Matt Cutts of Google has said that when a link is paid for and webmasters claim it is not intended for the positive results a link can give in the search engines they should use the rel=”nofollow” attribute in the links so that these links won’t be counted for ranking purposes.

Google has no obligations towards webmasters in relation to ranking a site. Obviously there is also no obligation for webmasters to help Google in ranking sites. So the use of the “rel=”nofollow” is purely free.

Obviously Google has the right to use the links in their site in what ever way they want for their ranking purposes. A webmaster that is interested in maintaining / improving rankings is smart to use the tag as needed to reach his goals.

However, this rel=”nofollow” attribute can be abused as well. You could get rankings for certain phrases and add links to that page to totally unrelated places. Google says in it’s webmaster guidelines:

“Meta tags can exclude all outgoing links on a page, but you can also instruct Googlebot not to crawl individual links by adding rel=”nofollow” to a hyperlink. When Google sees the attribute rel=”nofollow” on hyperlinks, those links won’t get any credit when we rank websites in our search results.”

This suggests that the links with the rel=”nofollow” attributes are totally ignored for ranking purposes and it would mean that the links also won’t affect the rankings of the page they are in.

An example! Philips TV’s are sold all over the world and they advertise a lot. That advertising has a positive effect on sales. The question is, does the advertising result in a higher popularity of Philips? I would think it does.

So it would be good for Google to be able to determine what the intention of a link is, rather than just looking at if it was paid for or not. Matt Cutts claims they are pretty good at determining whether or not a link was paid for. If that´s true they can also determine whether or not it was intended for just search engine ranking benefits.

I read this article in the entireweb newsletter and I liked it so much I wanted to publish it here in our blog… Values, that´s what it’s all about. Without values you´re not recognizable, you might as well not exist.

The Value of Values

One of the toughest jobs a leader has to perform is to act as guardian of an organisation’s values.

An organisation’s values are the things that are really important to it.

In the early days of an enterprise, the values are sometimes the only thing that keeps the business going. When other factors make the chances of survival doubtful, such as funds, markets, and technology, it is the set of beliefs held by the original founders which pull the business through. The beliefs of the organization are almost always the beliefs of the original leaders.

These beliefs are intangible. Think of Unilever’s belief in co-operation, or Mars’s belief in efficiency, or IBM’s belief in innovation, or Hewlett-Packard’s belief in “plain hard work”, or Levi-Strauss’s belief in empathy with its customers. It is the high value placed on these beliefs that ensure these organizations survive in the first place and continue to survive.

As the years go by, and the organization changes its technology, its products and its leaders, there is a danger that it may abandon its original set of beliefs or relegate them in importance or forget them. To do so is to risk corporate suicide. If original values have to change - often a difficult step - then new values must replace them and be as meaningful, relevant and important as the original ones.

As custodians of the organisation’s values, leaders have to know the values, live the values, and preserve the values. John Maxwell tells the story of how John Wooden, head basketball coach at the University of California, put values before expediency. Wooden had spotted an outstanding young basketball player whose skills would be an asset to his line-up. Everyone urged him to sign the youth. But Wooden was unsure. Something in the young man’s demeanour bothered him. So he arranged a home visit, with the contract all prepared in his inside pocket. When he took tea with the family, he couldn’t help noticing a disrespectfulness in the youth’s attitude towards his mother. One of the key values in Wooden’s team was respect. And it was a value he intended to maintain. As a result, the contract stayed in his pocket.

Values are not just important for the organization. They are the touchstone that determines whether people succeed in the organization. When the chips are down, it’s not what you do that counts, but whether you stay true to the values. As Christel Brown says, “People do things because of their values. People rob banks because their values include greed, more money and maybe recognition. People die on the battlefield because their values include love of their country and patriotism.” Values are the ultimate people motivators. In organizations where values matter, people may be dismissed for violating the rules; they should always be dismissed for violating the values.

John Maxwell says that values are at the heart of everything an organization does, hence the use of the phrase “core values”. “Values are like glue. They hold an organization together. Values are like a ruler. They set the standard for a team’s performance. Values are like a compass. They give direction and guidance. Values are like a magnet. They attract like-minded people. Values provide identity. They define and identify the team.”

One last example. Few people today have heard of Phil Knight, Bill Bowerman and Steve Prefontaine. But these three were the driving force and inspiration that created Nike, the footwear and clothing colossus. And what drove them? A passionate belief that things could be done. The stories of Bowerman’s endless experiments with the family waffle iron into which he poured rubber to create the best running shoe sole are legendary. So are Prefontaine’s battles to make running a professional sport. Today, Nike actually employs executives as “corporate storytellers” to remind their staff of the values of the original founders and that their business is about getting things done.

In business, as in life, beliefs can move mountains. Without belief, without a positive set of beliefs, and without action to act on these beliefs, we achieve nothing. Our beliefs and values drive us and our businesses. As Alvin Toffler says, “Every business has a belief system and it is at least as important as its accounting system or its authority system.”

About the Author: Eric Garner, ManageTrainLearn.com
For instant solutions to all your management training needs, visit www.managetrainlearn.com!

“Take a look at our website to get more information! The address is on my business card.” Using your website as an extension of your sales force is about the last thing you want to use your website for. A website is NOT an extension of your sales force; it actually is quite the opposite.

What’s the goal of your website? Often the reply to this question is: “To show what we do.” If that is your answer too, you couldn’t be more wrong. The goal of your website is to get visitors to contact you. Your website should be the first impression a client gets of your company and it should convince him to contact you for more information or even to already discuss a purchase or contract.

Your sales people are actually the ones that follow up on the first impression a potential client gets from the website. Leads obtained from your website make the lives of your sales people easier. They will be standing in line for leads obtained through the website.

Why are these leads so powerful? Well, chances are that they “found” your website through a search engine and that means they were searching for your product or service. They want what you provide; otherwise they wouldn’t have found your website.

That being said, obviously your website needs to be set up for the goal to have visitors contact you. Otherwise they will simply visit and leave.

Search Engine Optimization is not enough. You also need to optimize for the goals of your website. The high rankings obtained, often hard worked for or they came at a price by hiring a search engine optimization company, should convert into sales.

Don’t explain, but lead!

Biggest mistake you can make in your website is to explain what “we” do. Expecting the visitor to come to the conclusion that your company is the best because you explained all the benefits of your product or service is just an ego booster at first and a disappointment later: “Why nobody contacts us???”

Help the visitor by first understanding what he wants. You can do so by focusing on the needs of the visitor. You can derive these from what your product or service provides to a customer. Then show what possible solutions are and that you have them (very important part that is also often forgotten since it seems so obvious.) The next step will be to invite the visitor to contact you.

SEO, text, images, links (site navigation), all these factors are involved to achieve the goal of the website. If you don’t have the resources to do these things your self, you can find a company to do this for you. Any company that focuses on beauty should not be hired. Any company that focuses on high rankings only, should not be hired. Ask about what they think is the goal of your website and how to achieve these goals. If you like what you hear, you may have a good chance on achieving your goals.

Otimização de Sites???? What does that mean. It simply means Optimization of Websites, or in other words Search Engine Optimization. Otimização de Sites are the (Brazilian) portuguese words for SEO and since we are located in Brazil, we have a website for the Brazilian market as well.

I found a great tool to check back links. It´s a tool to check unique backlinks, but it actually finds many more backlinks than you would find through a google link:www.domain.com search. It seems to combine the results from multiple search engines. A great way to quickly check your backlinks. You can find it here:

Unique Backlink Check

The Secret of Search Engine Optimization

How to do search engine optimization is one of the best kept secrets in the world. Even though you would think it is all out there in forums and other websites, when you try to figure it out, you will find you can’t find the forest for the trees.

Let me put it plain and simple. The secret of search engine optimization is not about keywords, or titles, or meta keyword tags, or meta descriptions, or heading tags, or keyword density, or alt attributes, or what ever other on-the-page factor you can find. Even links aren’t the secret.

The real secret of search engine optimization is Harmony!

Harmony between all the factors I just mentioned and many more other factors as well. And that is exactly why it is not easy to find a great SEO company for your website. Every SEO can talk about the importance of a title, or any of the other factors, but try finding one that talks about how it all works together.

Harmony is the real power of SEO and it needs to be supported by lots of hard work, especially focused on link building. But here too harmony comes into play.

Many SEO’s that I talk with about harmony tell me that of course I am right and that it is so obvious it isn’t worth mentioning. But the truth is that not that many people (SEO’s included) are able to bring real harmony to their pages and website.

Putting keywords in title, meta keywords, meta description and heading tags, that’s easy. But that’s just the most basic form of harmony in a web page. Just think of how keywords fit into text found in the title, description, heading tags and the copy. Should you just place the keywords in there somehow, or may it be better to be a bit more considerate when choosing what to write in all these places?

What about topical structure? Is your site completely structured according to a logical topical structure? There are so many indirect factors that are as powerful as link building. And it is hardly possible to put it into words as it is more an art than a science to get it right.

Creating A Search Engine Copywriting Plan
By Karon Thackston © 2005
http://www.copywritingcourse.com/keyword

Search engine copywriting has become an extremely important part of the overall search engine optimization process. However, in addition, search engine copywriting has developed into a misunderstood craft.

Shoving keywords in anywhere they can possibly go is not considered search engine copywriting. The process is more defined than that. Successful SEO copywriting takes planning. Any half-hearted efforts at writing copy geared strictly toward the engines will usually result in a decline in your customer’s experience at your site.

What’s the best way to write SEO copy? Starting with a plan is always a good idea. Keep in mind, these are guidelines of techniques that can be used *IF* they make sense for your site visitors. I never recommend writing solely for the search engines. In the case of search engine copywriting, the customer is truly #1.

1. Use Three Keyphrases Per Page - Not a carved-in-stone rule, the guideline of three keyphrases per page gives good variety and helps keep the copy from sounding too repetitive. I always choose keyphrases first - before I write - because they can have a direct impact on the focus of the page.
2. Have 250 or More Words of Copy - The length of your copy depends on several things: Your target customer’s preferred communication style, whether the product is new to the marketplace, if a detailed explanation needs to be given, site design and many other factors. However, the 250-word minimum gives enough room to get your message across and offer an effective level of keyword support. Remember though, it’s all about the customer. If your target customers prefer longer copy, write longer copy. If they like shorter copy, write shorter copy.
3. Write In Natural Language - “Natural language” is a term popular in SEO copywriting. It means that the reader should not be able to (or should barely be able to) detect what keyphrases the page is being optimized for. The copy should flow as if it were not written with the search engines in mind. You don’t want the copy to sound forced or stiff. When you generate ideas for the page copy, keep your keywords in mind. Ask yourself whether you can use them in the copy in such a way that they won’t be obtrusive.
4. Use Keyword Phrases In Headlines and Sub-headlines - IF it makes sense to do so. You will not blow your rankings if you have no keyword-filled h1 or other h tags. If your headline sounds stupid with keywords in it, don’t use them. There are countless sites online that rank highly which have no keywords in the headline.
5. Use Keyword Phrases Once or Twice Per Paragraph - Again IF it makes sense. Remember what I keep repeating? None of these guidelines are carved in stone. Read your copy out loud. If it sounds stupid or forced, take out some keywords or find ways to rework them so they flow more naturally.
6. Use Keyword Phrases In Bold, Italic or Bulleted Lists - IF it makes sense to do so. Don’t automatically bold or italicize every instance of your keywords. It will make your page look stupid, and your visitors will wonder what kind of drugs you’ve been doing!
7. Do NOT Use Keyword Phrases As Substitutes For Generic Terms - For example, do not replace every instance of the generic word “cruise” with the keyphrase “Mexico cruise vacation.” Your copy will sound ridiculous. We offer Mexico cruise vacation packages on the most popular Mexico cruise vacation ships to the most breathtaking Mexico cruise vacation destinations. Oh please!!
8. Use Keyword Phrases As Anchor Text In Links - This is certainly not always possible. If your primary keyphrase is “Mexico Cruise Vacation,” you absolutely should not write every link to include that phrase. However, if you can include keywords in anchor text within body copy or in text navigation links, you might score a little extra credit.
9. Test and Track - Lastly, and above all, please remember, it may take some tweaking to get your page to convert the way you want it to. All customers are not the same, and all sites are not the same. All keyphrases are not the same. There is no magic bullet. You’ll have to test and track and see what works best for you.

Since this week, Flavio started working for BRANE and will be joining the implementation team. As we speak he is being trained by Peter and Cleiton and as I understand, Flavio is a fast learner! His extensive knowledge of HTML will be a valuable asset for BRANE and our customers.

Welcome Flavio!

I received this article and thought it is interesting enough to share it with you all. New Year`s Resolutions for the SEO world……

With the ringing in of the New Year, I resolve to become a better search engine optimizer (SEO). Below is a list of resolutions that I have made in order to make my clients’ web sites the absolute best on the web.

I Will Not Use Flash As Text.
Even though many search engines can read some of the text embedded in flash, flash sites do not perform as well in search engine results as non-flash sites. Flash should primarily be used to enhance sites; in the same way one would use pictures to make the site look better.

I Will Not Use Images as Text.
Although I personally believe that text in images will be read by search engines by the end of 2006, we are not there just yet. As it stands today, image text is invisible to search engines and therefore should not be used in that capacity.

I Will Use Good Usability Techniques.
Usability is simple to test. Get three friends to complete a task on your site as you silently watch and take notes (have them talk out loud too). You will be amazëd as to what you find. Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox has a good introduction to usability.

I Will Not Use Cloaking.
Cloaking is frowned upon by search engines. Once they catch you, you will get penalized (or in some instances, banned).

I Will Not Use Frames Unless I Have a REALLY Good Reason to.
Frames complicate things for the search engine. There are very few good reasons to use frames and thus they should be avoided whenever possible.

I Will Use a Catchy Title with the Keyphrase in It.
Marketing is what we are all about. A catchy title will bring in the customers. A title containing the target keyphrase will raise the result in the search engines. Put the two together and you have a professional marketing title that works hard to bring in traffïc.

I Will Track the Return on Investment (ROI).
By tracking the ROI, I will clearly see if the site is making or losing monëy. To track ROI one needs to co-relate the marketing dollars spent with the revenue earned. This statistic is usually hindered by the site’s owner, who cannot (or does not) provide the financial information, nor the conversional statistics I need to track ROI.

I Will Write an Alt Tag That Clearly Depicts What the Image is, for Every Image.
This will help people without images on their screen know what the image is about. Using the keyphrase in the alt tag is a bonus because it will help the rankings slightly in the search engine results, but it is most important to describe the image as clearly as possible.

I Will Use Good Informative Content.
Ah yes, “Content is King”. All the above resolutions are meaningless if I don’t have good content. This is what will bring in the search engines. This is what will bring in the clients. And this is what will bring in the dough.

I Will Not Stuff the Pages With Keyphrases.
Stuffing the page with keyphrases goes against the golden rule of good content. If you stuff the pages with keyphrases, they will no longer read well, and readers won’t like to read them. Consequently, people won’t enjoy your site, and because the search engines are designed to figure out what people like and then display it to them, the search engines will eventually begin to disregard your site. Therefore, always use keyphrases wisely.

I Will Not Use “Spammy” Techniques.
“Spammy” techniques are anything the search engines say not to use. These techniques may do well in the short-term, but in the long run they will get you penalized (or even banned).

- Google Guidelines
- Yahoo Guidelines

I Will Use Pay-Per-Click (Ppc), Even if It is for a Very Small Amount.
I have found that using even a minuscule PPC campaign will bring in more traffïc. It also propagates links to your site throughout the Internet, and thus makes your site more prominent. If you are worried about losing monëy, then use the frëe conversion tracking tool available at both Overture and Google AdWords. Use It. Only then will you know how effective your PPC campaign really is.

I Will Track Unique Hits to the Site.
By keeping track of whether the site’s traffïc goes up or down, I get a big picture of the health of the web site. If traffïc goes up, then the rankings probably went up. If traffïc goes down, then rankings probably went down. Of course there are also seasonal variations (and marketing pushes), but you should be familiar enough with the market to know when to expect such cyclical fluctuations.

I Will Get A Good Copywriter to Write the Content.
“Content is King”, so get a professional to write it. You may think you are good, but are you really? Would you bet your Internet presence on it? Use someone who knows how to write specifically for the Internet. Use someone who knows how to balance writing for people, writing for salës, and writing for search engines.

I Will Not Send Out “Spammy” Emails Asking for Reciprocal Links.
Reciprocal links don’t bring in clients, and they tend to only slightly boost your PageRank. An SEO’s time is better served getting the site listed in directories and on sites where people would be looking for it (such as associations, suppliers, clients, and more…). Personalized emails to these sites requesting a link to yours are fine. Templates or mass emails requesting reciprocal links are definitely not.

I Will Work Hard Getting Valuable Links to My Site.
“Linking is Queen”, thus getting links is essential. Find directories that relate to your market and take your time to submit to them (in the best category). Contact your suppliers and/or resellers and see if they will link to you. Figure out where your potential clients hang out on the Internet, and get those sites to link to you. Do your homework to choose where you want your links to appear, then roll up your sleeves, get out the elbow grease and get those links to show up!

With a little dedication and a lot of work, I will get my clients into the top search engine results. If you want to do well with your web site, stick to these resolutions and before you know it the traffïc (and the salës) will roll in smoothly, just like the New Year.

About The Author
Shawn Campbell is an enthusiastic player in the ecommerce marketplace, and co-founded Red Carpet Web Promotion, Inc.. He has been researching and developing marketing strategies to achieve more prominent listings in search engine results since 1998. Shawn is one of the earliest pioneers in the search engine optimization field. Contact: shawn@redcarpetweb.com.

Ok everybody,

The BRANE blog is now operational!

You can leave your comments!

Peter