WeBlogged

Why Move?

Bad Neighborhood Links are Bad News
It is no secret that linking to and from a bad Internet neighborhood can seriously slow, halt or even reverse your SEO progress. However, now, I have first hand knowledge of what can happen when even a single source has cross links with a site in a good neighborhood.

We recently moved my personal blog to my company site - which is where you are reading this. Initially, we thought it might be a great way to get some inbound links with linking text being exactly what we wanted it to be.

We soon found that in actuality, cross links from XPRT Creative to http://jpoyer.wordpress.com began a slow descent of XPRT Creative ranking in Google, Yahoo and MSN SERPs. (more…)

I have read so many things over the years about why content is important. Why content is the most important. Why content is KING. I just have to disagree. I know, as a born copy-writer it’s blasphemous for me to speak in such a manner, but I would be remiss not to mention it.

Don’t get me wrong. Content matters. It really does. Words can change the world. But not without the man or woman or design behind them. Or the brand that makes the words credible. Or a myriad of other things that support good content.

But no matter how you slice it, content just not king. Here are the top three reasons this is true. (more…)

Forbes blog posted about the differences in the MySpace and Facebook audiences. Working class vs. affluent well-to do. Read the post here. I have to say, I do see the discrepancies noted by Boyd’s research. There is also a somewhat amusing C/NET spoof video - stereotypically true?

Interestingly enough, not knowing any of these demographic statistics, or the experts weighing in on the issue, I recently e-mailed Facebook about their account confirmation tactics and my inability to join my alma mater’s network as an alumnae, and how both appeared to be related to a preference for higher-income earners. (more…)

What kind of team would you want to build your website? The battle wages on about the importance of content versus look versus usability. Does it taste great or is it really just less filling?

I recently stumbled upon a post arguing the importance and definitions of the roles involved in the web development process. I feel compelled to weigh in here because I think many are still trying to stand on ground that has already shifted.

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Blog reader forgive me, for I have sinned. It has been 19 days since my last blog post.

There’s nothing like having plumbing problems in your home that lead to two rooms being evacuated, fogged, gutted and repaired to really pull you off your blog. Additionally, all the mold spores clinging to every surface in my home probably have affected my cognitive processes in some form or fashion. In fact, I can now blame the MOLD for everything happening around me. Sick children? It’s because of the MOLD in my home. Overdrawn checking account? It’s the MOLD. Global Warming? MOLD. (more…)

Now that people’s page ranks have dropped for the update in Google’s algorithm, the SEO community in general is speculating that PageRank will be no more. Are the rumors true?

Yes, there are a million different examples of “real good sites” that have dropped in SERPs dramatically, but I guess I’m just having more trouble seeing this as a negative thing in the long run. When you are in the business of manipulating the system, it’s only a matter of course that eventually, the system will manipulate you. As Elton John sang, “times are changing, now the poor get fat, but the fever’s gonna catch you when the [expletive deleted by author] gets back.”

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Well, as I have been writing, you may have noticed (or not), that my blog tagline is missing. It is not that I think a tagline is not needed, in fact, I feel quite the contrary. Of course you can’t be all things to all people and chances are, if you try to, you will fail miserably in all aspects.

It wasn’t until last night that I put serious thought into the goal — the focus of my blog. My 7-year-old son was impressed with my recent post about Seth Godin and Shane Dundas of The Upside Down Show (Just have to say that his reaction was pretty cool) . We were talking about blogs and he became very interested in starting his own blog. (more…)

As I first started blogging not too long ago, it didn’t take me long to find the immense online presence of Seth Godin and his many sites of tips, ideas, humor, charm and … well … just tons of really great writing and ideas.

My question is — how does he find time to post on every blog and write his books and secretly tape The Upside Down Show?

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I recently was issued a speeding ticket in Virginia; I was on my way home from my grandmother’s living “wake” with one thought on my mind — go to the bathroom and get more coffee. (more…)

This is Part 2 of a lengthier browser compatibility / web page design discussion. See Part 1 for an overview of the main issues.

Recap: How many times have you gone to a site online and attempted to view some sort of cool thing that just doesn’t seem to work right? Have you ever attempted to submit a form and when you click the button nothing happens? Many times this is because of browser compatibility issues. (more…)