Search Engine Optimisation IS hard work. Well, it is if you want to rank for a decent keyword or phrase. I’m not saying that using comment links or profile links is wrong. I’m simply trying to say that you shouldn’t expect them to launch you onto page for phrases like ‘credit cards’. Especially not when you use some of the crappy software that’s out there.

Real SEO is hard work but there are still plenty of ‘secrets’ that the top link builders don’t tell you. Simple things like building a network of sites that can call on for backlinks is a prime example. How about linking to your links? In fact, if you want a nice intro to this second point, check out this post link boosting by Tim Grice.

The point of this post? Stop getting scammed! There are plenty of internet marketers out there prepared to sell you the most expenxive software they can find in order to “help you build links to your site and rank high in the SERP’s”. A more likely explanation is that they want to line their pockets with your cash. Let’s put it this way; if you found a way to syphon millons from ClickBank would you really tell anyone?

Quality Links Build High Ranking Sites

Put simply, you’re either going to have to work hard to find those quality links or you’re going to hvae to pay. The top flight SEO companies don’t come cheap. The lowest package I’ve found so far costs me about £245 per month. Mainly sidebar links, these come from sites with a homepage PR of between 1 and 6 (I don’t get excited about PR anymore – that statement is probably the best way to illustrate how powerful some of the links are).

Don’t want to pay? Get off your arse and start guest blogging. There are thousands of sites out there looking for additional (good quality) content. Once your shiney new article goes live – get some links to it.

A while back, Matt Cutts said, “A link is a link”. At that point, the traffic lights suddenly switched from amber to green. Comment links might be low value but they’re still a link that G’s spiders will pick up on. Hence our external dilema; do we make our sites entirely nofollow or maintain some semblance of humanity and reward legit commentators with a little dofollow link juice? I, for one, vote for the second option which is why digital-coffee won’t be going nofollow. Sadly, I can almost hear the spammers drooling over their lard packed burger.

For me, it’s not a problem – I have a big fat button that sends the crap to SPAM purgatory. It’s not a problem for Mr comment scraper as he moves on to the next dofollow site. The problem will hit the legit website owner who fell for the, ‘I’ll get you onto page 1 in 7 days’ crap that’s pedalled all over the web. Here’s a tip for you real site owners – forget paying some clown a couple of hundred quid per month and do some link building yourself. There are plenty of sites using plugins like ComLuv and KeywordLuv and, if you’re good, they’ll let you have anchored links back to your site. As an added bonus, you won’t get picked up by Askimet (which will, effectively, end your chance of ever getting a comment link again).

That’s all for now. I’ll be back soon.

P.S This Comet has no relevance to this post

Doing a realtively simple for search for a phrase such as ‘shopping +guest post’ throws up an awful lot of results. The problem with many of these results is that they are, typically, blogs and and sites that rank for phrases like ‘guest post’. Sure, you can drill down through multiple pages to find some absolute gold dust but for the overworked webmaster this can be very time consuming (and time is a commodity we don’t always have an excess of).

So, what’s the answer to finding those juicey guest posting opportunities? Other search engines. Here’s an example for you: last night I spent about 5 minutes researching a particular phrase coupled with guest blogging. Result – a PR7 domain, on the second page of Bing. Interestingly, this website doesn’t appear in any of the top 4 pages of Google. Result!

I know talking about Page Rank is pretty boring now and most serious SEO’s are advocating new approaches so let’s put it another way; this website has over a million links pointing at it. Is that good enough for you?

As most of you know, there are a huge number of search engines out there, all offering different, yet very powerful opportunities to get backlinks. Stop relying solely on Goolge and start sniffing out more link opportunities.

Normal services will be resumed shortly. Until then; sit back and listen to some ‘mood music’…

Call yourself a fanboy, call yourself agnostic but you can’t deny that Apple has done an amazing job of integrating software and hardware. Sure, they’re not the cheapest but products like the Mac Book, iPod and iPad are pretty impressive pieces of hardware. I won’t delve into the iPhone as there are many out there who still have grumbles about their, ‘user experience’!

So what’s next for Apple? Well, I think there’s a world domination plan forming in Steve’s head but there’s one thing blocking the path – Google. The current no.1 search engine might be in exactly the same markets as Apple but the target is common to both companies: end user data. Google needs it serve the best results, Apple needs it to improve their products.

Now, Apple may own the platform but Google, through it’s setting as the default search engine in most browsers (including Safari) owned the data. And through this data they own you. Google knows what you search for. The length of time you spend on a site helps to define your preferences and what you buy helps them target you with highly advertising which, when clicked, earns Brin and Page a few pennies more.

So, how likely is it that Google would share this rich vein of gold with Apple? That’s not even worth answering. So what can Apple do?

They could easily gather ALL data that you enter on you Mac/iPad/etc and start collating it all in order to deliver highly focussed ads. The problem is that with so many devices out there Apple would need a colossal infrastructure to support this capability.

Alternatively, Apple could build a search engine then set it as the default option in all Safari browsers. Many tech pundits have said this is unlikely to happen and I tend to agree, unless…

Once the hardware becomes ubiquitous what do you have left to sell? An upgrade? A new design? Both will probably bring repeat custom but they’re unlikely to generate the revenues that are needed to keep the company at the number one spot. This makes an Apple search engine more likely. Once you own the platform and all the data stored on it, well, that’s the day Apple takes over the world!

Sadly, some people seem to think the homeless are on the streets because they want to be. Or that they’re all alcoholics looking to get enough money together for their next drink. Without wanting to sound unkind, some individuals may well be but, in the main, most of these people don’t want to in the place they’re in. I’ve seen what an alcoholic goes through – it isn’t pretty, for either side.

So we’re all planning a happy Christmas but spare a thought for those on the streets. You know the people that sell the Big Issue? They don’t do it for fun. All the money they earn helps them to find a place in a hostel for the night. After that it’s back onto the streets selling more copies to the magazine in order to get another room for the night. But some don’t always make it.

The streets of Britain can be cold, horribly cold. Now, I have to admit that I’ve never been homeless but I do know what it’s like trying to scrape through the winter nights with only a few layers of clothes and a cheap sleeping bag to keep me warm. The gnawing cold seeps slowly through your body constantly waking you up throughout the night. That beautiful layer of that jackets the grass in the early morning glow isn’t a sight that fills a homeless persons heart with wonder at the beauty of the world. It burns and numbs the nerves.

The simple pleasure of an early morning coffee in your dressing gown as the sounds of early morning TV fill your head with dross are denied. Forget thoughts of ‘me time’, a homeless persons every waking moment is filled with ways to survive the next 24 hours.

What can you do? I kknw that you already know the answer – the simplest way you can aid them is to buy the Big Issue. Don’t yawn, it’s there for a reason. Yes, it addresses many of the issues that the homeless face but it also caters for the everyday reader with interviews, adverts and features. And it only costs £2. One copy per week adds up to roughly £200 per year. Savvy savers can cut their home electricity bills by more than this using simple but effective means.

Don’t want to buy The Big Issue? Buy them a coffee instead – it’s cheap and it will help to keep out the cold in the run up to Christmas.

Normally, I like to keep my politicial rantings to myself. I’m all for a diverse range of views on how X, Y and Z should be done and I do find it pretty interesting to listen to all that’s being said. I started rebuilding Digital Coffee as my own little piece of the web – somewhere that allows me to sound off about my interests, hobbies, passions, etc. A bit like a virtual soapbox on Speakers Corner.

Browsing some of the big news sites today I was pretty surprised to hear Chris Huhne, Lib Dem and member of the UK coalition government, talking about nuclear power being required for the counrtries future energy demands. I admit, it was only nuclear power that he mentioned – kudos to the Lid Dems green credentials (even if some of thier ideas are blantantly insane) – Mr Huhne did talk about renewables, wind power (lots of that in Parliament).

What peeked my interest was the admittal that we do need nuclear power, for now at least. There is one minor problem – Clegg, Huhne and co. are committed to not spending any government money on the development of nuclear power stations in the UK. The bigger problem lies with who, when and how (much).

Energy secruity, as we saw during the spat between Russia and the Ukraine, is vital. Even though Russia’s target was the Ukraine, the restriction on supplies had an effect on other parts of Europe. So who’s going to build the nuclear power stations that Mr Huhne rightly says we need? Most of the energy companies in the UK either don’t have the cash to finance the construction work with some government incentives.

We could always take surplus power from a foreign country but where does that leave us if we have one of those little ‘domestics’ that policiticians love to have from time to time?

When are we going to get the nuclear power we need? Building a station takes serious money and TIME! With some rather dire predictions about power cuts and energy shortages this is not time for the government to be dragging it’s feet over when, and where, we’ll get the required resources from.

Now the big question we all ask, ‘How much will it cost?’ – a lot. This loops back to the first point about construction work but has wider implications. I’m not just talking about how it will cost Bob’s KwikFix Co. to chuck up a nuclear power plant but, more impoartantly, how much it will cost you and I. When the government gives cash to construction companies for critical infrastructure work it’s not just a sweetener – they’re also helping to keep the price down for the consumer. Just think, if the government didn’t hand out grants to the rail services, how much would our tickets cost?

Huhne! Clegg! Stop thinking about your little green Uptopia – we need the answers and I think we’ll need them soon.

Here in the UK, one of the big price comparison websites decided to jump into the coupon code market. Ok, it may not be a recent decision – the strategic planning may have been in place for years and they’ve only just got their arses in gear. The method of promoting the new voucher section on their site? Take one ‘comedian’ in a boring, yet tried and tested, advert format and have him shout, ‘…discount vouchers…’ So what? The key here is getting you and I, the consumer, to focus on one phrase or word.

I’ve no doubt that in the hours and days following the adverts showing that searches for the phrase ‘discount vouchers’ went insane. It’s probably a bit early to tell if this phrase will stick as we all have our phrases but it almost certainly had the desired effect – to get visitors to the site.

I haven’t drifted away – the whole point of this post is to get an understanding of where Google fits into all of this. As many of you know, the very first Google TV has been unveiled (Oct 2010). Part of G’s plan is to try and dominate the world of audio visual but what’s in it for them? Are they simply helping to deliver a better experience out of the kindness of their hearts? Don’t bet on it. There’s serious money to be made using television as an advertising medium and that’s what Google does best.

So far, Goolges advertising revenue has come from either plain little text boxes appearing on web pages, etc or in the form graphical ads. Looking at Googles ad revenue I’m sure this format works well. But I’m also sure that many search engine users are now starting to look beyond advertisments as they try to find highly relelvant text in the organic listings. Hences Googles move into television. Currently, the Chome-based Google TV only displays the same ads that you see on the web but there’s no doubt that as delivery methods get more intelligent we’ll see ads that can interact with with what’s being shown on the television – now that’s scarey!

Here’s my little experiment for readers – “Free discount codes for everyone!”. Will it work? I’ll check the clicks.

Face facts – credit cards are great for fast cash but you’re going to pay a price. In the case of some lenders this is a fairly hefty price. And the habit feeds off of you. You’re short of cash. No problem, I’ll take it out on the credit card and pay it off at the end of the month. At the end of the month you’ve paid off the money but now you’re a little short of cash…

What’s the simplest answer? You already know: bite the bullet, cut up your cards and go cold turkey! Will it be hard? Probably. You see, for many of us, me included, credit cards have become almost a necessity. Short of cash? Use the card. Shopping for an expensive item? Use the card. And every time we swear we’ll pay it back at the end of the month!

I know there are some responsible readers who ensure that each and every month they clear their debt. But, to be fair, it’s a minority group. We’re all too busy to sit down for an hour per week and fix the finances. But maybe it’s time to sit up and take notice. Interest rates are going to rise again which will be good for savers but not debtors.

I’m not going to keep going on this matter. Needless to say, many credit card owners may need to start looking at their debts soon. In fact, you’’ll probably want to do this before early next year.

The world of IM/AM is in a bit of a mess right now. The get rich quick gang has overstepped the mark and, although the powers that be don’t seem to be doing much about it, some individuals are making a real effort to expose the scams.

Let’s be fair; the world of internet marketing is evolving but the underhand tactics of some internet marketers simply hasn’t changed. You know the stuff I’m talking about – the latest, greatest training package guaranteed to funnel thousands into your bank account in a matter of days – most of which is crap.

One of the most vocal opponents of what has been dubbed ‘The Syndicate’ is Salty Droid (public health warning: this guy doesn’t pull any punches or mince his words!). Salty has launched a full scale assault on the world of scam internet marketers.

The underlying issue that Salty Droid, and a number of other seriously pissed web site owners, have is the way in which some of the scams schemes are being run. In one case, the suicide of a woman has been attributed to the colossal sums of money she spent on crappy products from Affiliate Marketers (not my words – straight from Salty’s blog so don’t even bother trying the C&D route).

Dubious product launches claiming to make you millionaires in a short space of time get short shrift. In fact, Salty mentions one marketer in particular (no names) who sells a product that teaches you the art of getting high rankings in the SERP’s. Want to know the gist of it? Get links! Seriously. Here’s the bitter irony – Salty outs the scheme and even demonstrates that the creator got only 2% of his traffic from organic SEO (the rest was PPC).

But this isn’t just confined to our cousins over in the US; many of you already receive similar emails from UK marketers. I can understand that some people have made created their own cash spewing web sites and I know that, seeing as they’re so considerate, they just want to help us do the same!

Want some advice? Steer clear of the get rich quick club and learn something useful. Not sure you’ve got what it takes? You’d be surprised at what information people will link to. Personally, I’m a fan of Hobo SEO (some great content and SEO advice there) and Cornwall SEO – great blog from a seriously clued up guy. I’ll leave you take a look at Salty Droid and his laser targeted disembowelment of unscrupulous internet marketers and their affiliates.