Monday, January 21, 2008

Super Bowl!!!



So my husband and I moved from Jersey in Feb. 2006 to the AZ desert and we will be celebrating our 2 year anniversary of our life change.

Well watching the TV last night to see who was coming to the AZ for the Super Bowl was really exciting! OK, so we already knew the Patriots were going to win but the toss up was between the Giants and the Packers.

The game went back and forth, first Giants scored 2 field goals, then Green Bay scored a touch down then the Giants defense had a penalty which put Green Bay ahead and at the end, it was tied 20-20.

Then overtime and Green Bay gets the ball from the coin toss and some how Giants were able to get the ball back to be able to score a field goal (after 2 missed attempts) to win the NFC Championship!

Now lucky for us, Giants are coming out to the desert to play in Super Bowl 42 10 minutes from our home! I even wrote an article for a West Valley magazine but before we knew the Giants won. I wish I could rewrite the article right now to show my enthusiasm but here is one way.

Yes they are called the NY Giants since they use to play at Yankee Stadium BUT their Stadium is in the swamps of NJ also known as the Meadowlands!

If you're coming out to the desert to watch your team play, drop us a line! We would love to connect with you!

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Friday, January 18, 2008

#1 on Google Search!

Since we advertise that we offer organic SEO services, I always run a few tests to see if we are ranking for the keywords we are targeting. I'm happy to say for the search term: Virtual Copywriting Company, we are listed as #1 on Google! (Of course that is today but still an accomplishment, no?)

virtual copywriting company - Google Search

And if you keep scrolling down, you will see some other listings which also involve PearlyWrites, which for today is at #3.

Pretty amazing stuff for a girl who never thought of herself as a "techie" and actually now understands how the search engines work; from at least a non-techie point of view.

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Thursday, January 17, 2008

Mobile Web Sites' Growth Spurt To Continue

by Mark Walsh, Thursday, Jan 17, 2008 8:00 AM ET

SOME 40% OF WEB SITE operators have launched mobile sites and another 22% plan to do so in the next year, according to a new JupiterResearch study.

"This number is relatively large given that the experience is not yet mature today and likely reflects mobile versions that consist of frames and offer a kludgy user interface," states the report titled "Mobile Web Sites: Designing for Mobility."

Driving the growth of mobile sites are factors such as the expansion of 3G networks and smartphones and improving prospects for deriving revenue from mobile advertising. Jupiter estimates that increasing page views and usage will push annual mobile display and search advertising revenue to $825 million by 2012.

Still, the study found that only 29% of Web sites going mobile were developing the ability to provide user profile information to ad networks to monetize page views. Among advertisers, only 3% were placing display ads on mobile sites, and 4% on carrier portals.

M-commerce also has a ways to go. About one-third of Web sites surveyed let users make purchases via mobile phone. "Instant transactions and the ability to drive shoppers into nearby stores are opportunities for mobile site operators because mobile consumers are more likely to search for items they can purchase immediately through their phones," according to the report.

Web site operators are still more focused on improving the consumer experience than monetization. That's the right approach, initially, according to Jupiter Research Director Julie Ask. "First focus on the user experience. (Mobile sites) need to build page views before they're worth monetizing. They should have a longer-term plan in place, though, for advertising," she said.

To that end, Jupiter advises companies to optimize their mobile sites for both mass-market and high-end devices. That means designing both more WAP and HTML versions of sites, especially since most phones don't yet support full Web browsing. Given the limitations of the mobile screen, controlling the volume of site content is key--as is providing functionality that lets users share content like photos and video clips.

When it comes to budgeting, be prepared to pay anywhere from $20,000 to $100,000 to build a basic mobile site. And since cell phones are well-designed for online search, promoting the mobile version on the wired site is also advised, along with pushing out links through text messages.

Mark Walsh can be reached at walsh@mediapost.com

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Tuesday, January 15, 2008

How SEO Can Stop A Scammer

by David Berkowitz , Tuesday, January 15, 2008

IT MAY BE PRACTICALLY impossible to track down online scammers, but as people become savvier in how to use search engines, some scams can be contained. I found this out firsthand when two reports of a Craigslist real-estate scam came my way.

The reports were from people close to me who were separately listing their homes for rent on Craigslist, and they each received similar emails. One email, signed by Dr. Dennis Johnson, started, "Hello, I come across your apartment advertised on the internet and i am interested in renting it, please let me know if it is still available. I will be signing one year lease for this unit and will be staying with my wife and daughter, and will be willing to offer you 2 months rent plus the security deposit in order to secure this unit prior to our arrival."

The scammers, assuming there's some group of them going about this (various signs such as inconsistencies in the exchanges indicate there are multiple perpetrators), include some other facts that they happened to Google, though their information isn't always current. In one example, the scammer posing as Dr. Johnson mentioned that Merck CEO Raymond V. Gilmartin would make arrangements on his behalf -- a pretty impressive connection. Gilmartin is actually the former CEO, one who ironically resigned when Congress started investigating safety issues with Vioxx. This would be comical, except that these scammers are targeting people who are vulnerable and want so desperately to believe that they've found a renter.

The email correspondence in these scams proceeds until the scammer says he's sending a check through some circuitous route, which he does manage to send if the correspondence goes far enough. The sender, however, mistakenly overpays the victim, so the victim has to then send the difference back. If the victim goes through with it, the loss tends to amount to a few thousand dollars.

When these scams were brought to my attention, I was relieved that my friends figured out the ruse before sending any money out, but as we were all shaken up and had little direct recourse to pursue the scammers, I realized there was one way I could help. One of my friends sent me the entire text of his correspondence with the scammer, and I posted it in full on my blog with a summary of the scam, omitting my friend's personal details. I didn't care in particular about informing my blog's readers, as it may or may not have mattered to them. Rather, there were four or so readers I hoped would catch it -- Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, and Ask. Humans, at first, were irrelevant. If the search engines could access the post, then other people would be able to see it in time.

That's exactly what happened. That blog post and a follow-up have attracted a number of people who searched for information about what they suspected was a scam and wound up with the proof to confirm their hunches. Several of these visitors have in turn left comments with other aliases used by the scammers and other pertinent details, giving the engines even more content to work with. One commenter named Jodi wrote, "[I] just had the same thing happen to me...just received a check for $9000 and was asked to send $3000 to a furniture company by Dr. Scott. i was suspicious as i hadn't received my application or any personal information back from him so i googled him and found your blog."

It's incredibly empowering to be able to share information this way. There were so many other communications channels available that wouldn't have been nearly as effective. Trying to tell friends about this would have fizzled quickly, as it wouldn't have been relevant. Craigslist can't do anything to police this, and they already include warning messages in emails that come through the site (one warning message even said "AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY"). If someone completely fell for the scam and tried to seek financial recourse, it's unlikely any local or federal investigators would track down a $3,000 check that clearly wound up further overseas than the UK (in one of the many incredible aspects of the scam, these people posing as British doctors have no grasp of the English language).

By telling Google, the information is relevant to people when they need it, and it's accessible to people who are several degrees of separation away from me. For any sort of information that retains value beyond the day it's created and that is most valuable to people in very specific situations, there is no better way to reach them than by funneling the content through an online communications channel optimized for search engines. That can apply to holiday recipes, product manuals, local business reviews, and countless other forms of content.

When you have something to share that's truly valuable, you may or may not need to tell a friend, but you definitely need to tell a search engine.
Post your response to the public Search Insider blog.

About Author:
David Berkowitz is director of emerging media and client strategy at 360i. You can reach him at dberkowitz@360i.com, and you can read his blog at MarketersStudio.com.

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Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Pneumonia in the Desert

This will not be a long blog entry, or at least I don't plan it to be. I thought I had the flu for 4 days and thought my 102 fever broke Monday night. (Fevers bring crazy psychedelic dreams though; Aaron would have loved them!)
Woke up yesterday morning again with 102 fever and teeth chattering shivers! Then sweating again and was totally confused.

So I finally went to Urgent Care down the road from where we live (very convenient) to spend over an hour there being checked out and tested. Mucous sample, chest x-ray and blood work. Uummm, isn't this the flu or a sinus infection?

The doctor walks in after looking at the test results ad says, "Well the good news is you tested negative for the Flu." I said, "The bad news is I tested positive for Pneumonia."

So yes, only me could figure out a way of getting a horrible infection in my lungs in one of the driest climates in the US. Spent close to 30 years living in one of the dampest places and never got Pneumonia but 2 years living in the desert, I somehow pick up Pneumonia.

The good news is I am on anti-biotics and have two inhalers (which I haven't used in over 8 years), the bad news is I don't like to take medication but know I have to to get this illness out of my system.

Working shorter hours so I can get well quicker though watching TV doesn't thrill me. So as long as I can concentrate, I'll be trying to do some writing, editing and marketing.

(I guess I am a workaholic; this must be my body telling me I need a vacation soon.)

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Wednesday, January 02, 2008

22 Considerations for Improving Natural Search Performance

The below article was shared with me by a colleague. Thanks Nina from The Best Apple!

Today is the first working day in 2008 for most Search Insider readers, and it seems apparent that just about every marketer and IT department is going to have at least some level of natural search optimization on the radar. So let’s jump right in and start thinking about natural priorities that could potentially keep us busy throughout this year and beyond.

From a strategic and tactical standpoint, it is important to note that natural optimization is not a one-time fix, and should rather be regarded as an ongoing process The reason is simple: search engines are constantly changing, and if you’re doing something right, then you, too, are constantly changing and altering your own Web presence on a regular basis. Both considerations have an impact on how findable — or unfindable — your assets will be in the search engines.

This article is not intended to address all of the how, what and why of a comprehensive search strategy, but to serve as a brief checklist of key areas for re-examining your own natural search presence. Consult your search agency, in-house search optimizer, independent consultant or favorite Webmaster forum for additional information on developing detailed plans for implementing the strategies and tactics below.

Title element development: This is basic optimization that can dramatically improve your search visibility for targeted keywords and phrases (referring to the “” HTML element, not the on-page title). Develop unique keyword-relevant titles for all relevant site pages — whether it’s 10 or 10,000,000.

Content strategy: The depth of research and development applied to your content strategy will be directly proportional to the quality and quantity of traffic you receive in natural search. “Content” includes the written word, applications, widgets, tools and other digital assets.

Copywriting and content refresh: Adding one word or phrase in the right place can increase visibility for a particular keyword. Be careful in your approach, and consider the human element, no matter how tempting it is to over-tweak.

Address canonicalization issues:
Start the process of cataloging multiple redirects and campaign URLs now, and set up permanent redirects to make it easier for the engines to find the “real” URL.

Assess your search equity prior to site redesign:
Step back and take a look at everything you are getting now from the natural search engines in terms of traffic, rankings and bottom line revenue. Your analysis should serve as a guide to the potential impact of any future site changes or redesigns, and will help you make a business case for natural search optimization, if needed.

Round up and optimize digital assets:
Be on the lookout for digital content currently available within your organization (video, images, PDFs, etc.), and get it optimized and online when it fits your Web and natural search strategies.

Optimize PDFs: Approach this as more of an educational effort with your content creators to ensure that future production of PDF documents will be search-friendly.

Optimize press releases: Similar to PDFs, promote search education to your PR and communications teams, and ye shall reap natural search benefits.

Remove common barriers to natural search planning and execution: As simple as some of these issues may be, they can become a tremendous obstacle to your overall natural search presence.

Link development and directory submission development: Understand your link networks, tweak existing links, seek new links, and make sure your site is in important directories, such as DMOZ, Yahoo, and Business.com. Get your best minds brainstorming new ways to make people want to link to your site — without even asking them.

Feed submission: Determine which feeds are most relevant to your business (products, maps, etc.) and take steps to provide data to the engines. With placements like Google Maps, a feed could be a quick ticket to a No. 1, No. 2, or No. 3 natural ranking.

Make sure your analytics software has what you need, or get a new provider: If you are not getting enough detailed search data, then it will be difficult to make educated strategic and tactical decisions for your campaigns. If your analytics program does not measure simple metrics, such as revenue from natural search, or keyword referrals broken out by engine, then go find a new solution.

Meta tag development: Spend some time and tweak your site’s meta keyword and description tags to be unique and relevant.

Create a balance between text and images on your site:
If your valuable keywords are hidden as text-rendered in Flash or images, then work out a solution for rendering text in a way that is both visually appealing and visible to search engines. (Of course, always playing nice within engine Webmaster guidelines.)

Remove session IDs: If your URL strings have session IDs, create a plan to remove them for search crawlers.

Create a clean URL structure: A flat, user-intuitive and keyword-based URL structure can be an advantage for your site, particularly over a URL structure that contains multiple value pairs, session IDs and deep folder structures.

Enable crawler paths throughout your site: If your site contains any data that requires a query-based entry point for access, then you could be hiding a goldmine from the engines. Work to enable a crawler path into that data, or make the content available in a way that engines can crawl and index it.

Clean up broken links: Find, remove and permanently redirect broken internal links to a similar content page, the home page, the site map, or a properly configured 404 error page to improve crawling performance that lets engines know that the old link is history.

Source out on-page javascript and CSS to external files: Sourcing this code to external files reduces code bloat and overall file size.

Address Flash crawling and indexability issues: There are many options for balancing out Flash-based content to make it more searchable, including creating an HTML version of the site, using hybrid Flash and HTML, and SWFAddress for creating crawlable link structures within Flash files.

Conduct research to better understand your target customer: Natural search takes much longer to implement and see results, but the returns are also longer lasting. Performing detailed and focused research on the front end will make your efforts more worthwhile in terms of attracting the right person in natural search channels.

Assess your company’s strategy for using secondary domains or subdomains: Take a look at future search plans and decide if your chosen URL strategy — be it the use of a subdomain, use of the primary domain, use of campaign URLs, or use of a new domain — is the best fit for your desired natural search outcome.

Of course, these are just a few basic considerations for natural search in 2008. But it should give many of us enough to consider for months or even years to come. Feel free to post your additional natural search considerations in the Search Insider blog.

Rob Garner is strategy director for interactive marketing and search agency iCrossing and writes for Great Finds, the iCrossing blog. He is president-elect of the Dallas/Fort Worth Search Engine Marketing Association, and also serves on the board of the Dallas/Fort Worth Interactive Marketing Association.

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