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Some things, you just have to write at.

Be careful what you wish for...

Tim Hoke writes so you don't have to!Well, you asked for it so I have no choice.  "Oh, you're such a good writer!  Do you have a Blog or anything???"  *sigh*  Here it is then.  I'll regurgitate my thoughts, rants, questions, random photos I find, quotes that may (or may not) be attributed to people and anything else that I feel like providing...Your job is to read it and comment on it.  Great deal, huh?

 

Some "warnings", so to speak:

  • I'm going to write whatever I want.  You can suggest topics which I may or may not address.
  • I will warn you here:  Sometimes, a bad word is necessary.  I'll try and stay away from the really bad ones but, no promises.  If language offends you, you need to go somewhere else.  And, get a life.  Words are just what we substitute for grunts and screeches.
  • Same deal with pictures...If I happen to like a photo because it's weird or out of left-field, I'll post it.  I will try to keep in mind that my daughter might, someday, be bored enough to look at this.  Again, no promises.  You see worse stuff on the news, anyway.
  • Behave with your comments.  Until it's a problem, I won't make you register to comment.  As soon as the morons show up (oh, and they will), I'll change it.  I don't want that, you don't want that.  Then again, I do like banning people.

Otherwise, read, share, send to people or get irate, call me an idiot and never return.  Like most things in Life, the choice is yours.  Drop me a note and tell me what, or if, you think.  T-

 

Treasure Coast SEO Expert Project - Part 1

treasure-coast-contract-ninja-gerbilYep, several developments in the Treasure Coast SEO Expert Project.  Saturday, March 5th, I created 2 completely different pages on my personal web site.  This site, www.TimHoke.com, has never been promoted, SEO'd or really even used.  If you read the front page article, you'll see why.  Yeah, sometimes I like to write but I'm also a huge fan of making a living:>)  Our main site, www.inVisionBP.com, has been around for quite a while and has a decent ranking already.  I decided to start "naked", if you will.

 

So, on Saturday, I created/SEO/started the inbound process/submitted to Google 2 new pages:

  • Treasure Coast SEO Expert - Basically a page describing some of the activities that I can do for clients, and the results they can expect during the ongoing process.
  • Treasure Coast Contract Ninja - Yep, complete crap.  I thought up the most random, useless, un-searched phrase I could think of.  Interestingly, this one is searched about 4x as much as the other...Big G adds in contracts, ninja motorcycles for sale, treasure hunting, etc.  Thanks for that but, it actually helps my results.

 

Today is Tuesday, March 8th.  i decided to run a RankChecker report, really not expecting to see any reults yet...Just getting in the habit.

Here are the results:

Keyword

 

Google.com position

Google.com URL

Yahoo (United States) position

(not yet submitted)

Yahoo URL

Bing position

treasure coast seo expert

About 26,100 results

1

www.timhoke.com/treasure-coast-seo-expert.html

-

 

7

treasure coast contract ninja

About 114,000 results

1

www.timhoke.com/treasure-coast-contract-ninja.html

-

 

1

 



I do wonder if they might "Sandbox" me for a little while.  Though it was all White-Hat and by the Google Webmaster Guidelines, getting there that quickly will probably raise some red flags.  Since this is not unexpected (for me or my clients), I've already incororated that likelihood into my Program.  A week or 3 in "time-out" only means I'll have the ranking even more solid once they check to make sure I'm playing by the rules and let me out to play with the other kids:>)

 

As always, if you're looking for a Treasure Coast SEO Expert or even a Treasure Coast Contract Ninja, drop me a note and we'll see what we can do!

 

Treasure Coast SEO Expert - Part 2

 

So, the project continues.  As of this morning (3/14/11), here are the ranks:

Keyword Google Yahoo Bing
Treasure Coast SEO Expert 1 1 7 (weird, ranking completely wrong page)
Treasure Coast Contract Ninja 1 1 1 (still ranking but still wrong page...go figure)

I did some research last week, and decided to get myself "Certified" in some of this stuff.  There's an interesting exercise for you.  There really isn't any concrete, real-deal certification that everyone agrees is the standard for either Search Engine Optimization or for Search Engine Marketing.  In most other aspects of the computer or Internet biz, people agree on which certifications actually mean something, and which ones are just shiny graphics you can buy to put on your site or business card.

 

For example, I took 5 of the 7 Microsoft Certified Professional Exams to try and become a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer.  That was back in the days (as my kids perceive it) of dinosaur attacks and "clubbing" was a literal activity...1998.  I passed all 5 but ran out of time to get the MCSE.  (change over to Windows 2000, now 8 exams and, I think, only 3 of mine would have credited).

 

And, as we know, Cisco exams are solid gold, CompTIA's, etc.  I found a site, www.ExpertRating.com , and looked through it pretty thoroughly.  Seemed comrehensive, with instructor-led and self-paced classes, wide variety of good topics.  Also, price was reasonable (normally a very red, wildly-waving flag).  I took the Search Engine Marketing exam, cold.  I figured worst-case:  An idiot-proof, no-brainer quizling that a drooler could pass...And I would never speak of it.  Best-case: An absolute killer that gave me single-digit You Fail results on, and I'd pay to re-take it and absolve my sin of doubt.

 

So?  First this:

Search-Engine-Marketing-certificationYes, I passed.  Now, you read the above so you can safely assume it wasn't BS.  To be honest, it was surprisingly difficult.  30 questions, 30 minutes.  You can mark and go back to questions.  You do not get to see the correct answers for the ones you got wrong (grrr).  So, what did Treasure Coast SEO Expert Tim Hoke get, you ask?  I got an 87%.  I've been messing with this stuff for a while, and studying very seriously for about 2 months...No, I'm not happy that I got a B+.  Am I happy with the test?  Yep...it was tough and very thorough.

 

Here are the topics covered...and they were pretty well:

 

  • Pay Per Click Search
  • Google Adwords
  • Google Adsense
  • The Search Engines Industry
  • Keyword selection and optimization strategies
  • Link Popularity and Linking Strategies
  • Keyword Selection and Optimization Strategies
  • Google Search Technology
  • Search Engines and Directories
  • Online Advertising

 

Would I recommend this test and give it any credence with regard to that persons' knowledge?  Resounding Yes.  i plan to take the Search Engine Optimization exam from them, too.  Will advise.

 


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