The economy is obviously affecting everyone, so ingenuity, creativity, and some sort of other 'ity' is required to stay afloat.  I was visited at my work by a local restaurant startup owner, whom was touting his wares and business as a family oriented delivery restaurant.

"Family Oriented", was repeatedly stressed by this middle aged man of color.  My guess is because my employeement is in the rough end of town, so suspicions run high of anyone offering anything.  One thing I do have to give this guy, he had creativity on his side and was not going to let a down economy stop him from getting the word out about his new startup.

He dropped off the menu pictured below.

Everyday Menu

Link Directory DMOZ

Looking to promote your website or blog you may turn to free directory listings as your first method of link building.  However, in my own experience, directory submissions are a huge waste of time and possibly money.  Consider the fact that I've made literally thousands of directory submissions paid and free, in only one instance has a directory paid off, but I'll cover that later.

First of all directory submission is extremely time consuming.  Filling out link information, titles, and wading through categories can eat up a lot of time better spent on content creation.  There are paid services, but this only eliminates one problem with directory submission.  Yes I've used paid services well, but this was when I was ignorant to the game directories play.

Second it's truly hard to gauge the quality of link you will receive back from a directory.  Assuming it does get accepted, how deep into it's pages will ultimately reflect the direct benefit of link juice your page receives.  However, even more difficult to find out is the quality of the directory itself.

Problems arrise if a directory is on a shared server or one server with a ton of directories installed.  Google knows this trick, familiar with directory code, and will eventualy make that link worthless.  Yes, this can even happen with a directory with high PR, eventually it will be sniffed out as a paid link farm, granted a bit glorified.  These things are so easy to throw up, that even my grandma has a link directory, which brings me to my next point.

Link Directories are extremely easy to install and get running on a server.  Therefore any slightly competent peon with a web server could technically create an appealing directory on a bought PR domain.  This games many new webmasters and helps in emptying their wallets.  Most of these scum directories are easily spotted, because they either require a link back or a small listing review fee.

To help protect agains the previous issue, at least ask yourself, "Have I ever heard of this directory before I started looking for link submissions?"  Chances are you have not, which means it holds no value beyond your own personal belief that Google PR is the answer to your traffic woes.  If this was the case, those with the biggest wallets would have a monopoly on the search engines.

Lastly, as I mentioned there was one directory that provided actual results for one of my websites.  The directory in question was Best Of The Web and not only did I receive actual SERP boosts, but also a decent amount of direct traffic.  Why was it a smart submission?  I had heard of it before I started submitting, they had a long standing in SERPs, and it the link would be placed on a page with other reputable sites, not just ones who paid.  Going even further, even if you do pay, most good link directories have such corrupt editors that they are just as likely to steal your content and link their site than your submission.  Yes, been down this road with DMOZ...on numerous occasions.

So, keep in mind this was a 1 in 10,000 success submission, that's why I say link directories are a waste of time and money.  Don't bother, get out there create content, develop sites, leave comments, don't go link spamming directories.

Google Insights

I just got around to reading the blogpost on InsideAdwords and man, even in a short few days I've really been missing out.  The announcement of Google Inisght for Search will be a priceless addition to any CPC campaign user.  Hell, I've already picked up a handful of new keywords to add to my Adwords campaign.  My initial thoughts are that paid services that are already in this market will quickly become obsolete.  Second, here are a list of 3 of my favorite things about Google Insight for Search.

• Incorporation Of Google Trends - To be honest it was a bit cumbersome using Google Trends and as such, I never really used it as much as I should have.  But now, I can search my keyword and get a trend for the past 5 years.  This trend for seasonal search keywords is already becoming invaluable as I ramp up my campaigns for the summer rush.  Furthermore this trending graph will allow me to plan for slow times in the year or adjust my campaign accordingly.
• Rising Searches - This handy little feature on Insights allows you to see related keywords that are rising in popularity.  Although it does not directly give a numerical figure to how popular the search keyword is, it does give you the percentage increase in search frequency.  This obviously becomes important when looking for sub-niches or seasonal changes to an Adwords campaign.
• Categories - This may seem like a ho-hum addition to most people, but not affiliate marketers.  Hell, most of the products that I market online I don't know a thing about, I just know keywords.  So the category section of Google Insights gives me areas that I can explore within the keyword and how relative my keyword is to a specific niche.  For example, on golf carts, I now know that most searches originate within the Sports Category rather than Automotive, which I had originally been targeting.

Without a doubt I will be spending a lot more time on Google Insights in the upcoming weeks.  This new tool by Google will allow me to flesh out some more keyword ideas and fine tune the Adwords Campaigns I already have running.  Thank you Google for such a great free tool, but curse you in the same sentence for creating more competition in the fly-by-night domain of affiliate marketing.

Bah, I just can't decide, rather I just can't justify spending over $250 on a decent Blu-Ray player when my TV is already 4 years old.  Yes, it's high definition, but until I step up to a brand new LCD, at least 46" and a surround sound system, I can't justify the purchase.  This becomes an increasingly difficult decision as well when I figure that I can stream HD movies from my cable provider for less than $7.

If my wife wasn't such a movie nut I might just buy a PC Blu-Ray player for under $100.  However, my wife would probably kill me, because it would force her to watch her Disney Blu-Ray purchases on a 19" monitor at my PC desk.  Perhaps I'll hold off a little bit longer and purchase a PS3 here in the next few months.  Maybe they will have an emergency drop in price mid summer.

You may or may not realize it, or care for that matter, but I live in Southern Indiana.  I live in a city of about 130,000 called Evansville.  I've been living here since late 1999 and to be honest, I love it, I just don't love the house I live in, but that's another story.

Since I've had my daughter, which is now 18 months old, I've been looking for things to do around town.  Normally my evenings and weekends we be used up drinking, partying, or generally lounging around, but now I want to expose my daughter to the great things the city of Evansville have to offer.  As it turns out, there is quite a bit to do.

The Evansville Zoo offeres all kinds of events that are fun for everyone.  My daughter loves the animals and it makes for a great afternoon.  Evansville also has the Children's Museum of Evansville, which so happens offers a free night once a month.  This is very enticing and at the beginning of March I took my family.  We had a great time and it was FREE!

I just can't imagine living anywhere else at this point in time.  Although, my wife would argue the closer to Disney World, the better.

Smoking smarties is a supposed trend developing among the youth in 2009.  Smoking Smarties is what happens when you grind up the Smarties candy while in the wrapper, then opening up both ends, and inhaling the dust.  Often the practice of smoking Smarties includes exhaling through the nose.  God, I can't even imagine how that would feel.

Now for the really scary part about snorting Smarties.  Apparently it's possible to grow maggots in your nose by smoking Smarties.  The sugar residue left in the nasal cavities can reportedly sustain the life of maggots, which they feed on the sugar.

Christ, nasty, kids go steal some cigarettes from your mom's purse already.

Smoking Smarties

Update* 3/24/09

Apparently I had underestimated the stupidity of our youth, it's real.  Kids are crushing up Smarties candies and pretending to smoke with the candy dust.  Take that Joe Camel.  Below is a video that was aired on the news of a black kid smoking smarties and blowing it out his nose.

Even worse, kids are going to Yahoo Answers to answer health related issues with inhaling the candy dust.  Basically teh general consensus is you should be smoking cigarettes at this point, rather than inhaling the sugar, preservaties, and god knows what else in those tasty little candies.

Heh, when I was their age I popped them claiming they were power pills, but not smoking them.  What's next, a how-to snort smarties candies off a mirror.  Just keep looking cool!

Last summer I paid off my F150 pickup truck and then last month I paid off my Jeep Grand Cherokee.  Well, yesterday I went and made the second to last payment on my Dodge Durango.  It feels amazing and without a doubt I wouldn't be where I am without the affiliate income I earn on the internet and the motivation my 18 month daughter brings.  Of course, also, I would be lieing if I didn't give credit to Dave Ramsey.  But more on that later in the post.

In total, in just vehicles, not including other debt, my wife and I have paid off more than $30,000 in debt.  Every check I wrote felt like a stone had been lifted from my shoulders.  The vehicles feel different when I drive them now and they look just a bit more shiny setting in my drive way.  Never again do I want to go back to a vehicle payment, to become a slave to the bank.

My wife is in agreement with me, we will never go into debt to purchase a vehicle ever again.  Furthermore, we have been working to remove ourselves from debt all together and the goal is within sight.  Other than the mortgage on our house, we intend to be debt free by the end of 2009.  This long journey started with the planning of my first child and has now continue 18 months later into a way of life.  As mentioned previously, listening to Dave Ramsey and reading what he suggests has been a great motivation and inspiration.

What I'm Currently Reading

Last week I went to the library and checked out Richest Man in Babylon, per Dave Ramsey's recommendation.  Although I will typically only read nonfiction, this book has been a great way to solidy ideas I already have.  It's an easy read, straight forward, simple sentence structures, and everything written holds true today as the day it was written.

Are you looking to get out of debt?  Do you want to know how others became successful or why those who win the lottery almost always eventually go into bankruptcy?  This book will get you started on how to build wealth, by eliminating debt, and keeping what's rightfully yours...your income.

This post was not meant to gloat, because I know how fortunate my family is.  But now more than ever, it pays off to be frugal and focus on eliminating that slave feeling to your lenders.  I'm proof positive any happy spender can turn over a new leaf and become debt free.  Hell, I haven't even used a credit card in more than 18 months.  It's a lesson that has made my work life that much more rewarding and my wallet smile.

My wife has always handled the cell phone bill, until last week.  We spend a whopping $130 per month on our cell phone bill, which consists of 2 phones, text msg package, and insurance for our phones.  This monthly price is only for the bare bones monthly minutes usage as well, which leaves no wiggle room for downsizing.  This gave me an idea.

We are all familiar with how Vonage has now started taking over traditional land line phones, though their VOIP system.  Well, isn't it a matter of time before someone invents a Vonage like system package and then couples it with a custom cell phone that routes back through some sort of WiFi connection?

Think about it, you would purchase a typical phone line through a company like Vonage, about $25.  You would then purchase a cell phone that would communicate directly with software installed on your computer at home, which would then route calls through the internet.  This would rule out the need for expensive antennas used by the cell phone industry and negate the need to buy air waves, since the signal transfer would be through broadband internet.

So how about it, someone please invent this sytem, which I would gladly pay upwards of $100 per month for.  That is if it included a land line and two cell phones with close to unlimited minutes and at the very least free text messaging.

I'm sure by now anyone interested in Trent Reznor would have already seen his forum post on the state of concert ticket sales.  Specifically his hate of scalpers and the monopoly of such companies as Ticketmaster pandering to such low lifes, artificially inflating ticket prices.

So, I did some checking on my own, specifically for his concert coming up in May in Indianapolis.  The concert will be at the previously known as Deer Creek, which is an outdoor venue.  On StubHub most tickets are already averaging close to $100 each for freaking lawn tickets.  WTF, what are these people thinking?

Trent, thanks for speaking out and helping to make concert going an affordable outing for your fans.  I've signed up to the NIN Website and hope to get my hands on some presale tickets direct.  To hell with the low lifes that feel it's ok to sell out a concert and make their own markup.  Fight the machine.

I think I've finally worked out some kinks in my latest Adwords campaign and it's got an ROI that I wouldn't sneeze at.  So, for the next month I plan on doubling my campaign spending limit every day until I reach the ceiling.  If the ROI remains, why not shoot for the moon.

What's great about Adwords is that if you notice your website not converting, something weird going on with your affiliate program, or whatever, it's simple to sign in and pause a campaign.  Likewise it's easy to resume the previous campaign and start off right where you left off.  Hopefully that means running a tighter ship and losing less campaign funds if you have a down server or a down affiliate program.

The only downside as of right now, is that I'm losing focus on other projects.  As the budget gets bigger I'm going to be keeping a closer eye on my server response and conversions every 24 hours.  However, I don't feel that this work is in vain and it will eventually allow me to find a ceiling, level out, and set this bitch on cruise control.