Students Of Success

Reciprocal linking has been a widely used strategy for web promotion, in spite of requiring significant effort from us webmasters. First you need to evaluate the convenience of every exchange, then do the actual link publishing and finally, it is necessary a periodical check-up of the corresponding link prevalence.

Trying to make things easier for busy webmasters, a wide number of Link Exchange Managers have appeared. These tools are now a very competitive field in the e-Marketing arena. As a result, links in the web have grown much faster than quality contents.

The main purpose of current reciprocal linking is to earn link popularity in the search engines, which means better ranking. However, it ads very little value to the Web, and takes away traffic in the same way as it brings it in.

For the search engines, telling good from bad links is getting more and more difficult, and it makes sense for them to penalize such links.

We have found several evidences showing that reciprocal links are outmoded.

“Google has started to penalize sites that provide two-way links to each other”
http://www.ezgenerator.com/blog/180_blog.php?action=frontpage&entry_id=1134567055&comments=comments

“As of October 2005, Google appears to have implemented a new penalty on sites which are excessive with their reciprocal link exchanging”.
http://www.ringjohn.com/reciprocal_link_building.html

“Having too many reciprocal links eventually works against you.”
http://affiliatetip.com/news/article00368.php

Are Reciprocal Links Dead?
http://www.webstatsgold.com/are-reciprocal-links-dead.htm

To verify it, we selected the first 100 websites found in the Google SERP under “SEO”, and ran Back Link Analyzer version 2, which simplifies the analysis task. This tool is free and anyone can check our results.

Reciprocal link exchange can be hard to detect, because it might require complete spidering of both sites. We established a 3-level limit in our crawling.

Some of our findings:

• There was no correlation between ranking and incoming links.

• There was no correlation between ranking and PageRank.

• Keyword density in the domain was a weak indicator of better ranking

• Keyword density inside the home page was irrelevant.

• Keyword density inside the incoming links (anchor text) was relevant. This is the single most valuable ranking factor publicly known, so far.

• Reciprocal linking, either in absolute or relative terms, was found to have a weak negative correlation with ranking.

This facts confirm our perception that more and more sites are now focusing on non-reciprocal inbound links. However, those must be earned with quality content or plainly purchased.

Much easier is a new mode of link exchange, involving triangulation or better yet, quadrangulation.

Triangulation is more difficult to detect than 2-way linking, and quadrangulation even harder. Both techniques are useful for webmasters who manage several websites, since they can use some domains for outgoing links and some for incoming links. Quadrangulation makes easier to compensate the value of incoming vs. outcoming links.

A new generation of Link Exchange Managers with Triangulation and Quadrangulation ability is appearing. Whether Google and Yahoo will start detecting and battling the new schemes is yet too soon to speculate.

John Tello works for http://www.foundfirst.com, a company that makes SEO tools, some within the text processing field like Synonymizer software

A good movie is more than two hours of entertainment. A good movie takes you on an adventure. It excites you. It pleases you. It makes you cry. It makes you laugh. It makes you want to share the movie experience.

As I child my two best friends lived next door. Kathleen was two years older than I was. David was four years older. One of my earliest memories of them has me (age five or six) recounting scene by scene the story of Paleface, a movie staring Bob Hope. David and Kathleen’s yard was a few feet above our yard, but our plum tree provided shade for their picnic table. Sometimes I scampered up the tree and over into their yard. Sometimes I sat in the plum tree and looked down as we talked. Sometimes we played poker at their picnic table. Invariably we laughed and talked.

I’ve always enjoyed movies, just as I’ve always enjoyed books. They make you think and they make you feel. And both books and movies offer opportunities for sharing your thoughts with others.

I loosely belong to a group called The Cast Club. We meet once each month and watch a movie. We rotate being host. It’s the job of the host to supply popcorn, red vines, M & M’s, and other candies you might find at a movie theatre, along with pop, beer and wine. People start arriving a little after seven in the evening. At about 7:45 pm, the host invites the small audience into their “viewing” room. The host picks the movie, but doesn’t reveal the title until then. The host explains why they chose the movie and then we watch the film. Afterwards everyone is welcome to make comments.

The beauty of this movie experience is that the casual member can’t simply decide they’ve don’t want to see the movie and not attend. Once you’re there (and you can’t be late) you watch the movie. You can voice your opinion when the movie is done.

New ideas are stimulating. Movies become old friends and friends remind me of movies.

In The Cast Club you are welcome to share your favorite movies and they don’t have to be academy award winners. Many well-received productions were new to the members. It’s the sharing of movies and thoughts that makes the evening so special. I’ve even changed my mind about some films after discussion.

With the inexpensive prices of DVDs today it’s easy to lend other people your favorite film. Sometimes it’s cheaper to buy a DVD than it is to buy a new paperback book. Giving DVDs as presents at birthdays and special occasions is becoming common. But I would never just give a DVD as a present without a little explanation. I still like telling and sharing a story.

When giving a movie to a friend, I enjoy telling them why I like the movie, and what it means to me, or why I think they will enjoy it. If they like the movie, it’s great to know you chose well and that you have common perceptions. If they don’t like the movie, it’s a great conversation starter. “Why didn’t you like it?” You can’t loose.

Don Doman is a published author, video producer, and corporate trainer. He owns the business training site Ideas and Training (http://www.ideasandtraining.com), which he says is the home of the no-hassle “free preview” for business training videos. He also is the websmaster for Videos, Music, and More (http://www.videosmusicandmore.com), which promotes music and entertainment.

There are many ways to improve the way you communicate. For example, you will always start things off on the right foot by opening the conversation in a way that creates mutual respect. Using phrases such as, “If you have a minute, I’d like to talk with you about something that I think will improve the way we work together,” helps set your conversation partner at ease. It tells him or her that you have positive intentions.

It is also important to know your purpose for the conversation. Some purposes are more useful than others. A useful purpose is one you have power over. For instance, you can control your own reaction; you can share your view; learn about your partner’s view; work toward a sustainable solution.

On the other hand, examples of purposes that are NOT useful are: trying to change the other person; attempting to control their reaction; or going in with a hidden agenda.

Be Interested

Of the many ways to improve your conversation skills, one of the best is to be interested. Curiosity is one of the most useful tools in the communication toolbox. When you enter the conversation with “beginner’s mind,” you will necessarily adopt the attitude of a learner. You will not have to pretend to ask honest, open questions. They will come naturally. As you listen, you can reflect on what is being said (and not said). You will gain information and ease tension. If you can’t think of a question, you can always acknowledge what you’ve heard, or you can say: “I see, tell me more about that.”

One of the reasons we’re not curious more often is that we mentally equate curiosity with agreement. We think that if we don’t disagree immediately, our conversation partner will assume we’re okay with whatever he is saying. This is not useful thinking. It prevents you from seeing the whole picture and from learning where your partner is coming from.

The next time you find yourself in a difficult conversation, give yourself and your partner a gift by asking questions - questions to which you do not know the answer. Watch what happens. You will learn a lot, and you will feel more powerful, not less. Remember - listening does not equal agreement. It means you are a skilled and active learner, a good partner, and a conscious communicator. Live, learn, and enjoy the moment.

Good luck and good communication!

© 2005 Judy Ringer, Power & Presence Training

About the Author: Judy Ringer is the author of Unlikely Teachers: Finding the Hidden Gifts in Daily Conflict, containing stories and practices on conflict, communication and living a more purposeful life. Judy is a black belt in aikido and nationally known presenter, specializing in unique workshops on creating a more positive work environment. She is the founder of Power & Presence Training, and chief instructor of Portsmouth Aikido, Portsmouth, NH, USA. To sign up for more free tips and articles like these, visit http://www.JudyRinger.com

Note: You’re welcome to reprint this article as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the ‘about the author’ info at the end).

It is cost effectiveness that plays a major role when we buy some product. Same as before availing any loan, we judge, whether the loan is cost effective or not. But we barely find such kind of loans, as most of the loans are given on high- rate of interest and that doesn’t suit our pocket. Now with low rate secured loans, one can borrow money without burning his pocket.

Secured loans are available against any collateral. The collateral can be any worthwhile asset. It could be your home, car or you can use your saving account against low rate secured loans.

However, secured loans are bedecked with a number of advantages. With secured loans, you can get a loan of 125% of your collateral or up to £250000. The rate of interest on secured loans is comparatively low, as secured loans are obtainable against collateral. Even, you will get an option of choosing between a fixed or variable rate. Since, the rate of interest is lower on secured loans, so, you will have to pay a lesser amount as monthly installment. Besides, with secured loans, you will get an option to choose the duration of the repayment period that can be ranged from 3-25 years.

At the same time, you should keep in your mind that you can get secured loans against your property that is used as security. So before applying for secured loans just check your financial capacity. Unless, you are not able to repay, then your property will be at risk.

Generally, in secured loans the interest rate is relatively low, but it could be lower. With good credit history and dependable repayment capacity the lender will not hesitate to provide you a better interest rate. Even the worth of collateral also does matter to get a low rate secured loans. Apart from that, some efforts are necessitated to obtain low rate secured loans. Shop around, and search for various lenders such as banks and other financial institutions, who offer secured loans. You can use Internet too, as many lenders offer their quotes through online. And needless to say, comparison of these quotes is the best option to choose a low rate secured loans.

A secured loan is a personal loan, which are available against any collateral. With so many benefits and so many options it is like borrowing nothing at all and still able to pursue what we want to. So if you are thinking of borrowing a loan you know which the best is.

Aldrich Chappel has been associated with get-secured-loans, since its inception. Having completed his Masters in Finance from Lancaster University Management School, he undertook to provide useful advice through his articles that have been found very useful by the residents of the UK. To Find Secured loans, Low rate secured loans UK visit www.get-secured-loans.co.uk

Whether you are searching for something to say “Happy Birthday” or “Merry Christmas” a dog owner will agree that dog lover gifts are always among those most cherished and appreciated.

Many times, a dog lover’s gift is designed with a specific breed in mind; among the various popular breeds owned include the following:

Beagles
Boston Terriers
Chihuahuas
Bulldogs
Jack Russell Terriers
Pugs
Golden Retrievers
Poodles
Dachshunds
Shih-Tzu

The type of dog an owner has often is a reflection of their personality; thus it shouldn’t be too difficult selecting a dog lover gift that is well suited for Fido and Fido’s parents.

Many owners are fans of the smaller breeds, often referred to as “toy” dogs. Among these include Pomeranians, Shih-Tzu and toy poodles. These animals are often purebreds, and owners traditionally love showing off their animals to anyone willing to admire. These dogs often are “stereotyped” in movies, hiding out in the purses of “well bred” women who are polished, coiffed and manicured. These small animals often are depicted as enjoying a trip to the salon with mom for a brush and trim. Smaller breeds of dogs are often the perfect selection for families living in smaller apartments. Some dogs are even smaller than popular breeds of cats! The Yorkshire terrier is a perfect example of a pup small enough to fit in the palm of your hand!

Many owners of specialized breeds enter their pups into competition. Many hours are spent grooming, fluffing and primping the animals for show; thus dog lover gifts might include any accessories that help complement their dog’s unique features or characteristics. Undoubtedly upon entering the house of one of these award winning animals, you will find ribbons and hundreds of pictures of the stunning champion. The ideal dog lover gifts for people owning a prize dog would be anything that highlights and helps show off puppies stunning nature and well behaved personality. Clothing and picture frames are often popular choices for this category of dog.

Still other dogs are cherished for their warm, loving personalities and “family” natures. Golden Retrievers for example, are a popular choice among families with children. These animals are generally high energy but very well behaved, making them the perfect selection for a family with many young, energetic and playful children. For these, toys woudl be very well received, as the kids can play with them, while enjoying their pet.

Adriana Copaceanu provides people with creative gift ideas that don’t blow the bank. You can find more Dog Lover Gift Ideas at her
site. Want regular reminders on gift-giving? Sign up for Gift News her free monthly newsletter.

Many people are experiencing the effects of employers cutting
back on benefits to save money. One of the first benefits to be
cut is the dental plan; this leaves many people without a means
to pay for a dental visit. For these people the purchase of a
discount dental plan is the only way they can afford to get a
cleaning, not to mention any other major dental work. Following
are a few tips to help you choose the right dental plan for your
situation.

1- When you are searching for a discount dental plan it is
important to establish that you are dealing with a reputable
company. You want a company that has a good reputation with
agencies such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB); you can check
the BBB website or call your local office. You will also want to
do a general search for frauds involving the plans that you are
looking at, if they are involved in any kind of a fraud, you
will be able to find the information you will need to avoid it.

2- Be sure that your dentist participates in the plan. Do not
trust what the plan is telling you are participating dentists,
it is best to call your dentist personally to ask. You will want
to ask your dentist the costs with and with out the plan to
accurately compare prices between the two.

3- Most discount dental plans boast a 60-80% cost savings over
regional prices for dental work. However, you will want to check
into any fees that may be charged, such as memberships and
deductibles for dental work and office visits. Depending upon
the fees charged, the plan may or may not be a good deal.

4- A big advantage for discount dental plans is that everyone is
accepted into the program. It does not matter if there is
unfinished work that needs to be done or if the patient has had
problem with other dental plans in the past.

5- However, there are disadvantages to these types of programs
also. For example, the choices of dentists that participate in
discount dental plans can be minimal. In many parts of the
country, this is a concept that is just starting to catch on.
Depending upon where you live, you may or may not find a dentist
in your area that participates, the chance that you will find
your dentist on the list is even smaller.