Google shoots my site in the foot! (Unnatural outbound links)

I got this email Thursday!

It wasn’t the best news that I could of wanted from Google.   After all, I was getting some great traffic from searches.   Although, admittedly I am not really to worried about page rank.   It isn’t like I was making a ton of money from people coming to my site but it is the principle of thing that really bothers me and makes me really un happy.  I would of like Google to email me saying we think you have unnatural links and suggest which links were unnatural instead of just dropping my page rank.   some sites just do not know some of this, I am working long hours at work and this comes my way.   It’s like Google likes to shoot all sites in the foot just because they can.

Granted, Sites like to Make Money!

It would be silly of my to say that I didn’t like the adsense revenue that started to happen last month.   I pretty much doubled my adsense in a months time and I am quite sure it was all by my doing alone.  I know which posts Google had a problem with and I’ve pretty much dealt with them.  It was my Gust Posts from other people and organizations.   I found out that Google thought I was getting paid for these guest post.   In truthfulness these were really from BlueFirePR, which isn’t necessarily anything bad but I guess Google Doesn’t want them to control SEO rankings.  So I am instituting a new guest post policy.    Anyone wanting to submit any guest posts, must now be using the NOFOLLOW policy, and maybe a Dofollow policy for anything that I think is a good site but I have the final say so.   I have already went and put all those links that I think were not tech related as nofollow and I have also submitted a request to remove the block and asked that they give back my rankings.   I do not know if I will be at the same level as before, or if it will go down and never recover but I am willing to work with Google on this.

Guide Lines for Other Webmaster!

I thought it best to talk about some of the things most webmaster will want to implement as soon as they hit that little snag in the road.  It isn’t everyday you get an email like this from Google.  I have submitted a manual request but it could take several weeks before I find out the results of what they will do!  Until then here are some suggestions for future guest posts that you might do on your own site:

 

  • Guest Posting — If your looking for quality guest posts, join something like Guest Crew (Affiliate Link).  I’ve been on their for some time and I have been publishing posts to other sites with little effort and been making my site more popular!
  • Only have one Dofollow link — If you looking publish an article that isn’t in your niche you may as well make all links nofollow just so you do not make Google suspicious!   It is up to you how you publish or post your content.
  • Niche Guest Posting — If you are going to post, it is suggested that you keep the post in your niche and that way Google will not get to suspicious.   This is where Guest Crew (Affiliate Link) can help.   It can find posts that are in your niche and you have the final say so!

 

I was going to do a how to on finding these culprit links but there are plenty out there that do the job for me and I didn’t have to look far or long to find the problems on my site since I have been doing this for so long, I know Google doesn’t act slowly, so I knew it had to be really recent that was the red flag for them.   If you think it is something really old, then you will need to do a lot of searching but I knew it wasn’t so for me.

I’ve played a version of this game before and I know my site is older than it looks but I also know what to do when I get hit by these problems.   Stop think, re-examine the problem and you will always come out on top!  

Has it happened to you, how about leaving a comment telling me what you did?

Virtual Assistants: The Secret Weapon of Your Business

Admit it: sometimes you wish you were as intelligent as Tony Stark to have someone like J.A.R.V.I.S. at your side to sort your business’s schedule, plan out appointments and calculate taxes. Well, while we might not have that kind of technology today to wait for us on hand-and-foot, there is such a thing as a virtual assistant, which is the next best thing to living like Iron Man.

Many are convinced that virtual assistants are the future, and the reality is that a good majority of professional relationships are starting off as virtual. Having a full-time, physical assistant can certainly have it perks, but hiring a virtual assistant may be a better option in most cases. Too often do entrepreneurs wait to get the help they need because they assume that hiring a full-time assistant is the only choice they have; however, this is not the case at all.

Cost

There are plenty of perks to using a virtual assistant. While cost-effective, flexible, and with the commitment to learn, a VA can accomplish nearly anything a full-time assistant can while not actually being required to show up at the office. In addition, because virtual assistants and independent contractors do not have to go through the same employment procedures that a full-time employee would, you are only required to pay them for services rendered. So, in a sense, hiring a VA can be much less expensive than a full-timer, as you only need to pay them when you actually need them— no valuable time lost.

You also won’t need to worry yourself about withholding income tax, superannuation, Worker’s Compensation insurance, new computer, or office equipment or timely payroll processing or PAYG statements. And, since your VA won’t be hired as a full-time employee, you will not be responsible for providing them with health benefits or sick and vacation days.

Training & Space

One of the biggest perks of hiring a virtual assistant is that he/she is already skilled enough and is accustomed to an online working environment, therefore, that time saved by eliminating formal training will give your business the opportunity to get the important tasks done more quickly.

While there is a slight chance that you’ll need to communicate what your business is all about, it’s less likely that you’ll need to worry at all about their skills and qualifications.

How much money would you say you spend on each new employee that joins your business? Depending on what their responsibilities are, the average cost of hiring a new employee is usually in the thousands of dollars. Not only do you have to consider their yearly salary; you’ll also need to think about the equipment a new employee will need to fulfill their duties.

On the other hand, with a VA, those expenses go completely out the window. They will (and should) usually have their own reliable computer and internet connection.

Learning How to Delegate

Contrary to popular belief, having an assistant isn’t all about barking orders at someone. It’s more like inviting someone you trust to contribute to your success, and delegating is a crucial art you’ll need to learn if you’re going to hire a virtual assistant.

For many,finding a new employee that fits with the team you already have can take some time, something that you don’t normally have, which is precisely where a VA can help. As a professional, hiring a VA can be a wise investment, as a skilled assistant is something definitely worth paying for.

Dean Olsen, an enthusiastic writer who dedicates his time to researching topics on the progress of communication within technology and its relation to business practices. You can read more of Dean’s work on his blog at GlobalTollFreeNumber.com

Moving Abroad: Do I Need a Smartphone or Tablet?

The kids are out of the house, and you finally get the chance to move overseas. Maybe for a few months, maybe forever. You’ve already created a packing list, but there’s one item that you’re just not sure you’ll need—your smartphone or tablet. They can be a useful tool when you’re in a new country. But with the wrong service, they could be a useless money pit.

Library on the Go

When moving abroad, you don’t want to take your entire house with you. Heavy things like books can be difficult to haul around. The upside of taking a smartphone or a tablet on your trip is that either device can function as a traveling library while taking up just a small corner of your suitcase. Download your favorite guidebooks to the reader on your phone and virtually fold down your favorite pages. Use an app like Word Lens to translate signs and menus. Read reviews of area restaurants and entertainment with Trip Advisor or another travel app. You’ll feel at home in no time.

You can even use your smartphone to help you learn the language faster. With the free Google Translate app, you can speak up to 50 words into your phone, and the app will translate them for you. All of a sudden, asking directions, booking a train ticket, or getting to know the friendly couple at the edge of the bar just got easier!

Escape Roaming Fees

The downside to taking your smartphone or tablet abroad is the potential of roaming fees. According to travel writer Rick Steves, roaming charges in Europe can be high, but if you have an unlocked phone, you can replace your SIM card with a card made in that country to make calls at a more affordable rate.

Depending on your provider, you can avoid roaming charges altogether. T-Mobile, for example, recently announced a change to their roaming policy. The company, which also offers a wide selection of travel accessories—everything from Bluetooth headsets to Muse mini speakers—has lifted roaming charges in 100 countries. According to CNET, T-Mobile customers can text and access data without paying roaming fees. The company simplified its calling charges as well by setting them at a consistent 20 cents per minute.

Go Unplugged

Moving abroad should be an exciting experience. For some, this means enjoying a new environment with all the comforts of home, while for others, it means going unplugged. If you prefer the latter, consider leaving your electronics at home and get fully immersed into your travel adventure. Contact loved ones from local phones, or send them letters and emails from Internet cafes. However, if you do choose to go unplugged, it means that you will need to bring paper versions of all of your travel guides and translator tools.

If you don’t have access to free roaming, make sure that you download the data you are going to need while roaming. That way, you can pull up your map or itinerary without paying roaming fees.

Paige Hornell — Teacher, International Traveler, Margherita Pizza Connoisseur

5 Minute Guide to Making your iPhone more Secure

An iPhone is an incredible device but don’t think that it is secure enough that no one can access your important information. It is not a security fortress and is prone to the same risks as other cell phones. However, following these simple guidelines can help you make your iPhone a secure device and protect it from those who want to lay their hands on your information.

Use a passcode:

This is literally the first thing any mobile phone user should do. You should use a passcode to access your phone. Though it is not the strongest security measure you can take, it will help ward off those who want to access your phone and everything in it. You can even set your iPhone to erase all data stored on it automatically if someone tries to unlock it with a wrong passcode for ten times. Passcodes can also be set on many individual apps.

Don’t use unnecessary features:

It is very important that you turn off all the features and services that you are not using. Turn off Bluetooth, WiFi, voice control, email syncing, location tracking and such as they can let anyone with some knowledge of phone hacking could exploit the flaws in these services and access your information and data.

Update:

Apple releases firmware updates on a regular basis. These are meant to update your iPhone against any security loophole and performance hiccups that you encounter in your daily use. You should update your phone immediately after an update is available. These updates can also bring some new functionality to your phone.

Tinkering with your phone:

Tinkering with your phone’s protected software, or jailbreaking, can be risky. This allows users to bypass Apple’s security layer and change settings in the phone’s software. It will also allow you to install apps that are not downloaded from Apple’s App Store. This is a potential security risk as you can’t be sure if any such app is secure or not, and whether it is accessing your private info or not.

Privacy settings:

The iPhone allows you to protect your information in many ways. One of those is to use the privacy settings in Safari, found in settings menu. Safari is iPhone’s web browser and allows you to connect with the internet. It is crucial that you review your privacy settings and tune them to your needs. Otherwise, you could leave your information unprotected and at the risk of being hacked. You could become a victim of iPhone spyware, malware and other malicious codes without even knowing.

Use ‘Find my phone’ feature:

Another cool feature of iPhone is its ‘Find my phone’ option. This practically allows you locate your phone in case you have lost it. You can lock your phone, make it ring, show warning information, and erase your data to make in case you cannot retrieve it or it is taking too long to retrieve it.

Erase your data before return, repair or resale:

One of the common mistakes that most users make is that they do not erase their data when they return, repair or resell their iPhones. This way you are actually handing out your information to the

person you are giving your phone to. Make sure you have erased all your data, including messages, contacts, call logs, images and videos, notes, calendar entries and other important information, when you return your phone to the seller, send it for repairs or resell it to someone.

Follow these simple security tips and make your iPhone a secure device to use.

Author Bio: Jessica Carol is a tech writer who has written articles based on developments and new trends in the world of tech for Mobistealth. She can be reached at @Jcarol429.

How to Avoid Social Media Scams

Photo credits: Nate & Tilly Ritter

Social media networks can be a lot of fun – not to mention useful – but you really need to make sure you take steps to stay safe. Knowing how to avoid social media scams is an important skill to have in the Information Age. The good news is that it’s not that difficult to avoid them if you use common sense and are careful when you’re online. We’ve put together a list of several specific tips you can use to make sure you don’t run into any problems.

How to Avoid Social Network Scams

Here’s a look at some specific ways that you can avoid scams no matter what social media network you visit frequently.

  • Privacy Settings – The first thing you’re going to want to do is spend some time learning about the privacy settings for whatever site you’re on. For some – like Facebook – this can take quite a bit of time before you understand, but it’s essential if you want to protect yourself from scams.

  • Know Your Friends – While you may want to get as many “friends” as you can, this isn’t really that smart. Try to only allow people you really know in real life to be part of your social circles online.

  • Ignore Unknown Links – If you see a link from a source you don’t recognize, ignore it or delete it if possible. Following links from strangers online is usually not a good idea on social media sites.

  • Avoid Public Computers – Like public bathrooms, you should avoid using public computers as often as possible. You never know if one is infected with a keystroke logger that will allow others access to your social media accounts.

  • Be Cautious – This is common sense, but it can be easy to get caught up in the moment online. Learn to take your time and not get involved – by clicking links – until you know exactly what’s going on and that you’re dealing with someone who can be trusted completely.

  • Software and Firewalls – You should also make sure your anti-virus programs are up to date with their definition file. Additionally, you might think about installing a firewall so that you can add another layer of protection between you and the bad guys online. Luckily, you can usually find free software that will help protect you. Just make sure you set it up correctly.

By following the advice above, you’re going to be able to avoid the scams while still being able to keep up with the fam. You don’t need to avoid social networks completely, but you should be very selective about which sites you visit and how you interact with people you might not know personally.

Written by: Maegred Mithi is working in copper industry. Her job is to buy ethanol and remove the rust from the raw copper. She is also studying on line reputation management, because she has special interest in online world algorithms that affects the search engine results.