During the Social Networking and eBusiness Conference 2009 @ Hotel Intercontinental Makati-Philippines, I was given an opportunity to present a few slides on how the search engine marketing efforts will be effective because I won an award on search engine marketing campaign category!

Here are as follows:

1. Right Timing is EVERYTHING.

It is a common fact that the most visited sites are those that are within the Google Traffic Triangular Spots [Hey! I am fond of this word, I just noticed. ] or in other words, these are sites that are ranking well in SERPs getting high volume of  pings and traffic.  Of course, it is a real battle out there in order to rank well especially so when the keywords are very competitive. KEIs (keyword effectivity index) and KOIs (keyword opportunity index) are oftentimes the basis of such.

Battling SEOs and SEMs on certain keywords would really agree that right TIMING on pressing the button of their arsenals is one of the keys in ranking well in SEs.

2. Content is KING.

Nothing can argue about this one. Good content is always the factor that converts and generates sales.

3. Link is the HOLY GRAIL.

For those who still do not understand how the Search Engines work, I think you should pay attention to what I am about to tell you.

Search Engines follow the trail of links of a certain site. Link values are calculated so that a specific site gets its link juice and pagerank (for Google). After such, the site’s ranking becomes visible in SERPs. Of course, these days, search engines are becoming more intelligent in such a way that they are able to detect relevance of links through a site’s association with other sites. Like I said in #2, content is king.

4. EXPERIENCE is IMPERATIVE.

If you are company who wants to rank well and to be successful in your search engine marketing campaign, it is very important that you seek the right guys who understand the SE algorithms. SEMs/SEOs who practically observe the tweaks of algorithms so that the risk of not getting what you want to achieve is close to zero.

Seek the guys who are into organic search optimization, paid search optimization, web traffic analysis, and social media optimization. These are the guys who are already “seasoned” in their craft. Never make that mistake of getting  services from inexperience SEMs/SEOs because you will just be an experiment to them.

Again, EXPERIENCE is imperative!

By the way, thanks to azrael for the photos.

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… C: wait…

The Busby SEO Test competition is over and this blog finished 6th in the overall result. We would like to thank everyone who lend a helping hand – especially the link love.

We have a learned a lot from this competition and cherish the friendships made along the way.

This blog has also grown and reach a new level in many things. The lessons learned will be valuable in all our future search engine optimization and search engine marketing endeavours.

Thank you again. Congratulations to all the winners!

Busby SEO Test peer said that blogging can be more fun (and even sustainable in the process) if one has an advocacy. This sets you apart from the rest. The form of advocacy can be related to what you are good at and share it to those who are interested to learn. Perhaps that is something worthwhile doing in 2009.

It does not mean that when one has an advocacy, it gives away stuff for free. It is all about sharing what you got that can be your time, blogging and seo skills, and even opportunities. As a possible result, this naturally attracts people who are interested to benefit and sponsors or allies who would like to lend a hand and support such.

Furthermore, those who grew and last in any business, even a freelancer, has a strong advocacy. For this Busby SEO Test, the advocacy that is related to this blog seems to be in the field of education. We now start accepting engagements to speak in events where folks are interested to learn about topics like blog marketing and search engine optimization.

I think for as long as we don’t give up on ourselves, support the people we believe in, and helping others acquire the skill, we still have a chance to get better – 2009 and beyond.

It is 2009.

People are gearing for a lot of plans as to what the year will bring. Skepticism and Positivism mix in the air as the Chinese fire crackers blaze in the sky and snare the eardrums.

Bad vibes as they say go away. This may be true or not, people take the chance. It has become a tradition anyway. Nothing is wrong about it.

I simply don’t care.

Hear this one! The political upheavals happening among the crooks over the years make them growl as if they can make a big kill again for this year and for the most awaited – Election 2010. Isn’t that very true?

Economy has already gone berserk in the West that its effect has been predicted to be felt in the East sooner or later. Macau, the merry land of casino moguls is now laying off it is workforce. Its immunity no longer holds true.

All these instances remind me of the Jamaican music demigod, Bob Marley who kept on chanting – “Don’t worry about a thing, coz’ everything going be alright.” Err…Will his message still holds true as the economic nose dive in the West is closing in our shores?

The “pobres” may be deemed oblivious about the impending danger that can sweep every major tax generating companies in the land but I do believe they feel the need to tighten further their belts to go through life each day. Will be they more resilient to what is about to come? The arithmetic is simple. Three meals a day minus one is enough to comprehend that something is not right.

Something is very wrong.

Correct me if I am wrong, I think it is the “lack of bread to eat” that jolted the famous French Revolution.

As I try to tinker deeper the imbalance has already gone so bad. The disparity between the have’s and have not’s is unbelievably big enough already that the so-called middle class no longer exists.

The real question is, what am I doing to at least make a difference to the growing unevenness all round?

Sit-back and watch? Make more money online? Join a Busby SEO Test contest again? Or at least move my butt and do something worthwhile for mankind?

What?

80′s singer icon Rick Astley visited the Philippines last year for a concert. Busby SEO Test peer was in another location and just monitored the concert developments online. The blog post, plurk reactions, twitter, among others can be found everywhere.

Then there is also the term “rickrolled” where a Rick Astley song kept playing in one’s head over and over again. Well this is the one that struck Busby SEO Test peer then and when shared at Plurk, online friends laugh about being “rickrolled”. Heh!

Hard work, persistence, and patience appears to be the key in sustaining and winning a Busby SEO Test competition. Those who have maintained themselves high in the leaderboard have invested a lot of time ahead of most entries to attain their present rank.

I am glad to have reached this far in the competition despite joining only last November 25. We have learned a lot in the process seeing the good, the bad, and the ugly. At the same time, respect on the skills and capabilities of Busby SEO Test peers were earned as well. At the last minute, we also realized who were our allies and supporters too.

If there is anything I realized, which I mentioned as well in the previous one, is the time when local community members decide to help each other. We really have to be more organized on the next competition.

Thank you again to everyone who extended help to our Busby SEO Test competition entry. Cheers!

Google & Busby SEO Test

Busby SEO Test is certainly one of the best contests I ever had because it revealed a lot of things to me as well as my Busby SEO & Google algorithm perspectives gained another notch.

After this Busby thing, I can now move on with my usual routine and of course, prepare for the SEM Conference in Bicol.

I think it will be interesting if all Busby SEO Test participants will post a photo by Monday just to show how much sleep they have lost for the duration of this contest. It is even funny as our participation even caused confusion, unable to be understood on the importance of working on entries – even at night. Some fell asleep right on their chairs. Others with head lying on desk. If you are unlucky, like me, even get laptop skin burns, leaving a souvenier behind, that will allow me to say – “that is Busby SEO Test“.

I guess the Busby SEO Test is a contest that will give me its share of good memories. For all of us who have joined, this event created a relationship where we can all refer to as having an “us” or “we” factor. Once this is all done and winners are announced, we will go back being just “you” and “I” with each one having our own memories to cherish. Knowing that such will be the end of the Busby SEO Test, I’m living once again at the moment, enjoying the “us” until it last.

Based from past SEO competition experience, there is a certain level of stress that one reaches during the climax or last few days of the activity. And in collaborative endeavors, such as the Busby SEO Test, there is also transition of returning the site back to its normal state. Players reverting to what they used to do, let go, and move on. Others will pursue their partnership further.

Doing the transition is like carrying out a lovers break-up. It’s funny as I got asked how to go about it and decided to use the Busby SEO Test as an analogy to make it less stressful (even hilarious as it reflects how cruel a brain can get once it is the one in charge). Activities can include:

1. Pull yourself back together
If you have given everything (maybe almost), the keyword Busby SEO Test (counterpart would be any belongings) is already attached to you. It is like a perfume scent that lingers. Removing them one by one, including deep links, is deliberately accepting that you have to let go and move on. I think it is actually a good heart-hardening wall-building exercise.

2. Get busy
Start a project and get involved. Go out, catch up with friends, and accept those meet-up requests that you have been declining. Leave no time or room for reminiscing on how good, bad, or what could have possibly turn out in the Busby SEO Test (counterpart – your relationship). Best to put that energy into more productive use. This strongly applies if the ending did not initiate from you.

Being occupied also allows you to see the other in a different light.

3. Be happy
Simply because your happiness should not be anchored on how life or the people around you treats, cares, and loves you. It should be based on how you take care yourself and support others in reaching their dreams without expecting anything in return. In love relationships, give it unconditionally because you want to.

In the case of the Busby SEO Test, the process and learnings about the search engine, how it loves or hates you back, is already more than a rewarding experience on its own.

I mentioned earlier that our Busby SEO Test site got a lot of visitors from  Facebook friends as a result of our efforts to promote this site.

Another community that has been very kind to our Busby SEO Test entry is Plurk where a good share of referral visitors comes from that site. Also, my peer’s shout out for Digg and StumbleUpon vote also gets support from great folks there. Through it, we also found out which articles are most popular and here they are:

• Scorpio Predictions for 2008-2009 (Busby SEO Test)
• Busby SEO Test Home
• Capricorn Predictions for 2008-2009 (Busby SEO Test)
• 10 Ways to Say I Love You (Busby SEO Test)
• 20 Secrets of Great Relationships (Busby SEO Test)
  
• Cancer Predictions for 2008-2009 (Busby SEO Test)
• Virgo Predictions for 2008-2009 (Busby SEO Test)
• Cell Phone Users & Abusers (Busby SEO Test)
• Sagittarius Predictions for 2008-2009 (Busby SEO Test)

Many thanks Plurk friends!

Note: Try to Google Busby SEO Test.