| LED Digest 2289: Buying Links, SEO Case |
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================================================== The LED Digest Moderated Discussion List "Effective Online Advertising, Since 1997" Data > Information > Knowledge > Wisdom pair Networks: The LED's Web Host Hosting and Domain Registration from a Trusted Leader pair.com for Hosting | pairNIC.com for Domains ================================================== List Moderator: Published by: Adam Audette LED Digest adam, led-digest.com http://www.led-digest.com ............................................. November 15, 2006 Issue no. 2289 ............................................. .....IN THIS DIGEST..... ==== CONTINUING ================= <Moderator Comment> --== Getting Sued for SEO Work ==-- ~ James Miller "The trouble is there are two sorts of lawyers." ~ Karl L. Baldwin "...I have created 7 websites for Virginia cabin rentals or B&Bs, all located in the same county." ~ Charles Pascal "You need to create the impression you will not take this case lying down." ~ Mitch Mitchell "Weasels! I almost wish you'd name the client so we could boycott them." ~ R. Neilson "Once they file a lawsuit it can be get messy and costly." --== Booted from AdSense for Click Fraud ==-- ~ Thomas Yoon "...I wonder if I will be penalized if my son also register for an Adsense account..." --== HTML Editors ==-- ~ Al Toman "There is NO script-in-a-box that befits each webmaster..." ==== BILLBOARD =================== --== Make My Site Faster ==-- ~ Stephen Mareches ======== CONTINUING =============================== <Moderator Comment> Greetings LEDer, As promised, I've arranged for the first ebook in our LED Bookstore project to be announced on Thursday (that's tomorrow). This ebook will be very useful for Web designers, especially those who are new to the field or interested in starting a design biz. The "Sued over SEO" thread could basically go on forever. Unless we get some updates on the impending case, I'll phase out the discussion over the next few days (there are still a few posts coming in). Sounds like a slam-dunk in favor of the SEO, if the facts are as presented. Now's a great time to send in your new topics. -- Buying Links -- I don't remember where I read this - I use Bloglines and somewhere among my 47 SEO-related subscriptions was a blog question about buying links. If I remember correctly, it basically asked for metrics in deciding link quality. I think PageRank was mentioned as a potential factor, along with traffic levels and how relevant it was. Imagine that, "metrics" and "PageRank" in the same paragraph! My question is for those who are buying links: is it offering ROI? Are you getting relevant, targeted traffic? What do you look for when you buy links? I know that there's lots of ways to skin a cat. I've never bought links myself and would appreciate some input from those who have. Have a great week, Adam PS: found it - the thread is here: http://www.webmasterworld.com/link_development/3155211.htm -------------------- From: James Miller Subject: Sued over SEO > Apparently I am being sued by a previous client because I have > performed SEO duties for their competitor(s) and given them higher > listings on SERPs that my previous client used to dominate... - Anonymous, LED Digest 2286 - http://www.led-digest.com/content/view/1342/55/ As some of you know, I'm married to a barrister and our middle son is a solicitor. I also do a lot of work for lawyers of all shades from naff to brilliant. In the UK, your old client would be laughed out of Court. Or if they did put it into Court, then by expanding what you have said in the LED would be the sort of defence you could handle yourself. Litigants in Person are not liked by lawyers, but Judges are always sympathetic and provided you behave yourself, you'll get a very fair hearing. I should say, that my secretary, who has no legal training, has several times gone to the County Court to retrieve money that is owed to one of our businesses. She found it daunting at first, but once she got the hang of it, she found it a piece of cake. Note that all Courts in the UK have to accept Litigants in Person. I don't know the rules in the US, which I assume is where you are from, but I would handle this business yourself at least in the first instance. But try and keep it out of the Courts. The trouble is there are two sorts of lawyers. If your ex-client has a reasonable lawyer and you reply to the lawyer showing exactly why the site has fallen down the search engines, they should advise their client that there is little chance of success. As I said in a UK Court, they would get nowhere, mainly due to the length of time since you worked for them. Unless of course you had used secrets from the first client to help others. On the other hand, I've met lawyers who see every client as a gravy train. Even if your case was as solid as the Bank of England, they would still advise going to Court, as their duty is to their bank balance, rather than their client's case. But whatever you do, don't ignore it. Create a large body of evidence and be very quick in returning it when asked. Give the impression, that this is a fight you are not going to lose. After all his bill will be rising and you'll only be spending time. Best of luck. James Miller Daisy Analysis: www.daisy.co.uk -------- new post - same topic -------- From: Karl Baldwin Subject: Sued over SEO First of all, I applaud Bruce Clay's characterizations as he pretty much hit the nail on the head [see issue 2287: http://www.led-digest.com/content/view/1351/55/ ]. I have a similar situation, so allow me to add my 2 cents. Over the last 8 years, I have created 7 websites for Virginia cabin rentals or B&Bs, all located in the same county. The owners all hired me to build their websites because they had listings on my primary website from which they were getting the majority of there renters. Two clients had 4 or more cabins listed with me so it made sense to embellish their businesses by creating their own websites as well as being listed on mine. While everybody was a competitor in a local, niche market, everyone was also aware of the other's web presence, thus making it implausible for anyone the indict me. Anyway, I created all the sites with SEO incorporated into the designs. I told all of them that I would promote their sites with equal diligence but I also made it clear (as I do for all my clients) that I do not guarantee results; I just show the search engine positioning of my other clients as an example of my performance. I currently only perform continuous SEO work for 3 of those Virginia cabin rental websites (all 3 in Luray), plus my own website's Virginia page. Conflict of interest one might ask? Not when all of them (mine included) are in the top 10 on page one of the major SERPs, in addition to 2 other URLs that I previously have done SEO. I apologize for this self indulgent rant, but my point should be intuitively obvious. Designing websites for competing companies, even in the same local neighborhood, does not necessarily have any relevance to conflict of interests. Best Regards, Karl L. Baldwin Web Design, Hosting & SEM websites-online.com -------- new post - same topic -------- From: Charles Pascal Subject: Sued over SEO I have been reading this list for approximately six years and this is the first time I decided to post. In 1991 my company Pascal Communications was Sued by a competitor for teaching to a test. The problem with the cause of action was the question pool we were teaching was public and available to anyone who wanted to obtain it. After spending $32,000 and losing my house I decided to play hard ball with the client and his attorney. I threatened a counter suit and filed an action against the attorney representing the client. The case was dropped. In a future action I obtained about 50% of my costs and in this climate of litigation the solution wasn't perfect but in any court system their is no perfect settlement. If you can have your attorney write a letter threatening this type of action you may save yourself a great deal of money. You need to create the impression you will not take this case lying down. Charles Pascal -------- new post - same topic -------- From: Mitch Mitchell Subject: No way! There's absolutely no way you can lose a case like this. If they didn't do anything in four years to try to maintain their ranking, that's their problem. Also, there's not a non compete contract I've ever seen in business that goes longer than 3 years, let alone four years. Let them sue; if you're an independent now, then you can do as you please. Weasels! I almost wish you'd name the client so we could boycott them. Mitch Mitchell ttmitchellconsulting.com -------- new post - same topic -------- From: R. Neilson Subject: Sued over SEO If your contract is as clear as you state then their should be no grounds for the suit. But you may want to talk to your lawyer anyway before it goes further. Consider some factors. 1. Have the filed a lawsuit or only threatening. 2. If they haven't filed one and are just threatening, a letter from your lawyer stating you never breached the contract that they signed and that they have no grounds for a suit may get them to drop the issue. 3. If they have filed the suit then you definetly need to get your lawyer involved now. The key is to try to stop the lawsuit or filing if you can before it gets too costly. Once they file a lawsuit it can be get messy and costly. While I have never had a lawsuit over a breech of contract, I have used lawyers enough to know that if you can take care of the problem early and quickly it will cost less in the long run and let you sleep better at night knowing everything is taken care of. R. Neilson H. L. Supply www.hansons.net <Moderator Comment> Just an update - this issue has gotten a bunch of press. It's pretty unanimous that the SEO is covered. There is definitely no case here (if the facts are indeed as reported). Check out the discussions: http://www.threadwatch.org/node/10210 http://techdirt.com/articles/20061113/162230.shtml Dear anonymous SEO: if you wanted some media coverage, you got it! Now use it to your advantage (and update us on the progress). -Adam -------- new post - new topic -------- From: Yoon Chee Tuck Subject: Booted by AdSense I have created a few websites that I put Adsense on. My son whose computer is using the same internet service provider has also created some websites. Since I have already got an account with Adsense, I wonder whether I will be penalized if my son also register for an Adsense account, because naturally the IP addresss will be the same. So far, I dare not ask my son to register for Adsense for fear that I am trying to cheat on them. I wonder whether any of the readers here faces this problem. I do want my son to earn something from his efforts. Rgds Thomas Yoon http://www.free-marine.com -------- new post - new topic -------- From: Al Toman Subject: HTML editors > Does anyone know a good website editor? - Mary Findley, LED Digest 2284 - http://www.led-digest.com/content/view/1326/55/ Mary, you're looking more for a CMS, Content Management System, that which sports an on-line text-to-html editor. I, as well, have been looking for a simple, easy CMS not so much for myself as for my clients. Consequently, I have created my own CMS server-side php script that incorporates the WYSIWYG editor found on Cameron Adams web site: http://themaninblue.com/writing/perspective/2005/01/27/ Cameron is a widely known, well respected VALID scripter who, himself, has been in search for a simple, easy editor that is WEB-COMPLIANT. Well, he ended up creating one. Why do we as professionals create our own script? Most marketed script (as opposed to open source) is targeting the masses. There is NO script-in-a-box that befits each webmaster, individually. The idea here, is to sell high volume and the masses have bought into it. Unlike your experience, Cameron, many other well known worldwide designers, and I do not find script-in-a-box to be acceptable, stable, and built on a rock-solid foundation of good design practices. This includes the array of today's blog platforms and other social net-working platforms. I'm a tech guy, not a marketing guy, therefore, I talk it up straight without the eloquence perfected by marketers. In reviewing your web site, including the web sites of the "created by" found in the footer of your web pages and of that cms company you mentioned, I found too many red flags. Your web site is working against you, not for you. This is why you're having problems. If you don't attain and/or incorporate good web design practices in building your business web site, you'll have many, many headaches, including headaches that you don't even know about. The RSS feed and news articles / press releases are separate issues. I realize that Staples has its EASY BUTTON, however, the instant easy impulse has never worked for me, personally. I have spent years (1968), and continue spending time on self-learning scripting from the Masters. That, in itself, hasn't been easy. However, once learned, EASY it is. I'm currently working on these web pages yet to be published, starting at: http://a9webdesign.com/online-marketing/ . This web page is a template of which its content is auto-generated. Once setup, the web page updates itself without my doing anything more than sucking down a cup of coffee and a glazed doughnut, if I'm lucky. However, after testing, it will be changed slightly from its current setup. If you click on anyone of the links that appear in the content area of the web page you will be directed to web pages that are auto-generated and uploaded, on-the-fly. I don't touch them~! The marketing research content on each web page is parsed from an html email, converted into WEB-COMPLIANT html content, and published. The content on each page is properly ascribed to its rightful owner. ALL these pages follow good design practice and are easy, easy, easy to build. In your case, the auto-generation would be substituted by Cameron's WYSIWYG editor. The server-side php script remains pretty much the same as far as functionality. Mary, if you're of the mindset to create web-compliant web pages, then there is help, right here. If not, best of luck. Al Toman studio9.ws ==== BILLBOARD =================================== From: Stephen Mareches Subject: Faster site > ... I wondered if someone would be prepared to take a > look at my website and advise me how to make it load faster. - Val Waldeck, LED Digest 2286 - http://www.led-digest.com/content/view/1342/55/ Val, I see you're using FrontPage's shared borders on your site. This does provide a simple solution for you so that by editing your left and top borders you may change that page where it is shared with all the other pages on your site. The quick fix for you here is to edit your left and top borders. Here are the steps you'll want to take. 1. Make a copy of your site to work on. Edit your pages in this copy 2. Create a style sheet for your pages. By using CSS you can have the hyperlinks respond when a user hovers her cursor over the hyperlink so that it will change colors. Do a search for "CSS tutorial" and you'll discover how CSS works. Quite fun to work with. Open your home page, change to HTML view, and copy the code between where you see "<style>" to "</style>". Paste this into a new page and save it as something like "text.css" (without the quotes). This is called an external style sheet. They work more quickly for your users than putting the style directly into each of your pages. Also, if you wish to change styles later, you need only to edit your style sheet, rather than every page in your site. FrontPage has a feature that will allow you to assign a style sheet to all the pages in your web. Click "Format", "Style Sheet Links", "All pages", "Add" end enter the name of your new style sheet here, then click "OK". FrontPage will add the code to your pages so that they all share your new style sheet. 3. In your left border and top border, change the navigation images to pure text hyperlinks. You'll find these pages in the directory "_borders". You may need to click "View", "Web Settings", "Advanced" and click "Show documents in hidden directories" to view this directory. This will get rid of all the "webbot Navigation" code which is adding a lot to your pages. Be sure not to get rid of the "webbot Include" code. This is what tells your borders to load as users go to each of your pages. Discard the pictures and the roll over hyperlinks you are currently using; they take way too long to load even if you had only five of them. Use a CSS class for the hyperlinks on these two pages to turn the hyperlinks to a different color or underline them on hover. Not quite as cute as the little graphic that appears currently, but much more economical in terms of page load. Add this class to your new style sheet. The code in your style sheet will look something like this: --------------------- a.leftborder {font-family: tahoma; color: #800000; font-size: .80em; text-decoration: none;} a.leftborder:visited {font-family: tahoma; color: #800000; font-size: .80em; text-decoration: none;} a.leftborder:hover {font-family: tahoma; color: #808000; font-size: 80em; text-decoration: underline;} --------------------- Be sure to place them in this order. As you see here, you can control the font family, color, size and text decoration for your hyperlinks. For a hyperlink to use this code, it will look like this: <a class="leftborder" xhref="somepage.htm">Click here to view SomePage</a> Once you have these hyperlinks changed you'll drop about 36kb from each of your pages plus you won't be using JavaScript for roll overs, which by themselves are time consuming for page loads. As an added bonus your text hyperlinks will be much more attractive to search engines. One of the beauties of FrontPage is that it is a great tool for managing and editing all the pages in your site for situations just like this. Stephen Mareches, Web Consultant Sophia Solutions www.sophiasolutions.net We're with you every step of the way! ------------------------------------------------------- The LED Digest is sponsored by pair Networks: pair.com for Hosting | pairNIC.com for Domains Copyright 1995-2006 Orange Wheel, LLC. 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