SEO Discussion Blog

Big Ping List for Blogs

I have a question for today. What do you think about large ping lists for blogs? Do you think pingomatic is enough or should you have a large ping list for everybody you can find? How can you tell which sites are good to ping and which are not?

Here is a large ping list I’ve found for blogs

http://rpc.pingomatic.com/

http://blogsearch.google.com/ping/RPC2

http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping

http://ping.feedburner.com/

http://1470.net/api/ping

http://api.feedster.com/ping

http://api.moreover.com/RPC2

http://api.moreover.com/ping

http://api.my.yahoo.com/RPC2

http://api.my.yahoo.com/rss/ping

http://bblog.com/ping.php

http://bitacoras.net/ping

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/XMLRPC

http://blogdb.jp/xmlrpc

http://blogmatcher.com/u.php

http://bulkfeeds.net/rpc

http://coreblog.org/ping/

http://mod-pubsub.org/kn_apps/blogchatt

http://www.lasermemory.com/lsrpc/

http://ping.amagle.com/

http://ping.bitacoras.com

http://ping.blo.gs/

http://ping.bloggers.jp/rpc/

http://ping.cocolog-nifty.com/xmlrpc

http://ping.blogmura.jp/rpc/

http://ping.exblog.jp/xmlrpc

http://ping.myblog.jp

http://ping.rootblog.com/rpc.php

http://ping.syndic8.com/xmlrpc.php

http://ping.weblogalot.com/rpc.php

http://ping.weblogs.se/

http://pingoat.com/goat/RPC2

http://rcs.datashed.net/RPC2/

http://rpc.blogbuzzmachine.com/RPC2

http://rpc.blogrolling.com/pinger/

http://rpc.icerocket.com:10080/

http://rpc.newsgator.com/

http://rpc.weblogs.com/RPC2

http://topicexchange.com/RPC2

http://trackback.bakeinu.jp/bakeping.php

http://www.a2b.cc/setloc/bp.a2b

http://www.bitacoles.net/ping.php

http://www.blogdigger.com/RPC2

http://www.blogoole.com/ping/

http://www.blogoon.net/ping/

http://www.blogpeople.net/servlet/weblogUpdates

http://www.blogroots.com/tb_populi.blog?id=1

http://www.blogshares.com/rpc.php

http://www.blogsnow.com/ping

http://www.blogstreet.com/xrbin/xmlrpc.cgi

http://www.mod-pubsub.org/kn_apps/blogchatter/ping.php

http://www.newsisfree.com/RPCCloud

http://www.newsisfree.com/xmlrpctest.php

http://www.popdex.com/addsite.php

http://www.snipsnap.org/RPC2

http://www.weblogues.com/RPC/

http://xmlrpc.blogg.de

http://xping.pubsub.com/ping/

http://www.a2b.cc/setloc/bp.a2b

http://www.bitacoles.net/ping.php

http://www.blogdigger.com/RPC2

http://www.blogoole.com/ping/

http://www.blogpeople.net/servlet/weblogUpdates

http://www.blogshares.com/rpc.php

http://www.blogstreet.com/xrbin/xmlrpc.cgi

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/XMLRPC

http://www.lasermemory.com/lsrpc/

http://www.newsisfree.com/xmlrpctest.php

Do you see any on this list that should not be there?

Pinging Feedburner using PHP and curl without XML-RPC (russellbeattie.com)
Ping that Post (potpolitics.com)

March 10, 2010 | Chris McElroy | Comments 0

Social Bookmarking Websites that use DoFollow Links

I found another list of social bookmarking websites that can help improve your link popularity because they use dofollow links.

This is from . . . (let me pause while writing this to bring you a message from Google Chrome. Hi, I’m Google Chrome and I’ve frozen for a few minutes, so you’ll have to wait to open the page you wanted to open, because being Google Chrome means I have to freeze, lockup and crash once in awhile.) Now back to your post from PromotePoint.com

Social bookmarking sites keep user busy with sharing articles and link like social networking sites. Your link can become popular fast and divert traffic to your website, If you have a good number of friends on social bookmarking site. Social bookmarking build links back to your website also. If you use bookmarking sites like Digg, Del.icio.us, and Technorati, Stumbleupon properly, you allow other users to add your relevant links to their sites and marketing lists and your URLs go viral as a result of sharing these links. But you must have to share links on an dofollow website to build backlink. If you share your link on a nofollow bookmarking site that do not help building backlink.

DoFollow is the opposite of “NoFollow”. No follow tag tells search engine not to follow the links. So more do follow back links help you to get higher page rank.

Here they have organized almost 50 social bookmarking dofollow sites shorted in order of page rank.

Are You a Blogger or a Reblogger?

Sometimes we have to examine what we do on the web to see if we are being effective at what we do. Are we adding value to the web? Are we doing the best we can? How do others perceive us from what we are doing?

There are a lot of people who call themselves bloggers. This is not one of those I’m a better blogger than you are posts. I ask myself the same questions I posted above about my own marketing efforts and blogging.

But here is my take on blogging.

1. If all you have is a bunch of blogs that auto-post content, then you are not a blogger. Parking a few domain names with auto content is ok. It’s better than parking a domain name on a static page.

But to call yourself a blogger, you do need to have at least one blog that you actually write original and unique content on.

2. This one makes some people mad, but here goes. If all you do on your blog is post news that can be found elsewhere, then you are a reblogger, not a blogger.

It’s like being a follower instead of a leader. It’s ok to post about news or what someone else posted about, then add your own unique comments and opinions. That is blogging. But you should mix in some original posts about something at least as much as you post news from someone else’s site or blog.

I know how frustrating it can be to come up with original posts every day. But that very thing is what separates the blogging leaders from the rest of the pack. They work hard at creating original and unique blog posts every single day to our benefit. We learn from them and ask for more.

They link to other related articles. They research their topic. They use images and screenshots. They take the time to do all of this for their readers. That makes them popular.

Sometimes we are too busy to do all it takes to make a really good blog post. We take shortcuts and post something quickly so we can get other things done. We can’t commit the time to do it right every single day.

The problem is that our readers know when we take shortcuts. That makes our blogs less appealing than those of the bloggers who take that time every day and who write original and unique content that is interesting to their readers.

So, hats off to those bloggers who really work at making every single post a great post. You are the leaders we all like to follow and the ones who set the example for the rest of us.

March 08, 2010 | Chris McElroy | Comments 0

How Important Is Owning Your Personal Name As A Domain Name?

More and more I’m seeing people buy up their name as an URL (ie. JohnSmith.com, MarthaBartha.net, etc.). Is this just for the sake of vanity or is there a real purpose to it?

By way of full disclosure, I have an URL that represents my name. I went for AllenTaylor.com, but it was already taken. Therefore, I settled for the more specific AllenLeeTaylor.com, using my middle name. I’ve seen some people take their name with a .me extension.

I do think there is a good reason for doing this. For me, it’s a matter of reputation management, but that’s not all. I also believe it’s a good branding tool, particularly for creative people.

In terms of reputation management, you’ll have a better chance at ranking for your name as a keyword if you use your name as a domain name. Google now will only rank a couple of pages per domain for any keyword search term. If the search term is your name then what will searchers find? Your company site should be at the top of the list and you’ll likely have a few social networks on the list as well. A personal domain name should be on that list too.

If you have three social networks, your company website, a blog and your own personal domain name then that’s a potential 12 top spots on Google. Since there are only 10 page 1 listings this increases your chances of being at the top pretty considerably. That’s effective reputation management.

But how about personal branding? I’m a writer. I write SEO content, ghostwrite blogs and write fiction and poetry. I have also worked as a journalist. A personal domain name with a CV and portfolio is a good marketing tool. While I still have to develop my domain name, I am looking forward to the day that it is actually drawing in some new business and fans. That day should not be far off.

On personal domain names, you can count me in favor. I’m sold.

Why should I trademark my domains? What are risks if I DO NOT trademark my domain names? (startups.com)
Can someone trademark my domain name simply as a means of extorting it away from me? (startups.com)
WHOIS Domain Name Search | Webmaster Blog (domainmacher.com)
How to Choose a SEO friendly Domain Name? – BlogSouls (domainmacher.com)

March 08, 2010 | Allen Taylor | Comments 0

New SEO Hosting Blog Launched

SEO Hosting Provider launched it’s new blog today. It isn’t just for customers of SEO Hosting Provider. It is for all things involved in choosing the right web hosting company for your blog or website.

What is SEO Hosting? What features should you look for in a website or blog hosting company? Are cheap hosting services hurting your SEO efforts?

Those are just some of the questions that will be topics at the new SEO Hosting Blog. Pay them a visit and add your own questions about hosting.

March 06, 2010 | Chris McElroy | Comments 0

Google Chrome Stalls Again

You know, I wasn’t sure what I would blog about today, but Google made my mind up for me. I’m using my IE browser to write this blog post because Google Chrome once again, stalled for no reason.

What do I mean by stalling? I type web addresses into the address bar and hit enter . . . and wait . . . and wait . . . nothing. I can’t even go to Google.

This happens a couple of times per day. I thought it was some kind of cache problem because it usually happens after I’ve had it open all day while working. But this morning it happened on about the third time I tried to use it.

Google says they can handle running DNS for millions of people through their Google DNS initiative. If they can’t serve up their own browser consistently, there is no way ICANN should work with them to run people’s DNS.

What does one have to do with the other? It comes down to server abilities. Google Chrome has no way for you to set your own cache limits. I assume that is because they are preset and the Google Chrome Browser depends on their servers to carry the load.

I may have it totally wrong. If I am, I hope there are some programmers or IT people that can tell me why Google Chrome stalls the way it does.

Ok, a search found this thread. It says to do the following;

If you run the latest dev build with the command line –new-safe-browsing, the issue should be resolved. To do so, follow these steps:

You can add the command line flag to shortcut used to launch Google Chrome by:

1. Right click the Google Chrome icon on the Windows Quick Launch bar or desktop shortcut

2. Select “Properties”

3. Choose the “Shortcut” tab

4. Add –new-safe-browsing to the “Target” field after chrome.exe

5. Click OK

6. Restart Google Chrome from the shortcut you just modified

7. Make sure that “Enable phishing and malware protection” is checked (wrench menu –> “Options” –> “Under the hood”)

I’m going to try that. By the way, the instructions say Add –new-safe-browsing to the “Target” field after chrome.exe

That means like this chrome.exe” –new-safe-browsing after the quote mark.

March 06, 2010 | Chris McElroy | Comments 0

Does ICANN’s TLD Policy Create Trademark Conflicts?

When the Internet was very young, all you had to do to get a domain name was call a man named Jon Postel, and ask for it. Things have changed greatly with the popularity of the Internet. Now the competition for a good, short, generic domain name is fierce. If you want a domain name in the popular .com namespace, you have to settle for a long, sometimes confusing, domain name.

ICANN has been using a process of ?rounds? to introduce new tlds. When they do create these new tlds, they are generic in nature, like .info or .biz. This creates trademark conflicts. Many companies hold the same word as a trademark, such as Apple Records and Apple Computers. Both are legal trademarks. Both have the legal right to use the word apple to sell their respective products and services.

So which one has the legal rights to apple.com or apple.biz? What if I start a company tomorrow called Apple Printing Services and get a trademark on the word apple to sell printing services? Do I not then have equal rights to use apple.com or apple.net as my domain name?

If ICANN would open the TLD market, so that any company with the technical expertise and the financial capability, could start a new TLD, we would have more option like apple.computer, apple.music, apple.printer. TLDs like .lyr, .atty, .cpa, would crop up. This would help eliminate trademark conflicts.

First come, first serve, in the demand for domain names was the method used and seemed fair when namespace was less congested. Now, if we are going to insure that future generations of people, who are not even on the Internet yet, or who have not even started their business yet, will have the opportunity to get domain names they want, we must create more tlds. ICANN claims there is no demand for new TLDS.

I disagree. Demand is far from being met. It is not fair business practice to have few TLDs where a few companies/people get short one word domain names while the rest must settle for two and in most cases three word domain names. By limiting space with few TLDs, ICANN makes the decision that businesses that were in existence at a certain point in time shall have an advantage over any business created at a later time.

As a city grows, more streets get paved and more buildings get built allowing for more businesses to get good locations, more corner lots if you will. As name space expands ICANN wants businesses to continue to build upward and not outward. They leave new businesses the equivalent of existing on the third and fourth levels Vs having a ground-floor storefront.

Cities grow outward to allow for more development. TLD space needs to grow outward to meet the same demand. Cities that stifle development and that are not business-friendly find their economy in ruin before too long. Cities that do their best to offer more development opportunities to businesses i.e. corner lots, breaks in certain costs, etc., prosper.

It would be uncommon for a city to tell a new business, ?nope can build on that lot, you have to build onto existing buildings above your competitors, so that they have the ground floor and your customers must walk past your competitors to get to where you are.? That is the analogy. If you own design.com already, I must get something like webdesign.com (a 2nd floor location), the next business must get something like websitedesign.com, (3rd floor), the next few businesses can share the 4th floor with greatwebsitedesign.com, websitedesignplanet.com, etc. Others will get the 5th floor with even longer names as new businesses come to the web.

You might say well they only need their business name for their website and that should be easy to get. I would answer that many businesses have the same name and in addition to that, generic keywords in domain names are an advantage to only having your business name as a domain name. People are not searching the web for you, but they do search for what service or product you sell.

ICANN is currently forcing an unfair disadvantage to new business owners and to people new to the web by not allowing them to get good, short domain names for their personal or business use. Not allowing new tlds to be created is an unfair business practice and a restraint to free trade. It is also anti-free enterprise because they are telling me I cannot go into the domain name selling business and that only a few businesses they have selected can do so. They may also be in violation of laws written to avoid monopolies.

Chris McElroy has been an advocate for domain name owners and individual users of the Internet since 1995. He participates in working groups, mailing lists, and forums, that deal with issues regarding domain names, IP Number allocation, and the DNS.

ICANN Might Pre-Register gTLDs To Placate Critics (tech.slashdot.org)
Small Businesses Will Have to Wait A Little Longer for New Top Level Domains (myventurepad.com)
Debate swirls around ICANN plan to fast-track new top-level domains – Industry Standard (domainmacher.com)
Supporting New TLDs (blacknight.com)

March 05, 2010 | Chris McElroy | Comments 0

Is ICANN Violating Free Enterprise Principles?

Message to ICANN: Let those who want to create a tld, simply register it with ICANN.

If the tld is not already taken, if they have the technical capability to mange the tld, and they have the desire to market domain names on that tld, then let them do so.

It should be similar to the registering of a domain name, except on a higher level, with the added technical requirements. ICANN should be sort of an uber-registry for tlds.

It would be ludicrous for a domain name restrar like go daddy or enom to ask you for a business plan, or a non-refundable application fee, before allowing you to register a domain name. It would be ridiculous for a registrar to have “rounds” of domain name releases of names “they chose” in advance.

Okay, this month, go daddy will be allocating cheaperwebhosting.com, doggrommingmadeeasy.net, and virtualinternetwebnetwork.net. We will be taking applications and public comment during the month of february. We will then spend another month reviewing the applicants business plans to decide who we will allocate the domain name to. If you are not approved to manage the domain name you apply for, your application fee will be held by go daddy until further notice.

Some people will say that is not a good analogy, but it is a perfect analogy. Here is why. If info.com was still available and I registered it. I could then start selling subdomains like car.info.com, computer.info.com, icann.info.com or any other subdomain someone wished to purchase from me. The subdomain is one dot removed from the domain name the same as the domain name is one dot removed from the tld.

There is no longer any reason to believe ICANN is doing anything other than restricting free enterprise and free trade by not opening up the market for tlds. It is no longer acceptable that ICANN should be the one to decide which tlds will or will not be created nor is it acceptable that ICANN gets to choose who can or cannot run a tld.

Do you present a businesss plan to the city you live in before they allow you a business license? No.

Does the city ask you to prove you are financially stable before issuing you a business license? No, as long as you pay the registration fee.

If you apply for a business license to open a clothing store, does the city ask how you will run your clothing store or if you have the necessary expertise to run a clothing store? No.

Does the city think you will hurt them economically if your clothing store goes out of business? No, it’s none of their business.

Is the city concerned that there may not enough demand for yet another clothing store? No, again none of their business.

ICANN not allowing me, or anyone else in the world, to create a tld of our choice in any language we choose, is a blatant violation of our rights. In many countries, America among them, the right to free enterprise still exists. ICANN is denying me that right as an American citizen and doing so when even their own organization exists under American law.

There are no needs for auctions or rounds or anything else. If you want to run a tld, then you register it and start selling domain names. If you fail, you fail, just as in any other business venture you take on.

Artificially restricting namespace to make a few business IP interests happy has to stop.

Chris McElroy has been an advocate for the rights of domain name owners and individuals who use the Internet since 1995 and is currently advocating that ICANN open up the TLD market.

Independent Review Finds ICANN Screwed Up In Approving… Then Rejecting .xxx (techdirt.com)
Sponsor Post: Meet The New Top Level Domain: .Co (readwriteweb.com)

March 05, 2010 | Chris McElroy | Comments 0

Paid Search Rap Video

This guy has a cool way of marketing his Paid Search services.

Beyond Paid Search, What Else Is Needed? (apache.sys-con.com)
SMX West: Mobile Paid Search Ads (seroundtable.com)

March 05, 2010 | Chris McElroy | Comments 0

Will Google Catch the Chinese Hackers?

I posted about the Chinese hackers who attacked Google here and I’m updating it with something I found at CircleID.com

Closing in on the Google Hackers

By Terry Zink

Joseph Menn has an article on CNN.com wherein the crux of the story is that US experts are closing in on the hackers that broke into Google last month. It is believed by some that the Chinese government sponsored these hackers. China, naturally, denied involvement.

Here is an excerpt from Menn’s article:

U.S. analysts believe they have identified the Chinese author of the critical programming code used in the alleged state-sponsored hacking attacks on Google and other western companies, making it far harder for the Chinese government to deny involvement.

Their discovery came after another team of investigators tracked the launch of the spyware to computers inside two educational institutions in China, one of them with close ties to the military.

A freelance security consultant in his 30s wrote the part of the program that used a previously unknown security hole in the Internet Explorer web browser to break into computers and insert the spyware, a researcher working for the U.S. government told the Financial Times. Chinese officials had special access to the work of the author, who posted pieces of the program to a hacking forum and described it as something he was “working on”.

A separate team of U.S. contractors has traced the launch of the spyware to computers at Shanghai Jiaotong University and Lanxiang Vocational School, according to two people familiar with that inquiry.

Many people who are infected wouldn’t necessarily know it or recognize it. The fact is we don’t really know enough to determine if this was a conspiracy or not. What it sounds like is that some guy wrote some software that exploits a security flaw and this was used by someone with malicious intent. Was it the Chinese government? Was it private enterprise? Or was it some students using it to see if they could do it? I don’t know enough about the details of the case, but neither would surprise me.