How Will The Search Engines Find My Site?

1. How Will The Search Engines Find My Site?

There are basically three ways to get your site listed in a search engine:

• Submit your site directly to the search engine using a free submit form.

• Let the search engine find your site through links to your site from other sites such as directories.

• Pay the search engine to index your site.

2. Submit Your Site Using A Free Submit Form

Some of the major search engines and most of the smaller search engines will provide a form that you can use to submit your site for free. With the smaller or thematic search engines, this is a good method to use.

For each search engine you'll just need to locate the submit URL form and submit your home page. There is no need to submit anything else. And, you don't need to keep submitting your site month after month. Re-submitting your site over and over after it has been indexed does nothing but waste your time. It will not improve your rank in any way.

Don't be surprised when you find that not all of the major search engines even provide a free submission form any more. Don't worry though. With the major search engines, submitting your site isn't even necessary. This is because the major search engines will find your site through links to your site from other sites. This is why it is very important to begin getting incoming links to your site as soon as possible. You should start by getting your site listed in the major directories.

3. Submitting To Directories - Help the search engines find your site.

For the major search engines, if you get incoming links to your site from other quality sites, your site will be found. The best way to be sure your site is found is by submitting to the major directories that are crawled by the search engines. This is a good approach for the search engines to take because sites listed in directories have already been reviewed by an editor and been considered to be worth a listing.

So, in addition to the traffic that the directories can send to your site directly, getting listed in the major directories is also important for getting your site found by the major search engines.

To get started, be sure to get your site listed in the following directories that are crawled by the search engines:

• Open Directory Project - Also known as ODP or DMOZ.
• Skaffe.com
• Sporge
• WoW Directory
• GoGuides.Org
• JoeAnt.com
• Best of the Web Directory

When you are submitting to directories, be sure to take the time to find the best category for your site and read the submission guidelines provided by each directory. By following their guidelines, you will improve your chances of being listed and decrease the amount of time it takes to get listed.

Obviously, there are many more directories where you can submit your site. These three are provided to get you started. After you've submitted to these directories, then you can begin submitting to other directories. Don't forget to find local or thematic directories that are relevant to the topic of your site. You will be able to find many in our list of search engines and directories.

It will take time for the search engines to index your site after it has been listed in the major directories. So, be patient and expect to wait at least a couple more months before your site starts appearing in the index of the major search engines.

4. Pay the Search Engines to Index Your Site

Paid inclusion is the process of paying search engines to index pages from your site. The primary benefit is not having to wait for the search engine to find and index the pages of your site on its own.

The topic of paying to be indexed is covered in our Paid Inclusion section.

5. Services To Avoid

There are hundreds of "companies" that make claims about submitting your site to thousands of search engines. You've probably received an email message from one of these companies that had a pitch along the lines of...

We Will Submit Your Site to 500,000 Search Engines for Just $29.95!!

Don't fall for this scam - it is a complete waste of money.

First, there aren't 500,000 search engines.

Second, even if they claim to submit to just a few thousand, there aren't that many that will accept your listing because the search engines they submit to are thematic search engines. For example, if your site is about real estate, you won't be listed in a search engine or directory that is focused on sports.

Third, they will submit your site to Free For All links pages that no one will ever use. Plus, these free for all sites are notorious for harvesting email addresses so they can send you spam.

I could go on and on with the reasons why these services are a terrible waste of money. If you are contacted by one of these companies in any way, don't fall for their sales pitch, just ignore them.

6. Services That Can Help

With the warnings about the submission services we've discussed, it is important to point out that there are some services that can help. They won't arbitrarily try to submit your site just anywhere. They will develop a linking strategy specifically suited to your site. If you hire a professional search engine optimization company, this will be part of the services offered.

A professionally developed linking and submission strategy won't be cheap. It takes a good deal of time and research to do this properly.

Things to Take Care While doing Internet Marketing

Online competition to capture the market is very fierce, so achieving success by effective internet marketing techniques is not an easy task. Lots of hard work, far-sightedness and patience is needed, you cannot achieve the desired results in a fortnight. There are certain pitfalls that has to be considered if you are doing online marketing. Especially the ones that are new to this field need to be careful and avoid committing certain common mistakes.

Many times internet marketers are not so dynamic and fast in preparing the efforts for marketing. As soon as a website is created, steps should be taken to market it and take appropriate steps for it. It takes time to setup the advertising accounts and online advertisements. Prior planning helps in setting up the schedule for administration and advertising. Thus yielding better results from the marketing efforts.

Ask your internet marketer to have a plan for achieving the goals in order to get positive outcome of marketing. You can take reference from successful internet marketing strategies of other websites and take useful tips from them. Prepare a list of goals that you want to achieve and work towards them.

For any internet marketing project setting up a budget is very important. You need to divide the total amount of money and channelize in the right directions. It would definitely brings in long term success. If you commit any mistake in handling of expenses, it could hamper your business. If you have a fixed budget it would not be a good idea to try every technique for online marketing, but you can shortlist the most practical solutions.

Internet marketers would provide you ample of offers and solutions for marketing, out of which you have to select the most appropriate one for your business. Don't get carried away by the enticing offers if its not relevant to your project. It is always better to do some amount of research, as it would gives you the access to many good online resources for website marketing. Before purchasing any new resource or tool evaluate its features very carefully.

Many times resources are spend on unproductive advertisements and websites. So keep regular tracking of the ads and links you are working on. Calculate the output of the online program you are participating in. The ads should be written in proper format and have attractive punchline.

What does VOIP mean? - A Guide to Understanding the Basics

Simply put VoIP is a protocol that allows for a computer to make a voice communication over the internet. A computer can call a computer, or it could even covert the signal and call an ordinary phone. With VoIP a user can call using a computer, a phone made special for VoIP or a normal phone equipped with a VoIP adapter. VoIP can also be accessed wirelessly in certain areas where such a connection is available such as internet cafes and other such hotspots. Simply put, VoIP allows people to talk over the internet just as one would over the phone.

In order to take advantage of VoIP the user will need a broadband high speed internet connection. Cable modems as well as services like DSL or even a local area network will fit this requirement. The other thing needed is a computer, a specialized phone or an adapter for a traditional phone. Either the computer or the VoIP phone would work better as some VoIP services will not recognize the adapter and will not function as a result. If the computer is the preferred method then specific software will need to be installed and a microphone will need to be connected. Other than the fact that the VoIP phone will attach directly to the broadband connection, it works like a normal phone.

Calling other VoIP users will normally be free of charge; however connecting to traditional phone lines will likely cost the user money based similar factors as a normal phone. Details of payment will of course depend on the VoIP provider. Some will allow the user to call anywhere for a flat rate while others will operate more like a current phone service. Who a user can call varies depending on the provider as well. Some will allow users to call any number whether it is VoIP or not. Others will be limited to only those who are using VoIP. In order to call a traditional phone, there is no need for any specialized equipment; the user simply dials the number as he normally would, making it the same as a normal call.

One of the main advantages to VoIP is that the user no longer needs a separate phone line and a broadband connection. Both the phone and internet now works off of the same line and so the user saves money and effort with the upkeep of two different lines. In today's world where cell phones have nearly make land lines obsolete, this is a huge advantage. Beyond this, VoIP has available features that a traditional phone will not. These are of course specific to the provider of the service and what they are willing to offer.

While VoIP is not without its drawbacks, it is possibly the future of voice communication. As computers are becoming more and more accessible, the need for a separate device to handle voice conversations is becoming less and less. Given a decade or two the kinks inherent in VoIP will likely be worked out and it could replace land lines altogether.

Computer Viruses and Trojans - What Are They and What Do They Do?

A virus is known to many as an agent that causes different diseases. They have many modes of infecting all of the members of the animal kingdom. Although there are different types of viruses, they have one commonality; they are all harmful. Nowadays, the term virus has taken a different turn when it comes to the meaning. Now, it is more commonly associated with anything that brings a computer to its demise or to something close to that.

Computer virus has to be the most popular phrase when the thought of internet comes to the minds of most people. The reason is that they remember the destruction it brings. Computers have changed the way all people live. It has become important in all aspects of living may it be politics, religion or business. Just when we thought it could not get better, the Internet came along. Among all of the benefits of the internet, the one that people are most happy about is how it made communication much easier. In the old days, the only connection you have to your loved ones in other countries is through mail or telephone. Now, there are more efficient and faster ways of communicating. You can send an e-mail or a private message which will only take a few seconds and your message will be received immediately.

This advancement took a tragic turn when someone smart enough decided to make a computer virus. A computer virus, sticking to the true meaning of the word virus, is something that infects a computer, jams its programs and causes many problems to the user. It can bring any time of destruction from a small computer glitch to making your whole computer system crash.

Sadly, there are many ways that a virus is transferred from one computer to another. Storage devices such as USB can be a medium to transfer a virus. If two or more computers are connected via a network connection, a virus can be transferred. The most devastating news is that not only can it be transferred offline; it can be transferred online too. The internet became the most notorious aspect of the computer when it comes to getting it infected.

This is why the whole world, or the people who uses computers, rejoiced at the birth of antiviruses. These are the programs that are designed to track down and get rid of computer viruses from its system. Now, there are many ways on how to protect your computer using antiviruses. Although there are many antivirus programs out in the market today, they have one common factor: they prioritize prevention. They gave importance of detecting a virus that is threatening to invade a computer so that they can block it before it can cause any harm. Now, antiviruses are also wise enough to detect viruses that are already in the computer before they were installed and delete or clean it.

Aside from antiviruses, the users can also follow guidelines to prevent their computer from getting infected such as don't access sites that are about pornography since most viruses are found here.

What Is A Home Business?

First, let me clarify what kind of Home Business I’m discussing. There are many different kinds including just about anything that you could do from your home. I’m specifically talking about the kind of home business you do from your computer on the internet. It could be either a part time or full time opportunity.

Most online home businesses are involved with promoting another companies goods and services. The kind of goods and services varies greatly. This is the simplest and least costly way to start a home business as most people do not have products of their own to sell.

So why should I sell another companies products? The simple reason is because they pay you a commission on what you sell. Here again, how this is done varies considerably from one company to the next. Generally they have created what is called an affiliate program which you can join -- either for free or for a fee. You then become an affiliate of that company, kind of like a salesperson, but you are not an employee of the company.

Now this is starting to sound like a REAL business! That is exactly my point and that is what you should expect if you are interested in starting your own. Just because it is done on the internet with visibility to the world, don’t expect it to happen overnight -- even though that is what most of us would like.

A home business can be a success if our expectations are right and we pursue it like any other legitimate business opportunity!

Several things to consider if you are considering your own business:

1. DECIDE WHETHER TO JOIN A COMPANY’S AFFILIATE PROGRAM OR PURSUE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES. There are many different ways to start a home business. My suggestion would be to start with only one opportunity and learn it so that you are not overwhelmed with information and training. If you are just starting out, there is a lot to learn -- but it is not difficult -- just takes a little time. Support from an affiliate program can assist you with the learning curve.

2. DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND RESEARCH BEFORE YOU SELECT A COMPANY FOR WHOM YOU WILL WORK WITH. No one wants to spend time, effort and money building a business only to end up with promoting a business product which is no longer available, or is not available globally. How and when they pay their commissions should also be considered. Is the company a member of the Better Business Bureau? Are the products something you would buy? Do they have products? How long have they been in business?

3. FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH MONEY YOU CAN SPEND EACH MONTH ON YOUR BUSINESS. With an online business, it does not take much but you need some method to promote with. Setting up your own website is probably the most common way and can be done with a minimal investment. If lack of money is an issue, there are free ways to promote but more time involvement is required.

4. MAKE SURE THE COMPANY YOU WORK WITH PROVIDES TRAINING AND SUPPORT. This can be a huge benefit if you are just starting out. Once you learn, you can find your own niche or specialty and perhaps become the next home business guru.

Starting your own home business can be very exciting and rewarding! It can also be a solid source of income for years to come. Don’t expect it to just happen, but it will with perseverance and determination. There are not very many other business opportunities like this which you can start so easily from your home. Take advantage of it!

Tips For A Successful Internet Business

Let's take a look at Business and Business Philosophy. A business exists to 1) provide a service or product to customers and 2) to make a reasonable profit for the business owner.

In the past this took the form of two kinds of traveling salesman (the itinerant traveling salesman, working out of his wagon or truck, who brought otherwise unavailable products to places who simply could not economically travel the distance required to find those products...and the "drummer", or "route salesman" who went to the various "fixed location" businesses and sold them their "restocking supplies") and the "fixed location" businesses (stores) who carried a selection of "most needed" products in their store for customers to come in, select from and purchase.

Pretty much this mode of operation stayed true from the mid 1800's to the late 1900's. But by 1990 there was a new inroad into this model of business -- and business philosophy. Or was there? And just what was that inroad?

The Inroad was "The Internet", in existence since the 1960's, started "going commercial" by about 1990. It is now 2005 and this commercialization is an ongoing and evolving process. Business has changed and is changing. Many fixed location storefronts also have web locations and offer home delivery for online ordering, even for local customers. But how about "Business Philosophy"? It is changing, also? Or is it?

Right now internet businesses are proliferating at an alarming rate. I cannot count and possibly no one can count the total number of internet businesses in the world today. There are probably between 100 and 1000 "new" internet businesses starting every day somewhere in the world, and this figure could be much higher. There even is a "new category" of business which has evolved, sort of to keep track of those businesses.

No, it is not the electronic store front which offers products or services to customers anywhere in the world (though this is a major evolution from a standard "fixed location" real store front on your local street), nor is it the "hosting service" which electronically locates and "displays" your electronic storefront for customers to find. They are not unlike the building owner who sublets space for offices and stores. The new type of business is the "search engine" which "locates, catalogues and categorizes" all of these various business enterprises and allows you to find what you are looking for.

It is said that there are hundreds of different search engines out there, proliferating and multiplying like lemmings...and, like lemmings, falling by the wayside for various inadequacies. Except for the best and biggest. The number one "search engine" is probably Google. However, MSN is gaining and Alexa, All-the-Web, Alta Vista, AOL, Ask Jeeves, Lycos, Matilda, Scrub the Web and a few others may be considered the "major" search engines, those which comprise, say, 95% or more of total search engine use worldwide.

There is possible a second type of "new business" brought to us by the Internet. This is the browser. In fact, the browser and the search engine work hand in hand and are completely different entities. Basically, they generally are set to work hand in hand and mutually complement one another. In fact, in my mind, the search engine is slightly more valuable but less independent.

The Number One Browser is likely to be Microsoft's Internet Explorer. But there are several more "major" browsers, which include AOL/Netscape, Firefox and Opera, as well as many more. These four probably comprise more than 95% of the worldwide "browser use" on the internet.

You could compare them (very loosely) thusly: look at the search engine as an exquisitely detailed map, showing not only everything that is there by business and location, but everything that is inside those locations -- the books and other resources within a library, the entire stock of the local store, all the services of a print shop, etc. And look at the browser as the vehicle that gets you from where you are to the resources, products and services you are looking for. It's nice to have such a detailed map but the map is useless without the ability to go there and see and use what is there.

The search engine, slightly more valuable in a sense, is not a "stand-alone" item. It requires a browser to be truly functional. The browser, however, is a stand-alone item which benefits mightily by the information the search engine provides. Compare the search-engineless browser to a long trip in a vehicle with an occasional rare find -- a resource you may or may not have been looking for.

So for you to be successful in your internet business endeavor you must not only be there -- on the internet -- and accessible to browsers, you must find a way to "be found" by the search engines and mapped so that the people using the browsers can find you.

To do this you must do several things. You must build your web site cleanly and meeting the "search criteria" of the various "search engines". Ideally you will want to use a pleasing layout, probably a cascading style sheet, optimize your verbal content for the search engine algorithms and engage the services of someone who really knows how to do this kind of work. You must also carefully, very carefully indeed, select the host for your web site. More on this in the next article, but see my #1 web site below.

I personally recommend Lawrence Deon of http://www.rankingyourwaytothebank.com/
I have seen several resources out there similar to what Lawrence Deon provides and they range in price from triple the cost to more than 10 times the cost...and they don't do anything that Ranking Your Way To The Bank doesn't do.

Organic Greens dot US ranks right up in the top 10 for nearly 20 different search terms and on most of the world's major search engines. This is purely thanks to Lawrence Deon. I have this one up and three more right now in varying stages of construction, all with Lawrence Deon's help. And I have more web sites up which are designed with thanks to Lawrence Deon.

A Home Based Business -- Who, Why, When and Where To Start?

Everyone loves a Home Based Business Opportunity. I love mine and you cannot be an exception I guess! So let us start from the beginning and explore as to Who, Why, When and Where you could start this Business Opportunity using the Internet.

Who?

Anyone with a desire or urge to start a Home Based Business can venture into this field. All you need is a computer and who has not got one or access to one these days? An elementary knowledge of the working of a computer and the Internet is sufficient to get started. Many things can be picked up as you progress. This is what most of the people do.

The beauty of this Internet Home Business is that Age and Sex, Race and Religion are no barriers. It is sans borders. Entrepreneurs living in any part of the world can participate in thousands of Affiliate programs that are either Regional or Global in nature.

There are many programs that are Free to join! In fact there are several Affiliate programs that provide Entrepreneurs with Free Websites and Tools too. You could have your own personal website if you are prepared to spend a few dollars.

Why?

This is a pertinent question indeed! Some of the reasons for starting a Home Based Business are:

1. A desire to earn an Additional income to supplement the monthly income.

2. A desire to run your own home business and not depend on your Boss's pay packet

3. Dissatisfaction with your present Boss or your employment.

4. Being out of work or laid off.

5. Circumstances forcing you to be with the family or aging parents.

6. A Childhood ambition to have your own business.

When?

You can start a Home Based Business at any age. It can be at twenty, fifty or even at seventy. What matters most is that you have to be sufficiently motivated and have the urge and desire to do it.

Allocating two hours a day for your cherished dream should not be difficult to start with. In fact about twenty hours a week would be useful and advantageous. I am aware of people who have retired from active work but are keeping themselves gainfully occupied by doing an Internet Home Based Business.

To be successful in life you should have a Plan, more so for your Internet Business Opportunity. Draw up a short term and a long term plan for what you intend to achieve. Initially draw up a Plan for the first three months to start with and try to stick with it, come what may.

While you are at the computer, Pop ups and other advertisements can and will divert your attention from your objective. Do not run after the goose that is going to lay the golden egg for you and waste your valuable time.

Top Marketers are brilliant people who spend much time and money in researching how to divert your attention and I can tell you, they are not going to fail! I should know! I have been in the marketing business for several years though not in the internet field. Hence you should remain completely focused on your work.

Where?

Unlike in a brick and mortar business, to operate a Business from home, the Home Based Business Entrepreneur needs no separate building. Your physical place of business will be your very home and no high start up fees is necessary. The computer can be set up wherever you like so that it is convenient to work with and free from noises and distraction.

Your success will to some extent depend on the support you receive from the members of your family. The spouse can be of great assistance by reading and researching resources and articles and doing a lot of other preliminary work, which can substantially reduce the number of hours you have to spend on the computer. In other words your spouse can be your partner in your Home Based Business.

The greatest benefit of this Internet Business Opportunity is that it works twenty-four hours (24/7) a day and is Portable. Wherever you travel, within the country or to any part of the world your Business travels with you. You have to carry your laptop along, that's it. Otherwise find access to a computer. It is as simple as that.

Why wait? Start working on your Home Based Business seriously. Work at Home, Work from Home or Work away from Home and reap the benefits the Internet Revolution has showered on you, the Internet Entrepreneur.