Google Basics for Business

Google dominates the search engine world, despite the fact that the conversion-to-buyer rate at MSN is much higher. This forces most ecommerce businesses to try and dance Google’s waltz, without fully comprehending the ins and outs of how Google works.

Navigating Google is difficult. Most SEO optimizing specialists and SEO Internet marketers do not understand what they are doing. In fact, most of them are so far behind the times that their information is useless. Summer 2007 saw the latest change in Google’s algorithm leaving many ecommerce businesses with sharp decreases in traffic.

What is a Google Algorithm

The Google Algorithms are basically the math formulas used to determine which web pages rank high in the searches, and which ones rank low, or are banned. Google changes the rules every 18 - 24 months to help them sweep away websites that are not optimized and MFA (Made For AdSense) static sites.

Google also makes changes to meet the needs of the webmasters. When Google brought in their inbound link ranking system, it gave many webmasters an opportunity to build link farms, gaining an unfair advantage. In response Google now looks for content around a link. If there is no content, then the link has no value.

When Google started to focus on content, webmasters and programmers created Content Management Systems. Unfortunately, until recently, Google could not read database pages. Now, the programmers have created a static page method of page creation, and search engines learned how to read content off databases.

Search Engine Optimization

Many webmasters do not understand what this means. And, many SEO optimizers do not understand what this means. To many, it still means coding a page so that the keywords are highlighted, and under .05% of the content (including link bars). They believe it is a method of web design.

Ecommerce businesses are still scrambling to pay SEO optimizers big bucks to make their pages rank high, when meta tags and SEO tricks have very little importance. Now, the search engines are looking for good content, with heading titles, and a site full of similar content, with articles linked together using the same ‘keyword anchors.’

Google’s new algorithms have made it possible for many small ecommerce businesses to build their page rank, and search engine rank, without ever paying a dime to a SEO specialist.

The Google Sandbox and Supplemental Index

Both of these cause chills to run up most webmasters spines, but only because they are not understood, Google does not have a Sandbox. Yes, it may take a few months to get your website listed and showing up, inbound links may not appear for a long time, and a website may not show up when searched - but that is not a sandbox. It is just a backlog. One way to overcome it is to take part in Google’s PayPerClick program. Even if you only invest $20 a month, being a part of that program immediately links your site, so you do not need to wait.

The supplemental index is as easy to get out of. First, take a look at the meta information - is it too generic? If so, then do not use keywords but use keyword phrases. The keyword ‘ecommerce’, is too generic, so is ‘ecommerce business.’ However, ‘learn how to start an ecommerce business’ will help that page target.

Next, make sure the page is linked to a high ranking page. This can be done by putting links inside the page - or by adding it to the website’s navigation system. Within a short time, that page will no longer be in the supplemental index.

Ethical Blogging Rules

I must admit that Trick Falls made me start to think. One of the problems I face is that much of what I do, and how I do it, has become habit. When I am writing for new writers and work at home professionals, I often forget the 'little things.'

Trick falls asked about disclosure in a blog, and making readers feel like they have been 'advertised to' when they are reading. This forced me to take a good hard look at my blogs. I knew that I had disclosure. But, I never really thought about how I do it.

First, there are organizations that help bloggers with disclosure and ethical problems. There are several companies like womma that help bloggers learn how to use full disclosure and ethical blogging.



There are also disclosure badges from PPP and other places that let people know a post has been sponsored. I also use a comment such as:

This post is my thoughts and my message for the day. I thank XXX company for sponsoring it and allowing me to continue bringing this information to you free



Pay Per Post is one of the most ethical, and profitable, paid posting sites.

If you would like to make some money by writing a review for my blog, and let the world know about the information I give away free, then please click the red bar above. PPP will pay you to review my site.

Why You Should Continually Revisit Your Old Blog Posts

A lot of people wonder where I learned all the advanced SEO tips and tricks that I know. simply - I took an accredited course and learned from pros. Of course, most freelance writers do not have the money to invest in 1 - 3 SEO courses a year.

I hear many people complain. Those who have smaller versions of inspiredauthor.com always complain that they do not have time to learn. Of course, if they made the time, their sites wouldn't be smaller.

On the other hand, if I researched web programmers and didn't get 'sold' I wouldn't be rebuilding inspiredauthor again.

Life and learn

However, no matter how much you learn, there is always more to learn. I was surprised to learn today how easy it is for someone to steal our blog content. I learn a lot from this blogger. I wouldn't say he is ahead of everyone else, but at least his information isn't 2 years old like so many of the other 'guru' sites.

There are ways to protect your content. People steal your blog by republishing the feed using a javascript. So, they cannot change the titles or the content.

I know one blogger who has a certain tag at the end of all their blogs. I won't tell you what it is, but it is something like 'hey-ya mate' with a typo in it. He just types this into his browser and sees what web URLs come up.

I am not sure if there is anything you can legally do if someone steals your content. But, at least you can write a few blog about their 'crappy', theiving website, - which, of course will be picked up by your feed burn and will appear on their site.