2006 August | flyte blog: small business web marketing blog

Archive for August, 2006

How to Increase Your PageRank

Wednesday, August 30th, 2006

I received an email this morning from Ivan in Bulgaria. (No kidding…this World Wide Web thing is totally world wide.) He asked how he could get his PageRank up.

PageRank–for those of you who don’t know–is a formula developed by Google to determine a Web page’s "inbound link ranking."

Since a lot of a Web page’s search engine rank is dependent on the number and quality of incoming links people get in a tizzy about their PageRank. You can see your own PageRank by downloading the free Google Toolbar.

But let me ask you a question: when was the last time you decided between two restaurants based upon their PageRank? Between two landscape services? Two car dealerships? In fact, the only companies that you might want to use PageRank as a determining factor are search engine optimization companies!

Yes, it’s true that a better PageRank helps you rank higher at the search engines, but it’s only one of many variables. Also, the PageRank the toolbar shows you is often out of date, as it’s only publicly updated once a quarter.

A better PageRank won’t pay your bills, find qualified employees, or close your sales. Better PageRank, or even better search engine rank, should never be your business goal.

Booking more appointments, filling more rooms, selling more art, educating the public, or whatever it is that your are in the business of doing is your business goal.

…

(You’re still here? You want more information on how to increase your PageRank after that whole rant? Oh, well, check out Boost your Search Engine Rank: Proven Methods to Increase Incoming Links. Just remember: incoming links don’t pay the bills!)

Rich Brooks
PR 7…not that I’m counting

Tags: PageRank | Search Engine Optimization | SEO

Posted in Search Engine Marketing, Web Marketing | 9 Comments »

Maine Coast Properties Online: Newscastle Square Realty

Monday, August 28th, 2006

Late last week flyte launched a new Web site and blog for Newcastle Square Realty, a realtor serving the mid-coast region of Maine.

At the Web site visitors can search all of Newcastle’s Maine coast listings, or just select by residential, land or commercial. You can of course also search all of the mid-coast Maine property listings as well.

Flyte also designed and set up a complementary real estate blog for Newcastle. In my initial discussions with Jim Cosgrove, the resident blogger for Newcastle, I definitely felt I was working with someone who "got it."

Although real estate related posts would definitely be part of the blog, Jim seemed equally if not more interested in painting a picture of what life is like day-to-day in this beautiful part of the world.

I’m looking forward to future posts.

Rich Brooks
Blogging on the Maine Coast

Tags: Maine Coast Properties | Newcastle Square Realty | Real Estate Blog | Mid-Coast Maine

Posted in Client News, Web Site Launches | 2 Comments »

New Screening Tool for Juvenile Bipolar Disorder

Friday, August 25th, 2006

Many parents struggle with children and teenagers who suffer from early-onset bipolar disorder, but the lag time between initial symptoms and accurate diagnosis can take up to 8 – 10 years!

Yesterday, flyte finished programming new automatic, online scoring of two screening instruments for the Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation. These screening tools include the Child Bipolar Questionnaire and the Jeannie and Jeffrey Illustrated Interview for Children.

As Demitri Papolos, Director of Research for the JBRF writes:

This is the first time the two companion interviews are available together with scoring and interpretation. We hope parents will find these tools useful and that they provide additional information to clinicians and educators who work with their children. If you are a parent or if you know anyone that might benefit from this program, please pass this information along to them.

It can be a terrifying experience to be a parent of a child suffering from early-onset bipolar disorder, and even more terrible not to know. These online tools can be an important first step to get families the help they need.

Rich Brooks
President, flyte new media

Tags: Early-Onset Bipolar Disorder | Juvenile+Bipolar+Disorder | Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation | JBRF
| Demitri Papolos

Posted in Client News, flyte news | 2 Comments »

Official Internet Optimization Bureau Fax Scam

Thursday, August 24th, 2006

If you have recently received a fax from the Official Internet Optimization Bureau your first step should be to clean the slime off of your fax machine.

Your second step is to place said fax in your circular file.

We received this fax with its "official seal" and cover sheet to forward to Accounts Payable–probably because these people have money but don’t know that this is a scam. It was also labeled "Second Reminder." Since I can count the number of faxes we get in a month on one hand I know this is the first one we’ve received.

In small print on the second page in a block of small print it does say that "you are under no obligation to pay unless you subscribe," but everything else screams "second notice" and "it’s that time of year again" and "annual website monitoring bundle" as if we’ve been paying this all along.

While there are many legitimate search engine optimization companies here in Maine and around the world, anyone who tries to trick you into working with them doesn’t have a lot of confidence in their own abilities.

Since many of these companies have multiple names, your fax might come from a different company. Generally, legitimate SEO companies don’t market by sending unsolicited faxes pretending to be overdue invoices.

But you knew that, right?

BTW, if you want to "opt-out" of this offer by calling 1-888-250-7163. I’m sure they’ll gladly take you off their list. Probably they hired that out-of-work AOL rep.

Rich Brooks
I Got Your Back

Tags: Official Internet Registry & Optimization Bureau | SEO Scam | Fax Scam | License # 7234Z45

Posted in Ignore It! | 18 Comments »

Technorati Search a Bit Wacky This A.M.

Thursday, August 24th, 2006

Seems like Technorati’s Search hasn’t had its morning cup of coffee.

Rich Brooks
It’s All About the Java

Tags: Technorati | Search | Blogs

Posted in Off Topic | No Comments »

TypePad Page Titles and SEO

Wednesday, August 23rd, 2006

Back in March, 2006 (five months ago) I wrote a post called "Search Engine Optimizing your TypePad Page Titles."

The post stated that conventional wisdom says that the first few words of a Web page’s title holds the most weight. If that’s true, then the default setting setting for TypePad pages — [Blog Title]: [Post Title] is arguably backwards. I want my home page to have my blog title, but individual pages should lead with the topic of the page, not the title of my blog.

So, we switched them around. Yesterday Marjolein Hoekstra posted a comment asking how my grand experiment faired, 5 months later. Well, let’s look at the numbers:

February 27 – March 27, 2006:

Visits: 2,861
Pageviews: 4,724
Google Visits: 1,222
Yahoo Visits: 85
MSN Visits: 69
"Big Three" Search Engine Visits: 1,376 (48.1% of total traffic)

July 23 – August 23, 2006:

Visits: 7,640
Pageviews: 11,615
Google Visits: 5,096
Yahoo Visits: 375
MSN Visits: 200
"Big Three" Search Engine Visits: 5,671 (74.2% of total traffic)

Now, obviously there are other variables that factor into this total. I got some traffic when I was the TypePad Featured Blog of the day, when they interviewed me, and one of my most popular posts is on the Domain Registry Support…it’s their hard work trying to scam people that’s helping me out!

However, with our Google traffic up over 417%, Yahoo up 411%, and MSN up 289%, it does seem to be having some sort of impact.

If you have a TypePad blog and you’d be interested in having us make this change for you, please let us know.

Rich Brooks
Show Me The Numbers!

Tags: TypePad | Title Tags | Search Engine Marketing

Posted in Business Blogs and Blog Marketing, Search Engine Marketing, Web Marketing | 7 Comments »

Eight Hours to a More Successful Online Business

Tuesday, August 22nd, 2006

Imagine taking a course called Web Marketing for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses.

Picture yourself in a four-class course where you could learn about search engine optimization, email marketing, business blogs, podcasts, viral marketing, e-commerce, and building a Web site that generates leads and sells more.

Where you could share ideas, ask questions, and even have your own Web site reviewed by peers and by a self-styled Internet marketing expert.

Where you could learn about advanced online marketing ideas such as article marketing or tagging, and how to implement these strategies into your own Internet marketing plan.

Where you’d leave every class filled with ideas to grow your business, invigorated with boundless energy, and at least two-three inches taller.

Well, except for the height thing, it’s all possible.

I’ll be teaching a course over at the University of Southern Maine’s Center for Continuing Education called–wait for it–Web Marketing for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses. (You didn’t see that coming, did you?)

It’s on four Wednesdays, from October 18 – November 8, 6:30 – 8:30pm. The cost of the course is $195 (paid to the university.)

Is it worth it? Hmmm…let me randomly pull from some of the comments from last term’s students:

What was most helpful?

Rich’s expertise & ability to speak in non-techie terms. Content was really excellent and very useful. Thanks!

Everything was very helpful. Many things being the first time I’ve heard it. It was great!

Rich is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

Rich is chock full of knowledge. Thanx!

And none of these people were relatives. Class size is limited, so sign up now.

Rich Brooks
Chock Full of Something

Tags: Web Marketing Class | Online Marketing Class | Internet Marketing Class

Posted in Business Blogs and Blog Marketing, Email Marketing, Entrepreneur & Small Business, flyte news, Search Engine Marketing, Web Design & Development, Web Marketing | No Comments »

A Blown (Sales) Call

Monday, August 21st, 2006

So this salesman walks into a bar…

Wait, it wasn’t a bar. A salesperson was in my office the other day. He was doing a good job, asking me questions about my needs, answering my questions about the products, and so on.

Near the end of the conversation I asked: is there anything I should have asked you that I didn’t?

He told me that a lot of other people want to know about him and how long he’s been working at Company X. He launches into a story about how he used to work for another company (Company Y) and he was bidding on a project against Company X.

His proposal was for $25,000 while Company X had a solution for $250,000. He walked out to his 10-year old Honda and the other guy, who happened to own Company X, walked out to his late model Ferrari. It was then that he knew he was working for the wrong company.

Meanwhile–although I could tell he was enjoying (re)telling this story–all I could think was, "I don’t want to pay for another man’s Ferrari."

There’s nothing wrong with a successful business person buying the car/house/yacht of their dreams. However, it’s not what you want to be talking about during a sales pitch. (But you knew that, right?)

I know that I’ve been guilty of this sin before. (Not the owning-the-Ferrari thing, but you knew that, too, right?) Sometimes, instead of focusing on our prospects we start talking about ourselves, our company, or something else we’re particularly proud of. The prospect cares nothing about these things. She cares about herself, her company, or something else she’s particularly proud of.

You can tell her about your Ferrari after you’ve gotten the business. And maybe not even then.

Keep the focus on your prospect and you won’t sabotage your sales call.

Rich Brooks
Ferrari-Free Since 1968

Tags: Ferrari | Sales Calls | Selling

Posted in Business Philosophy, Entrepreneur & Small Business | 4 Comments »

Web 2.0 and Social Networking Segment

Thursday, August 17th, 2006

I’ll be appearing on 207 (Maine’s evening news program) as the "tech expert" again tonight, talking about Web 2.0 and social networking sites like Flickr, YouTube and Digg.

So, if you’re in Maine turn into channel 6 (channel 2 near Bangor) at 7pm tonight where I field Rob Caldwell’s hard hitting questions on the next generation of Web services: boom or bubble? can small businesses benefit?

Rich Brooks
Tech Expert

Posted in flyte news | No Comments »