New Year's Resolutions - What Not To Do In 2007

On this the beginning of a new year I wanted to also add what not to do in the coming year.

1. Audio that starts when someone lands on your website
2. Too many animated graphic objects on one page
3. Visible visitor counter
4. Mirrored sites
5. Keyword stuffing
6. Duplicate Content
7. Auto-generated websites
8. Copyright infringement/Plagiarism, scrapper sites
9. Gateway pages
10. Using free hosting when their name appears at the first part in the url

All the above "may" - I repeat "may" some how produce results but, check back in 3 months and you'll no doubt find that your time/money/reputation was wasted.

Online Business New Year's Resolutions?

There are many articles out there the will tell you what "New Year's Resolutions" are needed to plan for a new business year as an entrepreneur. From a business plan, budgeting, marketing strategies, product development, to everything in-between and beyond.

One very important point that should be considered in all your business plans for the new year - for any year is "do what you love and the money will follow". This may sound tripe but it is the truth. If you do what you love your work is a labor of love and it will flourish and grow.

Read some tips for helping you grow your online business in 2007 here: http://www.jbcr-virtualsolutions.com/tips-and-articles.html

Happy New Year!

Jan

Searches And A PDF

I read an article today that said that a PDF listed in a search, that is click on, breaks the flow in a search. It sure made me realize what my own pattern is for searching, whether it is in Google, Yahoo, etc.

When I do a search on a topic and I see a PDF in one of the results I have to admit I avoid it. Why? As this article stated it breaks the flow of the search. I think it may not if web masters would make the PDF target blank (open in a new window), but the majority of the time it does not. So I open the PDF, see that is not what I am looking for, or don't want to take the time to read it, and click off - poof my search is gone :(

A PDF is great for saving documents in a standard format, printing a manual, ebook, but it is just not useful for searches.

If it is not useful for searches, and your PDF is coming up in a search listing and searchers are clicking off you know they are not reaching your site. How do you resolve that problem? My suggestion is to have the content on a web page and if needed link to a PDF. I welcome your thoughts?

Read more articles here: http://www.jbcr-virtualsolutions.com/tips-and-articles.html

Time To Reflect and Plan for 2007

Late December, early January is the time entrepreneurs sit down and reflect on how their business did in 2006 and plan what they want to change, add and accomplish in the upcoming year.

Here is just a sample of things you may want to review in your business.

1. Is your web site stale/outdated. Is it time to make some changes?
2. Is your web site content older than your Christmas cake? Is it time to make some changes?
3. Is your last bog post so old you don't remember your login and password? Definitely it is time to make some changes.

I know we are all so busy but it is critical that we take a hard look at our business and plan for the coming year.

Stay tuned for more!

Happy Holidays!

I just want to wish each and every one you a very happy holiday season. I hope you will be spending this time with family and friends, enjoying the love, warmth and joy of the season.

If you happen to be alone, try not to let it get you down. There are many people that spend this time of year alone. As difficult as it can be, and I do know it can be, you need to Celebrate You! That's right, go for a long walk, buy a special treat, read a good book, watch a favorite movie, but most of all know you are special and you should be celebrated - because you are you!

((HUGS))

Jan

Let Search Engines Know When You Post To A Blog

One way of doing this is using the service of Ping-O-Matic.

Ping-O-Matic is a service to update different search engines that your blog has updated.

They regularly check downstream services to make sure that the blog is legit and still works.

Check it out here: http://pingomatic.com/

I believe I saw a code out there that will do this automatically and if I can find it will post it here for you.

Happy Holidays!

Jan

Thinking Of Selling Online?

I am sure that you have seen many different web site/ web page variations of selling online. A lot of them are long sales pages. Most of these offer more bonuses than what the product is worth. Here are a couple of tips to help you.

1. Offer a simple sales process. If you make it hard for people to purchase your product you have lost the sale.
2. Offer a simple delivery process. Give people the option of at least two delivery options, one taking only a few days (international delivery not included).

Read more on sales pages here: http://www.jbcr-virtualsolutions.com/tips-and-articles.html#Internet

Reaching Out To Visitors

Writing content for your website can be a challenge. Some write in the first person, others in the second person, some write what they offer, others write what they can do better... The bottom line in writing content for your website is speaking to your visitor.

Visitors to your site find you because they have done a search to find you and your content is related to their need. That is very important to remember - THEIR NEED. Focus on your visitor, their needs, thoughts and emotions. Once they see that you understand and you are addressing what they are looking for THEN you can write about you, your company, your product, etc., and build your credibility.

Stay tuned for more!

Happy Holidays!

Jan

Get Listed In Search Engines

"Get Listed In Search Engines Guaranteed" is a message that most people will receive in various types of emails. The one I read recently really made me laugh because in fact is it is not only true, but it will happen, if you just do some smart SEO without having to spend a dime on marketing or SEO.

What I received said:

"If it is vital to you that customers easily find your site, this is the plan for you. It is a 26 week process that guarantees you'll be listed with the search engines."

If you are not listed in search engines in that length of time then you really have to have a serious look at your website, content, etc.

I do have to admit that this one is very realistic compared to the one I wrote about. Have a look here: http://www.jbcr-virtualsolutions.com/tips-and-articles.html#10

Any Easy Way To Submit Articles?

Remember the line - "If Is Sounds Too Good To Be True It Probably Is"? 'Tis True - Don't Forget It!

Many article software submission products, even the ones that say they don't require automated clicks, require that you click 'next', 'next', etc., and, at the very least, confirm the account with the article directory via email confirmation. This is far from automated don't you think?

Article directory sites, where you need to confirm via email confirmation, you have to go through at least the sign-up process. The best article directory sites require sing-up and email confirmation, that's just the way it works. It is a one-time process so article submission software may work after the sign-up and email confirmation - not sure, I haven't tried it YET. I will report back.

Do be Careful - article submission software that automates everything to article directory sites that don't require an email confirmation, you are pretty much assured of being lost in a sea of spam on directories that people you want to reach do not want to visit and never will.

Remember, no script is truly automated - at least at this point from what I can determine.

Page Rank Fluctuating?

The question out there is this a Christmas Page Rank Update?

How many of you have seen the number go up and down, even in the same hour? In Fact the update has been going on for some time now and isn't quite done moving to all the datacenters yet.
You can check your pages across the major datacenters below:

http://www.iwebtool.com/pagerank_checker

Happy Holidays!!

Jan

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