I know good SEOs, but I am a modestly talented amateur at most. As such, this page is really an SEM 101 post, not a revelation from heaven. Maybe it’ll help somebody, but if not, reading it won’t make you walk away dumber.
———–

Then vs Now
In what now seems like the dawn of time, in the late 1990′s+ I took a site to PR7 thru trial and error. Back then, white-on-white keyword laden text was considered skill, not something to laugh about, and sending 50 adds a day to the same sources every day was “persistence”, not spam. Things I did then would get me banned by Google in a heartbeat today. At one point I had a lock on some SERP s I could sell for enough to retire on if it were done today. That was then, this is now, and the system is vastly changed.

Dusting off the Webmaster Suit
Recently I needed to rejoin the webmaster workld because a friend had an emergency that required assistance, both medical and financial. Her daughter was facing cancer for the third time and needed a bone marrow transplant. The insurance co-pay alone is predicted to run around $80,000… and I was volunteered (by my wife, who else?) as the guy to help make the financial side of it happen. Not having $80k laying around, it seemed that taking the case to the web was the answer.

Last week I built a site… Got-Marrow.org, for the purpose of fund-raising. My first website was built using Microsoft Word, and soon-after enhanced using MS Frontpage. You can laugh all ya want guys, but we didnt have WordPress, Dreamweaver, CSS, Joomla… and I wasn’t a code-kid who could write HTML code on sheet of text. This time I have WordPress to work with (thank heaven).

If You Build it, They Will Come
LOL. That is the movie version of the old saying… “Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door”. Unfortunately it’s horse-hockey, and as a professor told me in a college marketing class, a helluvalotta guys with great moustraps died broke. A mediocre moustrap that can be found sells faster than a perfect one nobody’s heard of.

Using ALL the Golf Clubs
Being something of an addict to webmaster forums, I’m constantly amazed to see people get into heated arguments over whether you oughta use this directory over that one, or should you use Social Bookmarking or Blog comments… or are you better off using sig links or banner ads. To me that’s like asking if you should go to the golf course with a driver or a putter… or should you just take a sand wedge.

DUH! You go to the golf course with every club you can fit in the bag… and you’ll probably need all of them.

We have a limited time to work with in the case of the blog I’m promoting, so we’ve used a shotgun of SEO tactics that’d run one man ragged. Medical emergencies have a short timeline, but on the bright side, it’s easier to get volunteers to save a life than it is to promote a blog about Audio-visual Equipment Reviews. Manpower hasn’t been our limitation, we’ve had many volunteers and  LOT of donated directory links, sig links, FB mentions, etc.

What have we done? Just about everything that can be done fast and easily, and in large quantity. Sig links, Facebook links, a FB group, twitters, re-tweets, press releases on multiple venues, Digg adds, you name it… we have a guy doing it. We added a How Can I Help page and have volunteers and amateurs assisting. We’ll take more if you’re up for it.

The Response?
We started the site midweek. By the third full day we were getting visitors from 43 countries, and money was starting to come in. Not in huge chunks, but little donations add up. It helps that it’s pretty apparent that it isnt a scam site, and I’ve been hesitant to put adsense on it for fear somebody’d think it was an MFA.

That’s a hard call to make because adsense might help boost the bottom line for the cause, but if it jaded the view of onlookers it might have a reverse effect. That one is still under consideration. Bottom line, the traffic is growing rapidly and the site is indexed and starting to generate SE traffic in addition to the direct and referral traffic that started it off.

The Lesson I’ve Learned
There are a lot of folks in web forums that offer advice. Some will solemnly intone that directories are dead, or that Twitter has seen its 15 minutes of fame. Others will tell you their pet profile spam method is the only thing needed to move into the ranks of SEO.

What I’m seeing is there are more ways to boost a site than ever before, and anyone that doesn’t take advantage of as many white hat methods as possible is missing results he could have seen. We have not touched on any complicated methods… there are no radical link schemes, no fake forum IDs, no blackhat, just simple stuff that tends to snowball.

INCIDENTALLY…
Another thing I’ve learned in the process is that people in the webmaster community are pretty much the same across the world when it comes to humanity, and they’re generous to a fault in giving their time and skills. Can’t thank them all here, but they know who they are. I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention the guys at the V7n forum community, cause they’ve busted their rears helping.

Should YOU have a similar project… Let BOTW Help
Don’t forget that BOTW offers a free add for Charity sites. Go to the applicable category and click on the BOLDED submit site button (not the light one at the top of the screen) and you’ll see …

That queue has been drastically reduced recently, but obviously still gets more spam than the commercial queue where we are required to respond in a certain timeframe. If you have a charity website sitting in the free  add queue…  you have my personal invitation to drop me an email.  I’ll see that it is tracked down and reviewed. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort to help, so is Best of the Web.

My thanks again to all who have assisted ~ Rob Jones

• Directory Submissions – Discount the annual or the one-time review fee and get listed in the Internet’s Oldest Directory.

• Blog Directory Submissions – Feature your blog and save on the annual review fee.

• Premium Local Listings – Discount the monthly and annual rate for your Local Business Profile listing.

• Bundled Marketing Package – Get your US Business listed in BOTH the Web Directory and BOTW Local for a fraction of the cost. Save 20% on the yearly fee!

• Monthly Sponsorship Ads – Save on the monthly rate for all new sponsorship ads.

• Blog Advertising – Discount on all new sponsorship ads in the Blog Directory.

Remember to use promo code: SINCE94

Clock’s Ticking
This promo is valid for savings on multiple products and service. It will expire on September 30, 2009… so get your 20% discount today!

Olympic skater Nancy Kerrigan…
…was kneecapped by an assailant sent by another Olympic hopeful… Tonya Harding. Just another inspiring example of the spirit of brotherhood exemplified through Olympic competition… and a proud moment for Team USA.

OJ Simpson… steel athlete turned wooden actor
… leads police on a slow chase in a white Bronco. His wife is discovered dead, as is his career pitching rental cars. He is later acquitted and devotes his life to an exhausting search for the real killer on golf courses across the nation.

President William Jefferson Clinton
… scores a coup for peace when North Korea signs an agreement to stop its nuclear weapons program and agree to inspections. This of course forever ends the issue of the troublesome dictatorship becoming a nuclear power.

Michael Jackson marries Lisa Marie Presley
[Insert your own joke here]

Red Hat Linux 1.0 is released
[No joke.]

Brandon Plewe, a student at State U of New York, Buffalo…
…creates a platform to let the burgeoning online community nominate and vote for best-of-class websites in a variety of categories. From this seed is later developed a well known web enterprise.

The new site is known as Best of the Web.

…

Make Something Happen in 2009
Best of the Web is celebrating its 15th year with a sale on a multitude of products… giving YOU lots of chances to make something happen in 2009. For the entire month of September you can take advantage of this promotion and receive 20% OFF all new BOTW submissions and sponsorship advertising, including the following ;

• Directory Submissions – Discount the annual or the one-time review fee and get listed in the Internet’s Oldest Directory.

• Blog Directory Submissions – Feature your blog and save on the annual review fee.

• Premium Local Listings – Discount the monthly and annual rate for your Local Business Profile listing.

• Bundled Marketing Package – Get your US Business listed in BOTH the Web Directory and BOTW Local for a fraction of the cost. Save 20% on the yearly fee!

• Monthly Sponsorship Ads – Save on the monthly rate for all new sponsorship ads.

• Blog Advertising – Discount on all new sponsorship ads in the Blog Directory.

All you have to do is remember to use the promo code: SINCE94

Vote Early and Vote Often
The promo code may be used multiple times for multiple products and services during the month of September. Remember – the code will expire on September 30, 2009… so be sure to take advantage of the 20% discount before it’s too late!

Having It All

• Party with a fun crowd past bedtime
• Network with valuable business contacts
• Do a good deed for the community

… all at the same time.

But in August… you CAN
BOTW is helping sponsor the upcoming Internet Marketers Charity Party to take place in San Jose August 12th… and as always at these things, it just won’t be a party without you there.

Networking
If you haven’t attended an IM Charity Party yet, it’s a great chance to rub elbows with the folks you normally only see across a crowded forum, read in a blog, or talk to by email. Great chance to put faces with names, and do so in a relaxed, fun setting.

Charity Proceeds
The sponsors of the event cover the costs of the party, so your ticket and all donations go to the designated charities… “Doctors Without Borders” and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Helping sick kids is of course <martha>A_Good_Thing</martha>.

The Particulars
Where: Agenda Lounge 399 S 1st St (1 block from SES San Jose)
What: Conference networking + open bar
When: Wednesday, August 12th, 8pm to Midnight
Who: Anyone who wants to have fun & support charity
Why: To help Doctors Without Borders and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society help sick kids

Where Do We sign Up?
You can get tickets at the door for $50… or pre-register online HERE for $30.

Don’t miss the fun. [All the cool kids will be there ]
Hope to see you there.

All attendees will have the opportunity to take away new information on how to optimize their marketing strategies through advanced SEO techniques, local marketing, video advertising, and email campaigns that actually work. Participants will also get the chance to network among a vast pool of affiliates where you can discuss specific marketing strategies, negotiate better commission percentages, explore new products to offer, and resolve any issues.

This inaugural event is expected to draw more than one thousand attendees. If you are an affiliate, DO NOT miss out on this awesome opportunity and Register for Free!

From April 2-4, there will be an extremely fun and (dare i say) educational Internet Marketing Event. IM Spring Break is open to only 200 attendees to ensure a comfy and cozy setting – perfect for establishing strong friendships and trusted business partnerships. And while I cannot promise that there will be any bawdy or risque activities, I can promise that the scene in sunny South Florida will be laid back and relaxed – with a notably fun and intelligent crew of speakers and attendees. Representatives from Yahoo, SEOmoz and Best of the Web will be in attendance. And you do not want to miss hearing from keynote speakers Rae Hoffman (SugarRae), Neil Patel, and Chris Winfield. Other key participants include Loren Baker, Frank Watson, Todd Malicoat, Li Evans, Carolyn Shelby, Brent Csutoras, Joost deValk and top Digg user ZAIBATSU.

The Hilton Resort in Deerfield Beach, Florida will act as the hub for all Search Marketing training sessions and workshops, as well as other conference events. So after you are finished learning from some of the brightest and most talented speakers in Search Marketing, you can take a 5 minute ride to the beach. If you aren’t much of a beach bum, feel free to sit down at the poker table with other attendees or enjoy an open bar – poolside at the hotel. Name of the game is to learn, network, and have fun…

So if you haven’t already booked your ticket to the “Sunshine State,” you better get on it Now! For more information and to reserve your spot at IM Spring Break – visit Events@IMBroadcast.

The original plan was to publish Brian Prince’s ATM PIN and card number… but that’s still under discussion, as someone pointed out:
-1- This might not be entirely legal.
-2- Everyone involved would be fired.

Meanwhile, until we get that ironed out, we’re offering a nice discount on submissions to Best of the Web.

March Promo Code
Save 25% on all Web and Blog Directory Submissions during the month of March! Promo Code: SAVE25

Thank you for flying Best of the Web. ~ RobJ

So last month Best of the Web ran a promo that included it’s biggest discount offering of the year – 25% off all products and services in the BOTW Directory, Blog Directory and UK Directory for the entire month of December. In addition to slashing our rates by a quarter, we also paid at least a 25% commission to BOTW Resellers and Affiliates on all referred sales.

Thanks to the “BLIZZARD” promo, it was a great month for all… but it was an especially awesome month for the top affiliate earner, “Matt L” from Seattle based marketing firm BuzzHead, who not only received the highest commission payment, but also won the contest prize – a 46″ Samsung HDTV!! As intended, Matt was able to use the 25% discount to help resell BOTW’s popular listing services, and also refer a bunch of online sales using affiliate links and banners. It was this combination that enabled Matt to refer the most “Blizzard” sales and win the big screen HDTV. Kudos Matt and congrats on a job well done! We are happy to reward this type of performance with something significant around the holidays.

Seeing as how the “BLIZZARD” promotion was such a hit, we hope to offer similar ventures in the coming months. So keep a “look out” for BOTW’s promotional emails and a watchful eye on this blog.

And finally, many thanks to the affiliate partners, resellers, and customers who were able to take advantage of last month’s discount offer. Without your continued support, we would not be able to offer such cool prizes and continue to press forward in providing the Internet community with useful and relevant search tools.

This is the biggest discount offering of the year and if you happen to be a valued BOTW Reseller, you can take advantage of this opportunity to promote the “BLIZZARD” special, drive more sales, and earn even more money through the Best of the Web Reseller Program.

And to sweeten your holiday spirits, we have a bonus. The affiliate who earns the most commission by promoting the “BLIZZARD” discount will also win a brand new 46″ Samsung HDTV!! (model LN46A650)

Use the images below to help promote the “BLIZZARD” discount on your site, and increase your chances of winning the new HDTV. At the end of the month, all commissions will be calculated, and the affiliate who has the highest commission will be contacted via phone or email to claim their new HDTV.

Remember – this is a limited time offer. The “BLIZZARD” Promo and HDTV Giveaway contest will end on December 31, 2008. Get started today!

For additional banners and tiles to display on your website or blog, please visit http://botw.org/helpcenter/blizzard.aspx.

The owner was kindly, but education wasn’t one of his strong points. As he helpfully opened the Yellow Pages under “D” to find the address of the nearest doctor… he suddenly drew a blank look and said none were listed. We suggested he look under “Physician“.

He flipped the page… to the section beginning with “F”.

Countries Separated by A Common Language
Looking for something on the web yields similar problems. You need to search the term that’s actually present, and it doesn’t hurt to have it spelled the same way. Unfortunately, if you’re in the UK you are sometimes hampered by evidence the colonials elsewhere can neither spell nor call things by their correct name.

If seeking legal specialists… US-based editors will likely have placed the “Solicitor” you’re seeking under “Lawyer” or “Attorney“. Meanwhile someone in Wales is searching “Barrister” with limited success.

BOTW Kicks the Yanks Out of the UK
OK, not physically, but we did decide that our customers and clients in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and the Republic of Ireland might be better served if our taxonomy didnt assume you spoke and spelled like US citizens. Simply a matter of dealing with reality. We decided to add some local color (or in this case… colour).

A new group of editors was hired to overhaul the UK & ROI portions of the directory, and the new editors are natives of the area. There is simply no substitute for firsthand knowledge of the language and idioms (or the geography for that matter… it doesn’t do to have a non-native try to handle Regional: London).

Our Thanks to Resident Magician
The credit for the work goes to a relatively small but strong UK team led by “Merlin”… and in our opinion they bring to mind the Churchill phrase once applied to the RAF… “Never have so many owed so much to so few….” Once complete it will look like everyone’s UK section would look if they’d only had a decade to think about it. Special kudos to GavinK, Robo, Rzan, Specop, and others involved in this massive effort.

Who Benefits?
Well, besides making it easier for surfers to find what they’re looking for, it probably has a benefit to our clients in making their sites more findable. Seems like a win-win for everyone. The work is ongoing, but feel free to stroll the UK area of the directory and let us know if it seems better, or if you see areas of concern. We value your input.

Regards

Rob Jones
(aka: The “good” Rob)
Proud Member of “The Nerd Herd”