO are just misleading.  They are designed to steer you away from the important factors in SEO. 

And I will just leave it at that. 

Lazy Marketing

On Sunday, HBO decided to air this double feature. 

This is a “premium” channel that I pay for.  Seriously?  How lazy are the people at HBO?  I expect this lineup from G4 or something but I get this on HBO.   It’s bad enough that stupid “Epic Movie” is on 25 times a week but you give me Dennis Rodman  and Vanilla Ice on a weekend…On a freaking weekend! 

I should get a refund for the entire year.  And for anyone who thinks that it would be funny to actually watch those movies…just sit through either one for more than 5 minutes…the novelty wears off fast and you are just hoping someone walks in with a shotgun to put you out of your misery.   But, then you think to yourself…if I die then then last thing I’m going to remember is Dennis Rodman and Vanilla Ice.  Please.  Don’t let it end this way. 

I hate you HBO.  I really hate you. You ruined my life with your Sunday lineup.

SEO Cheater of the Day

Yes, it’s been awhile since my last cheater…had an associate send me a cheater today.    Note, that Google is not able to detect this cheating…again and again we find this to be true.   There will come a time where the public will demand better results from Google but where is Google’s motivation without competition?

Hidden text across the top of the page and note the bottom section.  The bottom section is borderline cheating and only there for the search engines.  Do us all a favor and Report the bastards. 

Report an SEO Cheater to Google
http://www.google.com/search?q=web+site+design+san+diego&hl=en&start=40&sa=N

Where are your Balls Mark Cuban?

I’ve never been a huge fan of Mark Cuban.  I liked what he did for the Mavericks but I never gave him the “god-like” status that some did.  He’s done some great things for the Mavericks and some really stupid things.  I’ve met the guy and talked to him and let’s just say there are things about him that I don’t admire.  If there was “ego porn” then “Big Cubes” would be in high demand. 

This would fall under that category.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has instituted a new policy banning full-time bloggers from the team’s locker room, drawing an official protest from The Dallas Morning News, which employs the only writer so far banned.In an e-mail sent to Cuban on Monday, Bob Yates, deputy managing editor/sports of The Morning News, wrote that the policy “is a veiled attempt at retribution” against Morning News reporter Tim MacMahon, who has been blogging about the Mavericks since 2006.

And to be fair….I think Tim MacMahon is a terrible writer.  But I wouldn’t ban him.  I think Cuban is feeling the pressure and knows that the Kidd trade is not going to bring the Mavs a championship.  He also knows that Avery is in over his head and coaches in the same way as Scott Skiles.  He wears on players and after the first season and a half…it’s over.  Here’s the Mavs take:

 The Mavericks’ new policy denies locker room access to writers whose “primary purpose is to blog.” The policy states that the team does “not have enough room in the locker room, nor enough media passes to fairly accommodate everyone.”

They stole a page from Fox News.  Remember when Fox used the same excuse to bar Ron Paul from the debate?  Not the best organization to pattern yourself after. 

Hey Mark, do us all a favor and let the bloggers (well blogger) back in.  Take your criticism like an adult and stop the childish games that have clouded your ownership of the Mavs.  Your positive energy is what set the Mavs on a path to winning and it would be nice to see a little more of that and less politics.  It’s just basketball…lighten up.

Having an SEO Business

or something to that effect.  I’ve talked to a few other people who do SEO and I have to say some people in this industry just don’t get it.  If you are good at SEO and are only making say…30K a year…then you need to shake up what you are doing. 

Your Own Projects:

If you can design websites and get them ranked high…then you should be putting up websites and making money off of Google Adsense or other online marketing.  Also, why not take advantage of some affiliate programs?  You won’t become rich off these ideas but you will be able to supplement your income very nicely. 

Another untapped market is direct sales.  Yes, you will have to buy some sort of membership package but the commission is much higher than normal affiliate sales.  Sometimes it can be 40% off each product you sell.  Well, why not sign up and develop a website to sell those products? 

Selling Your Rates:

What to do when someone says you are “too expensive”?  Explain to them the value of your services.  You are putting customers in their online storefront.  That should be worth a lot to them and if it isn’t…don’t waste your time.  Move on.  Go to their competitor’s and offer your services and don’t be afraid to play them off one another.  One of them will see the value. 

Ask them how much they make off of an average deal?  Take a look at the traffic numbers and you will be able to guess at how many deals you can bring in someone by increasing their rankings.  This number will give you the “real worth” of your services.  Then try comparing that number with what you are charging and the customer will clearly see they are getting a deal. 

Profit Sharing:

Don’t be afraid to take some gambles here.  I know everyone wants to get paid the big bucks up front but if you are struggling then maybe you should go for these types of deals.  Agree to do SEO in exchange for 5% or whatever number seems fair.  It’s not always going to work out because you are at the mercy of that business.  The success of the business will not be solely in your hands.  You wil just be bringing the customers in the store.  The quality of the products and services…well that’s out of your hands.

It goes back to the old “diversification”.  Don’t be afraid to branch out from the SEO norm.  And do not hesitate getting advice from other small business owners and reading up on various business models. 

Energy Drinks

I was watching Idiocracy and it got me thinking about energy drinks.  If you haven’t seen the movie then let me explain.  In the future, everyone drinks this “gatorade” drink and water is non-existant.  The name of the energy drink is Brawndo.  Anyways, I know this is kind of late news…but some of us have lives.

The makers of Cocaine Energy Drink are making another drink called Brawndo.  It got me thinking about other names like red bull, slam, and monster and then I ran across one particular energy drink that I hadn’t seen before.  Steven Seagal has an energy drink called “lightning bolt“…umm.  Has anyone tried this drink?  And if that wasn’t enough, there is one called “Asian Experience”.  Wow.

I guess it has been out for awhile but it makes me wonder why more actors don’t come out with things with their names on it.  That guy from American Pie should definitely come out with an entire line of frozen pies.  Genius, I tell you.  And I think a Potato Chip line from Jack Black would do great.   Let’s see who else?  Will Smith seems like a Cereal guy maybe…and, Norm from Cheers should come out with his own beer. 

A couple of random things

Ran across some interesting things lately:

• Brett throws up a lovefest over AlterBridge.  It’s Creed minus Scott Stapp. 
•  Parcells will interview Jeff Ireland for the GM job with Miami.  ouch!  big loss for the boys.
• I got an insider tip on a new contest by Vizio.  The site isn’t really up yet and voting doesn’t start till Jan 7th…but if you want a sneak preview check it out. 
• What’s with the cell phone commercial selling the “Venus” phone to guys?  I can’t remember who does the commercial but as a guy I don’t want to own a phone called ‘Venus”. 
• And of course the New Knight Rider car vs. Kitt
• Can’t wait to see Rambo on Jan 25th.