Does Google PageRank Count Anymore?

Being a full-time SEM (Search Engine Marketer) I have been conditioned like Pavlov's dog (not a pretty picture) to jump every time Google twitches. Lately Google has been doing a lot of twitching.

Specifically, the rather startling news from Google Webmaster Trends Analyst Susan Moskwa that Google has ditched PageRank from Webmaster Tools.

"We've been telling people for a long time that they shouldn't focus on PageRank so much; many site owners seem to think it's the most important metric for them to track, which is simply not true," states Moskwa. "We removed it because we felt it was silly to tell people not to think about it, but then to show them the data, implying that they should look at it."

Find more here on WebProNews.

Now, for SEO reasons or for ranking in Google's index, PageRank has long been eunuchified by Google. However, even missinga few dangling bits, history has shown us eunuchs still wheel tremendous power. PageRank is no different.

Regardless of what Google wants to happen, PageRank is still extremely important to anyone marketing on the web, especially if you're selling SEO services or operating a web business. Try selling SEO services when that little green bar on your site is pointing to PR0 or worst yet, pointing to a solid gray bar.

Obtaining a high PR7 or PR8 simply means more business and revenues... regardless of how Google is or is not using PageRank. People know how to count and they learned long ago, a ten is a lot more than a big fat zero.

Placed against a PR1 site, a PR8 will win more respect in the eyes of potential clients and can produce enormous profits for the site  owner and we won't even mention the still widely practiced habit of selling links, which Google is desperately trying to stop. Total and full elimination of PageRank would be an honest start
but it will still be an uphill, if not an unwinnable battle, for Google to fully eliminate link selling.

Even with my modest sites, I have turned down a small fortune by not selling text links on any of my sites. When I had a PR6 site instead of a PR4 - those link requests were nearly doubled. So one can easily understand Google's position and the need to downplay PageRank, if they even want to put a small dent in all
this link selling and buying which is still rampant on today's web.

PageRank is Google's creation, and unless they remove it fully from their system and the Google toolbar, then PageRank still Counts. Actually, in the whole scheme of marketing your website on the net, PageRank counts big time. And in more ways than one.

There are several reasons why you shouldn't count PageRank out.

For years Google has been downplaying the importance of PageRank and states it's only one of about 200 ranking factors which determines how Google ranks its index for keywords. Obtaining top organic rankings for popular lucrative keywords in Google simply means money in the bank. Actually, even a movement of only one or two places on those first page SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) can make a major difference to any online marketer's bottom line.

Now while you can have a lower PR number and still rank above other higher PR pages for your chosen keywords, I have even had many times when my PR drops but my actual SERPs rankings in Google goes up, mainly due to building related relevant backlinks. So PageRank counts little towards your keyword rankings but it can't be totally dismissed.

Mainly because, even if PR is just one ranking factor, in close competitive keyword battles (I am presently fighting tooth and nail for some very choice keywords) just one ranking factor such as high PR can make the difference of whether or not you get to the top spot. Big dogs are still jumping and for those of us who know
how to count, getting a number one spot in Google makes all the difference in the world.

Not only because Google controls roughly 80% of all search engine traffic, but more importantly Google has established unmatched credibility and brand recognition in the eyes of potential customers visiting your site.  Web users trust Google. Web users look to Google for guidance and direction. Web users believe what
Google is telling them. In the online world, rightly or wrongly, perception is everything.

As an online marketer, I am completely amazed each day at the marketing power Google now commands with web surfers and with the general population. Google is king of online search and no other search engine even comes close to Google.

PageRank is Google's ranking system, and in the eyes of those who notice these things, it still wheels tremendous influence and power. By default, PageRank is Google's opinion of your site, and web users can count (at least to 10) and if Google believes people are still not counting when it comes to PageRank, then they are fully mistaken.

About the author: Titus Hoskins is a full-time professional online marketer who has numerous niche websites. 

Search Engine Marketing : Six Strategies To Follow

Search engine marketing involves keeping your content fresh, using keywords that put you at the top of the first page and obtaining as many links to your site from other websites as possible.

Pleasing the Search Engines

1. Search engines love updated content. Pay attention to which sites show on the first page and you will notice that among the sites in keyword competition, it is the sites with the most updated content that win out. Either write your own articles and upload your own graphics and photos or outsource the job to freelancers.

There are many freelancers who write for reasonable rates. With one good writer or writing team, you can improve your site's rankings dramatically. Make sure the writer you choose understands SEO.

2. Keyword strategies include going for those people who, instead of searching for 'weight loss' , search for 'how to lose 20 pounds fast' and other more specific terms. Do not stuff your pages with keywords. The recommended density of keywords is between 2 and 3 percent of the text on your page.

Excessive keyword phrases are not only recognizable to search engines as 'stuffing', they can ultimately affect the quality of the writing. This is where LSI comes in. LSI involves using phrases that are synonymous with your original keyword phrase. Learn about LSI!

3. The more relevant sites that link to your page, the better your rankings will be. For example, if you sell creative scrap booking products, try putting links about your self-designed scrap booking pages on sites that instruct people on how to scrap book. This is one way of 'piggy backing' on the keywords used by other sites.

Write your own articles or have a freelance writer write some for you. Submit them to article directories and allow other sites to use them providing they leave the resource box or by-line connected to the article. It is a 'scratch my back and I'll scratch yours' strategy and it works for both sides.

4. You can use your blog for more search engine marketing. If you update your blog daily and ping it with blog directories, you will see an increase in your blog's search engine rankings. Link to your site from your blog. This is another means of piggy backing.

5. Purchasing clicks on search engines is another strategy used in search engine marketing. This is how sites are placed in 'sponsored sites' at the very top of the page and along the right hand side on Google. Depending on the keywords you use for this strategy, you will have to pay a few pennies to several dollars in order to beat out your competition.

Yahoo allows you to set a daily maximum amount of money for clicks. If your site is brand new, try the lowest amount of money for a week or so to test how many clicks you get and how many sales you make from those clicks.

6. Monitor your site traffic on at least a weekly basis. Note how much of your traffic is coming from regular search engine marketing. After a couple of weeks of tracking, make small changes to optimize your site's search engine rankings. Continue looking for ways to improve on your site.

Gather all the information you can find on each of these strategies. Search engine marketing, as with all other forms of marketing, is constantly changing. Stay up to date on everything there is to know about search engine marketing and you will see your sales increase considerably!

About the Author: Karla Whitmore is a creative freelance writer dedicated to supplying fresh, original and SEO rich content and plr to online businesses, webmasters and affiliate marketers.

Product Review: Traffic Python

New Traffic Exchange   There has been an increase in the number of traffic exchanges on the Internet. Traffic Python is one new site that seems to be worth checking out. TP says it guarantees more CONVERTING of web visitors and online advertising with very little effort or cost. So let's see how it measures up...

First impression - the site looks professional and clean, with an attractive look and feel. It is easy to read and understand. Joining TP was easy and they do offer 2 upgrade options but they are not required to gain the benefits.

The Members Area is very well laid out and intuitive - it's easy to figure out what to do after only a few minutes. You can be up and running in less than 5 minutes. Inside the site, you create links and ads - you simply enter any URL links you use into the generator and it transforms them into "Traffic Python" links.

You create ads for anything you want to promote using the Traffic Python Ad Generator, which is a breeze. You can create as many links and as many ads as you like. And they are organized in a logical way - links are displayed in the order you create them but also your 5 most recent links appear on the main page for quick reference. Also, since the link generator is the tool you'll use most, it is also right at the top of the main page when you login. Smart thinking!

After you've created at least one link and one ad, you can start to generate traffic. Just use and promote the new Traffic Python link instead of the original source link you had. Every time the Traffic Python link is clicked, the page loads followed by a cool slide-up ad window at the bottom. It displays an ad PLUS an image with your affiliate link that goes back to Traffic Python. So, if anyone clicks the Traffic Python image they see the site, and if they sign up they become your referral. It's a great viral feature because you can build referrals without even trying by using the site.

Now every time the ad window displays (your Traffic Python links get clicked) you earn credits that get YOUR ad displayed in the ad windows when other members' links get clicked. So the more clicks, the more often your ads get displayed.

And this works virally - meaning as you make referrals into Traffic Python (either by promoting it or just using it and visitors click the Traffic Python image on the ad window to join) you also earn ad credits on THEIR link clicks. And this works up to 5 levels deep. So you can create a massive amount of free ad views and web traffic by referring others to Traffic Python also.

The rest of the site works exactly as stated - your links get clicked, you earn credits, and your ads get displayed. Traffic Python even tracked your results so you know how many clicks and how many ad displays. This is an impressive unadvertised extra feature.

There is one more benefit and feature which might be the best of them all - downline emailing. You can email your downline with offers, promotions, or whatever you like, and here is where Traffic Python really shines. They took time to make the emailing often enough that it's valuable as a user, but not so often that it's a burden to your downline. But the best part about this feature (and actually the credit earning, too) is that it tells you exactly how long until you can mail again. Now THAT's cool.

Overall, Traffic Python is impressive. It is simple, yet powerful, and delivers on its promises. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to increase traffic and advertising.

The LeadsLeap Strategies to Build Passive Income Online

Making quick money online is what many people dream of, but the hard truth is that the moolah don't just drop on your lap all of a sudden.

No doubt, many wannabes want to make quick money online. Why? Because they have read about some poor souls who have been down on their luck and, thanks to a sudden 'miracle', they discovered an online 'secret' that turned them into big-time earners within a short time.

Heard this oft-repeated storyline before? I'm sure you have if you surf the Internet and read up all these 'wonderful get-rich-quick tales'.

Now, let's get real. If you plan to venture into any online business, follow common sense and go into areas that allow you to build passive income. Spend time building systems that can help you to generate income online again and again.

It may not be much to shout about in the beginning, but with determination and hard work, you will see that your passive income will gradually and steadily increase.

Okay, easier said than done. It takes time, effort and specialized knowledge to be able to build a good passive income system.

This is not a one-night stand. If you are determined to keep learning, work hard at it and not be shy to seek help whenever necessary, you will reach your objective.

Here's a simple proposal for your online marketing effort...

How would you like to leverage on the LeadsLeap system to help you generate your passive income? LeadsLeap.com is primarily a lead generation system.

You generate leads using the strategies shown you in your members area. Yes, you can become an affiliate as well...and start building yourself a passive income at the same time while you build your leads.

It doesn't cost you anything to visit LeadsLeap.com for more details about their lead generation system. 

Who And What Is Vinefire?

Just imagine this...Vinefire.com is gonna add $100 to your account from each person who signs up. Creating an account with Vinefire is quick, easy and doesn't cost a penny. In fact, each person whom you refer to will start his or her own account with a $100 balance. Yup, that's what Vinefire is offering to new signups. Makes you think, isn't it?
 

But if you click on the link and do not join Vinefire then, sad to say, you will not get the $100 credit. Fair enough, it's the person's call...to sign up or not to sign up. 

Now, this is not gonna last forever. Vinefire's offer is guaranteed to work for the next 10 days. After that, the shutters are up. This is what we call a "quick job".

Dear visitors, this post is as good as the 10 days given to take up this challenge. Starting right now. For late arrivals here, it doesn't matter any more! 

Now, you may ask...who and what is Vinefire?

According to their site's statement, Vinefire is an experiment. A place where home business and self-employment opportunities compete for your attention, and you earn cash by viewing and voting on them. Best of all — it's FREE!

They have a Vinefire Forums where you can read up more about them.

Vinefire says they started the company with no investor money. They have every intention to let Vinefire be acquired eventually by a larger company and they expect to make millions of dollars out of this sale to pay out to members.

So right now, they don't have the cash in hand to pay out everyone...today!

They claim their hosting is done in a world-class facility and that costs them money to maintain their site. Meanwhile, members and newcomers are asked to support them and help the company grow so that the big payout will come when Company X buys them out.

Remember Agloco?  Not to mention WealthToolBox. Deja vu!  So, does Vinefire come under this 4-letter word starting with an S---?

Stop Affiliate Pirates With This Link Cloaker

So you have finally stepped into the world of making money online. You too, like the others, have decided to start with the affiliate programs. Also, you must have heard that it’s not a big deal to make good money with affiliate marketing, provided you choose the right programs and do some strategic planning while promoting your affiliate products. So far so good.

Whether you are promoting other people’s products or promoting your own products - that doesn’t matter because after all it is nothing but your own business and your means to earn good money. So whichever be your case, I am sure you would not want to leave money on the table and invite others to steal your share of profit.

Even though the industry of affiliate marketing is pretty competitive but if you are cautious and are strategic in your marketing techniques then, it could be very profitable for you.

Take a close look at the industry, you will see that not every one who gets into affiliate marketing is successful. People who are doing well leave no room for failure and take all security measures and understand its importance.

Yes! Security is one of the key factors in affiliate marketing. If you do not adopt proper security measures, then your business will be at high risk. One of the most important way to restore security is to protect your affiliate links. Do not take them for granted. A bit of carelessness on your part in regards to affiliate links may cost you a lot of dollars.

Do you know the long complicated links that you send to your prospective customers not only look convoluted but they can create a lot of problems too! If you send such an affiliate link to your customers, then the smart ones will definitely figure out that you are promoting someone else’s product and they would rather visit the parent company. Also, if your link does not function then your customers have to type a really long URL into the browser, which will definitely put him or her off.

You could be a victim of even a worse situation. What if some devious Internet pirates steal your affiliate links and replace them with theirs. If they do that, then you get no commission at all.

Did I scare you off with all of the above possibilities? Well, that certainly wasn’t my intention. I just wanted to open your eyes and state facts that actually happen in the world of Internet. So, if you are not getting the desired results out of your affiliate marketing, don’t lose hope. There’s definitely a remedy to this problem and that is ViralURL.com

Do I hear you asking, what is it and how can it help in averting any adverse situation for an affiliate marketer like me?

ViralURL is a link cloaker that protects you in the truest sense. There may be many unethical people lurking around, who might play with your affiliate links by cutting them off or replacing them with their own etc. How much effort you put in towards building your business and advertising your business, if your links are tampered with, then all your hard work will be rendered useless.

In order to avoid such a rip off, ViralURL gives you full protection and sees to it that your affiliate links never get exposed to others.

So save yourself from getting ripped. Get all the commissions to your account that you rightfully deserve. All this is made possible by ViralURL.com

It is a blessing for every affiliate marketer like you and me, who wants to achieve success in their endeavor.

Is ViralURL limited to only link protection?

NO!

It does much much more than that. Let’s see what ViralURL can do for us:

* ViralURL helps us in protecting commission.
* ViralURL helps in building mailing lists.
* ViralURL helps in tracking statistics.
* ViralURL helps in earning extra ad credits.

In short, ViralURL allows us to create massive business leverage. I don’t see any negative aspect associated with ViralURL. All you have to do is join it for free, then cloak your links, promote them and see your business soar.

You can get all detailed information about the program from the site www.ViralURL.com . There, you can find several unsolicited testimonials from various users of ViralURL. So if you want to protect your business and see your earnings grow, try ViralURL. You have nothing to lose with it.

P/S: For a general overview of the ViralURL system video, click here.

Five Types of Articles You Can Write

If you always write the same type of article then you are probably limiting your chances of getting published. Look at your favorite publications and you will see they print a variety of types of article. Here are five of the most popular types.

The ‘How To’ Article

This is a very popular type of article, in which you tell the reader how to do something. It could be how to build a garage, how to write a book, how to sell a house, or how to clean tar off a pair of trousers. These articles tend to be particularly popular because people love to find out how to do something.

When writing how to do something, and if the sequence is important, then it is a good idea to number each step. Remember to keep your instructions simple, yet specific. And you could even use a picture or illustration if the publication allows it.

The ‘List’ Article

The list article is an article that lists several related pieces of information, and is one of the easiest types of article to write. It could be “10 Ways to Save Money”, “5 Flowers to Plant In April”, or “The Best 12 Places to Live in Canada”. A list article should have:

• An introduction.
• The list; each item may be a paragraph or two.
• A conclusion.

The ‘Roundup’ Article

In the roundup article, you provide a roundup of information, statements, or opinions from a variety of sources. You might interview a number of experts, for example, and ask them the same list of questions. In your article you then write a roundup of the answers, e.g.

“Bill Jones, CEO of SHJ Limited, is confident that the market will turn around soon. “Within the next six weeks at most”, he predicted. But Tom Sloane, at Pickwick Associates, disagrees. He explains why…”

The 'Inspirational' Article

Inspiration articles include inspirational narrative, essays, articles on faith and religion, and self-help articles.

Do you know of an issue or concern that affects many people? Think of your own every day experiences. Write about the issue… and help the readers to deal with life and to improve themselves in some way.

The ‘As Told To’ Article

Because many of the people who have outstanding experiences are not writers, there is a market for writing those people’s stories. This is quite similar to ghostwriting, except that in this case the audience knows that you are the writer. In the credits, you would show “By Peter Wallace [subject], as told to Jim Davies…” [writer].

Instead of writing a third-person narrative of the event, the ‘As Told To’ article makes the tale more real and personal by using the first-person.

So next time you are about to write an article, pause… and ask which type of article would best suit your situation and topic. By varying the types of articles you write your writing will also develop a new depth and your articles will be picked up by a much wider variety of publications.

About the Author: David Goldsmith is a freelance writer and author of the popular e-book "25 Ways to Write for Money".

Making Money with Adwords: Don't Shoot In The Dark

PPC Web Spy Here's a powerful affiliate marketing software tool that enables you to view 100 of your Adwords competition's keywords, rather than only 10. You'll also be able to view 10 times the amount of critical Adwords data of competitors (i.e. their daily Adwords spending; their average clicks per day, and much more!)

Here's looking at the Platinum version of PPC Web Spy.

While 10 keywords is an awesome starting point, many times Adwords advertisers will bid on many more than 10 keywords. With the standard version, you'll never know what those keywords are.

But when you upgrade to platinum, you'll be able to see 100 of the BEST keywords that your competition is bidding on via Google Adwords! Once you know which 100 keywords your competition is bidding on, you'll be able to take those keywords and use them to advertise your own website.

You won't be shooting in the dark, guessing which keywords you should start off with. You'll start your Adwords campaign with 100 of the BEST keywords that your competition has already proven to make them money!

Obviously, the more keywords your know your competition is bidding on, the better chance that you have of making money with the Google Adwords system. In this case, more is definitely better.

BTW, the platinum version is only for those of us that are serious about our online businesses and want to make good money with Google Adwords.

Just in case I forget, you can get access to brand your own copy of PPC Web Spy! You see, once you upgrade, you'll be able to have YOUR unique affiliate links placed at the top of the Google search results of anyone that downloads your branded copy of PPC Web Spy.

Imagine this... Someone that downloads your branded copy of PPC Web Spy is shopping on the Internet for "golf balls". He performs a Google search for the latest golf ball...and wham! your affiliate link for a specific golf ball appears at the top of Google!

With PPC Web Spy, I guess it's all about getting you a program that will help you have a successful Adwords campaign.

Other services don't allow you to browse Google in real-time and uncover the keywords... nor do those services come with the ridiculously powerful viral component that allows you to brand your copy of the software and have your affiliate links appearing at the top of their Google results.

In a nutshell, this is a powerful tool that will greatly improve your online money making strategies.

Affiliate Funnel Is A Different Way Of Thinking

Downline building has been around since the beginning of the internet. The offer is very exciting, let people know about your product or service, refer a few folks and presto, you are on your way to massive success. What's the problem with this scenario though?

Simple, downline building isn't as effective as it once was years ago. Sure there are people making lots of money online using their downlines and affiliate marketing strategies but during the past few years a change has been taking place.

It's called the marketing funnel and if you think of the pyramid look of a 'downline', flip it!

Here's how it works. Get as many people as you can into the top of your funnel and funnel them down into paying customers. Start with a free front end product or service and then let your marketing turn those free leads into paying customers and clients.

Affiliate Funnel is a service that does this plus so much more. It is an all in one business hub that shows you how to properly promote online using the best free resources around and channel these leads into a thriving downline. This is the power of a well put together marketing funnel, taking leads and turning them into clients.

Affiliate Funnel is owned by two guys who have build massive six figure businesses using free resources and their own marketing funnel. Paul Kinder and Jon Olson have put their experience in a bottle and packaged it for anyone to check out for free at Affiliate Funnel

Be sure to check out the Funnel today and start to promote your business the right way using the absolute best tools on the net. The results are there, it's time to grab them...

Check out this splash page

Writing For Free - When & When Not to Do It!

By Yuwanda Black

What's your goal? Right off the bat, I want to say that there is no right or wrong answer to this topic. A lot depends on your end goal - to get a job, garner publicity, build a portfolio, etc. However, there comes a time when every writer should say no to writing for free. Below are some issues that I've been pondering about freelance writing.

Issues to Consider When It Comes to Writing for Free

Issue 1: Content for websites. Content is king on the Internet and everyone wants something fresh and unique on a regular basis. If you are promoting a product/service and write articles to generate publicity, then by all means, give the content away.

However, if what you are selling is your writing skill and are not promoting anything, then don't give it away. You'd be better off doing a direct mail campaign and spending your time creating pieces for your portfolio - even if they are only make-believe companies.

One could argue that the reason good writing is taken for granted is so many give it away. I give a lot of content away, but only within the framework of WIIFM (what's in it for me).

Issue 2: Writing on spec: For those of you who don't know what this is, it simply means writing with the possibility of being paid. Google the phrase "writing on spec" to learn more. The bottom line, once your portfolio is complete with good samples, stop this practice.

The exception would be if it's a credit from a noted source that you really want. After all, who's going to turn down Fortune magazine, for example? Usually though, reputable publications don't ask you to write on spec. At any rate, I believe there's a big enough need for good writers that you don't have to sell your soul for one credit, even if it is a "biggie."

How many samples should you have? I advise between five and ten. Try to get them from different sources - eg, two newspaper, three websites, two brochure, one sales letter, etc. This will give your portfolio a range. Nonprofits, friends with small businesses, neighborhood shops - all are possible non-paid sources to build your writing credits.

A tip: Choose a small business and do the brochure, sales letter, etc. first. Then, send it to your target and ask if they would mind if you included it in your portfolio. I don't know any small business that would refuse a well-written promotional piece that doesn't cost them a dime. Bang, a legitimate credit!

Issue 3: Original Content & Rights: I don't believe in giving away original content - again, unless you are promoting a product/service or are just starting out. I am constantly amazed at the number of publications that want original content but don't want to pay for it.

An example. I used to write a small business column. An editor saw it and approached me to be a regular contributor to their publication, which is quite noted in business circles. The kicker? They didn't want my column but wanted me to contribute original content with no pay. I had to turn them down. I offered the column at no charge (since I already wrote it), but explained that original content outside of this without payment was not possible.

If you write, then you know it's not easy coming up with original content on a regular basis. Some subjects are so covered that nine times out of ten, new ground is never being broken. We are usually just putting a new spin on it. This costs brain cells! And, trust me, not everybody can do it.

So, the next time you put finger to keyboard, think about your objective. If we all stopped giving away our pearls of wisdom, then the pay level across the board would be raised.

About the Author: Yuwanda Black is a freelance SEO writer and the author of How to Make $250+/Day Writing Simple, 500-Word Articles. Ms. Black says, "You can work from home as a freelance writer in your PJs, getting assignments via the internet. I do it every day." Learn more about how to start a successful freelance writing career.