Fear Not The Spiders

Its Known as SEO .... Search Engine Optimization. And if you want to be found on this crazy place called the web, you need to learn it. Google, Yahoo, MSN, and other send out what the call Spiders to crawl the web, looking for good things to bring back.

Google and other search engines are strange. Trying to figure out what it is they want in a website is sometimes like throwing darts blindfolded. I have been at the top of their lists...and have been at the bottom and everywhere in between. But just how can one improve their ranking? I have discovered a few things that seem to help.

1. FRESH content.

This excites the spiders like a wolf around raw meat. so add new items often. New listings, new blog posts, a new picture, SOMETHING anything to get them smelling the fresh blood.

2. Tags.

Tags ARE important for blogs, pictures, etc for they tell the Search Engines in shorthand what it is all about. Like this blogs tags.

3. Attributes

Ahhh Now these little things are great! But can be tricky to use. But they will tell those spiders what the item is and help your customers find them in a search.

4. Pictures

For some STRANGE reason, they love to see pictures. So post a few in your blog, be sure you have some on your web page, and include them in your item listings.

5. Be Keyword aware.

Keywords ARE great, especially in Titles and the first 100 words or so of anything. The Spiders love simple and presence. They will pick up on "Red Hat Size Medium" before they will "Beautiful Fancy Hat" But at the same time will not like it if you are just using the buzz words like " ruby red eBay cap hat ladies men children's". If they think you are spamming they will dump you, So be careful to stick to the facts, Jack!

6. Changes

Google and others like to mix it up! Sometimes just the simplest changes work to trick them into thinking that everything is new. So redo your bio, change a picture, color, rearrange layout just a little and see.

7. Link Backs

Here these to can be tricky. They love links...but hate those that are not relevant. Where you place links to your blog, website etc should be places that pertain to what your blog website etc are all about. Or at least have some relevance to them.

This is just some of what I have figured out...and have worked on this weekend doing to this blog, and my website: www.2wolves.com , my Bonanzle booths: www.bonanzle.com/renagade and www.bonanzle.com/RenagadesRelics .

I would LOVE to hear some of YOUR suggestions...What is good for SEO??

(commenting on Blogs is good for SEO too! LOL)

Later...........Renagade

Some places for great information on this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta_tag

http://base.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=78170

http://websitehelpers.com/seo/

WOW!.... Now THATS a SEXY Billboard!!

John...Big, Bad, John "ColderICE," Lawson is now the "Sexiest Billboard" you will ever see.

John has generously donated space on his chest to Breast Cancer Research. John will be auctioning off the ability for ANYONE to custom design a T-Shirt with their Company's Logo or slogan that he will wear at the Ecommerce Merchant Summit 2009 in Atlanta, GA . And trust me, not only will it get alot of exposure there, but people will DEFINITELY see your logo. John is a strapping guy with a nice broad chest...plenty of space for any logo. He also has a commanding presence with a wonderful personality and a head full of knowledge that makes people want to engage him.

The eBay Giving Works Auction will start on Monday, April 27th and ends on Monday, May 4th. The auction winner will be announced live, by Podcast host and auctioneer Mr. Auction Wally, during the weekly “Brainstorming Bonanzle” radio podcast show.

This just goes to show you ... John "colderICE" Lawson is a Big, Big Man....with a Big, Big Chest that houses a heart of pure Gold.

Anyone who would like more information on the ..please visit ColderICE at 3rdpoblogs.com

and help John "Sell His Chest to Save The Breasts!" (and get a peek at this guy too!)

Thanks John....You SEXY Billboard, You!.............Renagade

PS Brainstorming Bonanzle is set up to take donations to help sponsor a "Brainstorming" T-Shirt that John will be wearing during one of his video Blogs...If you would like to donate please Visit Brainstorming Bonanzle . A GREAT way for Bonanzlers to show their support of the show, of colderICE, and the Cause! Just use the Donate Button and tell them its for Breast Cancer!

Fun's Fun but B.S. is B.S.

Ah... the favorite phase my Dad always used when things got out of control. It was also used when it was time to cut through the B.S. and get down to business. And I am starting to see that more sellers and Businesses need to heed the phrase....especially in the eCommerce world.

Online Selling is a business, and sadly there are too many people that are not treating it as such. With the economic downturn and soaring unemployment rate, many people are trying their hand at selling online. These same people, now at home, suddenly find themselves without the human interaction that the "real world" job market gave them. So when they find a marketplace with a friendly forum they join in. New friendships are formed and a whole new world becomes available. This is good, this is fun...but there is a point when the "Fun" becomes "B.S.".

Instead of learning skills to help them grow their new found business, they start joining into the games and B.S. threads that many of the forums have.....and that sadly too many of these marketplaces condone ...even encourage. Yes, it can be fun to play along in a " Three Word Story" thread....or "name that tune" and everyone deserves those fun breaks from listing and promoting. Where it crosses the line is when the games start affecting the entire site....and in turn, the bottom line for all sellers.

John "colderICE" Lawson is the host of a great podcast titled "B.S. Walks when Money Talks " Anyone who has tuned into John, seen any of his Video Blogs, read any of his articles, or have had ANY dealings with him know, this guy is a fun loving person! BUT, John is also a serious seller......VERY serious. And he makes the sales. Not by "Playing games" but by having fun and "knowing the game". Believe me, he has achieved his status NOT by any selling game on any site...but through hard work, quality items, and knowing that Selling IS a business... and although you should enjoy what you do, it is not a game.

Now I am NOT trying to tell anyone HOW to conduct their business and if you just want to play around, normally that would be fine. But when the fun and games start affecting MY business and MY bottom line, I am going to speak up. And since the games and craziness is picked up by Google and other search engines, not every customer out to buy something is going to think it's cute, and not only will they not take the selling venue seriously, they may not view any of the sellers on such venues as serious sellers.

Most sellers online ARE taking treating their business as it should be. As a BUSINESS. And the serious sellers KNOW that "Fun's Fun but B.S. is B.S." because "B.S. Walks...When Money Talks" .

What think you?

Later...........Renagade