So once you have established what are your keywords, you need to track their performance from the very beginning. What many of us would usually do is manually type keywords one by one and looks for them in the search results. It takes a lot of time and it really kills productivity. Advanced Web Rankings is a tool that makes this process automatic so you don’t have to go and check every keyword yourself.

Advanced Web Rankings is an easy-to-use tool that can track search engine ranking for various sites at
the same time, across over 1000 search engines. What interests most of SEO-ers out there is Google, Yahoo & Bing and maybe local search engines such Rambler (Russia), Mirago (UK), Baidu (China) and Interia (Poland). You won’t need to use more than 3-5 but it’s good that they’re there.

Apart from delivering ranking for your site, it also shows the change of your keywords over site, how is the competition doing on search engines and which one jeopardizes your position. The great part about this software is that it doesn’t send an automated request to the search engine which can get your IP flagged for spam. It executes a search for your keyword, downloads the page and searches your URL, making the software behave just like a search made on a browser.

In order to track websites and search engines, you start a project and select websites, keywords and search engine. It’s very easy to add the project, with their step-by-stpe guide. You can add or delete keywords at any time without having to create a new project; when you add them you get suggestions with number of searches for every keyword. AWR handles several projects at a time, which makes it really useful for SEO companies and consultants.

I was really amazed by the various features you get with the software, features which are useful for both website owners or SEO consultants. The keyword research tool I use on a daily basis for keeping up with keyword trends.

After AWR finishes collecting data, you can export the results in tables or charts as HTML, CSV, text or XML. Furthermore, you can have the ability to email the reports, set AWR to email them or to upload them to a FTP server. You can try the trial version of the software for 30 days (which I did) and see how it works; you won’t be able to generate reports until you have the full version. Prices of AWR range from $99 to $599 (including Advanced Link Manager); you can even get a server edition for $599-$789.

AWR works on multiple platforms, such as Windows, Mac X and Linux.

The concept behind the project is as follows: the Internet needs a one-stop destination for surfers to search and get found by people with various interested around the globe. PeopleJar has developed a robust highly-customizable search feature all other well-known web 2.0 players lack:

• you can search by any attributes you choose;
• you can create your own search and let the system update you of new members matching its parameters.

For example, browsing acting jobs, you can search by location, skill level or even personal attributes such as a particular spoken language or age group.

On the other hand, the site provides unlimited options for members to self-promote themselves (increasing their chances to get found and chosen over profiles with similar attributes). Filmmakers can add their portfolio and show off their video work. Actors can list their previous projects, schools and other relevant experience.

Furthermore, members can add networks and attributes which will be added after moderation.

All in all, we are offered an easy-to-use intuitional design with highly focused features (e.g. there is only one network per area unlike Facebook’s pages and groups) and exhaustively customizable search platform – everything you might need to get connected effectively.

Since I’m a pretty active user on Digg and StumbleUpon, I get several requests for digging, voting or commenting every day. I’m always glad to help out when I’m asked. But I’ve noticed in the past months that social media has started becoming an automated process, where everything resumes to voting each other’s stuff without the slighest intend to socialize. I don’t understand why common sense is not applied online as it is done offline.

Some people think that because they have me added on IM, they can start asking for favors. Some even call me “friend” even if they don’t know my name. I for one like to start by introducing myself, asking a few details about the person I just befriended so that I can start asking small favors.

I think there is such a thing as friends online, but they’re not done by spamming them with links, asking for votes or shouts. If you have 200 friends on digg, it doesn’t mean that you can start asking for comments and shouts to each one. Start by telling me where did you get my IM from, tell me your name and what you do. Then we can establish a basic relationship. I’ve started deleting people that start by seding messages like “can you digg [link]?“, it’s too much.

Regardless, I found a reasons to cut off the umbilical cord from my work, emails and blogs and attend B’estfest 2008. It’s a nicely organized festival, happening every year in Bucharest. It was held last Friday and several artists were scheduled: Alanis Morissette, Apollo 440, UNKLE, Cypress Hill and my personal favorite, Mark Norman.

All in all, a good evening with great music.

I am currently confronted with having to move to my own place, I got the opportunity to encounter one of the fuggliest types of people ever. I decided to round them up into a short, comprehensive list for the records.

1. real-estate agents – Well, here these are probably the greediest people one could find. They have no respect for people’s time, charge you a huge commission just for making a few calls and are natural liars. I wish I had a realestator every day so I can play fetch, randomly punch him in the face when I don’t get a frontpage or make him lick clean my LCD monitor. No, no, better yet – my boots.

2. people in the subway/bus – You get in the bus or subway and see one man or woman sitting right in front of the door, better planted there than the doors themselves. You might also find people whose hormones come to the surface right there: they’re constantly pushing and ass grabbing, just maybe they might get a feel of what they’re missing. This reminds me of an odd situation in the trolley when I had to get down just to escape a guy that was constantly trying to start a conversation. Luckily, he only touched my shoulder.

3. spammers – everyday I must get a spam from some unknown user that added me and wants me to add him/her back. I don’t know you, you’re not active and furthermore you didn’t even check out my activity. Digg is probably the most common place for that. I read somewhere that there are some softwares that add friends in bulk – I think that’s the common case for me too. Just try to known someone before befriending him/her – it will pay off in the long run.

4. beggars - and I don’t mean people with physical or mental handicaps, I mean drunks or junkies that are simply too comfortable to get a job. I’m starting to become immune to begging, it’s like when you see one dog on top of the other and you look away cause it’s either too funny or too uncomfortable to watch. I can bet people were more sympathetic 20 years ago than they are now.

5. stupid parents – Some people just shouldn’t be allowed to have a baby. I’ve seen clueless parents feeding their children those nasty chemical potato chips, fizzy drinks, smoking in front of them or letting them have a sip of their drink. It’s no wonder we see so many slow people using the internet. At least they learned to use it for basical purposes.

Disclaimer: This is a hectic time, but trying to keep myself motivated and let the bad energy out. So out with the old, in with the new. Happy thoughts! *sigh*

I just came from seing a cheezy comedy, What happens in Vegas, which turned out surprinsingly well. In this movie, this chick gets dumped by her boyfriend and decides to go to Vegas, where, whilst drunk, marries a stranger. To get straight to the point, she realizes she’s always trying to please others and forgets how to be herself. Basically, it’s a movie about following your instincts, doing what you love and going after those you love.

photo credits: rosephotosetc

It’s not common here to work on your own. My friends were baffled when they found out and my parents just couldn’t get it. But for a few got the message pretty clearly: stop doing something you don’t like, focus on yourself and less on others and do what you love. You won’t get to socialize with the boss, do some ass-kissing for a promotion or flirt with the pretty girls from Human Resources, but it will sure make you feel better.

I can start work at 12 in the afternoon, writing articles for thousands of people, digging, twittering or IM-ing with a bunch a friends – all in my underware with a cup of tea aside. Many can’t understand, probably with half of their brain washed up by corporate mentalities, but doing what you love without answering to anyone is one of the best things you can come across. It just takes a little bit of vision and initiative, those work and hard effort perhaps too familiar.

It sounds like propaganda, but I’m not selling anything. I just wanted to share some thoughts that recently crossed my mind. It’s amazing what a good song in the morning, the smell of flowers can do combined with the support from people I just know virtually. You can say you’re lucky when you find out what you love doing and get to meet some gifted people.

It’s a big step considering I have been working for 2-3 years for different companies. I can now choose where I work from, when I do it and what I want to do. My plans are pretty clear at this moment: write more on my blogs, take on more projects, write more linkbaits, contribute more to social media (just passed the 9,000 pages milestone on StumbleUpon) and take some more for myself. Plan on meeting new people, traveling more and just seeing how far I can go.

I’ll still be online most of the day and night active on digg, stumbleupon, reddit and the others, writing, chatting and blogging. So hope to meet new people and strenghten the relationship with my existing friends. Looking forward to a happy, productive summer! Thanks to all the friends that support me now and in the past!

Seems that the social media environment will be a cleaner one.

You can read the full guest post at DailyBlogTips. I would love your feedback.

I am trying to get a constant rate of updating this blog, but I am caught up with some other projects I am really excited about. But have some ideas in mind, I’ll keep you posted!

It seems there are a lot of clients with practically no SEO experience that believe that such a service is generally worth over $2000. Otherwise, I cannot explain the crazy offer that follows :

-$3000 one-time fee for submitting a website to 100 directories

Have directories gotten so expensive or is the submission process a hectic and time-consuming task? Bulk directory submission are usually no more than $50 for manual submission to over 500 directories. There are services that even offer submission to 1000 directories for a mere $40. So if we draw the line and do the math, the so called “SEO expert” offering this service will rip off the company with around $2900. Not bad for 30 minutes worth of work. Profit : $2950

-$100 for an article and a submission to an article portal

This might seem more reasonable but it’s infact another overpriced service you could easily get for $30. Writter charge around $10-$15 for a crummy article and the submission of the piece is done for $15 or free, if you have the time to do it manually. Profit: $70

-$50 for modifying and submiting the article to more portals

We again turn to the Indian internet professionals (cough) that offer these services for some bargain price. You can get your article rewritten for as low as $50, while the price for the submission remains the same – $15 for distributing your article to around 300 directories. Well, there’s some common sense here, nothing costs less. Profit $30

-$300 one-time fee for keyword ranking consulting

Some guys are giving you a list of keywords sorted by Overture’s PPC searches per month. Someone should tell them Overture is not updating their database anymore. They also show you what keywords do not convert. Again, their clients probably weren’t familiar with all the features Google Analytics has to offer. Furthermore, people have come up with a way to create softwares that show what keywords you or your competitors rank for. I’m starting to become cynical so I will stop here. Additionaly, while researching on the topic, I’ve found SEO consulting over the phone. I can imagine a call center with bored teens reading some script. Profit: $300(practically worthless service)

This is probably how many self-proclaimed SEO experts make their salary by delivering overpriced services to companies not familiar with search engine algorithms. While finishing the post, I came across some really cheap SEO services, as opposed to the ones I just mentioned. They charge as low as $50 for bringing a keyword on the top spot on Google. Luckily, there’s a money-back guarantee policy.

All in all, SEO has gotten out of hand, since everyone seems to know it. With such an offer, I would expect prices to go down but they fluctuate heavily. I am not going to give out names of the companies whose services I mentioned above. I just wanted to share it and have some laughs and opinions. SEO is still a market worthwhile – it can your business the boost it needs, considering you found the right expert. You can’t become an expert overnight or pay thousands without first looking into the outcome and ROI.

photo credits: jmsmytaste

Regrettably, your account privileges have been suspended due to a breach of our TOS. I respectfully draw your attention to our Terms, particularly with respect to the clauses which forbid the use of personal accounts for the promotion of a business, product or service, and also with regard to the sending of ’spam’ messages to other members.

Our terms can be found here: http://www.stumbleupon.com/terms.html

Under the circumstances, the restriction is unlikely to be lifted.

Was it a surprise? For many yes, but if you take a look at their TOS, you’ll see these actions are strictly frowned upon. StumbleUpon is not for selling things, not for promoting an affiliate program, not for blatant product reviews, with a buy link.
Consequently, some of the people that befriended these “commercial accounts” can have some kind of flag raised.

So here are a few steps for cleaning your closet on StumbleUpon one of my friends, kukon,  let me in on:

• Take a look at the people you are mutual friends with. Click on the username without any avatar. Usually, when an account is under review, the display image or avatar is not displayed in the SU network. Remove that user from your friend list and the page will change to an empty one, if it’s the case, saying the account is reviewed.
• See what your friends are submitting or stumbling upon. Constantly submitting or thumbing up articles from certain domains can damage your account.
• Be an active user for the community. Try to submit things that are interesting to others, that have the potential to turn popular. Contribute and make yourself known to other stumblers!

Recently, StumbleUpon has also been banning websites that offered stumble exchanges. Here is an excerpt confirming it:
Are incentive programs allowed? Someone asked me to rate their web-site?

StumbleUpon does not allow personal accounts to be used for the purposes of incentivization or promoting sites. This would be considered a breach of our Terms.

The practice of sending PM’s encouraging or inviting other stumblers to rate/review sites in exchange for reciprocal reviews/ratings, monetary, or any other form of reward is strictly forbidden.

The practice of actively soliciting a rating or review for a site is also forbidden. Should you receive a PM, or encounter forum postings that breach this rule, you are encouraged to report this via feedback.
Accounts participating in such practices will be deleted and banned, and the related sites deleted and banned from the system.