Prosper In Pajamas

This site is devoted to those who want to have a life, to work from anywhere in the world at any time, in their pajamas or a bathing suit or golf attire . . . or whatever you happen to have on.

• Prospering in Pajamas, i.e. living life on your own terms, CAN be done . . . sometimes after lots of trial and error, sometimes by deciding to go down a different path, and sometimes things just fall into place.
• No matter what the path, living life on your own terms is absolutely worth it.

We’ve been online for about 20 years which started while working in corporate America. After wandering dozens of winding paths, we continually return to affiliate marketing and Web-related projects ’cause we really prefer working at home in pajamas instead of commuting to/from anywhere, particularly when there are freeways, lots of traffic and bridges involved.

We have met thousands of people who do what they want to do each and every day; sometimes it does entail going into a job they love, which we have had — 30 years at a great newspaper. Often it is working at home doing "exotic" things like printing their own mini-books in a print shop built into a separate studio or garage. What could be more fulfilling than to earn your keep by practicing a craft you love?

Is it working? Yes it is. Better than I expected, actually, but it does depend on the day you ask me depending on whether or not I’m waiting for sales and/or a check.

Sell Your Book on Amazon: The Book Marketing COACH Reveals Top-Secret “How-to” Tips Guaranteed to Increase Sales for Print-on-Demand and Self-Publishing Writers By Brent Sampson with a forward by Dan Poynter

This started in mid-2010 . . . I am in my pajamas as I write this.

Much of my income comes from designing/building Web sites at nominal fees for local companies and from affiliate marketing on this and other blogs of mine (more on that below).

It’s great. I don’t have to leave the house unless I want to. No traffic nightmares to/from work. My gas bill went from about $200/month to less than $50/month. My clothing bill is a fraction of what it was. No dry-cleaning bill. I worked on Web sites while cruising the Mediterraean for two weeks on the Star Princess.

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Dream careers are not just for the lucky. There is no mystery or magic in the process. The starting point is generally the most difficult. You have to believe in yourself enough to follow a dream.

So how do you find your dream career? Follow these steps.

1. Believe that you will succeed

   Self-belief is crucial. You have to believe that success is within your reach otherwise you may not even take the first step.

   If you do not believe it, who will? The people who make their career dreams come true are those who establish goals and believe in their goals.

   
   How can you become a believer? Sit down with a notebook. Write your ideal career, life, home, income . . . Create a picture you can look at every day. I change my life significantly some years ago with this process AND I included images from magazines that fit my dream. It works! Make sure your notes and images inspire you? Can you see it? Belief comes from within. Put your “road map” where you can view it each day.

2. Gather the facts

   Once you are a believer, back up your beliefs with facts. Find out specifically what steps you need to take to make that picture real. This way, you will be comfortable taking action. This can be easy. I’ve always wanted to spend my life creating art, but my family spent a great deal of time trying to convince me that one can’t make a living as an artist. Even while working in corporate America, I created on weekends and have had a few gallery shows, exhibited hand-made jewelry in high-end boutiques, and sold thousands of dollars worth of paintings and photographs from my garage-turned-into-an-art-studio in Bodega Bay.

   Think about it. You are probably surrounded by people who make their living (or supplement their “day-job) through their art. So it IS possible. Obviously.

   Do you need more training? Do you care about money, or are you more interested in a better quality of life? Write down your questions and get your answers. Then you will be ready to act.

3. Commit to your success.

   Successful people say “I will.” There is something powerful about making a commitment. First of all, the decision to be successful is made, and the back and forth is done.

   Your focus and direction will transform your outlook and give you purpose. We do not always like to make commitments. We feel that we need to keep ourselves open to all opportunities because we are afraid that we may lose the chance for something better.

   Commitment gives you something greater; a reason to get out of bed every day and look for ways to find your dream career.

4. Develop your plan and follow your plan.

   Once you are committed, map out your path to success. Break down your plan into smaller steps and put those steps on a calendar. Make to-do lists.

   Manage your priorities and say “Yes” only to those things that will bring you closer to success. This is crucial. If you truly don’t believe you can succeed, you may be constanting diverting yourself with tasks that don’t really need to be done. Delegate and/or eliminate those tasks and focus on your plan.

Success comes to those who keep moving down their chosen path. Even if it seems overwhelming, taking small steps every day will get you to your goal and dream career. You will soon find that the future is now and you are doing what you love.

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Good time to start thinking about methods for making money from home in 2012. Things are not getting much better in America’s employment arena, especially if you are somewhat older, so . . .
For years, my at-home income brought in “spending money.” My day job just about covered expenses, but not much else. So when my daughter went to sleep, I went to my “second job” in front of my computer.

Following are suggestions that will help you build additional funds for luxury items next year, whether it’s travel, a new car, updated wardrobe (if you really need one!), advancing your education or simply to cover the spread between current income and needed income.

PLEASE, before “opening for business,” prepare a business plan so that you know what to expect on your cash flow. We’ve seen far too many people invest their own money — sometimes by pulling cash out of their homes (always a BAD idea), and end up failing because they didn’t consider all expenses.

1. Antiques

   Friends have earned thousands of extra dollars every year with this. One started by selling dolls she either made or collected from vendors on eBay. She earned several thousand dollars the first year she started selling the dolls. When that market got flooded, she switched to buying and selling antiques which, during the holidays, still holds up well. By selling online, all you need is an extra room in the house, or turn your garage into a salesfloor/office.

   One friend has large home with antique furnishings; because she lives in a safe area of California with a few roommates, she has “antique days” in her own home. (She’s in a multiple-use zone, which means selling from her home with a business license is fine.)
   Many people spend weekends looking for odds or ends and maybe a jewel or two. If you know anything about antiques, this may be a great opportunity for you. (The guide on the right might amuse you no matter which end of the antique business you are in: A tongue-in-cheek look at the overall daily business of antique dealers, shows, and collectors depicted in over 120 cartoons. A few chuckles is always good medicine for one growing weary of today’s collectible market. A wonderful idea for a gift or as an impulse item for brisk sales in your dealer booth or shop.)

   
   We live near small towns that have collective shops. THAT is an excellent and somewhat inexpensive way to get into the business. While it isn’t technically “working from home,” you share space, so you will have more freedom of your time just by planning with co-owners/co-renters of the space.

2. Baking

   Have you ever been told that you have a recipe that people would line up to get if they could? Ever had anyone tell you that you should be selling those cupcakes you make?

   
   There are a number of success stories about people who have launched successful businesses by cooking at home and then marketing to local people initially. Specialize in one well-tried and tested food product or develop a product in a new way. After perfecting the recipe, consider packaging and start marketing. Word of mouth on a good product may get restaurants, bakeries, or local specialty food shops interested in acquiring your culinary masterpieces. Then you progress to selling them statewide and you may be on your way to a profitable home-based business. Again, do the math. We attended a workshop with a young lady who made the best one-of-a-kind “designer” cookies we’ve ever seen/tasted. Problem was that the cookies would have to be sold at something like $6 EACH in order to make a profit. While that might be possible in small quantities at high end candy shops or restaurants, it is restrictive on volume. She dropped the idea after she did the math on her business plan.

3. Bed-and-Breakfast Proprietors

   Have you ever stayed in a bed and breakfast and thought, “Hey, I can do this!”
   Don’t toss that thought away! While it’s not easy work as the hours can be long and it’s usually a seven days per week business, it’s often something that you can work into a daily schedule. After all, it’s merely an extension of doing the housework for family, right? More and more Americans are taking after Europeans and opening their homes to travelers. We actually know a young man who inherited one of San Francisco’s Pacific Heights mansions but could not afford to keep it. Smart guy: He rented out the first floor of that mansion for years to small groups, for weddings; the second floor housed two permanent lodgers; he lived on the third. He now owns that mansion and does not have to rent it out any longer.

   If you have an extra room or two and live in a unique area, start a bed and breakfast in your own place! Vacationers and business travelers seek different style accommodations away from the predictability and hustle and bustle of hotels. If they enjoy their stay, many become “repeat” customers and/or recommend friends.

   
   If you don’t need to do any major renovations in the house to accommodate this type of establishment, you can open your doors with very little money invested, other than advertising and some new “guest room supplies.” If your dream is to buy a bed and breakfast somewhere in a vacation paradise, look for houses for sale that will work for this purpose — especially in this market when houses are selling at 30%-50% of their asking prices a few years ago.

4. Bar and Grill

   If not a traditional bed and breakfast, consider your own waterfront bar and grill . . . this is here because it’s a dream of mine and includes standing barefoot in the sand, dressed in tank tops and floppy linen pants while serving mojitos and frozen banana daquiries to happy vacationeers. Seriously! A superb example is Rick’s Cafe in Negril, Jamaica. The attire in any tropical locale is as close to wearing pajamas in public as is possible. That scene is 7-Mile Beach, which is right in front of his bar and grill. This is particularly interesting because, unlike a bed and breakfast, you are not necessarily on call 24/7.

5. Anything/Everything E

   Having a computer at home has opened a number of opportunities for running your own business utilizing this equipment. Companies everywhere are “outsourcing” work that can be done by someone else on their computer, out of their own home: writing, typing, and — my personal favorite — Web site design and coding.

   If you are a whiz in computers, you may end up working as a consultant, writing programs for companies. If you are a beginner seek out typing/writing opportunities. You can also keep accounting and payroll records for companies on your computer’s database. Or develop marketing eMail lists for clients (real estate agents REALLY need those lists).

   Word processing software generally comes with computers and is used not only for writers but for those that can offer secretarial services out of their house. Desktop publishing software gives you the base for newsletters for businesses, local organizations or your church group (which is GREAT practice as they generally do not have funds to pay you, but it leads to connections/paying gigs). If you can operate a computer, you can find work in the information age today. PLEASE, though, if you decide to go into any type of computer design work, at least take a few courses or buy a few excellent guides on the how-tos of it all.

   If you have skills in lay-outing and graphic design, you can be a website designer. Website designers can earn significant amounts of money nowadays.
   
   

6. Childcare

   Years ago, neighbors were going through a financial slump. He worked as a fireman in Sonoma County and as a fisherman during off hours. Carol picked up slack by starting day care from her home; she was there with her own two young children, so this seemed ideal. It worked beautifully. She saved most of her money and years down the road, they opened Spud Point Crab Company in Bodega Bay, California. (That marina is in front of their restaurant and this qualifies as “working from home,” because they live right next to their shop.) They are a great family and they work together to stay sound and solid. It was impressive AND their clam chowder is award-winning; if you’re ever on Northern California’s coast, stop by their shop.

   Caring for one additional child may not be that lucrative, but taking care of several children can be a full-time, reasonably financially successful business. Caring for several children may be somewhat easier as the youngsters generally play together. You can do this at home for only a small investment in basic equipment and toys for the kids in addition to the advertising of your business. Check your state for licensing requirements. This is something I would absolutely NOT do. Children are priceless, so be sure you have the temperament for taking care of children. >

   

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Join ‘em . . . or, in this case, rejoin them. Amazon is back to working with California merchants. It’s a painful position, but some of us, including me, will be working with them again. I’m going to bite my tongue and test these “new” waters. But because I found so many excellent firms as soon as Amazon shut down this states, I’ll keep working with them also and offering the best I can find for your online related needs.

October eReader Update

Kindle Fire, Full Color 7″ Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi The Kindle Store offers over 1 million books, including 800,000 titles at $9.99 or less. Read bestsellers, children’s books, comic books, and cookbooks in vibrant color. In addition, more than 2 million free, out-of-copyright, pre-1923 books such as Jane Austin’s “Pride and Prejudice” are also available.

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Public domain work is a creative work that is no longer protected by copyright which may be used by everyone. Reasons that work is long longer protected include:

1. The copyright term for the work is expired;
2. The author failed to satisfy federal formalities to perfect the copyright or
3. The work is a work of the U.S. Government. (This includes valuble items such as CIA world maps, which I freely use on The Maritime Heritage Project site without issue.)

In the U.S., any work that is published before 1923 is automatically in the Public Domain. Also, thousands of works published as recently as 1963 are in the Public Domain because copyrights were not renewed and. Following are guides I have used to develop my own publications from works in the public domain.

Here’s my standard apology for how ugly most sites are at the end of these links. Some are getting up to speed on visual presentation, but most aren’t, however these publications can change your life for the better.

The Original Public Domain Treasure Hunter’s Kit! More than 85 million books (and artwork, photographs, films and music) are in the public domain available to use legally to create your own profit-generating products.

Well-known book publishing companies are now using free resources to develop their own collections of works in the public domain. That traditional publishing houses recognize the value of works in the public domain and takes time/money to reprint them, then there is money to be made. They would NOT otherwise take the time to offer them.

The treasure hunter’s kit includes details on how to make money republishing old copyright-expired books, magazines, photos and more . . . :

• Websites where you can download thousands of Public Domain books in digital format – including PDF and TXT for free
• Access to U.S. Federal Government works (all of which are in the public domain)
• Access to websites where you can download movies in the public domain
• How to market and sell your products

The author positions this as “pirating,” but it is not pirating. The books, magazines, newspapers, etc., offered ARE free for you to use and provide a completely legitimate business once you understand the “can dos” and “cannot dos” of public domain works.

Once you’ve found the products you would like to sell, you can easily learn to Promote Anything You Have with the help of the Directory of eZines!

Kindle Fire, Full Color 7″ Multi-touch Display, Wi-FiThe Kindle Store offers over 1 million books, including 800,000 titles at $9.99 or less. Read bestsellers, children’s books, comic books, and cookbooks in vibrant color. In addition, more than 2 million free, out-of-copyright, pre-1923 books such as Jane Austin’s “Pride and Prejudice” are also available.

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Earlier I posted In Pajamas? Still Visible! dealing with our lack of privacy on the Internet. It was relating to a Federal Trade Commission stamp of approval to background checks using social media.

Further to that, you might want to know that ANYONE can take a screen shot of your posts and post them on their own pages or somewhere else on the Internet. If, for example, one of your Facebook buddies was upset over something you posted, that buddy can easily take a screenshot of whatever you posted and repost it anywhere on the Internet. Example is one of my pages. Took me less than 5 minutes to take a screenshot, put it into Photoshop, crop/resize it and post it here.

Why am I doing this? I see people posting stuff all the time that could harm them or their family/friends in the immediate or down the road. Are you SURE you want whatever you post coming back at you? Perhaps this will help save someone’s, uh, derriere.

(Apologies to those noted in the Facebook News Feed above — I assume it’s going to be just fine ’cause they are all politicans.)

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This was just sent to me. Grudge-Holding Crows Pass On Their Anger to Family and Friends . . .

This article is from Discover Magazine: A few years ago scientists learned that American crows can recognize and remember human faces, particularly faces they associate with bad experiences. Now, new research published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B shows that the birds can share that knowledge of dangerous humans with other crows.

Five years ago, zoologist John Marzluff and his research team at the University of Washington trapped, banded, and released 7–15 American crows at five different sites near Seattle. Before trapping the birds, the researchers donned different rubber masks specific to each site (a caveman face, for example). While the birds were caged, nearby crows circled the site and sounded alarm calls.

Over time, more crows joined in on scolding the masked researchers.

Within three years, 66 percent of the crows joined in the scolding. The crows also studied fledgling crows — those born after the trapping incident joined in when they saw their parents scolding the researchers.

Even after the adult birds had left their nests, the fledgling crows would still scold the “dangerous humans.”

Learned behaviour in the same way humans pass down warnings to family and friends!

A blog relating to this subject added to the behavior: “We have a very bountiful cherry tree in our yard that up until two years ago gave us loads of cherries. Raccoons and many types of birds, including crows helped themselves. Three summers ago I clapped and yelled to chase the crows away. They flew away “cawing.” The last two seasons we have returned to find cherry branches with green cherries attached littering the ground. Neighbors reported seeing crowds of crows in the tree ripping off the branches and even eating the green, unripe cherries.”

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According to an article in Forbes online, the Federal Trade Commission gave a stamp of approval to a background check company that screens job applicants based on their Internet photos and postings. The FTC determined that Social Intelligence Corp. was in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

This means a search of what you’ve said or posted to Facebook/Twitter/Flickr/blogs and the Internet in general may become a standard part of background checks when you apply for a job.

Surely you know that employers have been Googling you for a few years. In the event you think this is “no big deal,” please review some of your postings. Haven’t we all looked back at something we posted and thought, “oops.”

The Forbes article indicates that if something job-threatening pops up on Facebook or Flickr or Craigslist in a search of you, Social Intelligence puts it into your file — and it stays there for seven years.

Purportedly, while the negative findings are kept on file, they are not reused when a new employer runs a check on you. The databse people who provide information to employers states: “Per our policies and obligations under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, we run new reports on applicants on each new search to ensure the most accurate and up-to-date information is utilized, and we store the information to maintain a verifiable chain-of-custody in-case the information is ever needed for legal reasons.”

They say that are NOT building a “database” on individuals to be evaluated each time one applies for a job.

Lest that sound comforting, think again. Anything you post on the Internet survives somewhere forever in some form: Logs, screenshots, in an Open Directory, via Alexa.com (a Google company), and even via “Wayback Machine.” A Web project I started 16 years ago on GeoCities still has reference to its initial pages; fortunately that is not a problem . . . actually it’s quite flattering as The Maritime Heritage Project, remains a valuable reference site for those seeking family world migrations. The point is if it were damaging in some way, it would still exist.

Some of the reports Social Intelligence sent to the Forbes reporter included:

• A job applicant who had a photo on a social networking site that featured multiple guns and a sword;
• Another was designated racist for joining the Facebook group, “I shouldn’t have to press 1 for English. We are in the United States. Learn the language.”

Social Intelligence’s “negative” findings will stay in the files of Workplace-Shooting-Waiting-To-Happen and No-Hablo-Espanol for seven years per the requirements of FCRA as long as those records haven’t been disputed,” says Social Intelligence COO Geoffrey Andrews. “If a record is disputed and changed then we delete the disputed record and store the new record when appropriate.”

Again, lest this sound comforting, think again. If an employer wants to dig, it’s quite easy to unearth pages of information by mining data from, “social networking websites (i.e., Facebook and others), professional networking websites (i.e., LinkedIn), blogs, wikis, video and picture sharing websites, etc.).” Some companies now require that job applicants acknowledge and approve the use of a social media background screen, just as they would a criminal and credit background check.

NOTE: If I were hiring, I would search the Internet. That information is public; Nothing posted on a system named “The World Wide Web” is confidential, so I would not ask for permission to dig.

ALWAYS be wary of posting insulting content on the Internet, whether you deem in job-threatening or not. It’s next to impossible to erase something once it gets out there. Now, with a company that specializes in capturing this and putting it into a file, it may be even harder to undo the damage wrought by an unwise tweet or posting. Handle your share/tweet/post buttons with care, and perhaps think about tools to protect you from sharing potentially humiliating and unemployment-guaranteeing material.

As for learning another language the world is getting smaller by the minute. In most nations you would know your native language and English. If you were conducting business in almost any European, Middle Eastern or Eastern nation, you probably would speak 2-3-4 languages. During a visit to Holland, I met business people who spoke Dutch, German, French, Spanish, English — all fluently. I was jealous!

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A couple of weeks ago, I listened to a Webinar given by Rich Schefren and blogged on that.

Like you, I work really hard, but I haven’t broken through to the upper income echelon and THAT is my business goal. My “plan” now is to FOCUS on ONE proven program and carry through. I’ve decided that Niche Profit Classroom will work for me, but as you can see if you are reading this, I’m side-tracked again.

Why? ‘Cause Rich Schefren has helped thousands of struggling online entrepreneurs find focus in a world of Information Overload so they can take what they already know and build a sustainable business that runs without them. Schefren also has testimonials from some of the top names in online marketing. He does know what he is doing. I didn’t sign up when I last listened ’cause it isn’t in the budget right now. He helps bring the income, security, freedom and peace of mind you’ve ve been working so hard to achieve.

Schefren has his Webinar linked with Facebook, which is what Jack Canfield did with his a couple of weeks ago. Facebook is considered the top way for developing audiences right now and I know I’m steps away from bridging the gap, but I don’t seem to have the correct materials to build that bridge. So this week is devoted to finding the tools to bridge that gap!

I’m trying to bridge a very narrow gap now — one where my large audiences to my existing sites turn into clients/consumers, but I haven’t found that path.

During a live seminar last week from Anthony Morrison’s crew, it was announced that the “Big Secret” is that Facebook is the new method of reaching mass audiences and converting to sales. In the last two Webinars I viewed, Facebook was implemented — obviously ’cause it helps projects/presentations go viral: Schefren used Facebook as a tie in for this presentation; during a recent seminar from Jack Canfield, he, too, tied in Facebook.

To be continued . . .

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We started looking into eReaders several weeks ago because it’s time to take the leap . . . Not buying an eReader has been partly due to budget constraints, but we might have to move offices so are considering possible future space constraints and packing . . . so . . .

Top Features of the Best eReaders

• E-Ink display provides a paper like display, even in bright sunlight
• Storage for more than 2,000 books, with optional memory cards to add thousands of books to your personal library
• Compact: Most models are typically less than an inch thick and are available in 5″, 6″, 7″ or 8″ sizes. (Some models are available in even larger sizes but, of course, means slightly less transportable.)
• eBooks are easily downloaded from a variety of online venues
• Rechargeable batteries last for thousands of page turns
• Other features are available, such as MP3 players, apps, games, music, eMail.

More on tablets/eReaders

We’ve narrowed it down and the following are worth considering depending on your needs/preferences.

• Barnes & Noble NOOK, which generally comes with a selection of free books or study guides. After additional research this is our top selection which has been furthered by recent awards: It was named “Editors’ Choice by CNET!” so it seems we’re on the right path. It has the most vibrant full color 7″ touchscreen, 2 million titles, newspapers, magazines. New features include popular apps, games, music, full featured eMail and social networking, enchanced Web with video. The nook simple touch reader has been named the “best eInk reader” by CNET.
• Sony Readers: Buy.com carries Sony Dash Internet Viewer, HP TouchPad, Apple iPads, Velocity CruzReader (image right) and more.
• Kobo wireless eReaders. Kobo doesn’t rank as well as some of the others, but they have thousands of selections, so we are keeping them on our list.

Tablet Computers as eReaders

Tablet computers function as eReaders, although they are often more expensive and are more suitable for other uses.

Example is that for our art projects/assignments, we’ve been coveting a Wacom Intuos4 Large USB Tablet with Pen and Mouse. We have a smaller version; it’s an easy-to-use photo tablet with mouse and pen for creating graphic designs, creatively edit digital photos and design stunning masterpieces. We do lots of this with PhotoShop, but the pen makes it less cumbersome!

BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet with 64GB Memory. People love the BlackBerry because they are compact, easy to set up, fast, have good graphics and sound. Even people unhappy about its lack of Apps (no Skype!) or cumbersome Word and Excel programs still rank it a 4 out of 5 stars in part because you can have several different applications open without any problems. Now that I’m thinking about it, I’ve never heard a serious complaint about a BlackBerry. One businessman reports: “. . . makes a great companion! During my last business trips I didn’t have to get my laptop out at all. The playbook offers the productivity tools and entertainment I am looking for while on the road (or in the air for that matter).”

We just found Best Buy’s Cow Boom, which has deals of the day on computers, gaming, audio, mobile, cameras . . . so we’re going to check this out.

October eReader Update

Kindle Fire, Full Color 7″ Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi The Kindle Store offers over 1 million books, including 800,000 titles at $9.99 or less. Read bestsellers, children’s books, comic books, and cookbooks in vibrant color. In addition, more than 2 million free, out-of-copyright, pre-1923 books such as Jane Austin’s “Pride and Prejudice” are also available.

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Editor’s Note: When I began building Websites prior to 1990, terms such as “SEO” (Search Engine Optimization) didn’t even exist. The term refers to is content development by intent — NOT randomly. SEO is similar to a newspaper headline — it is the information “above the fold” and draws you to the story as you are rushing by a newsstand. Those headlines (SEO in Internet terms) are crucial to success.

So please take time to read the following from Felix. (This was posted on one of my other sites, but it is valuable for anyone building/maintaining Websites so I’m including it here also.)

Your SEO

Hello Web Admin, I noticed that your on-page SEO is not that great, for one you do not use all three H tags in your post, also I notice that you are not using bold or italics properly in your SEO optimization.

On-Page SEO means more now than ever since the new Google update: Panda. No longer are backlinks and simply pinging or sending out a RSS feed the key to getting Google PageRank or Alexa Rankings, you now NEED On-Page SEO.

So what is good On-Page SEO?

1. Your keyword must appear in the title.
2. It must appear in the URL.
3. Optimize your keyword; be sure that it has a keyword density of 3-5% in your article with relevant LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing).
4. Spread all H1,H2,H3 tags in your article.
5. Keyword should appear in your first paragraph and in the last sentence of the page.
6. Relevant usage of Bold and italics of your keyword.
7. Include one internal link to a page on your blog and include one image with an alt tag that includes your keyword.

Felix provided a simple WordPress plugin that does all the On-Page SEO automatically . . . just click the banner to learn more.

Excerpted from ezinearticles.com: The Google Panda Update is an update to its algorithms released by Google, the world’s largest search engine.

The Google Panda Update is designed to demote sites that scrape or imitate content from other sites around the internet, a reminder of just how forceful Google can be when it comes to dealing with duplicate content. While this has boosted the ranking of some of the sites like YouTube or Vimeo, it has had a negative effect on many sites.

The sites that appear to have been hit hardest are those that are known as “content farms” . . . sites that hire large numbers of freelance and professional writers to create content that is designed to provide maximum retrieval of the produced text by search engines because it is designed to satisfy the regulations of the Google algorithms.

Need for Relevant and Accurate Content

Many websites use content that is spam, but are written with high amounts of keywords and keyword phrases. Google Panda is designed to demote those sites and drop their rankings. Now, instead of focusing exclusively on the keywords used on these sites, the Google Panda Update is causing the search engine to look through the content to find text that is actually relevant and accurate.

I’d like to think that my sites are included in the “relevant and accurate” category and based on site rankings, it seems they are. Most are written for clients, it is original material based on their offerings, all of which are unique to their businesses. Rankings for sites I built/maintain are included here: Content IS King from MarinEStudios.com

See this week's sale events at BestBuy.com

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