The Industry

Well, it was an interesting week. Seems everyone is at the SMX Advanced this week, so it was a little slow. I thought I would wrap up a few bits of news for a nice Friday informative. I haven't been blogging a lot lately (seems less and less every week), but that's just a sign that SEO Factor is doing well. Catch 22 I guess.

Catch 22

After my hotel reputation management post yesterday, I received a lot of emails about the subject, and how a hotelier goes about finding an Internet marketing firm for their hotel. I couldn't answer some of those emails too directly, as there would be a conflict of interest, but I thought I would create a decent post to help you out.

It seems that almost every conversation I have about SEO with someone new to the idea includes some common questions. With answering these questions, I am then asked the exact same question, every time. "So, what sites do you read?" Well, let me tell you.

It's not uncommon for SEOs and bloggers to share their RSS feeds or XML files to their readers. This indeed allows for the reader to make use of the ones they want to read, and use their desired RSS Reader.

First, I should really apologize for not posting in a while. I've been super busy lates. I know that's not an excuse, but it's the truth. However, there are some great posts and happenings this week that I wanted to link to. I have a couple of posts coming next week, so there will be something good to read.

The Future of SEO

I recently wrote an article for Skellie of Anywired.com on 7 Signs of SEO Scams. It was posted yesterday, and I would like to direct my readers to it. It was a post on SEO offers that should be noted as signs of a scam.

Thanks to my newfound Twitter account, Andy Beal pointed me(us) to an article, that referenced him, in which he referenced a Popular Mechanics aricle

I wanted to post something this week about the prices we SEOs charge, and what you can expect to see as "the norm." However, sometimes, you catch a few other posts that do the subject justice. So, I want to showcase 2 of those recent posts.

Don't worry, I'm getting some information together for the SEO eBook for this subject, but for now, these are great reads.

Well, I'm a little sad today. As an SEO, if I'm not first met with complete unawareness of what it is I do, I'm labled a spammer by someone who happens to have had a bad experience with some "SEO Firm." Usually, it doesn't bother me too much, for when I get to talk to someone one-on-one, they realize I genuinely want to help. This has a lot to do with a background working as the "SEO" for a company that ripped people off, and I have a God's promise to run my life differently now. But sometimes, someone I admire says something a little disheartening.

Today, I'm pretty upset. I read an article. I speak on an article on 'Tech 'Solutions' Your Small Biz Can't Use' over at msnbc.com (there's a little businessweek.com logo there, so it may have come from them). So what is it that made me angry?

In following Andrew Shotland on Giving SEO For Christmas, I wanted to give a link with a good anchor myself. The idea is to give a free link with a juicy anchor to a charity of your choice. It's a great idea, it's for a good cause, takes just a few moments of your time, and will keep on giving.

I openly ask that others join in. There are plenty of blogs out there with way more clout than myself and Andrew put together. By all means, leave a comment on his post to let him know he isn't alone.