Fake coupons crime is rocketing in the US, with more types of fraudulent coupons churned out in the first few months of this year than in the whole of the previous decade.
One coupon scam in particular recently turned into a major headache for a leading food manufacturer and hundreds of retailers.
Dubious work-at-home programs that involve clipping coupons or selling books of coupon certificates also earn a fortune for con artists.
Read the full article here.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
Friday, July 30, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
GET "EXPERT" ATTENTION BY WRITING WHAT YOU KNOW C.J. Hayden, MCC
Writing articles as an expert in your niche or specialty can help you become more credible as well as more visible. A well-written article on a subject of interest to your target market will get their attention, demonstrate your expertise, and increase your name recognition.
The first step in getting an expert article published is to identify some appropriate writing venues. What do the people in your target market read? Consider newsletters, ezines, web sites, magazines, trade journals, and newspapers. Ask your clients and prospects what online and print publications they subscribe to or regularly buy. Notice which periodicals are lying on their desks or coffee tables and poking out of their briefcases. Find out what web sites they frequently surf.
You can also look up publications by subject in directories of writing markets, such as those published in print, online, and CD versions by http://www.writersmarket.com or http://www.writersmarkets.com . To find online venues, just type your specialty and the word "articles" into your favorite search engine.
If you are new to getting your writing published, start with small publications that don't require writing experience. Association newsletters are an excellent first target. Other possibilities are the many web sites that publish educational articles to attract traffic; employee newsletters for companies you would like as clients; newsletters, ezines, or web sites produced by your referral partners; neighborhood newspapers; and advertising periodicals that list items for sale, job openings, or workshops and events.
When you have a venue in mind, don't just write an article and submit it. Most print publications and many online ones want you to query them first. Look for the submission guidelines posted on the publication's web site, or listed in a box near the table of contents, inside the front cover, or for newspapers, in the editorial section. If you're not sure, call the appropriate editor (usually listed in one of the same places) and ask.
Some publications accept queries by phone and others want them in writing. If you contact the editor by phone, be prepared to pitch your article idea on the spot. Tell them your proposed topic, why it is of interest to their readers, and why you should be the one who writes it. If you're convincing enough, a small publication might give you the assignment right there. A larger one will probably ask you to send a query letter and include some clips of your writing.
When a publication requests queries, don't try to skip the query step by sending a completed article in the hope that it will get printed. Most editors won't even look at it, and you will have wasted a great deal of time. Only if the publication clearly states they accept completed or previously published articles should you send the article instead of a query.
A query letter should begin with a strong lead paragraph, written just as if it were the opening paragraph of the actual article. You want it to capture the editor's interest, introduce your topic, and show that you can write. Continue the letter by describing two or three key points you intend for your article to make.
Then propose the article itself: "I would like to write a 1500-word article on the benefits to employers of integrated disability management programs. I plan to interview three employers who have experienced significant cost reductions..."
Conclude your letter with a brief description of your background that indicates why you are qualified to write the article. If you have previously been published, include two sample articles with your letter, or links to them when e-mailing. Be sure to send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you are querying by mail. E-mail submissions have become much more common, but don't use this method unless you know it is acceptable.
The elapsed time it takes editors to respond to a query varies widely. Unless you have been told otherwise, follow up after 30 days if you haven't heard anything. This is particularly important with a publication that only accepts newly-written articles, because you shouldn't send the same query to another editor until you are sure the first one doesn't want it.
Once you successfully place a number of articles, consider finding a venue for an ongoing column. Landing a regular column in a publication respected by your target market is a major milestone in establishing your expertise, and can significantly boost your name recognition.
Copyright © 2010, C.J. Hayden
Read more free articles by C.J. Hayden or subscribe to the GET CLIENTS NOW! E-Letter.
The first step in getting an expert article published is to identify some appropriate writing venues. What do the people in your target market read? Consider newsletters, ezines, web sites, magazines, trade journals, and newspapers. Ask your clients and prospects what online and print publications they subscribe to or regularly buy. Notice which periodicals are lying on their desks or coffee tables and poking out of their briefcases. Find out what web sites they frequently surf.
You can also look up publications by subject in directories of writing markets, such as those published in print, online, and CD versions by http://www.writersmarket.com or http://www.writersmarkets.com . To find online venues, just type your specialty and the word "articles" into your favorite search engine.
If you are new to getting your writing published, start with small publications that don't require writing experience. Association newsletters are an excellent first target. Other possibilities are the many web sites that publish educational articles to attract traffic; employee newsletters for companies you would like as clients; newsletters, ezines, or web sites produced by your referral partners; neighborhood newspapers; and advertising periodicals that list items for sale, job openings, or workshops and events.
When you have a venue in mind, don't just write an article and submit it. Most print publications and many online ones want you to query them first. Look for the submission guidelines posted on the publication's web site, or listed in a box near the table of contents, inside the front cover, or for newspapers, in the editorial section. If you're not sure, call the appropriate editor (usually listed in one of the same places) and ask.
Some publications accept queries by phone and others want them in writing. If you contact the editor by phone, be prepared to pitch your article idea on the spot. Tell them your proposed topic, why it is of interest to their readers, and why you should be the one who writes it. If you're convincing enough, a small publication might give you the assignment right there. A larger one will probably ask you to send a query letter and include some clips of your writing.
When a publication requests queries, don't try to skip the query step by sending a completed article in the hope that it will get printed. Most editors won't even look at it, and you will have wasted a great deal of time. Only if the publication clearly states they accept completed or previously published articles should you send the article instead of a query.
A query letter should begin with a strong lead paragraph, written just as if it were the opening paragraph of the actual article. You want it to capture the editor's interest, introduce your topic, and show that you can write. Continue the letter by describing two or three key points you intend for your article to make.
Then propose the article itself: "I would like to write a 1500-word article on the benefits to employers of integrated disability management programs. I plan to interview three employers who have experienced significant cost reductions..."
Conclude your letter with a brief description of your background that indicates why you are qualified to write the article. If you have previously been published, include two sample articles with your letter, or links to them when e-mailing. Be sure to send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you are querying by mail. E-mail submissions have become much more common, but don't use this method unless you know it is acceptable.
The elapsed time it takes editors to respond to a query varies widely. Unless you have been told otherwise, follow up after 30 days if you haven't heard anything. This is particularly important with a publication that only accepts newly-written articles, because you shouldn't send the same query to another editor until you are sure the first one doesn't want it.
Once you successfully place a number of articles, consider finding a venue for an ongoing column. Landing a regular column in a publication respected by your target market is a major milestone in establishing your expertise, and can significantly boost your name recognition.
Copyright © 2010, C.J. Hayden
Read more free articles by C.J. Hayden or subscribe to the GET CLIENTS NOW! E-Letter.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Urban Legends and Hoaxes Straight from the News Headlines
As we warned in Scambusters Issue #342 last month, the deaths of top celebrities like Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett always prompts a surge of hoax and urban legends emails, often with links or attachments that you should never click because they'll download malware onto your PC.
But that's only the tip of the iceberg, as you will know if you've ever visited our Urban Legends and Hoaxes Resource Center.
Click here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
But that's only the tip of the iceberg, as you will know if you've ever visited our Urban Legends and Hoaxes Resource Center.
Click here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
10 of the Con Artists' Favorite Ways to Scam the Elderly
Alternet/ By Anneli Rufus
The older we get, the more attractive we become, to fraudsters. Preying on those breakdowns that come with age, from hearing loss to loneliness, criminals tailor special scams with Seniors in mind.
Financial crimes against the elderly are rampant. Bank accounts are being quietly wiped out. Afraid, betrayed, blaming themselves for being fooled -- believe me, I've seen it -- victims hesitate to call the cops. For most of us, these crimes are scroll-over territory because seniors and what happens to them aren't sexy. Members of the elderly crowd having their purses snatched by phony plumbers or being convinced to buy shares in companies that don't exist? We don't want to go there. Fraudsters do. Maybe one of them is ringing your mother's doorbell right now.
Click Here to read the full article.
Alternet/ By Anneli Rufus
The older we get, the more attractive we become, to fraudsters. Preying on those breakdowns that come with age, from hearing loss to loneliness, criminals tailor special scams with Seniors in mind.
Financial crimes against the elderly are rampant. Bank accounts are being quietly wiped out. Afraid, betrayed, blaming themselves for being fooled -- believe me, I've seen it -- victims hesitate to call the cops. For most of us, these crimes are scroll-over territory because seniors and what happens to them aren't sexy. Members of the elderly crowd having their purses snatched by phony plumbers or being convinced to buy shares in companies that don't exist? We don't want to go there. Fraudsters do. Maybe one of them is ringing your mother's doorbell right now.
Click Here to read the full article.
Alternet/ By Anneli Rufus
Can You Trust That Label -- Or Does It Hide a Food Scam?
How wine and food scam artists fool consumers and investors with phony labels and misleading information.
A wine or food scam works by providing false or misleading information, usually on the label of a product. Sometimes it's perfectly legal and preys on our lack of understanding...
Click Here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
A wine or food scam works by providing false or misleading information, usually on the label of a product. Sometimes it's perfectly legal and preys on our lack of understanding...
Click Here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
How the Sneaky Hands of the Big Banks Are Working Overtime to Rip You off
Alternet/ by Zach Carter
The economy is crumbling and consumers are in trouble. So banks are hitting them with $38 billion a year in deceptive fees.
After living through the Great Financial Crash of 2008, just about everybody recognizes that megabanks screwed the economy hard and were rewarded with big bailouts, which further screwed over, well, everybody, in the name of banker bonuses. But Big Finance has been waging its war on the middle class for decades, and many of its most destructive practices don't actually put the financial system in jeopardy. These tactics work because they are so effectively predatory. Banks gouge consumers and get rich—they don't create risks for the financial system, because they result in pure, risk-free profit, converting hard-earned middle-class wages into quick and easy bonuses.
Click Here to read the full article.
Alternet/ by Zach Carter
The economy is crumbling and consumers are in trouble. So banks are hitting them with $38 billion a year in deceptive fees.
After living through the Great Financial Crash of 2008, just about everybody recognizes that megabanks screwed the economy hard and were rewarded with big bailouts, which further screwed over, well, everybody, in the name of banker bonuses. But Big Finance has been waging its war on the middle class for decades, and many of its most destructive practices don't actually put the financial system in jeopardy. These tactics work because they are so effectively predatory. Banks gouge consumers and get rich—they don't create risks for the financial system, because they result in pure, risk-free profit, converting hard-earned middle-class wages into quick and easy bonuses.
Click Here to read the full article.
Alternet/ by Zach Carter
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
REJECTION: IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU C.J. Hayden, MCC
One of the most persistent barriers to success for independent professionals is fear of rejection. Sometimes this fear is quite conscious. You know that you are avoiding marketing and sales because you're afraid your prospects will say no.
Other times the fear is lurking in the background, making an impact you're not always aware of. You may find yourself procrastinating about making a phone call or setting up a sales appointment, and blame it on laziness or poor time management. Or you may avoid following up because you "don't want to bug people." Or perhaps it feels pushy to ask directly for a sale.
Or maybe it just seems easier to spend time exchanging posts on Facebook or Twitter, or spend money buying pay-per-click ads, than it does to have a one-to-one conversation with a prospect who has expressed interest in your services.
But what much of this subtle resistance to direct contact with your prospects indicates is that you are -- consciously or unconsciously -- avoiding situations where you might be told no.
There is no question that it can be confronting to ask someone to hire you. The possibility of being rejected may bring up every ounce of psychological baggage you are hauling around with you from the past. You may remember being chosen last for volleyball games, or told not to tag along with your older siblings, or excluded from a clique at school.
You may not even be aware these old memories of rejection are being triggered. You just notice how hard it is to make calls or go to networking events or follow up on leads, and you do something else instead.
But the reality is that if you don't turn around and face your fear of rejection, it's eventually going to bite you in the butt. It's going to keep you from making contacts you need to make, cause you to walk away from sales you could have closed, and force you into choosing easier -- but much less effective -- ways to get clients.
Here is where to begin. You must recognize that rejection is not about you. When a prospect decides not to do business with you, it's a commercial transaction. Your prospect is deciding whether or not to spend his own or his employer's money on purchasing a certain service. His choice has nothing whatsoever to do with your worth as a person, or even your abilities as a professional.
The number of factors that go into your prospect's decision are innumerable. And frequently, what you are told about why he doesn't want to hire you isn't the full story. Even when it sounds like it's about you, it really isn't.
When a prospect says she thinks you are too expensive, what she actually means is that she's choosing to spend that money on something else, or that she values low price over high quality, or that she never meant to act in the first place because she doesn't have an appropriate budget. None of this is about you.
A prospect who tells you that he found someone else more qualified simply means that there's another person in your market who happens to have experience more relevant than your own, or that the other person hired a better resume writer, or that your prospect thinks qualifications on paper mean more than real-world experience. Also not about you.
If you're told that the competition has better references, it means that they were referred by someone the prospect knows personally, or they worked for a big name the prospect recognizes, or the prospect got lazy after checking their references and never called yours. Not about you.
And most of the time what prospects tell you doesn't even sound like it's about you. They say, "not now," "let me think about it," or "I'm not ready." Certainly none of that is about you.
Of course it's disappointing to lose a sale, but the real problem is when you allow the possibility of a disappointment to stop you from seeking sales at all.
If you miss the bus occasionally, do you stop taking the bus to work? If you sometimes lose at cards, do you refuse to play any more? If you have a less-than-enjoyable first date with someone, do you give up dating forever?
No. You recognize that it would be unreasonable to expect the bus to always arrive on your schedule, or to win at cards every time you play, or for every first date to turn into marriage.
Then why should you allow the possibility of hearing someone say no stop you from making phone calls, or following up on leads, or setting up meetings to discuss working together?
The next time a prospect tells you she doesn't want to hire you right now or he prefers to work with someone else, don't allow yourself to translate that refusal to do business into a personal rejection. Prospects who say no are not suggesting there is something wrong with you. They aren't even talking about you; they are talking about themselves.
Instead, hear a no as what it truly is: a business decision based on a current set of circumstances that exist in the life, career, or workplace of your prospects. It's about their time, their money, their needs, their preferences, their priorities. It's not about you at all.
Copyright © 2010, C.J. Hayden
Read more free articles by C.J. Hayden or subscribe to the GET CLIENTS NOW! E-Letter.
Other times the fear is lurking in the background, making an impact you're not always aware of. You may find yourself procrastinating about making a phone call or setting up a sales appointment, and blame it on laziness or poor time management. Or you may avoid following up because you "don't want to bug people." Or perhaps it feels pushy to ask directly for a sale.
Or maybe it just seems easier to spend time exchanging posts on Facebook or Twitter, or spend money buying pay-per-click ads, than it does to have a one-to-one conversation with a prospect who has expressed interest in your services.
But what much of this subtle resistance to direct contact with your prospects indicates is that you are -- consciously or unconsciously -- avoiding situations where you might be told no.
There is no question that it can be confronting to ask someone to hire you. The possibility of being rejected may bring up every ounce of psychological baggage you are hauling around with you from the past. You may remember being chosen last for volleyball games, or told not to tag along with your older siblings, or excluded from a clique at school.
You may not even be aware these old memories of rejection are being triggered. You just notice how hard it is to make calls or go to networking events or follow up on leads, and you do something else instead.
But the reality is that if you don't turn around and face your fear of rejection, it's eventually going to bite you in the butt. It's going to keep you from making contacts you need to make, cause you to walk away from sales you could have closed, and force you into choosing easier -- but much less effective -- ways to get clients.
Here is where to begin. You must recognize that rejection is not about you. When a prospect decides not to do business with you, it's a commercial transaction. Your prospect is deciding whether or not to spend his own or his employer's money on purchasing a certain service. His choice has nothing whatsoever to do with your worth as a person, or even your abilities as a professional.
The number of factors that go into your prospect's decision are innumerable. And frequently, what you are told about why he doesn't want to hire you isn't the full story. Even when it sounds like it's about you, it really isn't.
When a prospect says she thinks you are too expensive, what she actually means is that she's choosing to spend that money on something else, or that she values low price over high quality, or that she never meant to act in the first place because she doesn't have an appropriate budget. None of this is about you.
A prospect who tells you that he found someone else more qualified simply means that there's another person in your market who happens to have experience more relevant than your own, or that the other person hired a better resume writer, or that your prospect thinks qualifications on paper mean more than real-world experience. Also not about you.
If you're told that the competition has better references, it means that they were referred by someone the prospect knows personally, or they worked for a big name the prospect recognizes, or the prospect got lazy after checking their references and never called yours. Not about you.
And most of the time what prospects tell you doesn't even sound like it's about you. They say, "not now," "let me think about it," or "I'm not ready." Certainly none of that is about you.
Of course it's disappointing to lose a sale, but the real problem is when you allow the possibility of a disappointment to stop you from seeking sales at all.
If you miss the bus occasionally, do you stop taking the bus to work? If you sometimes lose at cards, do you refuse to play any more? If you have a less-than-enjoyable first date with someone, do you give up dating forever?
No. You recognize that it would be unreasonable to expect the bus to always arrive on your schedule, or to win at cards every time you play, or for every first date to turn into marriage.
Then why should you allow the possibility of hearing someone say no stop you from making phone calls, or following up on leads, or setting up meetings to discuss working together?
The next time a prospect tells you she doesn't want to hire you right now or he prefers to work with someone else, don't allow yourself to translate that refusal to do business into a personal rejection. Prospects who say no are not suggesting there is something wrong with you. They aren't even talking about you; they are talking about themselves.
Instead, hear a no as what it truly is: a business decision based on a current set of circumstances that exist in the life, career, or workplace of your prospects. It's about their time, their money, their needs, their preferences, their priorities. It's not about you at all.
Copyright © 2010, C.J. Hayden
Read more free articles by C.J. Hayden or subscribe to the GET CLIENTS NOW! E-Letter.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
GOP Economic Plan: Punish the Jobless to Screw Over Obama
The New York Times / By Paul Krugman
Alternet
There are five unemployed workers for every job opening. That does not seem to concern the GOP lawmakers opposed to extending unemployment benefits.
There was a time when everyone took it for granted that unemployment insurance, which normally terminates after 26 weeks, would be extended in times of persistent joblessness. It was, most people agreed, the decent thing to do.
But that was then. Today, American workers face the worst job market since the Great Depression, with five job seekers for every job opening, with the average spell of unemployment now at 35 weeks. Yet the Senate went home for the holiday weekend without extending benefits. How was that possible?
The answer is that we’re facing a coalition of the heartless, the clueless and the confused. Nothing can be done about the first group, and probably not much about the second. But maybe it’s possible to clear up some of the confusion.
Click Here to read the full article.
The New York Times / By Paul Krugman
Alternet
Alternet
There are five unemployed workers for every job opening. That does not seem to concern the GOP lawmakers opposed to extending unemployment benefits.
There was a time when everyone took it for granted that unemployment insurance, which normally terminates after 26 weeks, would be extended in times of persistent joblessness. It was, most people agreed, the decent thing to do.
But that was then. Today, American workers face the worst job market since the Great Depression, with five job seekers for every job opening, with the average spell of unemployment now at 35 weeks. Yet the Senate went home for the holiday weekend without extending benefits. How was that possible?
The answer is that we’re facing a coalition of the heartless, the clueless and the confused. Nothing can be done about the first group, and probably not much about the second. But maybe it’s possible to clear up some of the confusion.
Click Here to read the full article.
The New York Times / By Paul Krugman
Alternet
McDonald’s Facing Potential Lawsuit for Luring Kids With Happy Meal Toys
Alternet/
Posted by michelesimon
It was only a matter of time. Last month, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) served McDonald’s with a notice of its intent to sue if the fast food giant continues to use toys to promote Happy Meals. (An “intent to sue” letter is a prerequisite to filing a lawsuit in some states.) The basis for the potential case is that using toys to market to small children is unfair and deceptive under the consumer protection laws in a number of states. According to CSPI’s letter, McDonald’s toy promotions violate the laws of California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, and the District of Columbia.
Click Here to read the full article.
Alternet/
Posted by michelesimon
Posted by michelesimon
It was only a matter of time. Last month, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) served McDonald’s with a notice of its intent to sue if the fast food giant continues to use toys to promote Happy Meals. (An “intent to sue” letter is a prerequisite to filing a lawsuit in some states.) The basis for the potential case is that using toys to market to small children is unfair and deceptive under the consumer protection laws in a number of states. According to CSPI’s letter, McDonald’s toy promotions violate the laws of California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, and the District of Columbia.
Click Here to read the full article.
Alternet/
Posted by michelesimon
Monday, July 5, 2010
Improve Search Engine Rankings With Proper Keyword Research
By Michael Fleischner
The best way to achieve search engine dominance is by focusing on keyword research. As a search engine optimization consultant, I’ve worked with hundreds of companies that miss this very important step. Achieving top search engine rankings is largely based on the competitiveness of the keyword phrase you are trying to optimize for. If your competitor is in the top spot with a well entrenched web site, then your chances of out ranking him may be limited.
In addition to focusing on a keyword phrase that doesn’t have strong competition, you need to find terms that are frequently searched on. I recently finished a consulting assignment for a foundation trying to optimize their website. They had top rankings for a keyword term that seemed to be somewhat desirable. However, keyword research proved that the term received less than 100 searches per month. As a result, top rankings for this keyword phrase were nearly meaningless.
Once you have found a keyword phrase that isn’t too competitive and receives an adequate number of monthly searches, the next step is to thoroughly check out your competition. Google the keyword phrases you want to optimize for a run a back link check on the top three ranked web sites. This indicates the strength of those web sites relative to their search engine ranking. The more links, the more difficult it will be to rank higher than they do without some type of sustained link building campaign.
After doing your keyword research and confirming your choice of keywords and keyword phrases, it’s time to focus on improving your web pages around the keywords you’ve selected. Enhance your meta tags, titles, and web copy to include your keyword phrases. This helps to tell the search engines what your web site is about so it can rank your site appropriately. In addition to the on page factors, Google weighs off page factors to determine web site ranking.
Off page optimization requires a sustained effort that uses new content and additional links from third party websites. The most effective strategies are the most basic. Begin with a link building plan. Focus on article directories, web site directories, blogs, social bookmarking sites, and other resources where you can establish in bound links.
Your plan should include daily, weekly and monthly tasks that can attract links from authority websites consistently over time. Your goal should not be to generate thousands of inbound links quickly because Google will penalize your website. Rather, focus on steady link building.
If you want to improve your organic search engine ranking, begin with keyword research. By selecting the right keywords, you’ll be able to optimize your website more quickly than your competitors. After choosing the right keywords, focus on integrating your chosen keywords into your web site. Then you’re ready for link building and other off page optimization tactics that significantly improve rankings.
Michael Fleischner is an SEO consultant and author of SEO Made Simple, revealing strategies guaranteed to improve search engine rankings. Learn more about Michael's hands-on SEO training program, Internet Marketing Forum, and SEO consulting at MarketingScoop.com or contact him via the Marketing Blog at http://marketing-expert.blogspot.com.
©2009 MarketingScoop.
The best way to achieve search engine dominance is by focusing on keyword research. As a search engine optimization consultant, I’ve worked with hundreds of companies that miss this very important step. Achieving top search engine rankings is largely based on the competitiveness of the keyword phrase you are trying to optimize for. If your competitor is in the top spot with a well entrenched web site, then your chances of out ranking him may be limited.
In addition to focusing on a keyword phrase that doesn’t have strong competition, you need to find terms that are frequently searched on. I recently finished a consulting assignment for a foundation trying to optimize their website. They had top rankings for a keyword term that seemed to be somewhat desirable. However, keyword research proved that the term received less than 100 searches per month. As a result, top rankings for this keyword phrase were nearly meaningless.
Once you have found a keyword phrase that isn’t too competitive and receives an adequate number of monthly searches, the next step is to thoroughly check out your competition. Google the keyword phrases you want to optimize for a run a back link check on the top three ranked web sites. This indicates the strength of those web sites relative to their search engine ranking. The more links, the more difficult it will be to rank higher than they do without some type of sustained link building campaign.
After doing your keyword research and confirming your choice of keywords and keyword phrases, it’s time to focus on improving your web pages around the keywords you’ve selected. Enhance your meta tags, titles, and web copy to include your keyword phrases. This helps to tell the search engines what your web site is about so it can rank your site appropriately. In addition to the on page factors, Google weighs off page factors to determine web site ranking.
Off page optimization requires a sustained effort that uses new content and additional links from third party websites. The most effective strategies are the most basic. Begin with a link building plan. Focus on article directories, web site directories, blogs, social bookmarking sites, and other resources where you can establish in bound links.
Your plan should include daily, weekly and monthly tasks that can attract links from authority websites consistently over time. Your goal should not be to generate thousands of inbound links quickly because Google will penalize your website. Rather, focus on steady link building.
If you want to improve your organic search engine ranking, begin with keyword research. By selecting the right keywords, you’ll be able to optimize your website more quickly than your competitors. After choosing the right keywords, focus on integrating your chosen keywords into your web site. Then you’re ready for link building and other off page optimization tactics that significantly improve rankings.
Michael Fleischner is an SEO consultant and author of SEO Made Simple, revealing strategies guaranteed to improve search engine rankings. Learn more about Michael's hands-on SEO training program, Internet Marketing Forum, and SEO consulting at MarketingScoop.com or contact him via the Marketing Blog at http://marketing-expert.blogspot.com.
©2009 MarketingScoop.
Read More Travel Scam Tricks Such As The Mayan Dollar Scam
Here are some more interesting travel scams such as the Mayan Dollar scam for you travelers of abroad.
In Mexico's Riviera Maya earlier this year, Scambuster Keith was mightily impressed by the low prices offered by traders for souvenirs at the famous Chichen Itza heritage site.
"Only five dollars," the trader would shout, thrusting a handmade bag or an ornate stone carving in front of him.
But once hooked, he discovered this price turns out to be "Mayan dollars," a non-existent currency that someone apparently dreamt up and many traders now use.
Click Here to read about more travel scams.
In Mexico's Riviera Maya earlier this year, Scambuster Keith was mightily impressed by the low prices offered by traders for souvenirs at the famous Chichen Itza heritage site.
"Only five dollars," the trader would shout, thrusting a handmade bag or an ornate stone carving in front of him.
But once hooked, he discovered this price turns out to be "Mayan dollars," a non-existent currency that someone apparently dreamt up and many traders now use.
Click Here to read about more travel scams.
The Beijing Tea Scam
China is an increasingly popular tourist destination, and the nation's capital, Beijing, lures the vast majority of the country's visitors to its fabulous culture and architecture. So it's a well-tried travel scam hangout too.
For instance: In the most popular haunts, a couple of young women approach you, claiming to be English students and saying they want to chat to improve their language skills.
Click Here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
For instance: In the most popular haunts, a couple of young women approach you, claiming to be English students and saying they want to chat to improve their language skills.
Click Here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
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