Content-SEO-SEM-Target Market -How Do They Relate

Content has been said to be king. But many don't know, or have a complete picture of how it can relate to SEO and SEM and thus, your target market.

If you write your content correctly for your niche you will reach your targeted market. And isn't that the direction that you want to go. As with anything you must keep the quality of your content in mind-or lose visitors and return visitors for that matter. There are some people that say they put out 50+ articles a month. That's great, but I wonder how many of those writers -- may have below par writing and low readership? However, if you can crank out quality articles at 50 a month -- I applaud you, and keep up the good work. If not, it might be to your benefit to cut back a bit and go for quality.

Anyway, here is an article that I have written, just to give you a total picture of the marketing process between SEO,SEM, Content and your target market. It's called: "Content-SEO-Target Market-What Comes First?".


Content-SEO-SEM-Target Market-What Comes First?
By Vickie J. Scanlon

Content, SEO, SEM, Target Market -- What comes first? I would say content. Even though many say that content is King on the Internet, many may not realize the interrelationship of content to SEO, SEM and your target market. How does content influence your target market and the search engines? Let's see how it translates into your website health and success.


Content and SEO

First, left's define SEO. Search Engine Optimization is the process of designing a webpage/website so that the search engines can easily find you. The process of optimizing your page or website is through the placement of chosen keywords within your content --(your text copy), as well as, within your meta tags.

When you choose your keywords, and weave them expertly within your content -- without sacrificing readability or interest, you will have created a quality, optimized page for search engines and for your target market. If the content is useless or not of quality, expect a quick click away from your site.

If you are a newbie, it is important that you have quality content just to make the search engines take notice of your site and to begin indexing you. And if you've been online for awhile, quality content is essential to your website continued success-SEO speaking. If the quality of your content begins to slip you will see lost revenue, lower page ranking, and fewer clicks on your website. Ouch!

Content and SEM

SEM (Search Engine Marketing) is the submitting, researching and positioning of your website within the search engines to maximize your website to the masses. This includes, PPC (pay-per-click), paid listings and search engine submissions to increase your website's exposure for all to see.

Where does content come into play with SEM. Google has stricter rules for it's PPC -and landing page criteria. Landing pages must have keywords that are relevant to the PPC ad they are using. If your landing page does not have the relevant keywords associated with your ad, you may be finding that you are paying more for a keyword than others. If you don't realize it, let me tell you --you have just been penalized.



Quality Content and your Target Market

So what is quality content? Quality content should be interesting, relevant and useful to your target market. And yes, if the quality of your content is useful, people will come. Without it, people will leave and search elsewhere for the content they seek.

Quality Content will also lead to websites linking to your site. If the websites are relevant or complimentary to your website, you can see an increased importance of your site with the search engines. And yes, that translates in a higher page rankings and better positioning in the search engines.

To conclude, even though the Internet is evolving - Social Bookmarking, YouTube, MySpace-- they still require one thing - Content. Content-be it written,audio or video- content must come first. For with it, it will give you the targeted traffic that you need to prosper on the Internet.


About The Author:
Vickie J Scanlon -- Visit her site at: My Affiliate Place for tools, how to info of SEO and marketing/internet marketing, tech accessories, software and computers -- all geared to help the affiliate/small businessperson online.
Read more...

Improving AdSense Performance

In the real estate industry, there are three things that are the most important about a property...location, location, and...location!

1.) So the very first thing that I want you to pay attention to when working to increase your AdSense performance is location! We'll start with the HEAT MAP to the left. The dark spots are the page locations where readers spend the most time looking. Utilize as many of these spots as possible.

2.) Place your ads above the FOLD...in newspaper language, this is the face location, or what you see on the page when it opens. Depending on your screen size it could be a little more or a little less than what you see here. But rule of thumb is that ads below the FOLD are seldom seen or clicked!

3.) As indicated in the HEAT MAP, the left side of the page is a premiere location. Readers are accustomed to seeing the navigational menu on this side of the page, so move your menu to the right side, like I did, and use the left for your ads!

Now the next section of performance enhancement has to do with the Ads themselves.

1.) Use lots of Ads! Google gives you ad allowances per page, utilize all that you can. But you must keep track of what you are using and what methods work best. You can keep track of this by...

2.) Utilizing the CUSTOM CHANNELS. AdSense gives you the ability to put a name tag on each ad that you make. This will help you to find out which ads work best, according to the fonts, colors, size and placement on the page.

A.) Match the FONTS to those on your page, especially if you are wrapping the AdSense in a blog post!
B.) Match the COLORS of your Ads to the colors of your website. Visitors will look at them more, especially BLUE LINKS. Blue links have a higher CTR than other color links because people are just used to clicking on blue links!
C.) Use Large Ads where possible. The Large Rectangle (336x280) is the best performing ad unit.
D.) And get rid of any borders, so your readers eye can wander around the page unimpeded.
Read more...

Adsense Arbitrage-Can You Make Money?

Many people talk about Adsense Arbitrage-but don't explain it. I've written an article that explains what Adsense Arbitrage is, how it works, and the pros and cons you need to know about Adsense Arbitrage. Currently it is legal, but as you will see, or already know, working completely within Google's confines, in most cases, will create small profits.

You definitely need to know what you are doing within Adsense, Adwords, as well as, keeping an eye on the Stats side. If you lose site of your daily stats, you could lose. With that being said, I hope you enjoy this informative read called-"Adsense Arbitrage-Explained".


Adsense Arbitrage Explained
By Vickie J. Scanlon


Adsense Arbitrage has been around for a while, but many don't know what it is or how it works. Though I have not ventured into this area, through my research, it has been said that many can make money in this arena. However, you do need a good handle on Adsense and Adwords and have the tools to make it work. So, what is Adsense arbitrage and it's advantages and pitfalls?



What is Adsense Arbitrage

Adsense Arbitrage is paying a low price for a keyword in an advertising program like Yahoo Search Marketing, MSN AdCenter and Adwords(more on Adwords) and then directing the users who read your ads to a page with Adsense or some contextual advertising program on it that has a higher payout. For example: You bid $.50 for a keyword and direct your traffic
to a landing page with ads that pay $1.00. Sounds easy, but it isn't.

Is Adsense Arbitrage Legal?

Yes, it is legal, but this is where the problem arises. There are some people that use this process to bring people to a page with just ads on it, without any quality content. I don't know about you but I find it a little aggravating to find only Adsense ads or ads from another PPC search engine program with no content? No, I don't click on the ads, I just click away and do another search.

This aggravating dilemma has been addressed by Google with new pricing features. They now adjust the cost of a keyword-targeted content click if they feel that the page will not result in a sale, or action that the page is suppose to generate. The payout of the click would be less. Then on the Adwords side, Google can penalize you by placing a higher cost on your keywords -- thus, making it very unprofitable for you and very profitable for Google.


You Can Make Money and You Can Lose Money?

Yes, you can make some money, but you should be confident in your knowledge of Adense and Adwords and have the tools to monitor the ups and downs of your Ads.

And yes, you can lose money. If you don't stay on top of your stats--seeing what is coming in versus what is going out-- you could find your pocketbook a lot lighter.

In addition, with the many changes that Google has put into place, many who have utilized Adsense arbitrage through Google only have found their business profits dwindle or worse yet, dwindle to a loss. So what have they done?

Many have went across several search engines- placing Adsense on their content pages and then utilize different PPC search engines to direct their users to the pages. In some cases they have seen good returns and in others, just enough to have a good dinner.

As you can see, Adsense Arbitrage is a way to make money, but it is not for everyone. Why? It's time consuming, you need the tools to monitor your stats, the know how of analysis, a strong knowledge of Adsense and Adwords and the know how to creating good ad copy.

Even though I find Adsense Arbitrage interesting -- I believe I will leave it to those who have the time, money and knowledge and the gambling spirit. For me, I'll stay with affiliate marketing and try to build a strong business that will last a while. As to your choice, that's up to you.


About the Author:

Vickie J Scanlon -- Visit her site at: My Affiliate Place for free tools, articles, how to info of affiliate marketing/internet marketing, adsense tutorial, travel and tech accessories, software and computers -- all geared to help the affiliate/small businessperson online.

Read more...

Uploading a Google Doc or Spreadsheet

I already did a TOUR on creating a Google Doc or Spreadsheet.

So you can go to your Google Doc & Spreadsheet, log in with your Gmail account. You get the WELCOME screen. you cna then click on New Document or New Spreadsheet, create your sheet and save it.

So we'll dispense with that tutorial. Let's say that we already have a and you want to embed it in a post that you're making.

To publish a Document, click on Publish (upper right-hand corner). A new window opens, select Publish to blog. Imput your blog provider, then your username and password, click Okay!

For a spreadsheet, click Publish now, then click "more publishing options". A window opens with more publishing formats, pick "HTML to be embeded in webpage". Specify the range of cells...the whole spreadsheet, one page, specific cells, etc. Click "generate URL". Copy that code into an Edit Post box and publish!
Read more...

SiteMaps

What is a Sitemap?
A sitemap is a dispay for the layout of your website. It is an aid to the search engines and to your visitors. Year ago they only consisted of a list of links, but now a sitemap is a descriptive roadmap of your site.

It is fleshed out with keyword details for each section and subsection to help your visitors enhance their touring experience. And the biggest benefit is that it gives the search engines more fodder!

To create a good sitemap.

Be sure that it is linked from your HOME page. this forces the search engine to find it right away, and then follow it all the way through your site. If you link it from other pages, and the spider finds a dead link, it will quit the search!

Small sites can place every page on their list, while larger sites should not because an never-ending list of links causes the search engine to think of you as a link farm. A good sitemap should have no more than 25 to 40 links. It also is easier on your visitors!

The title of each link should contain a keyword and link to the original page. Also write 10 to 25 words to tell what the page is about. This part contributes to your depth of content with the search engine.

If you have 15 pages on your site, then every page should be linked to every other page in the sitempa, and PLEASE make sure that all of your links work! When a person or a search engine find a broken link they both lose interest...FAST!

And just like you can't leave your website to fend for itself...don't neglect your sitemap. Keep it updated and current...Your visitors and the search engines will love you!

A good sitemap:
...gives a quick overview of your site
...gives a concise path for the search engines to follow
...gives a text link for every page of the site
...gives easy to follow paths for visitors
...gives a short description of each page
...uses important keyword phrases

Why is a SiteMap important?
Because it improves the value of your site by getting it indexed. This is your most important SEO (Search Engine Optimization) goal! A sitemap provides a one-stop shopping experience for the spiders, and it can also be invaluable to lost visitors!


If you wish to delve further, check out SEO Chat for great info on the subject.

A good place to start is with Google SiteMaps
Read more...

Looking for a Laptop?

Since I've had an article regarding desktops, I thought it was rather appropriate to follow it up with an article on laptops. Laptops can make your life more mobile -- and I'm even beginning to see that many - those that are more casual home users are opting for laptops.

As you can imagine, there are many different sizes and capabilities, but with anything, you need to know the basics of what is available. Granted, though this article is not extensive in nature, it does give you a starting point before you purchase a laptop.

There is one thing I did not go into and that is battery life -- I felt that was not necessary to indulge someone's time with the obvious. Why? I have yet to find someone completely satisfied with the battery life of their notebook.

Here is my article "Buying a Laptop-the Basics?".

Buying A Laptop- The Basics

By Vickie J. Scanlon

Buying a laptop can be confusing, because there are many to choose from-and many are adapted to fit different individuals' circumstances and lifestyle. So what are the basic things you should consider?

Determine Your Needs

Before even considering buying a laptop you should consider how you are going to use your laptop and for that matter, what you need or want your laptop to do. For example, are you using it for school? Are you using it for business? Will you be traveling? Do you want to replace a desktop with a laptop?

Types of Laptops

Tablet PCs -- tablet PCs allow you to "write" on the touch-sensitive screen with a stylus. They are light, but normally lack a CD or DVD drive. This in itself, limits their usability.

Desktop Replacement -- If you are going to be using your laptop as a desktop replacement, you can go larger, with more of a feature-packed model -- and that of course will add weight in most cases.

Laptop for Travel or on-the-go -- If the laptop is going to be a constant travel companion, weight is going to be an issue -- go light.


Processor Speed

Again, this will be determined by your needs and also your pocketbook. Here are some suggestions:

1) If you are looking for a Value PC then the Celeron D or Pentium 4 will be adequate.
2) If you are looking for performance the Pentium D (first Intel chip with dual core technology) or Athlon 64 (high-end 64 bit processor) mid to high-end would be adequate.
3) Core Duo is your high-end processor.


Operating System
There are two new operating systems to consider now. In most cases the companies are offering both: Windows XP or Vista. The thing to remember now is how much memory do these systems take up. For Windows XP 512 MB is needed, so 1 GB of memory should be considered for better speed. If you're going with the Vista, 1 GB of memory is required -- so if you can 2 GB or better is a better option.


Screen
The average size of a notebook screen is between 14" and 15"; above average screen is from the 17"and larger. To determine what size of screen you want is dependent upon what you will be using it for. Here are some thoughts on the matter:

Travel -- If you are going to be traveling with your laptop the size of the screen will matter. So the average size of 14 to 15 would be the way to go. Why? If you are planning on using your laptop at airport terminals than you may find that sometimes the larger units will be difficult to open in a cramped airport workspace.

Desktop replacement-- If you are planning on using the notebook as a desktop replacement, and will not be using it as your traveling companion, without no airport travel than the larger screen shouldn't be a problem. Obviously as the size of the screen does up, so does the weight. And some laptops can be up to 18 lbs-but these units will have some little extra luxuries.


Hard Drives
20GB hard drives are current standard for laptops, but 60 GB or more will give you more space-- if you're planning to download music or videos.


Other pieces to the notebook puzzle
1. DVD drive will be needed
2. Laptops come in most cases with built-in ethernet ports so you can connect to a network or an internet connection.
3. consider built-in wireless support
4. USB ports -- if you are using it for a desktop replacement you should have at least 4 USB ports. In most cases, there are only 2 USB ports, so my advice would to purchase a USB hub for any additional peripherals for your laptop.


To conclude, a laptop is a great tool to use, if know what you will be using it for, as well as, your mobility needs -- because those two questions alone will help you to determine what you should buy.

Click the link if you need a little more specific details -about buying a laptop.

Vickie J Scanlon -- Visit her site at:
My Affiliate Place for free tools, articles, ebooks, how to info, affiliate opportunities, travel and tech accessories, software and computers -- all geared to help the affiliate/small businessperson online.

Read more...

Using Picasa/Blogger Web Albums

UPDATE:If your blog folders have vanished, or are not there, set your Language Preference in Picasa Settings to 'English (US)' to keep the blogger folder visible. If you have it set it to English UK, that's why the blog folder vanished.

Sign in with your present Google account.
Picasa Web Album Sign In

When you sign in, the first page that comes up is your Albums. Any of the albums that have a little Blogger symbol in the lower hand corner, are your Blogger Albums. If you have access to more that one blog, and have uploaded at least one picture to that blog, there will be an Album cover…you can change this cover later to an actual cover.

Under the album is the name of the blog, beside that in parenthesis is the number of pictures in that album…Click on the name and it will open the Album.

Any photos that you post to Blogger are included in your Picasa Web Albums storage quota. The number of Blogger photos you can upload is determined by your web albums storage level.

Any photos you upload using Blogger’s post editor will automatically appear in Picasa Web Albums under “My Photos”. The title of the Blogger web album will match the title of your blog. Please be advised that album titles cannot be modified in Picasa Web Albums.

The album cover will be designated with a small Blogger icon in the corner. Blogger web albums are unlisted when they initially appear (you can make them public later) and aren't searchable on the Picasa Web Albums site.Once a photo is posted to Blogger from Picasa Web Albums, future comments or captions made on either site will not be synched with each other. We recommend that you add captions and comments in Picasa Web Albums before posting a photo to Blogger.

If you delete a Blogger web album, those photos will also be deleted from your blog. If you delete a specific photo from your Blogger web album in Picasa Web Albums, your blog will not be deleted, though that photo will not appear.

Please note that you cannot upload photos directly to a Blogger web album using the Picasa Web Albums site at this time, and only empty Blogger albums can be deleted at this time.

You can always purchase extra storage by clicking "Settings" at the top right of your Web Albums page. At the bottom of your Settings page, click the link in the "Storage" section and follow the instructions displayed to purchase additional storage.

There are two ways to see how much storage you’re using in Picasa Web Albums:

1. Go to your Picasa Web Albums public gallery (the URL of your Public Gallery is http://picasaweb.google.com/username). Your storage information will appear in green beneath your albums. Please note that the username on your Public Gallery is the username that you use to sign into Picasa Web Albums.

2. Click "Settings" at the top of your Web Albums homepage to go the “Settings” menu. In the "Storage" section, click "Need more space? Upgrade your storage!" In the window that appears, your current usage amount will display in green.
Read more...