Archive for Rants and Raves

Outsourcing SEO to India – Dumbass 101

Posted by Alysson on August 31, 2010 with 31 Comments
Sit In The Corner, Dumbass

You Sit There Until I Tell You To Move

Let the rant commence! I know…shocking, right? While the title pretty much sums up my feelings on the issue, with the number of ridiculous link exchange requests I get, I figured it was time I officially out this nonsense as the douchebaggary it is.

As any professional link builder will tell you, HOW you request a link is an exercise in the art of persuasion. You are asking for a favor of sorts…initiating a relationship…trying to build a rapport.

Like a dude in a bar trying to pick up chicks, the “game” matters. If he has no game, or if his game is utterly pathetic, one of two things will happen:

  1. he will be ignored and women will talk about his monumental loserdom on their way home that night; or
  2. some mean girl will use him to get back at her fat, ugly, “I’ll sleep with anyone” whore of a friend with whom her previous boyfriend cheated.

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Filed Under: SCAM Watch

Charles Preston’s Verified SEO = Verifiable Failure

Posted by Alysson on March 26, 2010 with 11 Comments

Charles Preston Verified SEO Trip Down Fail Road

A new “service” marketed as Verified SEO has been making waves throughout the SEO/SEM industry today. Though I doubt they are the waves it’s founder, Charles Preston – a self-described “SEO Expert” – had been hoping for. Claiming to have been a search marketing professional since 1999, Mr. Preston has found his reputation and previous anonymity in industry circles coming under fire from search marketing veterans and douchebaggary outers far & wide. Why, you might ask, would the industry be so quick to damn someone whose intentions might seem benevolent and in the best interest of consumers? There are a lot of reasons…

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Filed Under: Shenanigans

Cheap Web Hosting That Doesn’t Suck

Posted by Alysson on August 19, 2009 with 8 Comments

Finding cheap web hosting that doesn’t suck is sometimes easier said than done. When I launched my first blog, I had no idea where to begin. I did some Google searches, I asked some blogger pals, and I checked out the hosts that WordPress recommended. In the end, I pinned the proverbial tail on my virtual donkey, going on about my business hoping I’d made a relatively decent choice. Since then, I’ve been thrilled with the shared web hosting provided by midPhase. (more…)

Filed Under: WordPress

SEOAly's Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe from IM Spring Break

Posted by Alysson on April 6, 2009 with 14 Comments

I’ve had a couple people ask for the chocolate chip cookie recipe from IM Spring Break, so I just decided to publish it. I cannot take credit for writing this recipe. It is a variation of the Original NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe that I just tinkered around with a bit. I think it’s close to the recipe my grandma used to make, but I couldn’t find her original when I actually went to make them. So, I kind of made this one up as I went along. Whatever. Hopefully you enjoyed them!

I had a great time at IM Spring Break! Mad props for the pimpin’ good time go out to those handsome bad boys of IM Broadcast. Thanks for the good time, fellas. I can’t take credit for that quote…I was momentarily possessed by Van Wilder. I heard a rumor that there is another IM Broadcast event planned in California in July and then ScarySEO in Atlantic City in the fall. More interesting conversations, great sessions, good food and open bars? Um…count me in! (more…)

Filed Under: Rants and Raves

Use Twitter As A Tool – Don't Be One

Posted by Alysson on March 15, 2009 with 27 Comments
Cones

photo credit: www.ericcastro.biz

I read a post recently that made me laugh, but not for the right reasons. On the other hand, it also made me think about how easy it is for someone who is new to Twitter and the Social Media sphere in general to make a huge mistake and alienate a lot of people who could have shortened the learning curve for a n00b significantly.

In a few keystrokes the potential to build a rapport and some quality online relationships is lost. Not only that, it’s also pretty easy to make yourself look like an ignorant tool.  I’m not picking on people who are new to Twitter. Twitter is so new that it hasn’t been long since EVERYONE was a rookie.

That said, there are some who navigate the learning curve really quickly and others that don’t. There’s nothing wrong with being among the latter, provided that you recognize you’re still learning and don’t make the mistake of pretending that you’re not. The blog post that amused, as well as sincerely disappointed me, was entitled “Stop Twitter Spam PLEASE!“. (more…)

Filed Under: Social Media
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