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See No Google, Hear No Google, Speak No Google
That's right - I dreamt of a World Wide Web without the Googlopoly. And let me tell you - it was a scary place.
Well the thing is - at first I thought it was frightening - but as the nightmare went on it started feeling less scary as I began to realise that I no longer had to check my rankings every day, worry about how my website was built from a 'Google perspective' and constantly battle over positions with my online competitors. And this got me to thinking..
What Would The World Be Like If Google Didn't Exist?
Exactly the same really. Okay - the world Wide Web would be different, but would it really be so bad? I think, that as website owners, we should behave as if Google doesn't exist. It is only by doing this that we can free ourselves from some of the chains that it has on us. Just take a step back a moment and think of the number of times you've visited Google purely to see where in the rankings your own site is listed. Quite a few times right? What about all those hours your spent researching how Google works and what changes you could make to your website to effect a positive effect on your ranking.. Sound familiar?
Are You A Killer Google Zombie?
So instead of all this wasted Google-Gazing - what would your website be like now if you had spent that time creating excellent new content? Or what if you had spent that time finding key partners in your industry and launching affiliate arrangements with them? Or what about if you sat down and really improved your homepage so that your conversion rate from visitors into sales increased two-fold? Don't you see? Your Google-tinted glasses are tainting your entire view of how to be successful on the web. Take off your GoogleSpecs - I urge you to smash them right now. From this moment onwards promise me that you will take steps to ignore the fact that Google exists and look for other ways of growing your website's profile and improving its capacity to make you money. Don't be a Killer Google Zombie!
"Michael - You Ignore Google At Your Peril!"
What? Wise up! I bet you there are thousands if not millions of hours wasted every single year by people Google-gazing, researching how it works, trying to beat the system, discussing it in online forums, trying to jump one position higher or pandering to the latest Google dance. Imagine how much better the web would be right now if these millions of hours had been spent on making websites more effective, more user-friendly, more informative, more enjoyable and more fun! The next time you find yourself being drawn into the Google-gazing trap just take a step back and think about how you could use the time to actually improve your website for those pink squishy things that actually buy from you - people!
Michael Cheney is Author of The Website Marketing BibleTM. Take the Free 7-Part Course "Internet Marketing Made Easy" and get your free sampler of 'The Bible' here: http://www.websitemarketingbible.com/marketing/
What Size Body Section Ranks Highest?
This is another one of the controversial questions in many of the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) forums, yet it is very easy to answer for any particular search engine. While popular belief seems to be that pages should be very short (less than 10K) to rank well with the leading search engine, this article conclusively answers that question? with a completely different answer.
The Google Sitemap For Idiots
I don't mind admitting that every time some new fangled idea or piece of technology arrives online, I have a small fit and wonder how long it's going to take me to understand what it is, what it's for and whether I need to use it to stay 'up there'. It's even more frightening when the experts start explaining it and really only serve to confuse the matter when they use their 'techno-speak'.
9 Ways to Keep Google Happy
A recent Google patent application has the SEO community buzzing. At a bare minimum this document reveals the direction Google is taking its future search criteria. Changes in the way Google will be evaluating pages for search rankings are intended to address two major problems:
Commonly SEO terms and Jargon used by Search Engine Gurus
What does all this SEO jargon mean.
Local Customers Know Where to Find Local Businesses... the Internet
Through search engines and directories, the Internet provides a quick and easy place to choose a local merchant or business.
How to Google; or How to be Easily Distracted
I set out with the intention of writing a self improvement type article with an original temporary working title of 'How To Overcome Fear'.
Search Engine Essentials
What are Search Engines?
Were You Bamboozled by Google?
It's still happening. "Florida," "Boston," "Ginger," and "Brandy" are just a few of the many Google updates that have hit within the last few months. And Google is still issuing periodic updates as we speak. No one can say for sure whats going on or what to expect. One thing is for sure... unless you want to get bamboozled by Google (again!), youd be wise to take action to prevent it now.
One Way Link Building Secures Long Term Ranking Results
One-way link building is a great way to improve your link popularity and ranking in the search engines. One-way links are more difficult to obtain than traditional reciprocal links, but pay off in securing solid long-term search engine ranking results.
7 Free Search Engine Resources You Should be Using Now
Ask any business person who's website is at the top of the search engines if his/her site is making money, and the answer is almost always "yes".
World of Website Promotion
Website promotion is a big and ongoing process. Every person who has website should have little knowledge about various elements involved in website promotion even if he had hired a SEO. In this series of articles I had tried to give an overview of all the entities of search engine promotion.
Google PageRank Explained
1. What is PageRank? Here is what Google says:
How to Verify and Monitor Your Search Engine Listing on Google?
Being listed in search engines and ranked high on searches is the overall goal a webmaster is trying to achieve when dealing with search engines. Search engine optimization is probably one of the most commonly used words among webmasters. In the Internet market becoming much more critical to business success this is almost natural.
Tops In Toolbars?
Most internet marketers are aware of, and probably use, the Google Toolbar. After all, it has been the only indicator of Google's PageRank number that has been assigned to a given web page. Whether the number is accurate, important, or even updated any more is a matter of debate on the marketing forums. But the only feature that was really worthwhile for more casual surfers, other than being able to use the Google search box directly, was the popup window blocker feature, which oddly enough, is the least favorite feature of many an internet marketer.
Whats All This Hype About Links?
What's all the talk about links we hear about? Reciprocal links? Non-reciprocal links? Targeted links? Link Popularity? I need links. You should have links. What about the dead links? I don't have enough links! Ever since I joined the link farm, I dropped out of the search engines! Well, you musn't fret; we're going to shed the light on all theses different links. You'll learn the different types, how to get them, how to keep them and how to keep them current.
The Reality of Search Engine Submissions
Over the last few months, search engine submissions have changed dramatically. Now is the time to analyze the way we're submitting our Web pages and to rethink our submission strategies.
The Google Sandbox ? A Frustrating Inevitability or a Golden Opportunity?
Introduction
Optimizing Your Website
Search Engine Optimization, optimizing your website for it to be visible in the search results of a search engine's query or in a search result of a directory.
Pay Per Click Versus ?Organic? Search Engine Listings - The Pros and Cons and Best Uses for Each
What's the difference?
What Did We Learn from the Great Search Engine Experiment!
Last Week I did a Search engine Experiment. I wanted to see if I could brand myself as the coolest guy in the universe. I created a web page that said Mike Makler is the coolest Guy in the Universe. In that Web Page I repeated that Phrase over and over. In less then 24 Hours I was Number 1 in Yahoo for the Phrase coolest Guy in the Universe in Double Quotes. A Few hours later I was no where to be found in Yahoo.