What Do You Do to Relieve Stress?

I've tried all sorts of fun ways to take a break while working online, from playing games like tetris to online casino. There are advantages to all of them. The poker sites - no cash ones - let you connect with real people, take a 10 minute break, and then go back to work.

The important thing is to research the game sites. Find one that rates the different sites and gives warnings. It isn't very important, unless of course you want to use real money, or you want to go into tournaments. The important thing - as in all internet businesses - is to find a good review site first, and then compare the sites.

There are dozens of ways to relax. I've tried most. I've played RPG games, and signed up for game sites. I've kept fun blogs, and I've kept daily journals. It doesn't matter what you do, the important thing is that it is fun, and it helps you relax.

Google Basics

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.

Are You an Opportunist?

The definition of an opportunist is a person who takes actions, makes decisions, and incites changes without regard to principles or consequences. In the business world an opportunist is someone who builds wealth by taking money, often unscrupulously, form another. Another business definition is one person who skips from one business opportunity to another, like an MLM junkie, staying with each long enough to cause problems in the community and then leave.

There is a third trend in the business world. This involves someone who exploits trends, conditions and the marketplace to cut a niche that may not have been there before. On the bad side is the ticket scalper. On the good side are the multitude of companies taking advantage of global warming and consumer’s environmental enlightenment by bringing them products and educating the public.

Out of the deluge of opportunist will arise two types of business people, the entrepreneur and the solo-preneur. Each of these classes have worked hard to make success a habit. These people make an art out of finding good opportunities. But, where do you find an opportunity?

If you are an opportunist, then you want to pave the way, not follow the crowd. By the time the scam artists have posted the ‘get rich quick’ sites, you have totally developed the market and may be on the cutting edge of new breakthroughs.

But, where do you find opportunities. The first place to find them is among the general population. In the brick and mortar world, an opportunity is found by offering people something that helps them take life easier, solves a problem, or increases their wealth.

In the Internet world, an opportunity is something that makes the world a little smaller. If you can find a way to bring products and people, or people and people, together then you found a powerhouse.

One of the most difficult aspects of the ecommerce world is to convince people to buy. While internet shopping is growing by billions a year, most people do not go online to shop. They go online to socialize. That is where most opportunities are found - in the social circles.

A good listener will find opportunities. They will follow the forums and blog communities, listening to people’s rants and social concerns. An opportunity is hidden behind every rant. Every web site that solves a problem also creates one. The new problem is an opportunity.

Opportunities are also found in the areas where current businesses do not want to venture. Remember that the web lets people experience things from the comfort of their own home that they would not normally attempt in the real world.

When online gambling became big, many opportunity seekers asked themselves, ‘what is the problem with this industry.’ They found their opportunities in the problems, namely gambling and social weakness. Now you can find fun and safe ‘no cash’ gambling sites, you can find free gaming sites that offer a sterile version of gambling, and you can find support groups online. None of these industries existed before online gambling created a problem.

Online education is another area where may savvy businesses jumped in and made life easier. Now there are hundreds of tools that make it easier to teach an online course, platforms where people can manage their courses, and student services. Each of these did not exsist five years ago.

There are new markets and products waiting for an opportunist to turn them from a problem, or an idea, into a sound business product.

Why Small Business Owners Need a Networking Group

The number one benefit of a networking website, or group, is that it gathers resources that group of business owners knows will work, and brings together people who can make the programs work.

Surfing for Business Opportunities

Most work at home business owners start by surfing the net, looking for business opportunities. They usually become victim of a few scams, or a program that will not work for them, before finding a networking group.

For example, many new work at home business owners are quickly attracted by the affiliate programs on the web. They expect to build a passive stream of income. While the possibility is there, the probability of a new small business owner making a substantial amount of money is very low. Content Management Systems do well in the affiliate field. They have thousands of pages, with hundreds of thousands of hits. Their sole purpose is to attract people who are looking for the products they promote.

Most new business owners fall into two or three scams before they find a network where the webmaster has worked to bring together resources and tools to help their members succeed. Once a small business owner finds a good network and resource website, they have a place that will help them succeed.

Save Money

Small business owners who belong to a networking group will save money in the long-term. They avoid wasting money on programs that do not work – like Pay Per Click, and focus on programs that do work, like niche marketing.

Each new member benefits from the collective intelligence of the group, and by the intelligence of the web site owner. We mentioned above that affiliate marketing does not work, but a web site that is designed to help business owners succeed can only succeed if the information and products are good.

Trust

This can reassure new business owners. Any website that has built up a vast list of inbound links, is willing to give away free information, and prepares a plan for success, can be trusted based on the time needed to build up a vast resource, and the cost of building a complete ‘small business start-up’ kit.

This cannot be started over night, it takes time. Most ‘get rich quick’ schemes are here one day, and gone within three or four months. They never have time to build up a list of inbound links. Other websites do not link to them. In the end, the only websites that succeed are the ones who benefit small business owners and have them link to the site, refer other potential business owners, write reviews, and come back to buy more of the proven products.

Learning

The small business world is constantly evolving. The Internet world evolves faster than the brick and mortar world. What works today, may not work tomorrow.

It can take new business owners months to learn the current trends and find ways to increase their profits. However, belonging to a small business organization will save them time by brining all the learning resources needed into one place. A network can also save time by weeding out the weak performing products and techniques, warning against the scams, and explaining how to use the new resources properly.

Page Rank & Promotion

The internet works on page rank. The higher the Google Page Rank, the higher the web site will rank in Google searches. A small business owner that networks with other similar businesses can exchange links. Each member in the network is in business, so when they link, they are joining business-to-business websites. A few dozen B2B web links will increase page rank higher than a thousand Business-to-communities, or business-to-online store, or Business-to-private website links.

So, next time you think that those web sites with all the products are just ‘out for your money’ and have very little to offer – think again. They can save time, money, and help you find places and methods to promote your business, reducing the time between start up and wealth building.

How to Write Paid Reviews

You'll have noticed a couple of paid reviews in the last few posts. I chose obvious ones, because I wanted you to see that you can stay on topic, while writing reviews. The important thing is to 'not trick' your blog's readers.

Do not write 100 words about your love of chocolate, and then hit the readers with an ad for an online chocolate store. This is rude, and can turn people off. Instead, write about your topic, and include the link. Even if you mention only briefly the keywords.

The important thing is the link, and the keywords. Not the message. So, write the keywords and links for the advertisers, and the message for the readers.

Writing Reviews For Your Blog

Writing a review can be tricky. For example, to have a high page rank, a blog needs to stay on topic. However, writing reviews for online poker sites and travel can easily take the blog post off topic. Eventually, this will lower the page rank.

The important thing to learn is that a review does not need to stand alone. It also does not need to go off topic. Even a poker site with a zero PR can have benefits for almost any blog topic.

One of the best ways to write a review is from the perspective of the blog. For example,take online poker. A poker review site that compares other web sites, and is working hard to build page rank by offering visitors 'free' information and links to popular gaming sites is a great tool for people.

Which 'Get Paid to Blog' Company To Start With?

There are several factors to consider when selecting blogging ad companies.

1. Do they let you turn down posts - like www.loudlaunch.com?
2. Do they accept lower PR blogs like - www.smorty.com?
3. Do they have someone who will answer your questions within 24 hours like www.payu2blog.com?
4. Do they pay better for high PR - like www.loudlaunch.com

Each blog site has their own flavor. The important thing to remember is to keep on top. For example. At smorty, you mustmake sure your blog is cached. I wrote a post about that a couple days ago.

Your http://myblog.com may be cached, but http://www.myblog.com is not cached. So, submitting the right URL is vital to acceptance. Smorty is one site where you can be rejected, accidentally, just because you submitted the wrong URL.