The Web Authority
Tuesday, May 27
No More Posts Here!
We're consolidating our efforts and this week is our last week on this blog. Please click our post title to go to the blog that we will be updating for our readers. After May 24th all posts will only be done at our new blog The Web Authority.
We've migrated all of our posts and content, so you'll be sure to find what you want. In the meantime, please bookmark this page: http://www.mccordweb.com/weblogs/ and add our feed link http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheWebAuthority.
We won't be deleting this blog, but we just won't be updating it.
We've just finished updating our new blog and hope you'll like the design and improvements we've added.
See you there!
We've migrated all of our posts and content, so you'll be sure to find what you want. In the meantime, please bookmark this page: http://www.mccordweb.com/weblogs/ and add our feed link http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheWebAuthority.
We won't be deleting this blog, but we just won't be updating it.
We've just finished updating our new blog and hope you'll like the design and improvements we've added.
See you there!
Labels: blog writing
¶ 5/27/2008 09:57:00 PM 0 Comments
Friday, May 23
Facebook Bashes Google Friend Connect
This is real trouble for Google's beta Friend Connect! Facebook is blocking Google's access to its database of users with their new application. But does this surprise you as Microsoft is in talks as of 5-15-08 to buy Facebook. It's the old Google MSN war all over again.
I have to say I am excited about Google's Friend Connect. I just can't wait to test it out, but Google MUST make alliances with the top social networking sites to make it valuable for site owners. Right now Friend Connect connects with LinkedIn (great service), Orkut (who uses this one?), Google Talk (huh?), and Facebook (until they got blocked). Facebook was the real heavy in this line up and with Facebook saying that access violates their user agreement and Facebook in talk with Microsoft, this may unfortunately be the death of Friend Connect.
Friend Connect is a great idea, let's just see if Google can put it together with other social networking sites to make it really valuable!
I have to say I am excited about Google's Friend Connect. I just can't wait to test it out, but Google MUST make alliances with the top social networking sites to make it valuable for site owners. Right now Friend Connect connects with LinkedIn (great service), Orkut (who uses this one?), Google Talk (huh?), and Facebook (until they got blocked). Facebook was the real heavy in this line up and with Facebook saying that access violates their user agreement and Facebook in talk with Microsoft, this may unfortunately be the death of Friend Connect.
Friend Connect is a great idea, let's just see if Google can put it together with other social networking sites to make it really valuable!
Labels: Google, social networking sites
¶ 5/23/2008 07:16:00 AM 0 Comments
Tuesday, May 20
AdWords Password Protection
You must guard your Google account login especially if you are using AdWords as if it is your bank login ID. It is a good idea to even change your password every month in Google to protect yourself.
Personally I feel that after having a previous client have their AdWords account hijacked several weeks ago that Google is wrong to force users to have one master Google login. If someone gets a hold of your Google master account, they can wreak havoc in so many areas now that Google has required it's use across it applications.
If there was one thing that I could tell Google, I would say let AdWords have it's own login and even if the user email is the same allow for AdWords to have its own password different from the Google account login.
The client who we know who had been hijacked had been fooled into revealing their login and password from a phishing email sent as a Google AdWords correspondence. It is so very important to know that for PayPal and now Google AdWords that you must never login by clicking a link in an email or send your password plus login together in an email. I say PayPal as well as it has long been known that PayPal has been a target for phishing campaigns. As for AdWords, phishing is new for them, just this last week I have received over 15 emails supposedly from Google to login from a link in an email. So my suggestion is to very carefully guard your login and change your password for Google with a degree of regularity. You must actively work to keep yourself safe from AdWords bandits.
Personally I feel that after having a previous client have their AdWords account hijacked several weeks ago that Google is wrong to force users to have one master Google login. If someone gets a hold of your Google master account, they can wreak havoc in so many areas now that Google has required it's use across it applications.
If there was one thing that I could tell Google, I would say let AdWords have it's own login and even if the user email is the same allow for AdWords to have its own password different from the Google account login.
The client who we know who had been hijacked had been fooled into revealing their login and password from a phishing email sent as a Google AdWords correspondence. It is so very important to know that for PayPal and now Google AdWords that you must never login by clicking a link in an email or send your password plus login together in an email. I say PayPal as well as it has long been known that PayPal has been a target for phishing campaigns. As for AdWords, phishing is new for them, just this last week I have received over 15 emails supposedly from Google to login from a link in an email. So my suggestion is to very carefully guard your login and change your password for Google with a degree of regularity. You must actively work to keep yourself safe from AdWords bandits.
Labels: AdWords Tips
¶ 5/20/2008 07:54:00 PM 0 Comments
Monday, May 19
Outlook 2003 Missing Holidays?
I have Outlook 2003 on several of my computers and found that on one there was no entry for Memorial Day this year which is on the 26th of May. Funny, isn't it, maybe you have the same problem. I found that Office 2003 may not be showing the holidays past 2007.
I found a fix at Microsoft. In my case, I was not able to just install the update. I have to change the outlook.hol file to outlook.old, remove all of my loaded holidays from within Outlook, download the update for holidays to 2012, and then re-enable holidays in Outlook all over again.
It sounds complicated, but is not really. Just click my post title to read the instructions, get the download link, and follow step by step instructions.
If you are not sure if you have a problem, go to July 4th in your calendar. If you don't see the Fourth of July holiday listed you have the same problem as I did. In my case even having Office service pack three did not resolve the problem. My computer was up to date, but the holidays had simply not loaded and reverted back to the old holiday file. Microsoft addresses this specific issue in the link and exactly how to fix it.
I found a fix at Microsoft. In my case, I was not able to just install the update. I have to change the outlook.hol file to outlook.old, remove all of my loaded holidays from within Outlook, download the update for holidays to 2012, and then re-enable holidays in Outlook all over again.
It sounds complicated, but is not really. Just click my post title to read the instructions, get the download link, and follow step by step instructions.
If you are not sure if you have a problem, go to July 4th in your calendar. If you don't see the Fourth of July holiday listed you have the same problem as I did. In my case even having Office service pack three did not resolve the problem. My computer was up to date, but the holidays had simply not loaded and reverted back to the old holiday file. Microsoft addresses this specific issue in the link and exactly how to fix it.
Labels: Outlook Tips
¶ 5/19/2008 07:18:00 AM 0 Comments
Sunday, May 18
We've Got A New Name
Our new blog name is The Web Authority. We're retiring our Web-World Watch name over the next several weeks. In addition to a new name, we have a new focus, a new look coming, and great new content already planned.
so, stay posted as we change our URLs, our feed address, and in general change our message and look to be more valuable to your and your business needs.
so, stay posted as we change our URLs, our feed address, and in general change our message and look to be more valuable to your and your business needs.
Labels: blog design, effective blogging
¶ 5/18/2008 04:42:00 PM 0 Comments
Friday, May 16
AdWords Hijack What You Can Do
Just how could someone hijack your Google AdWords account without you knowing? How can they get your Google account email address and then password in order to change the password to lock you out? It appears that visiting a website with a virus or responding to one of the AdWords phishing emails that has gone out recently may allow bandits to compromise your system and your account.
First and foremost, don't ever click links you get in emails from Google AdWords or even PayPal. Take any action requested by logging into your account with your browser to assure that you are really going to the site you intend to be visiting.
Second, make sure that you are using Internet Explorer 7 and have the phishing filter enabled. This will let your browser help you to know when a website is pretending to be a site that it is not.
Third, periodically change your passwords and look to use a secure password of a combination of numbers and letters.
Fourth, be careful of the sites you visit and routinely check your computer for malware. It appears that there is a bug out there that is downloaded from a malware site masquerading as a legitimate website and the bug seeks out your AdWords information and mails it to a bot for fraudulent use. It will keep you locked out of Google properties so you cannot access www.Google.com or even AdWords to check on your account.
Don't think it could happen to you? Well it just happened to one of our previous clients and they got hit in one day for $10,000 of clicks to their American Express. Google is investigating and shut down their account in one day, but the absolute aggravation of communication of the issue, concerns about charges, not being able to get into your account, shutting down their legitimate business account for the period to resolve the issue, and why it would happen to you, is just something you simply do not want to experience.
First and foremost, don't ever click links you get in emails from Google AdWords or even PayPal. Take any action requested by logging into your account with your browser to assure that you are really going to the site you intend to be visiting.
Second, make sure that you are using Internet Explorer 7 and have the phishing filter enabled. This will let your browser help you to know when a website is pretending to be a site that it is not.
Third, periodically change your passwords and look to use a secure password of a combination of numbers and letters.
Fourth, be careful of the sites you visit and routinely check your computer for malware. It appears that there is a bug out there that is downloaded from a malware site masquerading as a legitimate website and the bug seeks out your AdWords information and mails it to a bot for fraudulent use. It will keep you locked out of Google properties so you cannot access www.Google.com or even AdWords to check on your account.
Don't think it could happen to you? Well it just happened to one of our previous clients and they got hit in one day for $10,000 of clicks to their American Express. Google is investigating and shut down their account in one day, but the absolute aggravation of communication of the issue, concerns about charges, not being able to get into your account, shutting down their legitimate business account for the period to resolve the issue, and why it would happen to you, is just something you simply do not want to experience.
Labels: Google AdWords
¶ 5/16/2008 06:39:00 PM 0 Comments
Tuesday, May 13
Invitation to Google Friend Connect
Are you looking for the link to secure an invitation to Google's new Friend Connect? We've found it http://www.google.com/friendconnect/
The site was broken earlier this morning, but finally Google has the form working so, click our post title complete Google's form and get in the queue to use these neat new product on your website.
The site was broken earlier this morning, but finally Google has the form working so, click our post title complete Google's form and get in the queue to use these neat new product on your website.
Labels: Google
¶ 5/13/2008 11:50:00 AM 0 Comments
A Parent's Review of the Outspark Fiesta Game
My kids who are 11 have found this game and are loving it, but from a parent's point of view is it a good game for kids? If you click my post title you will go to the Outspark game page. My kids like the game called Fiesta.
One thing that you should be aware of is that you will need to help them download it as they will be asked if they are above 13 years old. Hmm, well you'll have to decide if you can handle that issue or not yourself. My kids equate it with Runescape but with hugely better graphics.
The game is actually quite entertaining and the graphics are really quite advanced. I find that this game will be best for 11 to 15 year olds and may bore older children or be too advanced and complex for younger children.
In Fiesta you can do quests, can fight mushrooms, get pets like dragons, the graphics are manga-like and so very cool. There is chat available and bad words are blocked out with stars - Thanks Outspark. Fiesta has new features added all the time. When you first log in, the control panel shows you what is new so you can know what to check out each time you log in. The kids have not seen any special events like on Runescape, but that doesn't mean that come a holiday they won't be there.
The very best thing is that you can go to different worlds and fight different creatures. From a parent's viewpoint the kids cannot fight people just funny creature-like things such as slime, blue crabs and mushrooms. There is fighting, but no graphic people oriented violence.
The ability to travel worlds, earn experience points from doing quests and fighting creatures, and you can buy things. My kids have not learned to buy things yet, but they love the quests.
There are four levels of cash; bronze silver, gold and gem. You get money from selling things that you have made as an artisan or from killing a creature and taking their holdings. If you have a younger child or one who has not played before on Runescape, you may want to check it our for yourself first, but if your child is already playing Runescape this is another game clone and you should be fine allowing its use. As always, download a game or watch the play for the first 30 minutes before you decide to let it stay in your house.
One thing that you should be aware of is that you will need to help them download it as they will be asked if they are above 13 years old. Hmm, well you'll have to decide if you can handle that issue or not yourself. My kids equate it with Runescape but with hugely better graphics.
The game is actually quite entertaining and the graphics are really quite advanced. I find that this game will be best for 11 to 15 year olds and may bore older children or be too advanced and complex for younger children.
In Fiesta you can do quests, can fight mushrooms, get pets like dragons, the graphics are manga-like and so very cool. There is chat available and bad words are blocked out with stars - Thanks Outspark. Fiesta has new features added all the time. When you first log in, the control panel shows you what is new so you can know what to check out each time you log in. The kids have not seen any special events like on Runescape, but that doesn't mean that come a holiday they won't be there.
The very best thing is that you can go to different worlds and fight different creatures. From a parent's viewpoint the kids cannot fight people just funny creature-like things such as slime, blue crabs and mushrooms. There is fighting, but no graphic people oriented violence.
The ability to travel worlds, earn experience points from doing quests and fighting creatures, and you can buy things. My kids have not learned to buy things yet, but they love the quests.
There are four levels of cash; bronze silver, gold and gem. You get money from selling things that you have made as an artisan or from killing a creature and taking their holdings. If you have a younger child or one who has not played before on Runescape, you may want to check it our for yourself first, but if your child is already playing Runescape this is another game clone and you should be fine allowing its use. As always, download a game or watch the play for the first 30 minutes before you decide to let it stay in your house.
Labels: Game Review, Outspark Fiesta
¶ 5/13/2008 07:09:00 AM 1 Comments
Friday, May 9
Blog Writer Rights
My firm blogs for many clients professionally and we may be one of the only writing firms doing this, but we license our content to you for exclusive use on your blog, but do not write blog posts as "work for hire".
We don't specifically blog as "work for hire" to protect our writers and our content from unexpected use. We've had people write how-to books from a compilation of our blog posts, use blog posts verbatim as press releases, and we've even had some clients use our blog posts as new website content. None of them ever told us upfront what they were going to do, but used our services in a manner in which they were not contracted for nor expected for use. Blog posts are supplied at a much lower compensation rate than other writing and so use in this manner is simply cheating us out of a fee.
You only have to be burned once to know you need to cover an issue in your letter of agreement! Now we license our writing to clients for their exclusive use on their blog only. We can expand on a blog post and create web content or a press release at our special writer rates for these services, but a blog post has to stay as a blog post. That protects other aspects of our writing business, makes sure that our writing staff is fairly compensated for their work based on market pricing, and allows our business to grow.
We don't specifically blog as "work for hire" to protect our writers and our content from unexpected use. We've had people write how-to books from a compilation of our blog posts, use blog posts verbatim as press releases, and we've even had some clients use our blog posts as new website content. None of them ever told us upfront what they were going to do, but used our services in a manner in which they were not contracted for nor expected for use. Blog posts are supplied at a much lower compensation rate than other writing and so use in this manner is simply cheating us out of a fee.
You only have to be burned once to know you need to cover an issue in your letter of agreement! Now we license our writing to clients for their exclusive use on their blog only. We can expand on a blog post and create web content or a press release at our special writer rates for these services, but a blog post has to stay as a blog post. That protects other aspects of our writing business, makes sure that our writing staff is fairly compensated for their work based on market pricing, and allows our business to grow.
Labels: content rights blog writing, copywriting, writer rights
¶ 5/09/2008 03:11:00 PM 0 Comments
Social Bookmarking - Should You Implement It?
Yes, even if you are not using social bookmarks yourself, you should implement their use on your web pages and blogs. There is a whole sector out there that can help you to promote your site if you allow for the easy tools to allow users to share your information with others.
There are several sites that allow for auto generation of the code that allows for automatic sharing versus many popular sites. If you click our post title you will go to one site that even allows for a variety of configurations.
Some social bookmarking sites give you code to install, others have easy to add Blogger or WordPress widgets, just do a web search and you will find many sites that will help to educate you on the installation and even allow you to select the services that you want to include.
Some of the hot social bookmarking sites on the Web that you will want to include for sure are Digg, Del.icio.us, and StumbleUpon just to name a few. If you have one you like to use not in my short list, just leave it as a comment below.
There are several sites that allow for auto generation of the code that allows for automatic sharing versus many popular sites. If you click our post title you will go to one site that even allows for a variety of configurations.
Some social bookmarking sites give you code to install, others have easy to add Blogger or WordPress widgets, just do a web search and you will find many sites that will help to educate you on the installation and even allow you to select the services that you want to include.
Some of the hot social bookmarking sites on the Web that you will want to include for sure are Digg, Del.icio.us, and StumbleUpon just to name a few. If you have one you like to use not in my short list, just leave it as a comment below.
Labels: social bookmarking
¶ 5/09/2008 07:22:00 AM 0 Comments
Thursday, May 8
AdWords Landing Page Load In Quality Score
The Google AdWords Quality Score just added another criteria for you to be concerned with. Read the full post at Google AdWords: Inside AdWords: Landing page load time now available on the Keyword Analysis Page
This is important for some AdWords sellers who love to have landing pages without end - you've seen them the wealth or get rich schemes with the landing page that acts like a website. Who knew you could scroll so much on one page :0)
You can view this important new information to check out your worst offending clients to help them make the changes now, by mousing over the spyglass to the right of the keywords on the ad group summary page, then click the more information and you will be able to see the landing page load information.
AdWords is working to try to provide the best experience for users and actually I appreciate it that very much as an account manager and advertiser both. But now we need to work on transparency on how much clicks cost, not guessing! ¶ 5/08/2008 04:11:00 PM 0 Comments
This is important for some AdWords sellers who love to have landing pages without end - you've seen them the wealth or get rich schemes with the landing page that acts like a website. Who knew you could scroll so much on one page :0)
You can view this important new information to check out your worst offending clients to help them make the changes now, by mousing over the spyglass to the right of the keywords on the ad group summary page, then click the more information and you will be able to see the landing page load information.
AdWords is working to try to provide the best experience for users and actually I appreciate it that very much as an account manager and advertiser both. But now we need to work on transparency on how much clicks cost, not guessing! ¶ 5/08/2008 04:11:00 PM 0 Comments
Wednesday, May 7
The Value of A Google AdWords Account Manager - Preventing Fraud
I had a client on let me know on Sunday night that they would be bringing their Google AdWords account management in-house. I disabled my access to their account Monday morning. On Wednesday, they let me know that they could not log into their account.
It appears that in three days their account was hijacked and someone installed two campaigns on their account and ran up a bill of over $9,956.00 in clicks. Some of the clicks were over $28 each. I contacted Google for them today as soon as I was told they could not login and got Google working on a click fraud and account hijack issue. I reported to the client to advise his credit card company to put a fraud alert on his account. I can still not get into their AdWords account, but have access to Google Analytics and can see that new campaigns were set up and nearly $10,000 spent in just two or three days.
I have to say as I am on my Google AdWords accounts daily through My Client Center, that it would probably not have happened on my watch!
This is just one of the values of an account manager, identifying strange behavior that could be fraudulent, finding new campaigns or keywords, and catching a spike in activity. If you are not monitoring your Google AdWords account on a regular basis, you really should start. I never thought that this would ever happen to anyone I knew but yet here it is. Fraud happens!
It appears that in three days their account was hijacked and someone installed two campaigns on their account and ran up a bill of over $9,956.00 in clicks. Some of the clicks were over $28 each. I contacted Google for them today as soon as I was told they could not login and got Google working on a click fraud and account hijack issue. I reported to the client to advise his credit card company to put a fraud alert on his account. I can still not get into their AdWords account, but have access to Google Analytics and can see that new campaigns were set up and nearly $10,000 spent in just two or three days.
I have to say as I am on my Google AdWords accounts daily through My Client Center, that it would probably not have happened on my watch!
This is just one of the values of an account manager, identifying strange behavior that could be fraudulent, finding new campaigns or keywords, and catching a spike in activity. If you are not monitoring your Google AdWords account on a regular basis, you really should start. I never thought that this would ever happen to anyone I knew but yet here it is. Fraud happens!
Labels: Google AdWords
¶ 5/07/2008 04:29:00 PM 0 Comments
Tuesday, May 6
Yahoo Sponsored Search Still a Great Value
Now that the Yahoo Microsoft merger is kaput, it is time to look forward to the future of Yahoo, and I have to say that I think that it is bright.
Yahoo Sponsored Search is a good application, delivers clicks and conversions and is a great place for some to start out with a pay per click campaign. With prices lower than Google AdWords, a very user friendly interface, and the ability to see what top bids are for your keywords, Yahoo Sponsored Search is a great value.
The reality is however that you will get one half the clicks and one half the conversions that you will on Google AdWords, but for some this is satisfactory and a great place to start especially if you are managing your own pay per click campaign.
I for one and still expecting great things for Yahoo and know that this merger threat will help to strengthen them as they move forward. So Yahoo, it's time to get back to business!
Yahoo Sponsored Search is a good application, delivers clicks and conversions and is a great place for some to start out with a pay per click campaign. With prices lower than Google AdWords, a very user friendly interface, and the ability to see what top bids are for your keywords, Yahoo Sponsored Search is a great value.
The reality is however that you will get one half the clicks and one half the conversions that you will on Google AdWords, but for some this is satisfactory and a great place to start especially if you are managing your own pay per click campaign.
I for one and still expecting great things for Yahoo and know that this merger threat will help to strengthen them as they move forward. So Yahoo, it's time to get back to business!
Labels: Yahoo Sponsored Search
¶ 5/06/2008 07:18:00 AM 0 Comments
Friday, May 2
May Newsletter Published
Click our blog post title to read our May newsletter. Topics are:
- Getting Links the Easy Way with "Link Bait" Articles
- Build Search Engine "Authority Links" with Press Releases
- Become an Authority On the Web in Your Field by Blogging
Labels: Newsletter
¶ 5/02/2008 09:38:00 AM 0 Comments
Blogger Introduces Auto Future Publishing
Finally, the feature that has made WordPress our top choice is now available in Blogger - future publishing. As professional bloggers, my team works on many client blogs. Auto publish on Blogger will now give us the ability to enter in all our posts for a week and have them auto publish on specific dates. This is a feature that we have really wanted Blogger to introduce.
To set up auto publishing, enter your blog post in the content field and then down at the bottom click open the post options. Enter in your desired post date and time with AM or PM. Then click publish and Blogger will publish your blog on the correct date.
Wow, finally, thanks Blogger!
To set up auto publishing, enter your blog post in the content field and then down at the bottom click open the post options. Enter in your desired post date and time with AM or PM. Then click publish and Blogger will publish your blog on the correct date.
Wow, finally, thanks Blogger!
Labels: Blogger.com
¶ 5/02/2008 07:16:00 AM 0 Comments
Thursday, May 1
How to Build Blog Readers
Are you looking to build readership on your blog? You'll want to click in to our post at Blog-World Watch to read our blog traffic and blog readership building tips to make sure that you are doing all you can to push your blog to the top!
Labels: blog traffic
¶ 5/01/2008 07:39:00 AM 0 Comments
