Technorati Tags - Useless, or Just a Waste of Time?

Technorati Tags - Useless, or Just a Waste of Time?

It pains me to write this post. Some time ago, I spent a number of hours writing a program to easily, rapidly, simply, and conveniently generate Technorati tags for this and other of my blogs, and to offer it for sale to my readers and others.

But, I have come to the conclusion that bothering to include Technorati tags, contrary to what I previously was led to believe, is worthless, useless, and simply a waste of time.

I am not going to go into a lot of detail, or spend any time polishing this post. It is not worth it to me. It is just a warning to you. If you are not getting the results you may have been led to expect by including Technorati tags in your posts, IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT. It is that Technorati sucks.

Including Technorati tags gives THEM backlinks, but frequently doesn't give YOU backlinks. All too often, even though you ping them, your posts will not show up if you search a tag you have made, even searching it from your own blog.

Even if somehow, your posts do make it into their database, it will not show when someone does a default search. Your post will essentially disappear because of others' blog posts with the same tag word. Then, there is the question of your blog's "authority". That is an attempt by Technorati to be the "Google of blogging." Their algorithm sucks. It is similar to Google's in that it is based on high school clique popularity contests. (see Google Search Engine Rankings - Just a High School Popularity Contest.)

Then there is that rigamorole of "claiming" your blog. That is totally cumbersome, to both add and delete blogs. And it begs the question of why do you need Technorati permission for YOUR blogs. Just more useless, time-consuming "Web 2.0" craaap.

Furthermore, Technorati is totally unresponsive to queries regarding problems, and I suspect that if you question them with challenging questions, they just blacklist you, and they use your blog "claim" information for that. Beware!

I could go on, but I have spent too much time on this already. Just ask yourself, if you use Technorati tags, have they REALLY done you any good? Comments are open.

Update 2009-06-18: See Technorati Tags for SERP -- Useless?

Disabling Comments in Munius Article Directory PHP Script

I am questioning the value of the James Brausch Munius article directory submission PHP scripts. I am doing that because I have not gotten many good article submissions to my Munius article directories. Probably 95% are porno spam.

Update 2009-06-18: No longer using or supporting Munius, and no longer offering products to "fix" it.

Frankly, I don't know if the Munius article directories are doing me much good or not, but I am keeping them for the time being. In the meantime, to keep the article data directory under control, I have a script program I use (which is also available for sale for your use). (deleted.) With my PHP scripts, I, and you, can permanently delete all those spam articles after rejecting them during article moderation.

My script also removes rejected and unconfirmed comments. Probably 99% of them are porno spam. What I am getting are totally useless -- and time and resource consuming.
1) 99% of them are spam
2) An e-mail box has to be monitored.
3) Some extra clicks of my (link deleted) Munius Packing PHP script program are needed to get rid of them permanently -- get rid of the clutter -- from from the article data directory.
So, I have concluded: Why have comments at all in the Munius article directories?

I have rid myself of the problem by modifying the Munius scripts to completely remove the ability to add comments, and thus to eliminate the need to moderate them.

Three scripts require simple modifications:
a.php
index.php
misc.php

Details -- the actual PHP code modifications -- are shown on my e-Commerce Business website in the article entitled "Munius Article Directory Spam Comments Disabling"

Pulling the Plug on Relusi - Looks Like Brausch Did

James D. Brausch had (has?) a PHP script product called Relusi which sets up a resource directory on your site. It was (is?) for the purpose of building reciprocal links. Links out and links back (backlinks).

I no longer recommend Relusi, for reasons detailed below. Bottom line, if you want to participate in a likely much better link exchange method, I suggest you look up "Easy Google Ranking".

Anyway, I wasted a lot of time setting up Relusi on several of my sites. I wasted a lot of time modifying the "look and feel" - the skin. I wasted a lot of time learning about the script so I could make a couple of minor user aids. I wasted a lot of time making an add-on to clean up the article files.

Then, I and some others discovered that somehow - cause unknown - massive corruption would occur, eliminating many links. So I disabled new submissions to my Relusi directories.

One philosophical problem with Relusi is that there is no enforcement of reciprocity. Someone puts a link in your directory. They are are supposed to link back to you. That is a pain in the "a" for the person putting a link on your site, so most don't do it. So they get back links but you don't. Now, Relusi does request a URL you can check to see if they really did backlink, but that is a pain in the "a" for you to verify. Relusi does not offer any automated verification, other than testing for a valid e-mail address at time of submission. And there is no ongoing verification of even your links out to the requesters' sites. I addressed that in a previous post.

Another philosophical problem is: Are reciprocal links all that valuable in the first place? I don't know. Some gurus say yes, others no. One way links, but enforced by a third party service, look to be a more sound method of getting back links.

Brausch himself obviously does not think much of Relusi

Back when Brausch had Relusi on his main blog, his Relusi directory was a mess, full of spam links. One would think that he would have at least maintained it to be a "shining example" of the product. Now, the Relusi directory on that now inactive blog redirects to another of his new blogs (home page). And I can't find Relusi on that new blog or a couple more of his blogs. 'Nuff said?

Relusi and Other Resource Directories Full of Broken Links?

It is reputed that Google will penalize you if you have too many broken links on your sites. As with all things Google, who outside of Google really knows? But, it can't hurt to play it safe and clean up your sites, including resource directories.

I have found that a huge source of dead links on my sites is the Brausch Relusi Resource Directories (a link exchange program). This post is directed mainly at those using Relusi, but everyone can benefit from finding and deleting all kinds of dead links.

For the complete article, visit my site
Relusi and Other Resource Directories Full of Broken Links?

Some snippets follow, but for the complete article, in context, go the link above.

Because of too many problems with Relusi, some time ago I disabled new linking. See why and how at:
Brausch Relusi Resource Directory New Link Request Disabling

However, I have kept existing links in the Relusi subdirectories, FWIW. Since they are static, over time many links have gone obsolete, cluttering up the directories.

So I decided that it was finally time to clean up the broken links.

There are many link validators out there. If you search on Google, you will find 1,830,000 results for "link validation" (without the quotes). I figured I may as well use an authority, the W3 Consortium W3C Link Checker version 4.3 (c) 1999-2006 W3C to find them...

Bye Bye Brausch?

Looks like James Brausch is going to "retire".

He's been flipping a bunch of domains for $500, based on his remaining cachet. Obviously beefing up his expat fund (expatriation fund).

If you don't know what an expat is, see:
PT Philosophy and Five Flags Theory

Actually, can't blame him for seeing the necessity of that. He has posted several times recently about the Texas FLDS being raided by the Texas so-called Child Protective Services. Religious wacko that he is, he is right about the U.S. A lot of us non-lefty-loony "unbelievers" see the same problems. Of course, nothing much better anywhere else now. A race to the bottom by all governments.

I guess Brausch figures Costa Rica will maybe last a little longer.

Gary Scott likes Ecuador. He also is a successful internet entrepreneur. Check him out if you are looking for a "guru fix" who actually offers courses and information of value.

Keyword Targeting on Niche Sites for AdSense Income

What about niche sites to generate AdSense income? How much can you make?

Niche sites are small sites -- 5 to 10+ pages -- targeting just one keyword (key phrase).

The idea is that with a niche site, you can more easily get on the first SERP page -- even the #1 position -- for the keyword you are targeting.

It's better to be on the first page of SERP results for a moderately competitive key phrase rather than on the 10th page for a highly competitive keyword.

You want to look for a balance of potential searches for your keyword and the number of competitors.

For some "back of the envelope" calculations of your income possibilities with AdSense on a niche site, considering number of visitors, CTR, etc., see Keyword Sniping Income Projections.

Profitable Prices - Glyphius Pricing Digits Scoring

Profitable Prices - Glyphius Pricing Digits Scoring.

Pricing digits are the digits used in setting prices for various products.

The question is: Which are the best digits to use? It depends.

For example, which, in general, should give a better response: $19.95 or $20.00?

Well, according to Brausch's Glyphius (version 2.0b2), yes $19.95 is better than $20.00. But, $25.00 is better than $24.95. And $24.50 is better than either.

I've gone and tablulated a large list of prices and their Glyphius (version 2.0b2) scores.

For a big list and comments, go to
Profitable Prices - Glyphius Pricing Digits Scoring.

RaSof - My Last Word About It...

RaSof - My Last Word About It...

Unless I see some reason to make me change my mind, why bother writing more? For me RaSof (Ranking Software) didn't work. Scoring others' pages with RaSof gives scores having no relation to SERP (search engine results page) location/ranking.

As I said about a year ago on my site at $1000 a month for Brausch's Ranking Factors (RaSof)?.

My conclusion from those results is that if you have no links, even an EXCELLENT RaSof score will do you no good. OTH, if you do have links, a good RaSof score is NOT necessary.

Look for my RaSof commentary and details on my e-Commerce Internet Business website.

My previous blog posts regarding RaSof are archived at:
http://e-commerce-biz.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html
http://e-commerce-biz.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html
http://e-commerce-biz.blogspot.com/2007_01_01_archive.html

Now, Fred Black weighs in with his excellent and detailed post "Search Engine Optimization - A Reader Asks My Opinion of Rasof" on his site at http://www.pqinternet.com/126.htm

Aside from his discussion of RaSof, it looks like Fred is working on a program or system to actually DO what RaSof promised. Since Fred has been consistently at or near position #1 in Google for the highly competitive keyword (keyphrase) he has targeted -- internet business -- I'm looking forward to seeing what he comes up with.

"Why Work?" Report Updated

"Why Work?" Report Updated

I've just made some minor updates to my "Jobs Suck. Why Work?" report.

They comprise reformatting and navigational changes for easier reading, and updating and adding a couple of links about alternatives to the job.

For those of you that have not heard of this report, it is derived from an article written quite a few years ago by someone probably from a now long-defunct MLM company. (I have no idea who the original author was, otherwise I would have credited him/her.)

I've heavily edited this report from that article. The original article discussed superbly the PROBLEM, but the solution offered in it was to join that now defunct MLM company which, in my opinion, had one of the worst compensation (pay) plans I've ever seen. It seemed to me a blatant attempt at a "quick hit." Whether they succeeded and took the money and ran, or failed and quit, I don't know.

Regardless of that, the discussion of the problem and the reasons to participate in MLM were superbly stated. My revision has been to update a few of the numbers, to do some general editing, to delete the references to their particular MLM plan, and to make the report "generic."

The report emphasizes MLM, but MLM is not the only -- nor, IMNSHO, the best -- alternative to the the J.O.B. (job). What is important is that you find SOMETHING as an alternative to the job.

I have added a few links to alternatives to MLM (aka Network Marketing), such as an internet business and stock market trading. (I myself am concentrating more and more on stock market options trading.)

More at this URL: The Why Work Report.

Brausch No Longer Selling Glyphius Directly

If you reached this post by clicking on a link to find out more about James Brausch's Glyphius copy scoring (copywriting) software, sorry. It is no longer available from Brausch directly. He states that effective 2008-01-04, he will no longer be selling it directly, but only through resellers. You will have to search on the web to find a reseller. The price will be somewhere north of $100, as that is the wholesale price to the resellers.