KEI Observation Deck: January 2009 Archives

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January 31, 2009

Optimized Press Release Services - Generate Traffic in Hours

Recently SEO and Usability expert Thomas Petty just wrote about how
to Optimize Press Releases and - Generate Traffic in Hours

Tom says, "Google rewards news. So, anytime there’s fresh content out there that’s unique and newsworthy, Google posts it on news.google.com. Google posts it in the organic search results and considers syndicates of your press release as sources of rare “quality links” that get factored into your search engine rank."

Read the full post about optimized press release services.

Great post!
John

Posted by John at 08:04 PM | Comments (0)

January 21, 2009

More new Workshop dates - coming to a community near you

The 2009 Orlando 3-Day Advanced SEO Workshop this month has filled, but be sure to check out the other authorized SEO training sessions happening in a community near you.

Come experience a whole new world of accuracy and exactness in SEO for 2009.

More Search Engine Academy dates and locations posted here.

Posted by John at 08:17 AM | Comments (0)

January 17, 2009

SEO Workshop and Student Reunion starts next Friday

Jan 24-26 join Robin Nobles, Michael Marshal and myself in Orlando for our 7th Anniversary Student Reunion.

-(Only 4 seats) currently left
- 50% Discount Saves you on Tuition
- Friday Night "Get to Know You Session" with Robin, Mike and John
- 3-Day Advanced SEO Skills Saturday thru Monday
- 6 Month Mentoring Program included
- Plus come dine at the student reunion luncheon on Sunday

The workshop begins in just 6 more days. Details here.

Students describe their experiences after class.

Posted by John at 01:52 PM | Comments (0)

January 14, 2009

Improving Visibility: Succeeding with SEO

Michelle M. Wicmandy has written an Interview on Website Magazine's
newsletter about the future of SEO with interviews featuring
Rand Fishen, Aaron Kahlow and myself, John Alexander.

Please read:
Improving Visibility: Succeeding with SEO

Best wishes,
John Alexander

Posted by John at 07:36 PM | Comments (0)

January 10, 2009

5 SEO tips to get you started in 2009...

Here are 5 SEO tips just to get you started in 2009:

SEO TIP 1: Get for "customer focused" for 2009

For 2009 you need to focus on creating content that serves your
customers needs FIRST. Far too often, our focus is so narrowly
limited to just our own objectives for a Web page.

One powerful tip is to first research the specific needs of your
customer (within a niche) and then deliver up high value, based on
your research and give the searcher EXACTLY whatever it is that
THEY want, first.

Think about it - try it out and see what happens when you meet the
client's interest first, before introducing your own objective.
Does it work? You bet it does. Think behavioral research instead
of just "keyword research."

SEO TIP 2: Vast importance to working accurately with synonyms

Remember the importance of using semantically related supporting
words, (true synonyms,) descriptive verbs in your body content for
the future. As the industry continues to involve things like
the "personalization of search" and in 2009 these influences will
begin to have greater and greater impact, your going to see even
great rewards to visibility, for those who focus on writing and
communication excellence.

SEO TIP 3: Watch for new types of useful data to make available

One type of content to consider adding is "statistical data."
What is useful or of high interest to your target audience?

If the stats aren't your own, always indicate where you're
getting them. It's important to quote your source. But it may
be more than just numerical stats that attract new searchers.
Remember to do your research first to identify the best windows
of opportunity.

SEO TIP 4: How well can you interpret your customer's dialog to you

How important are your customers words to you?

Not just the words, but the exact dialog. You see sometimes, people
have a habit of speaking to you using certain terms and while we
understand their meaning - we may sometimes tend to substitute other
words of our own in recalling what was said.

There are great benefits to focus on communicating well and hearing
the dialog your customer uses as cues to doing behaviorally related
"keyword forensics." Synonyms can mean the same thing but may well
reveal somewhat different types of results.

SEO TIP 5: How to fine-tune all you know about SEO with greater
accuracy than ever before possible.

Do you need to gain better understanding of SEO as a process?
Want to maximize your accuracy and eliminate weeks and months of wasted time?

Then come join leading SEO educators for their 7th Anniversary
Workshop, teaching high performance SEO skills to business owners
and individuals just like you since January 2002.

Welcome if you are new (or welcome back again if you have attended
before and just want to catch up on the very freshest skills.

For the first class of this year on Jan. 24-26 you can save 50%
on your tuition plus take a break away in the Florida sunshine to
join Robin Nobles, Mike Marshall and myself together at the
7th Anniversary SEO Workshop Reunion Jan. 24-26, 2009 in Orlando.

This special SEO Anniversary Workshop includes:

--A New Weekend Format
--Personalized coaching
--3-Days of Advanced Hands-on SEO skills training
--Get Advanced SEO Certification
--Plus a Get the 6 month mentoring program after class - with
personal coaching and ongoing support from Robin Nobles and
John Alexander.

What else is new?

--Elevate and fine tune your "SEO skills" to the highest level of
accuracy - in the shortest time ever possible.

--Plus SAVE 50% on this Special Advanced SEO Reunion
"Economy Booster" Class

Now is the perfect time to equip yourself for 2009 with great new
accuracy in your SEO Skills and class begins in just 2 weeks from
now on Saturday Jan. 24 - 26, 2009.

NEED MORE DETAILS?

Jan. 24-26, 2009 -- 7th Anniversary SEO Workshop Details are here.

Check the 3-Day Advanced SEO Weekend Agenda here.

January 09, 2009

More about the Semantics Mix and SEO

It seems these days that most of the major search engines are looking at ways to improve on Semantic influences. Here is an older article from 2008 on TechNewsWorld about:
Ask.com Taps Semantics for Smarter Search

Coming up in just 14 Days will be a special SEO Workshop Weekend in
Orlando, Florida. Included in the Agenda will be all the latest on SEO skills and Semantics and LSI expert and mathematician, Michael Marshall.

Jan. 14 through Jan. 26 marks the 7th Anniversary of Search Engine Workshops. Special class reunion pricing and details about the 3 Day SEO Advanced Workshop Agenda are here.

Deatails:
SAVE 50% on your Tuition to the Orlando Workshop

Posted by John at 04:54 PM | Comments (0)

January 06, 2009

Interesting Video Interview with Bruce Clay on Black Hat

Here is an interesting interview between Dr. Ralph Wilson and Bruce Clay who addresses White Hat Vs. Black Hat SEO - What's the difference?

Fascinating interview!

SAVE 50% on the 7th Anniversary SEO Workshop
Coming for Jan. 24-26, 2009 in Orlando, Florida

Check out the 3-Day SEO Mastery Workshop Agenda

Recent SEO Workshop student success stories

Posted by John at 10:23 AM | Comments (0)

January 04, 2009

High Visibility to Brand New Markets (without any) Keyword Research

Today I thought I would share another resource that can give you very high visibility to many brand new markets, but without any keyword research at all.

I know it sounds strange coming from someone like me, who is constantly testing new keyword research techniques and researching user behavior through "keyword forensics." But I just thought you should know about this if you have not seen it.

It has absolutely nothing to do with keyword research, but it is an excellent report summarizing how you can:

--Gain huge volumes of new highly-targeted traffic
--How to do a different type of research to help you attract
immediate traffic and sales within 2-3 days.
--Not SEO focused - but it is 100% white hat and safe to do.
--Grab the Step by Step Report which is easy to follow - just
follow the checklist.

If you’re already making money online, you can add TONS of free targeted traffic and see more significant increase in your revenue.
If you want more information, it's here.

Best wishes,
John Alexander
Search Engine Workshops

PS: Like the only REAL magic - the magic of knowledge!

Posted by John at 03:17 PM | Comments (0)

January 03, 2009

How Much Can We Learn From Our Dreams?

The following dream is a dream that I have only shared with a few friends. It actually happened several years ago, but I have never forgotten it. It really is quite a personal dream but it happened just the way I am recalling it.

How Much Can We Learn From Our Dreams?

How I Won A High Diving Victory in Very Real Dream
By John Alexander

Sometimes when we dream, certain dreams feel like they are more real than others. I'm sure dreams can all be different but let me tell you about this experience.

I was standing in a line up of people which extends single file to what looks like a high diving platform.

As I look across a channel of water, there I can see the outline of a "judges box." I cannot see the judge but I become aware that behind a veil, is where the judge is viewing and grading each persons dive into the channel.

I'm thinking great. Here I am stuck in this line and I don't dive.

There seems to be some very professional and experienced divers and it seems that as each person dives, they are allowed the time they need at the top of the diving board to focus.

But once they dive from this very high board into the water, they must swim to the other side to get the judges score.

If the diver passes the test with a 100% "perfect score," the judge then speaks to him or her and then ushers them into a room to his right side.

But if the diver fails to pass (with anything less that 100% perfect score,) the judge directs them to the left of him into a different room.

I've noticed very few people succeeding since the score required is perfection. As hard as I try, I can not see the judge's face because the veil hides him from the public viewing angle. I think to myself, what chance do I have?
I don't dive.

Suddenly reality snaps in as I realize the line of people I am standing in, is moving forward again. I realize am going to have to take the dive from this great diving board too. But I am more concerned as I approach closer to the board as I am not a diver and I
can swim, but I have never dived in such a contest.

Suddenly I see a stranger is moving down the line and whispering something into each contestant's ear.

The reaction is unusual because once the stranger speaks quietly into the ear some people literally push him away, others just stare in disbelief at whatever he is saying. Many seem to get upset, pushing and shoving each other as they get closer and closer to the base of the long climb upward.

People seem to be getting very nervous and very pushy the closer they approach the ladder.

Now as the stranger stops beside me, he moves close to my ear and says in a quiet whisper, "John, it's nearly your turn to dive soon. Please watch your form, take your time and do not be distracted. Once you make your best dive, swim over to collect your final score."

I thought to myself, how extremely unusual.
I could not understand why anyone would be angry or react badly to this strangers advice. He was more or less just simply telling me to do my best and watch my form. I did not really have any diving experience or form, but that was beside the point.

As I approached the very base of the long climb upward, someone was fighting with some else behind me in line. Now it's my turn to climb the ladder. I am next. Suddenly as I put my foot on the ladder, someone who seemed very angry grabbed me by the arm and pulled me back off the ladder, shouting "you can take your turn after me, I'm going next." So I let him go. I did not understand why so many people seem to be irate or so much at each others throat?

Around the base of the high diving ladder the scene had become like a mob of people. Pushing, shouting acting rudely and angry, many seemed afraid, some were fighting with each other but nevertheless, everyone was eventually taking their turn to climb the great ladder and dive.

It was my turn now to climb to the diving board. It was a long way up to the top and as I reached the top diving elevation, I stood back to watch as the diver (obviously a professional with excellent form,) poised himself and made ready to do his dive. As I looked downward, I could see the outline of the judge who did not seem to be watching that closely.

After a minute, off he went into what looked to be a very pretty impressive dive down into the channel below, as I waited for my turn next. Once he swam over to the judge he stood for a minute when I saw the judge motion for him to stop. Unfortunately he had failed and the judge motioned for him to move off towards the doorway to the left.

Now I was really concerned as it was my turn next.

It bothered me that after all of this effort to get to the point of making the dive, the judge really did not seem to be watching even half the time. Then I thought, if the judge failed the excellent diver I had just witnessed (and he was in far better form than I could ever be,) I wondered what chance I would have. I would never make a "perfect dive."

I glanced down at the water below from the edge of the board. There I stood frozen in fear, knowing that I had very little chance.

But I closed my eyes and waited for a few seconds...then I took the plunge. As I left the board, to my shock I noticed the judge look away for a minute. I can remember feeling my position rather awkwardly shifting on the way down and hitting the water at a frightening speed, feet first.

But as I surfaced, I swam over to the other side of the channel and stood in a small circle facing the judges shadow. I stood amazed at who the judge was and then He spoke these words to me with all
authority, "You have done well and you may now enter into the victory
gate to the right of me."

"Very well done!," the judge proclaimed. As I approached the room to the right, there was great light radiating from the entrance and great sounds of excitement coming from this "victory room."

But then, I stopped again just for a second. Now standing beside the judge and turned to ask him one more question saying, " Thank you for your decision Sir, but I have to know why my performance had been judged a winning performance by you, when my actual performance in the dive was such a failure (to me?)

I have noticed far better divers than me which you have not received and as I took my dive I noticed that you even glanced away. The judge replied, "The reason I glanced away was that I did not need to see any
more."

"Don't you yet know that you were not judged on your performance in the dive?" The Judge continued to explain, "By the time you stood to make the dive, you had already been judged a winner because the actual contest had nothing to do with the dive. The real place you won the contest, was at the foot of the diving board ladder on the ground."

The judge showed my that I had only assumed I was in a diving contest and that this was my perception, but it was incorrect. He continued to explain, "Remember when you were surrounded by people and standing in line for the longest time?" The contest was actually based on how you treated other people around you in the midst of difficult conflict or circumstances. The fact that you did not become distracted by all of the turmoil. You chose to hear the message whispered to you by my messenger which was, "to watch your form." And watch your form you certainly did. It was indeed perfect and you have shown yourself to be caring towards even against those people who did come against you. The people who spoke against you or even those who were just distracted and confused by the violence were the ones that lost points. This is because they were all assuming they were being judged in their diving form and did not perceive the truth."

His final words to me before I awoke was, "Well done good and faithful servant enter into the doorway to my right where I will join together with you shortly."

----- The Dream Ends Here---------------------

Sometimes life seems just like this in a way, don't it?

We assume our performance is important in one area or another only to get an eye-opening wake up call.

We may deem the definition of "success" as being connected to things like finances, relationships, owning the best of everything, the pursuit of wealth, how good we look or how well we perform, but we can end up making many assumptions that in the end, we may find won't really matter in the long run.

I believe God is often trying to get our attention and tell us about the things that are most important to Him. The bottom line is that we are all supposed to be dedicated to caring for each other.

Taking action on behalf of someone else, ahead of your own putting your interests firsts may sound strange to some who are in fear or in panic mode or to some that just have no peace of mind about their recent circumstances. Things and perceptions around us can make this world feel upside down sometimes and yet I always remember this dream.

I guess that's a good enough place to start this thought as we enter into 2009. My friends and readers, may we more mindful to watch for new opportunities to serve one another and may God grant us the
ability to recognize "His opportunities" to care for those that He
places around us and help make a lasting difference for someone besides ourselves.

This is a break away from my normal chats about keywords or search engine marketing, but I felt impressed to share something extra as we start off this New Year. There are good reasons to watch for the opportunities that are presented before us in 2009.

Let's especially watch for opportunities to care for one another in a time when it seems so many just don't seem to care the way they use to.

Alright, so it's back to more Keyword Research and sharing of informational resources and in the meantime, I wish you the very best of success in 2009.

Highest regards,
John Alexander
Search Engine Workshops
Search Engine Academy

Posted by John at 03:35 PM | Comments (0)

January 02, 2009

New Search Engine Academy - San Ramon, CA - Portland OR - Tampa FL - Orange County CA

More new Live hands-on SEO skills training
coming January 2009 to these communities:

San Ramon, California: 12-16, 2009

Quickly understand the newest ways to optimize any Web page with more accuracy than ever before. Save yourself literally months of time in tweaking and double checking for exact accuracy.

Get it right the first time and every time. Discover all of the most recent up-to-date influences to building genuine relevancy for any competitive keyword phrase.

This SEO Mastery Workshop is conducted January 12-16, 2009
to a small limited enrollment group in San Ramon, California.
Use this link to SAVE $100 to $200 on your Tuition Fee.

Oregon Search Engine Academy
5-Day Comprehensive Workshop:
January 22 & 23, then January 28, 29 & 30
2-Day Essentials: January 22 & 23
3-Day Advanced: January 28, 29 & 30

New York Metro - Search Engine Academy
Basic SEO Essentials January 26 -27, 2009
Advanced SEO January 28-30, 2009
Comprehensive January 26-30, 2009

February 2009:

Search Engine Academy Tampa
SEO Essentials Feb.2 - 3, 2009
SEO Advanced Feb.4 - 6, 2009
SEO Master Feb.2 - 6, 2009

March 2009

Orange County Search Engine Academy
2-Day Basic SEO Essentials March 9-10, 2009
3-Day Advanced SEO March 11-13, 2009
5-Day SEO Master Class March 9 -13, 2009

Many more community SEO Workshop dates and locations here.

More new Search Engine Academy Classes starting soon in communities of Vancouver BC, Kelowna BC and Calgary, Alberta.

John Alexander
Director of Search Engine Academy
Search Engine Workshops

Discover the Powerful New SEO in You!

Posted by John at 02:59 PM | Comments (0)

Who Isn't A New Media Strategist?

Mitch Joel just wrote an excellent post for January 1,2009.

Who Isn't A New Media Strategist?

"If you look at many of the profiles found on Blogs and people's ultra-short/sharp bios on Twitter, you will notice something very interesting: almost everybody says that they are either a New Media Strategist or a Social Media Strategist. What, exactly, does that mean and how can you better understand just how good they are at online strategy?"

Read the full post Who Isn't A "New Media" Strategist?

Posted by John at 11:05 AM | Comments (0)

Keyword Research Vs. Keyword Forensics

Conversations on Keyword research vs. keyword Forensics

True keyword research is not about guessing at words and phrases based on logical thinking. True keyword research involves using Wordtracker’s powerful features to open up large bodies of fresh but accurate data and explore everything you find. The ultimate benefit to using the Wordtracker Magic methods I am describing is that you can quickly explore a much wider scope of word usage and phrase clustering without actually spending hours of research.

Not only will you discover the obvious keyword phrases, but you will find all of the variations of phrasing that 99% of most Webmasters miss. Ideally you will often discover hidden, behavioral, or industry trends that are quite telling about what your searchers would really appreciate finding.

Here are a few more helpful tips about researching data using Wordtracker.

Once you properly understand how to quickly bring the best windows of opportunity to the top (which saves you litteraly hundreds of hours of research time.)

Here are 5 out of 12 more newer tips on the aspect of "keyword forensics" or exploring the hidden evidence of user search behavior within the last 90 days.

These are taken from Keyword Forensics 2.0 for SEO:

Tip 1 of 12:
Exploring the use of trigger words as root words to explore behavior

What is a trigger word?

There are certain words that act as triggers and are probably best described as words than can cause people to take some kind of action. Since trigger words involve value and often will entice a visitor to take action, they also can be powerful root words for your keyword forensic research.

Examples of triggers:

• Learn - Learning is a very powerful trigger word for enticing someone to sign up for anything from a newsletter to a home study course. People love to learn new things and therefore using these types of words as a root word in Comprehensive may fill some missing ingredients for you.

• Save or saving – People are always looking for ways to save. Save on money, save on resources, save on time.

• Profit – People are always looking for ways to make money or to increase profits. Other words that are worth exploring are supporting words used with price, pricing, prices, cost, etc.

• Protection or safety – This can range from anything directly related to fears or concerns involving computer viruses to some types of personal protective equipment.

• Brands – Some people search by their dedication to specific brands or genres. “There is no big screen TV unless it is a Sony TV.” Try doing some root words targeting specific product brands. Let Wordtracker reveal the best niches for you.

• Health – Try exploring root words that are triggers relating to health topics.
Try researching specific conditions, afflictions, or cures. Try exploring root words relating to photos or pictures of specific symptoms.

• Information – Trigger words and phrases that involve tutorials. Try phrases like how to, why do, where do, when do, or just who.

Tip 2 of 12:
Remember to check opposite extremes for any root word.

This is not just for prepositions but literally any term you are researching. If you are checking on a term like “old” don’t forget to allow yourself the liberty to test the extreme opposite “new.”

Examples:

10 Best - 10 Worst
Start - Stop
Above - Below
Create - Destroy
Nearest - Farthest
Men - Women
Over - Under
Happy - Angry

By allowing yourself more freedom to explore opposite extremes, you may come up with completely different angles and unique phrases than your competitor who never allows himself the liberty to check extreme opposites. There is sometimes a whole new world of opportunity to discover and take advantage of with this much more free approach to researching data.

Tip 3 of 12:
Instead of just thinking of your research as "keywords," try thinking in terms of your audience's "topics of interest." If you see something curious in the results, remember that you can always dig deeper with synonyms and related terms that may render considerable surprises if you are patient and take the time to explore the data.

Tip 4 of 12:
Take advantage of those who use questioning searches.

Try searching for a questioning term such as
• How to
• When will
• Why do
• Where
• What

Example of “How to:”
"How to Build an Icehouse" KEI 661.0
"how to build military bunkers out of sand bags" KEI 729.0
"how to build custom furniture" KEI 1444.0

Tip 5 of 12:
Exercise the Power of Prepositions for a Root in Keyword Forensics

Some root words are just far more telling than others.

We’ve talked about using behaviorally related “action words” as root words in the first Wordtracker Magic e-book.

Now in Wordtracker Magic 2.0 I have been encouraging you to explore data using standard dialog or words that are primarily written to be spoken in natural dialog much the way a broadcaster writes his or her copy.

For our next lesson we are going to learn to explore Wordtracker using the power of a preposition.

What is a preposition?

A preposition links nouns, pronouns and phrases to other words in a sentence.

For example, “Pride comes before a fall.” (Before is the preposition)

For example, “I am moving toward the solution.” (Toward is the preposition)

Example 1: Here is an example of using the preposition “before” as a single root word to discover interesting phrases in Wordtracker data:

RESULTS:

“traffic court Probation before Judgement” KEI: 169 Competition 1

“cheap full lace wigs before and after” KEI: 289.0 Competition: 1

“education BEFORE needed” KEI: 400.0 Competition 1 page

You can see how in the above example, you can pull a variety of long tailed keyword phrases that most people would never guess are being searched. Let’s do another quick example:

Preposition example 2: the root word “during”

RESULTS for the word “during:”

"life in camp during the civil war" KEI 144.0
"labor crisis during world war II" KEI 196.0
"food administration during WW1" KEI 200.0
"christmas peace stories during battle" KEI 225.0
"hysterectomy during a c section" KEI 289.0
"education during 1960s" KEI 441.0
"essays during the harlem renaissance" KEI 484.0
"union doctors during the civil war" KEI 552.0
"metal shortages during wwII" KEI 676.0

---------------------end of excerpt------------------

If you need help to speed up your keyword research technique
or find difficulty in exploring Wordtracker data for the best
information in only minutes, I recommend you read the book
from the beginning.

It's a short read but it will save you hours of time being
frustrated by keyword research.

Other Chapters Include:

• Let’s start by looking at and defining keyword research

• Keyword Researcher Tool Walkthrough – Screenshot by screenshot.

• What do I mean by forensics of behavioral research?

• What creates behavioral trends?

• Learning to explore data with your instincts

• Quick Exercise: Let’s demonstrate how your creative mind works

• Examples of why it’s important to use Comprehensive Search.

• Paradigm shifts in your thinking about keyword forensics research

• “Behaviorally related” keyword forensic type research tips

• Focus on Technique - 12 more ways to apply Magic to your Research

• 6 popular Wordtracker Articles about Keyword forensics

• Plus 100 High KEI Observation Deck Archived Example Phrases

• PLUS Other Recommended Resources to Build your SEO Skills

Keyword Forensics 2.0 for SEO is an e-book that is an instant download day or night.

Posted by John at 10:15 AM | Comments (0)

KEI Observation Deck

Friendly High-Altitude KEI Observations for Keyword Researchers Everywhere

January 31, 2009

Optimized Press Release Services - Generate Traffic in Hours

January 21, 2009

More new Workshop dates - coming to a community near you

January 17, 2009

SEO Workshop and Student Reunion starts next Friday

January 14, 2009

Improving Visibility: Succeeding with SEO

January 10, 2009

5 SEO tips to get you started in 2009...

January 09, 2009

More about the Semantics Mix and SEO

January 06, 2009

Interesting Video Interview with Bruce Clay on Black Hat

January 04, 2009

High Visibility to Brand New Markets (without any) Keyword Research

January 03, 2009

How Much Can We Learn From Our Dreams?

January 02, 2009

New Search Engine Academy - San Ramon, CA - Portland OR - Tampa FL - Orange County CA

Who Isn't A New Media Strategist?

Keyword Research Vs. Keyword Forensics