Internet Marketing Secrets Issue #123 - May 10 2007 In this Issue: 111 papers from the 16th annual WWW conference. Public domain content that makes you look like a hero. Google Wants YOU!... to report paid links. What caused the mysterious drop in PageRank? Plus... A nifty little linking tool that exposes your ways. The more you learn the more you earn. And sowing the seeds for ultimate satisfaction. All this and a lot more in this jam-packed issue of IMS. Enjoy! - - - - - - Sponsor - - - - - - Mass Marketing is Dead. Long Live the Niche! The niche marketing formula is simple. Go for the lowest competition and the highest traffic. Are you ready to discover the easy pickings? The low hanging fruit? The long tail of the search? Now NicheBot comes with an easy to use LSI tool. Discover how to "theme up" your website and make it search engine friendly, without needing a whole bunch of incoming links. Ready to Dominate a Niche? ==> http://www.cdzn.com/nb2 WebLink ==> Click - - - - - - /Sponsor - - - - - - INTERNET MARKETING & SEARCH ENGINE NEWS Calling All SEO Propeller Heads It's that time of year again, when all the brightest minds in search come together to share their research papers. This year saw the 16th Annual World Wide Web Conference which was held in Banff Alberta Canada. There were 111 papers accepted for presentation at the conference. Tomorrow's search engine companies and algo technologies come out of these conferences. Many of Google, Yahoo and MSN's top engineers made their names and claims to fame through this conference. Yep, even a couple of young lads with papers about PageRank back in 1998, which later became Google. Those of you whom are real SEO propeller heads, into the Semantic Web and LSI, will have lots of reading ahead. Two papers caught my eye, "Measuring Semantic Similarity between Words" and "Dynamic Personalized PageRank." The concept of HubRank looks particularly interesting. Conference Papers ==> http://www2007.org/prog-Papers.php Award Candidates ==> http://www2007.org/awards.php If you want to see historical info on the research papers and who cited what previous work, then the Penn State University will help. Just go to their CiteSeer and type in say... pagerank and get every citation ever made to the 1998 paper. You'll also get the urls where the original papers are stored. Penn State CiteSeer ==> http://citeseer.ist.psu.edu And did you know, that if you advertised on syndicated networks, your contribution might have been funding the search spam industry? It's true. One of the papers deals with reducing the amount of spam. The research caught the attention of several major publications, including the NY Times, which explained... "The researchers uncovered a complex scheme in which a small group, creating false doorway pages, works with operators of Web-based computers who profit by redirecting traffic passed from search engines in one direction and then sending advertisements acquired from syndicators in the opposite direction." This research is now a paper entitled, "Spam Double-Funnel: Connecting Web Spammers with Advertisers." It's available at the conference site along with the rest of the papers, or you can it from professor Hao Chen, one of the authors of the paper. Stop Search Spam ==> http://www.cs.ucdavis.edu/~hchen/ The abstract for the paper reads, "The methodology and findings are useful for search engines to strengthen their ranking algorithms against spam, for legitimate website owners to locate and remove spam doorway pages, and for legitimate advertisers to identify unscrupulous syndicators who serve ads on spam pages." So ad spammers, looks like the jig is up... your days are numbered. Not only that, their research can detect cloaking of ANY kind... so beware. - - - - - Heros Wanted Sure it's great to make affiliate commissions on product sales. Even more gravy when they subscribe to your newsletter and you collect the back end sales. But are you sending your customers more than just offers? Here's something that will let you look like a hero. Telling your readers about recalls and product safety concerns. The site is the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. And you don't need to worry about using the content, as it's all in the public domain. The CPSCs most wanted list (the most dangerous items) include, window blinds, old cribs and cedar chests. Recent recalls include magnets, toy cell phones, gas grills, spas, activity centers and lots of children's jewelry, due to high levels of toxic lead. So if you want to look like a hero, and keep your subscribers reading, give them something of true value. And what could be more important than their personal safety and concern for their families. Consumer Product Safety ==> http://www.cpsc.gov - - - - - Google Wants YOU!... To Report Paid Links Recently there was a lot of buzz generated on Matt Cutts blog (the most widely known Google engineer). Three hotly contested topics were hidden links and text, links in Wordpress themes, and how to report paid links. Seems as though many of the Wordpress templates have back doors in them, that are easily exploited by spammers. They design great looking templates and then crack them, without the owners knowledge, and fill them with nefarious links. Hidden text and links... include things like white text on a white background. White text on a white background, and the text is a link. Using CSS to make hyperlinks that are tiny, like one pixel high text. And hiding links in something like the period, in the middle of a paragraph of text. ==> http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/hidden-links/ The "how to report paid links" post drew the most attention, with over 580 fiery comments at last visit. ==> http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/how-to-report-paid-links/ What Matt was looking for - bottom line - is disclosure of paid links. Here's how Matt started things off, note how he encourages people to report paid links to "augment" their algo: "One thing I heard at SES London was that people wanted a way to report paid links specifically. I'd like to get a few paid link reports anyway because I'm excited about trying some ideas here at Google to augment our existing algorithms." "Sign in to Google's webmaster console and use the authenticated spam report form, then include the word "paidlink" (all one word) in the text area of the spam report." "As far as the details, something like shadyseo.com is buying links. You can see the paid links on example.com/path/page.html is all you need. That will be enough for Google to start testing out some new techniques we've got - thanks!" Yikes! New techniques? Augmenting the algo? Letting the machine decide? More of Matt's comments included gems like: "This post is to let people know in advance that Google is looking at some new ways to approach paid links that affect search engines. Google wants to hear about paid links that pass PageRank in the same way that we want to hear about things like hidden text or keyword stuffing." ""I'd be most interested in the "I'll pay X for a link that affects search engines" type of stuff right now, whether it be via a link that passes PageRank or a paid post / article that isn't disclosed as paid."" "We're looking to collect data for a new approach or two that we're exploring, so I'm happy to receive pretty clear-cut reports right now." "We've got a lot of data within Google already, but I wanted to put out a call for external reports to widen the set of data that we can test on." "Right now I'm just looking to increase the size of the dataset that we're running some tests on." "I'm most interested in directly paid-for links right now. I'm happy to hear about other types of situations though." "Just to reiterate, I'd be most interested in reports of sites that appear to be trying to game Google's rankings via paid links that flow PageRank." Note that they are targeting not only ads, but blog posts, forums and articles. They've already have collected a vast amount of data. They just want to disclose what they're about to do, and "increase" the size of their data set. In other words... the hammer is about to drop. They want to come clean and yell... FORE! Probably the most disturbing thing were the comments about article directories. Could they be next on the chopping block. Could their backlinks be going the way of blog comments, Wikipedia, having their ability to pass PageRank eliminated? The comment made to Matt was along the lines of, "The logical next step: Weed out those article submission sites. They're mostly irrelevant content, used for targeted link text. Passing PR is the only reason theses sites exist." To which Matt replied, "I'll take that feedback under advisement. I'm always open to feedback on what Google can do to improve results quality." Let's hope that it doesn't come to pass. Because other than site directories like Yahoo, (Are they considered paid links too?) press releases and article directories, are two of the last remaining ways to generate links. On a positive note, Matt confirmed that it's ok to buy links, so long as they are nofollow ones. "There's absolutely no problem with selling links for traffic (as opposed to PageRank)." Moral of the story. Don't buy links unless the broker adds the nofollow tag. Disclose your involvement and mark your paid links, ads and posts as "sponsored." That way, you'll sleep better at night, and more of your pages will stay in the index. - - - - - The Mysterious Drop in PageRank You probably already figured it out. And it's easy to put two and two together. There was a big ripple effect. It's what happens when big PR8 sites suddenly have their Google Juice (PageRank) turned off, because they were selling links. Now I don't buy links. Never have. Never will. But since some of those sites, linked to sites, that eventually linked to me, there was a cascading drop down the line. Much like when you drop a pebble into water, the rings spread out to infinity. But it won't stop there. With the data Google has collected, expect any form of undisclosed advertising to be targeted. That means anywhere you can buy a link or put an ad, including articles, blog posts, web 2.0 sites, forums, press releases, landing pages, even newsletters. So if you're earning anything from the links on your site, or the pages you host, you might consider making them nofollow links, so they don't pass any search engine benefits to the destination. And on top of that, you might want to disclose any earnings and clearly label your advertising. That way, you'll stay out of trouble with Google, the FTC, and everyone else. - - - - - Do You Know Who You're Linking To? Want to see who your main competitors are linking to? How about finding some new linking partners. Try out MSN's Link From Domain tool. Just go to http://www.live.com and type this command: linkfromdomain:yoursite.com (Leave out the www in front of the domain name and replace yoursite.com with the domain name you want to check.) Use it to check your Wordpress sites, especially if you bought templates from a stranger or found them around the web. They might be cracked and letting a spammer inside. Some people have found hundreds of unauthorized outbound links. It's also handy for finding link rot... sites that you linked to in the past, that are now out of business. Worse yet, they went out of business, let the domain name expire, and it was picked up by an... ahem, "industry" that you wouldn't normally link to. Oh, one more thing. You can sorta use it to check for reciprocal links. Just add in a secondary bit of text on the same search query like this: linkfromdomain:yoursite.com site:othersite.com Try both commands at MSN's www.live.com and you may be in for a surprise or two. - - - - - Two Goodies From the Article Underground Some people keep giving an abundance of content to their subscribers and the community. Mike Liebner of the Article Underground is just such a person. First there are two videos. In them you'll learn the top 20 linking secrets. Mike says that you'll need to close the door and concentrate, as it can have a huge impact on the success of your business. ==> http://www.articleunderground.com/multimedia/20/ The second goodie is a keyword density tool. It was intended for Article Underground members only. But Mike, being the nice generous guy he is, has decided to share it with all of you as well. Just enter any url that you want to check in the top field. (You can leave the rest blank.) Click submit and get a full detailed report. You'll see at a glance the exact keyword density of individual words and phrases contained on your page, and get all the meta tag data as well. ==> http://www.articleunderground.com/webmaster/keyword-density-tool.html If you'd like a video tutorial on how to use the keyword density tool, Mike has provided one for you here: ==> http://www.articleunderground.com/multimedia/keywordtool/ - - - - - AdWords Editor Version 3.5 Did you know that you can manage AdWords from your desktop? AdWords Editor is Google's free, downloadable account management application for your computer. Download your AdWords account to your computer, make your changes, then upload your revised campaigns. This week they released version 3.5, which includes support for image ads, campaign targeting by region and city, plus a drag 'n drop feature that makes it easier to move items from one location to another. AdWords Editor ==> http://www.google.com/adwordseditor/ - - Adv - - Want Content, Links and Traffic? Here's how to get them fast. You don't need market research or reciprocal links. Every month you get 400 optimized articles. 24 announcement blogs. Instant incoming links. Tons of how-to video. And good solid SEO advice. You can modify the articles however you like. Use them for both affiliate and AdSense revenue sites. Get instant content and incoming links from up to 24 blogs. Plus good solid SEO advice, that you can use right away. Get Content, Links and Traffic ==> http://www.cdzn.com/au WebLink ==> Click - - /Adv - - INTERNET MARKETING AND SEO FAQs Just What is FreeIQ and Why Should You Care? Question: I took a look at FreeIQ. It looks like a search engine for info products. There's organic content on the left and paid ads on the right. What's so great about it? Is it a Clickbank replacement? I don't get it. Answer: There have been lots of questions about FreeIQ. The first thing you'll want to do, is visit the site and click the "learn more" link at the top of the page. If you still don't "get it" and want to learn more, try the "Help" link in the upper right corner. It will reveal the FAQs. You'll learn about creating and uploading content, secure transactions and how to use FreeIQ. Once you join, and if you have your own products, you can upload them. You get to create your own web page. Upload your content. They will even stream it and host it for you. They have a two tier affiliate program. Cookies last for a year. They pay recurring commission on additional sales. So in a nutshell, they become your business partner and become not only the bankcard processor and affiliate program, they host and stream the content, and act as a digital delivery system. Physical products are also welcomed. To quote Brad Fallon, "You can sell almost any type of information product, such as audio and videos, webinars and teleseminars, subscription newsletters, coaching and training programs, registrations for live events, etc. Plus, you can get paid as an affiliate for referring customers, content providers, and other affiliates to FreeIQ." Yep, even if you're a coach or consultant and all you offer is time, FreeIQ can help you there too. Affiliates can sell the time for you, they get a commission, you get the remaining funds, and take the gig. The early adopters get the advantage, as they upload their content and assign them tags. Then the membership starts voting on who they like the best by their viewing habits and writing reviews. The people that become favorites climb to the top of the search results using a patent pending ReviewRank formula. So if you are selling any kind of info, even if it's coaching, webinars or subscription newsletters, get in early before it becomes too crowded. Stake your claim to fame and let the rest of the world know about - and vote on - your expertise. Try the FreeIQ Beta ==> http://www.cdzn.com/fiq - - - - - Learn to Earn... It's Who and What You Know Question: I have a top ranked authority site, I make a living on the net, but have never made the amount that I should be. I do JVs, have tons of affiliates, email marketing, autoresponders, PPC, etc. Given my 7 years on the net, what do you think StomperNet can do for me? I realize that if I join, you would get a nice affiliate commission every month, so I am hoping to receive a concrete response, to help make my decision. Answer: I refuse to be baited by affiliate commissions. Just FYI, I'm a nice guy that answers emails and don't give a rats asterisk if you buy through me or not. ;-) In fact, once you read my answer, you might even think I'm a bit of a jerk. But I'm going to tell you the way it is. First of all, there's a fundamental flaw in your thinking. You say "make" instead of "earn" what you have. The greatest abundance will always come when you "serve" your market and customers, as opposed to "make" or trying get something from them. You need to offer value. The more value you give, the more you'll get in return. Ok, that said... You are probably making what you earn, because of who you hang around with. Make friends with people who are 10 times smarter, more experienced, and more prosperous than you. Then emulate what they do. You'll find people like that in private sites like StomperNet, Article Underground and Keyword Avalanche. Most people with breakout success are in markets other than direct response. Both StomperNet founders - Brad Fallon and Andy Jenkins - succeeded in markets serving everyday needs. Brad was wildly successful not only because he's smart, he learned SEO from the best, Leslie Rohde - now a faculty member - and practiced it in very common market... wedding favors. Then after he achieved success outside of the "internet marketing" community, he started SEO Radio and the original StomperNet Audio series with Andy. And it was the same deal with Andy. He learned ecommerce by reading Nothing but 'Net and then ran with it. He set up Yahoo stores selling memorabilia and tapestries. Then he wrote a book on how he did it. The amount of testing Brad and Andy have done is astounding. Just their conversion techniques alone pay for the cost of the membership for most people. Oh... another reason why you might be stuck, is that you're probably not delegating tasks like accounting, taxes, investments, annual reports, etc. You don't need employees, but you do need to form long term relationships with professionals to do these tasks. Then you'll have more time to work on strategies that will build your business. Or - come to think of it - maybe it's your overall strategy. Take a look at someone like Gauher Chaudhry, he does PPC to CPA and doesn't even worry about SEO or organic search. His course Pay Per Click Formula costs about the same as one month in StomperNet, yet he's on his way to over a million in revenue this year. Get the Per Per Click Formula ==> http://www.cdzn.com/ppc So long story short, there are many paths to success, but it all boils down to self-belief, positive attitude, being of service, and the old... who and what you know. Every who brings more what. And "the what" comes from your own personal experience, the books you read, the seminars you attend, and the people you hang around with. - - Adv - - Join the Family of Achievers Are ready for leadership and guidance from proven mentors? Are you willing to put in the work to achieve your desires? If the answer is yes, the Keyword Avalanche has just what you're looking for. Want an Avalanche of Abundance? ==> http://www.cdzn.com/ka WebLink ==> Click - - /Adv - - FEATURE ARTICLE Sowing the Seeds of Ultimate Satisfaction What are you working on this week? Did you get into it for the rewards... Or to reward the universe? If you do something just for the benefit it brings you, it's called a job. If you do something because you love to do it, it's called a passion. What types of sites are you setting up? Are they for MFA (made for AdSense) sites? Are they offering any true value to the reader, or are they just there to earn revenue from clicks. What was your intent? Your motivation? The visitor can sense it as well. Same deal with affiliate revenue sites. Did you put any effort into product comparisons and helping the visitor make a purchasing decision, or did you just copy and paste a few articles? Your greatest rewards will come from contribution. Giving to others and helping them. Yes, you are still the most important person in the world, but being confident in that fact, lets you give freely, without expecting anything in return. That is a very powerful beam of self confidence and positive attitude, to carry in yourself, and present to the universe. When you have a feeling of contribution, you are sowing the seeds of recognition. People will reward you, not just once, but many times over the lifetime of the relationship. As I wrote in 1999, in the opening words of Nothing but 'Net, "Do what you love to do." For if you truly love what you do, you'll never burn out, you'll never lose your passion. You work will be a joy, something you look forward to day after day. And if you truly enjoy what you do, the journey is enjoyable as the goal. It will never seem like work and you'll always be happy. Now let me ask you again... are you capped out, tapped out or burned out? Then stop working and start contributing. Start helping people in some thing, some way, some topic that you are passionate about, and never get tired of talking about. For if it's sustainable.... so is your enjoyment and your ability to continue to service that market, with ideas, products and solutions, for years to come. Learn all you can, share all you can, and you will lead the field. You will be recognized as the expert, the guru, the leader. Soon you'll be "the one" that people turn to for solutions. Your contributions will become even more powerful and carry greater authority than anyone else. And as you sow, so shall you reap. If you contribute, give value and help the community, your followers will continue to reward you... their guru... emotionally, spiritually and financially, for as long as you care to give. - - - - - That's it for this issue my friend. Thank you for reading. We'll chat again soon. Until then, here's wishing you all the best for online success. Michael Campbell P.S. "Every obstacle presents an opportunity, if you're looking for it." - Jeffrey Gitomer You can get even more FAQs, important news and helpful articles on the Internet Marketing Secrets (IMS) Blog. IMS Blog ==> http://homepage.mac.com/dmcorp/index.html And finally... Did you like this newsletter? Why not forward it to your friends, coworkers, classmates and anyone else that you think might like it. Thank you for your continued support. = = = = = = = = = = Legal stuff... Copyright 2007 Dynamic Media Corporation. All rights reserved world wide. All trademarks and service marks are property of their respective owners. The information contained in this newsletter is the opinion of the author based on his personal observations and years of experience. Neither the author or publisher assume any liability whatsoever for the use of or inability to use any or all of the information contained in this publication. Use this information at your own risk. The cdzn.com links contained in this publication are affiliate links whereby the publisher receives financial compensation should a purchase of products or services be made by clicking on said links. Privacy Policy: I never sell, rent, trade or lend any information about our subscribers to anyone, for any reason, whatsoever. I assure you that your privacy is respected and well protected.