November Brain

I can see myself wearing eyeglasses now. I'm spending more than 10 hours a day in front of the computer scouring the web and I'm going nerd. Plus, I have to delve into Google Base. The optimization requires a lot of programming details. I hate it.

Also, I'm creating another blog. This time its more professional and it will serve as my "portfolio". I figured if ever I'm going further with SEO, I must have a site wherein future employers can visit and say that this douchebag does know something. And oh, I'm gonna bombard it with Adsense.

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My eyes hurt already and I've actually felt this back from my copywriting days. A rimmed co-worker told me that its nothing grave and its just an eye strain. It did went away for some time but now it seems my left eye throbs painfully by the day. Like they say, prevention is better than cure so I'll be getting glasses soon.

Oh Bugger. Soon I'll be looking like this guy right here.

Google Power

Google is the shiznit. They can glorify and condemn all without repercussions. You wanna know why? Simple, they're Google and for me, currently, they are the Internet. Simmer down Web 2.0 folks. You'd hate me for saying this I know, but here's my stand. There will come a time when everyone of us will only need Google.

Intergalactic

Web search service, is now the realm of Google. As of August this year, the $6.1 billion global search engine company is the most used search engine with a 53.6% market share. Now that's half of everything else. That's a lot of users.

What else? Oh, Google Mail, News, Video, Maps, Groups, Product Search (still on the beta stage), uhm what else.. there's a lot more. Oh okay, Google Earth wherein satellite powered mapping search can zoom in on your head's bald spot. Definitely not basic. And how about the social media sites that the company bought? YouTube, Blogger, Jaiku, Picasa and a whole lot of technologies are on the list.

Now let's talk about more outstanding stuff. With all those applications basking in popularity, there's something more Google wants. Basically, the aim is to kick Microsoft's ass off the software kingdom. There you go Mr. Gates.

"As Google rapidly rolls out new products, the company best known for its wildly popular search engine is muscling into the software giant's turf, including its stronghold: the computer desktop."

-The Associated Press

This was actually yesterday's news. Of course Google would eventually win this turf war. What has Microsoft given to us anyway? Microsoft Office and Windows Media player was all I ever needed. No doubt, Google can deliver better service. So it may happen soon. Sooner than we think.

Search engines are the core business of the industry I work for and as far as Google is concerned, they are the primary focal point. Many of us, especially the SEO experts, would continually find ways of working around the structure. But the thing is, Google is erratic in the most inexplicable way. So no matter how much we research, things can change as drastic as overnight. Efforts can and will be deemed futile.

Domination is the keyword here. But personally, this ain't negative. Perhaps Google is the way all should follow and whatever they do, they could only do better. Let's just be there and have a clear view of the developments. And if ever things would go overboard, we'll find ways to kill the robot.

Half the World Away - Blog Analysis

It had just occurred to me that I have now more readers than what I had than say, two months ago. At first, all I wanted was to write and only a handful of people knew that I have a blog. Then after some time, after countless trying hard to be poetic posts, statistics show that I do gained steady readership and the fact that more and more new visitors are dropping by everyday. Honestly and without self-gratification, I can say that Half the World Away is somehow doing well. People come and people read. Yay me.

Funny how ironic it is that I don't optimize my blog. Yeah, I could conceptualize and execute an auto mechanic blog which is getting popular in the global blogosphere yet I really don't do the same pratice here. Well, personal blogs shouldn't be marketed. Popularity isn't everything. Readership is.

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So okay, now I'll show you how is it exactly that visitors land on my page. Keywords, ladies and gents, are all that matters here. Forget links. Content is what I strive for.

In the glorious subject of content, here the keywords used to discover

Half the World Away

the tool

Nice. People type in "what is web marketing" and found me. That's good, a little professional and career-driven. Alright, "TJ Cafuir" is being searched and I'm currently ranked 8th in Google for "Half the World Away". Nice. Now let's see what else random visitors used for their searches.







#9 What the?! I hate koreans? Sheez.. Im no racist! Must be the Anger Management post. Ok, maybe I'm a little defensive to our nationality in terms of status and place in the asian demography but then again, its just opinion. I don't go on and generally hate people.

#10 I wanna drown. People go to google and type "I wanna drown". Now that is depressing. The ill-depressed found my site and perhaps shared my sentiments. Hey, I was depressed but I never turned to the web for suicide tutorials. It's like, "hey I wanna die now but let's just see who else also wants to... hmm... ah Tj Cafuir."








#15 is just so weird. Articles about ears?!!! Why would I write about that? Why would anybody come here for that? I'm not sure about certain content but I definitely know that I never wrote anything about ears. Well, come to think of it, I did post the lyrics of Urbandub's Fallen On Deaf Ears during the time when my lovely romance was on World War 2. Is that it? Whatever it is, its very weird.

#16 Bullying grade 6. I didn't bully kids when I was in elementary. I was just the class clown. I did hustle for a few coins though pambili ng marvel cards and sago't gulaman but that was it.

#17 Conclusion about sex?!!! I have no idea know how the hell I attracted personalities with identity crisis, but just for the sake of it, let me tell my conclusion of it. Sex is how I drive women crazy. *wink. hehe.





Ghosts. Look for the paranormal and you'll end up in my blog. Hmm, I did tell a story once. Quite haunting really.









#38 Top emo bands. I've been typecast as an "emo kid" lately. Emo emo emo. Heck, well if you're looking for music listen to my favorite "emo" bands. Play Circa Survive and Finch on my Lastfm widget. Just click the forward button till you get to the songs.

Similar to #15, # 39 is also plain loony. Let me see, from the word database that is my twisted mind, the very word that I would describe "foosteps" is... SNEAKY.

#40 You're half the world away. That one's actually right. I am Half the World Away.

# 41 Last and definitely the worst. Zan Efron. Pucha, sino si ZAN Efron? Minsan na nga lang wrong spelling pa. People, it's Zac Efron and the only reason I mentioned him in this blog is because we have the same hairstyle. And just to clarify things, I am a fan, but I've never seen ANY of his movies. Why would I? I have tons of classic Hollywood films on queue.

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Once, a friend told me that her friend reads my blog religiously, and also that another friend's friend in the Visayas bookmarked my blog. I'd like to think that I'm getting cult following. Great. Additionally, some of the people at the office who I haven't got the chance to get acquainted with even sent me instant messages telling me how good of a writer I am and that they find my blog deeply interesting. Cool. My blog is like music. Many worship pop, but few revere in the alternative. I cater to the latter.

So yeah whatever. Here's to more visitors. Weird or not weird.

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P.S.




Now this one's really EMO. Huhuhu... :p

RUSH!

Okay. There's more to SEO than keyword research, meta tags and description, link building, social engineering and everything googly-goo. Being an "apprentice" for about a month a half now, I honestly admit that I'm still in a sponge-like state wherein I try to soak up every thing and disperse knowledge in god-like SEO execution. Uhm, I meant peasant-like. No, maggot-like.

Speaking of gods, October 9-10 will be the dates of the 1st ever Philippine Search Engine Marketing Conference to be held at the Grand Ballroom of Hotel Intercon.

Super. Mr SEO Book Aaron Wall will be the main guest speaker along with the great SEM specialists of the country. I'm so proud that I'm working for the Macalua, my boss and basketball mentor (suck up), and with Pink SEO cutie Rhiz (suck up). Both will be speakers at the convention. Our SEO group is supposed to be there but unfortunately we have work on the said dates. Anyways, even if we got those days off I'm pretty sure some of us won't even be near Hotel Intercon. Man, the event ticket costs 8k plus! Ouch.

It's all good really. Marc said that he'll bring Aaron Wall to our company personally. Yeah, this is how we roll. Right now I'm already thinking of what I'm gonna say to him. "Oh Aaron. Yeah you must've recognized me when you entered. I'm "the" TJ Cafuir of Half The World Away. My adsense earnings are zero and the blogosphere hates me. Any tips?"

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I'm such in a good mood today, I don't know why. Must be all the reggae music I listen to. Actually, I'm in a rush. I'm uber focusing on work and on our next basketball game 2 weeks from now. I swear I'll rally traffic for my websites and there'll be no more cursing and throwing of the ball to someone's face. These things I shall do, so help me Aaron.

Supposedly, there should be an entry posted here. Apparently, some people thought that my post is too vulgar and could even end tenure. So with the ample money vested upon me by foreign corporations and businesses, I shall comply.

Still Stoked and Making Habol

I'm back at the office since Tuesday. Still, my body aches so much, if you'll stencil it with a pen, they're gonna break to chunks.

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With a click of a button, I found out that I was really gonna drown this time. Work is staring like a heightening wave ready to devour me in a wipe out. I have to make habol.

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Later tonight, I'll punish my body more. I'll be playing basketball with complete strangers. I sure hope that they haven't read my blog... well, maybe I do. People mostly perceive writers as mere feeble creatures and Tj Cafuir's gonna prove them bastards wrong.

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I'll be at the 2nd Blogger Meet-Up at the SM Taste Asia MOA tomorrow night. As usual, I'll be an anti-social and alienate myself by consuming all available alcohol. I don't act well in social gatherings. It's either I get too excited and annoy other people or I get to bored and intentionally annoy people. All I'm really after is meeting fellow SEO strategists and practitioners. I'm gonna milk all tips and advice as much as I can.

I heard that bryanboy is attending. I'll bring a copy of Radioactive Sago's album 'Putangina Mo, Ang Daming Nagugutom Sa Mundo Fashionista Ka Parin' if ever that incredibly ridiculous, extraordinarily shallow, extremely amusing foot spa attendant lookalike blogger shows up. Sure would complete my night.

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I had a great time in Zambales. I wish I could put it into writing. I'm still thinking a different approach on how to blog it.

Communication Breakdown | Attitude Problem

"The basis of life is people and how they relate to each other. Our success, fulfillment, and happiness depend upon our ability to relate effectively."

If this would be true, then I have no chance on success.

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Most people know me as being a happy person. You know, the "never-a-dull-moment" kinda guy. I am that, for sure. I have always been the class clown ever since and still is to this day. I love comedy and I love making people laugh. I take it as a skill.

Sometimes though, being funny all the time does have its repercussions. Sometimes I say things I really don't mean just for the sake of being funny. I do it all the time when I'm with friends and whatever I say or do, no matter how detestable, they take it as Tj just being Tj.

Currently, my co-workers who I am very fond of, are giving me the cold shoulder. Apparently, I have said something so offensive they decided never to talk to me again. I couldn't even remember what I said or did. Again, I was misunderstood. Or perhaps, I was being myself in the wrong company. Nevertheless I think they couldn't have given me worse treatment --> Silence and neglect. After all, what is a clown without an audience.

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Let me tell you something I haven't told anyone aside from my better half. Me and my mother haven't spoken to each other for over a year now. Our grudge is so deep we left no room for communication and healing. Everyday we pretend that the other doesn't exist. Everyday we have to instill pride and hate in our hearts just to prove one is better than the other. Everyday we have to discard the comfort of a mother and son relationship. It's been so long that now, I can't even recall what it feels like to have a loving mom... Well, I think I never had one...

So how in the world could I become a "people person" given the fact that I wouldn't even speak to the very being who bore me into this world.

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I'm having trouble with a certain colleague. I'm relatively new in my field and I'm still coping up with all the changes. He, on the other hand, knows the ins and outs of the industry. Well, on his end at least.

It is my job to instruct the guy around. One day as I was asking for a little task to be done, being the senior that he is, he decided to go for a little power tripping instead of helping me out. "Nah do this first and do this after. Come back some time in the next millennium."

I fell silent and walked away. Okay, fine with me. Eat shit, die mutherfucker die.

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And all this has been bothering me.

Why can't I communicate well? It isn't hard to say sorry, it isn't hard to admit mistakes and it isn't hard to talk things over. I know all these things yet I don't do it. I won't.

Then again, maybe its just me and my attitude problem. If you think you're cool, no I'm better. If you think your intelligent, no I'm wiser. If you think you're strong, no I lord you over. If you think you're right and I'm wrong, then take it to your grave. Die with it.

I was raised like this...

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I hope I don't come across as a bad person. I'm just always misunderstood. I hope people will see how meaningful I am. Yeah, maybe I am a little loony and all but I mean no harm. And forgive me for saying things I don't really mean. Its just communication breakdown.

SEOlyshit!

Yeah. I is now an SEO. So many things, so little time. What a kick ass cliche.

Happiness and Everything Synonymous

In retrospect, I could still remember the defining career interview of my life. I can still recall what I was asked, what I answered and what I felt at the time.

It was my first “successful” interview. It was for an upcoming BPO company in Eastwood City and God knows how I perspired snow flakes during the whole process. I have no idea what a call center does nor do I honestly know anything about outsourcing. Everything was alien to me and all I knew was that I needed to speak fluent English. Unfortunately, I didn't have the articulate tongue. All I had was the eyes of determination.

Somehow I qualified. For my final interview, I was led to a cubicle with a foreigner to interrogate me. Thinking real hard, I still can recall her looks; overweight, blond and extremely star spangled Americana.

*Susie May: “Tell me a scenario or a situation wherein your were actually needed to learn or acquire certain knowledge in a short period of time. What did you do to cope up with it and how did things turn out for you?”

Tristan: “When I was in grade school, all of my classmates were bullying me for I was the only one who doesn't play good basketball. I was pretty much lame. The thing is, I don't like to be bullied and I know I can beat them. What I did was I trained during summer. Alone, I went out on the court with my ball and practiced and practiced all day until I got better. First year of high school came and to everyone's surprise, I was now a better player, I was able to compete with the rest. Although I wasn't as good as my classmates, I began to gain respect and eventually I became the starting point guard during sportsfests. That's all ma'am.”

*Susie May: “You know what, I have a son just like you. All day out in the field shootin' ball. I admire your will, that's good. Well, that's the end of it. Is there anything you would like to ask me?”

Tristan: “Am I hired?”

*Susie May gave a smile and nodded. I was.

She shook my hand and certainly she was shaking the hand of the happiest person in the world. It was happiness and everything synonymous. For the first time in my life I felt real success. For the first time in my life I felt affirmation. A nod, a simple nod from a stranger who's taking a risk of employing someone with only a basketball story to tell. Forever would be changed after that interview.

There would be a handful of similar scenarios after that, some ending up in failure while many turned out to be alright. As always I was still sweating ice, but nonetheless the fiery determination was always there.

I applied for a copywriter position early this year. What the company was looking for was someone who has studied journalism and courses of such and someone who has done extensive writing. I wasn't that someone. All I had to show is an article about movies. Although it was an outstanding piece, my tech support background didn't quite fit the requirements. Nevertheless, a risk was again taken. Triumphant, it was happiness and everything synonymous.

Recently, I got hired again. Same company, different position and another leap of faith. It would be this time when I remembered Susie May. God bless her soul.

My constant leaps has gotten me somewhere far from where I could have imagined. Luckily, this feet of mine happened to have a good landing. Although life may not always be about achievement, it sure is about grabbing them. People may not always give you the upper hand, but heck, your grip is all that matters.

Let me be sentimental and tell this part. In all ways I could be looked at, I want people to think me as the kid who refused to be feeble. I'm in constant movement, forward to the pursuit of happiness and everything synonymous.

*Susie May is a name I made up. Actual name is similar but I already forgot.

Twerp, It's 10pm

I've been here at the office for 14 hours now. 8am to 10pm. Well let's deduct about an hour and 30 minutes of lunch time and yosi breaks. And when I do smoke, I stare blankly at the cloudy skies while I puff the burdens of stress away.

Carry me comfty clouds, carry me away to distant lands where the trees sway ethereal by the gentle whisks of the wind.

A light, I see a blinding light at the end of the tunnel...

Hoyyyyy!!!! Oh sorry I dozed off.

Here comes the majestic moon illuminating the purple night. I trace the stars as flickering rubies reflect radiance in my eyes...

Hoyyyyy!!!! Oh sorry I dozed off.

Its now 10pm and I'm still here. In about 10 hours I'll be here again. Worse, It's gonna be the same blog post tomorrow. I'm stressed, I have tons of work blah blah blah. I bore myself.

Anyway I have to go home now. See you tomorrow.

Citylights streamline the empty streets as I clench my jacket. It's a windy night. Exactly how my beleaguered soul feels at this very moment...

Hoyyyyy!!!! Uwi na Tristan!

Break On Through

Alright! It's gonna be a wonderful day. "Good morning manong guard." I ate leftover spaghetti for breakfast, I hold hot coffee in my hand, I have my rasta bag wrapped around my shoulders and best of all.. I'm not late. Let me turn on my pc, sign in to yahoo mail, messenger, hotmail, analytics and of course friendster. I'll take sip... ahhh.. Now I'm ready for the day's work. Let me see where do I start.

Keywords:

Jeep Shock Absorber - 300 words
Jeep Release Bearing - 300 words
Saturn Spark Plug - 300 words
Saturn Rims- 300 words

Blogs:

Drivebling - 50 words w/ pictures
Escadillac - 50 words w/ pictures
EBC Brakes - 500 words

Company Project

Website Content - 450 words


Side Project

UK Office Furniture - 300 words
Ergonomic Office Chairs - 300 words
Computer Desks - 300 words
Office Desks - 300 words
Executive Office Furniture - 300 words

Ouch. What is this thing sticking out of my fingertips? Oh they're my veins! Haha how cute...

So you see I won't do any sensible blogging for quite some time. I have to earn a living.

Now, although my work makes me cry in my chair where everybody sees and thinks I'm crazy which pretty much is accepted already, I completely have no protest. It pays me to hurt my lumbar.

There you go. My daily life.

How accurate is Google Analytics? / Hello Lisbon!

I, along with other million bloggers, use Google Analytics to track my blog page visitors and where they come from. Since its from the mogul Google (hey that rhymes), I have absolutely no second thoughts about the accuracy of its statistics. Never until now.

According to the map overlay, I have readers in Lisbon. Yes Lisbon, Portugal.

How can a web copywriter tucked in a small office in the heart of traffic central Shaw Blvd. have a reader in Southwest Europe? Comprehensible if you'd think maybe Blogspot admin is located or has a satellite office in Lisbon but no, they're in San Francisco. They couldn't have advertised my blog and told the Portuguese "hey this guy is nuts, check out his blog." My friends couldn't possibly caused it to happen, they can't read. All they do is stare. "Oh nice there's a picture of a surfer." And I'm dead sure tjisme.blogspot.com doesn't have a page rank, yet.

So this leaves me with two conclusions. One, analytics is showing me a big pile of steamy you know what or two, I really do have a steady reader in Lisbon. Someone somehow has accidentally clicked my url, stood on the rooftop edge of a 74 story building and shouted "Este tipo e prodigio! Faco o marcador de paginas o seu blog imediatamente e ler todas as suas palavras brilhantes ate o dia do juizo final. Saude!"

If the latter happens to be true, well great. That means I'm international now. If not, fine. I have readers in Kamuning!

WTF comes out of the Yuppie mouth?

See I was given this herculean task to provide the content for our company's website. Me and my senior copywriter. Of course I put on my "A" game and took it SRSLY. After a few easy minutes I submitted my share of content for the "What we do" section. It was good. The copywriting gods may even have been delighted.

The project leader, the "Rising Internet Star" (search google for "the rising internet star") wanted me to do just a minor tweak on the content. "Make it more... a little yuppie".

Yuppie. I am a yuppie. My co-workers are yuppies. My drinking buds are yuppies. Jessica Alba's boobs are yuppies puppies yummies.

But how can I write a content using yuppie talk? If I use mine it'll be like, "We are a kick-ass company or "Dude your company sucks". "Yeah you know our company is like the best and yours is like really stupid and stuff".

I guess I've never been amidst the real yuppies, the ones that gulp cafe au lait and talk about the Ayalas and the Zobels. The ones that carry IBM Thinkpad laptops and drive Toyota Camrys. I've always admired them. I think they're vain, arrogant and self-centered. Exactly just like me. Only cheaper, way cheaper. I drink chilled Yakult, I talk about Capt. Jack Sparrow, I carry a terminal cellphone and I have great agility squishing myself against the MRT crowd. More of a yuckie than a yuppie.

But does this affluence really necessary in defining a person's growth and success? Shallow if you'll ask me, but then maybe it is. We live in a material world and we are a ma-material people. We survive on material things. It's ok to be material, just don't let it get the best of you.

Whatever the criteria is, it still is better to be yourself and show the world how wealthy you are, spirit and soul.

This entry is not a two-liner I suppose. Anyway it still is easy to sound "yuppie". It's always a good practice to resort to improvisation and creativity when writing a copy. And Heck. I'm the greatest web copywriter in the whole galaxy and I... am a yuppie.

As of the Sapping Moment...

Wheeewwsshh! Argg... It's been a week since I last posted a post (posted a post.. I will not edit this to show you how drained I am). As of this time I finished three type 1 wikipedia articles and a 260-word entry on a corporate blog. Accumulatively I typed over 1800 words in the span of 7 hours. Slow, you think? Hey I was like that the whole time last week. Not even? Ok then..."Smithers release the houndz". Ahehe he.

Anyway forgive me dear reader if may not be the Goodyear mascot that I am today. I feel just a little grumpy because tomorrow I'm bound for more work. So I'll be on blog vacation for now but hopefully I could squeeze in a two-liner post once in a while.

I'll be submitting a qualifying article tomorrow. If ever my article gets to be selected by the bosses, I'll be part of a special copywriters unit. So please kiss my coin before I throw it into the well. Until then, see you soon!

TREASON: She must be Robotic!!!

Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it... and when you do your eyes turn all white and your pupil starts to squirt corpuscle fluid. Let me post what I previously wrote here --> "I have to get used to writing, even if it clogs my veins from blood flow". My blood still is flowing but they come out of my eyes as tears.

Yes I am overreacting but seriously writing can get really stressful. Before you get your fingers do their dance on the keyboard, you have to like close your eyes, say a prayer and invoke the Nick Usborne in you. Now after staring at the ceiling for hours until they form arms and slap you in the face, you finally begin to write articles like you should be.

Its funny how some people just sit down in front of their computer and type the hours away. I mean c'mon its almost unfair, here I am stretching and yawning every two paragraphs I bat out and there she is smiling the Mona Lisa while rhythmically making keyboard noise. R U a freakin' robot dear? Hmmm.. may be she is a robot, maybe she transforms herself to a laptop and the keys just begin to type by themselves! Or better yet she can be a mutant!

Anyway, the girl I'm talking about is very talented, she's a literary major in La Salle so I'll make her an exemption. But as far as I know, as with every other copywriters around me, we dance to the inaudible tune of The Beatles' Twist and Shout whenever we stumble upon the so-called writer's block. It's really hard people.

No parting words this time. See you soon.

Oh there she is again, smiling like she's the Neo of copywriters.. well let me tell you this I am the one! Arggg my eyes...

Under Pressure

Two Saturdays ago, I was just snorkeling the reefs of Puerto Galera. The Tuesday after that, I was snorkeling the abyss of deadlines, 500-word articles and fake identity. "Snap back to reality oh there goes gravity"... word. It's stress week at the office.

To top the burden list, big boss Marc gave us a side project. We were assigned to come up with a company brochure to be disseminated in an upcoming job fair somewhere sometime. Fairly easy I thought, if writing about vehicle exhaust systems won't sharpen your writing mind I don't know what else will. Anyways we had a brainstorming session with our group of copywriters and for the first 30 minutes we came up of taglines only geniuses can come up with. Taglines like "got beef?", "break on through to the other side" and "I.T. is good, all the time" came out like exorcised demons. Dammit, purol na mga utak.

Again that was a side project, a side dish. For the main course a delectable set of keywords are waiting for me to magnify their existence thru 500 words of whimsical copywriting. How am I suppose to write a 500-word wikipedia type article about automobile floor mats? Floor Mats. What is your profession? Tonight I dine in hell.

Psst don't tell. I am Josh Kellerman from Detroit, Michigan. I blog about custom ridez and pimped out bling bling automobilez in the hiphop community. So fresh so clean baby. I holla at my boyz and ladiez and feature chromed out wheels and hyper white lights and ultaviolet lenz. I know Snoop D-O-double G and I call Dwayne Wade my boy. My ebonics suck.

It was a stressful week. Fine by me really, I have to get used to writing, even if it clogs my veins from blood flow. Writing is a skill and in order for me to hone mine is to just write, write, write. I know I wasn't born Alighieri.

Well today is a new week. Deadlines were met and articles were written. Big boss chose our brochure (we finally got a sensible tagline) and Josh Kellerman still is fly. There's more struggles to come and I welcome them with open arms. Okay, not with open arms but hey they're welcome.

What is Web Marketing?

IPSO FACTO

Basically, it is a component of E-Commerce >read: the buying or selling of good and services thru the Net. Fact is, there are 1,018,057,389 internet users around the globe and certainly that figure continues to arise. With this information, corporate eyes now target the www as new ground to establish their enterprise.

The market now is on-line and your store is your Website. Of course, as with any business venture, you would want your site to become popular and attract as many customers as possible and generate sales to the moon and back. Not only that, you would also want your site to estabish credibility in the internet community so that business will become stable and dependable. Simple as it may read you'd think money making has never been this easier, problem is, among the figures shown above, among the billions of users surfing the www, you're not the only one on the prowl.

TOP OF THE HEAP

If the store is your website then the Searh Engine is the mall. We all have used Google or Yahoo to search about everything. Books, tshirts, hotel accomodations, cars, music, everything. From rocking chairs to rockets. there's no need to empasize on extensiveness.

Now let's say you own a book store and you have a website for online purchases. Now, a particular browser is looking for books by Mitch Albom and does a search on google. The potential customer types "Mitch Albom books" on the search field, guess how many results came about, 1,060,000. One of those sites containg the search keywords is yours, the question is, what are the chances of that visitor to click your site and possibly do a purchase? Yes, i heard you.

CREATIVES AS WEAPONS

It is a fact that web users usually visit those sites that are listed at least within the top 5 of the search results, which means you've got to get into the that list. That's what we call Page Ranking. And yes, websites wage war just to be on top. How do you it? You use creatives.

• Content is King - your site interface should contain strategically constructed words and phrases plain and simple yet effective.
• Visuals - adds aesthetic value to the website not to mention popularity
  
• Links - a certain website would not need charades for publicity, all it needs are affiliates that will directly or indirectly promote your site
• Keyword Rich in HTML - make sure that you add semantically-related keywords in HTML as individuals differ in keyword usage

It may easy to rank in search engines but believe me, there is more to what the eye can see. Many companies tried to market their website on their own but only availed little success. Again there is war out there, you will need professional help. SEO specialists (search engine optimization), Web Copywriters, Web Designers, Programmers are all hired by successful website owners.

THE MARKET OF THE FUTURE

Although Search Engine Marketing is relevantly new in the Philippines, it is certain that this industry will be the next big thing in marketing in no time. As businesses turn to the internet to expand their brands and services it is better gain knowledge in the optimization of search engines now. Feel free to contact the author about any inquiries about Web Marketing.

goodbye, hello

so i bid adieu to Sykes, me home for over a year. gone are the days when i sleep under my station beside the cpu, dreaming of a far away land where i am king of cool as the processor fan hums it sweet buzz to my ears. i miss the freakin' place. the building, the elevator, the panel doors, everything. but ultimately what i really do miss, is the people.

people that i hate, people that i love. and the people that i dont give a f*ck about.

i've stayed with them for this long. and now it's time to disappear. i leave an enigma.

of course as with the closing of doors you also open new ones. i like what's on the other side. finally a job that suits me. web copywriter for now, marketing tycoon in the future. as i look at the horizon i shall never forget the adventures that i had along the way. experience is the greatest teacher. i have learned well. all the words of the wise we read will only make real sense once you've experienced it.

so on with the adventures i say. keep 'em coming. as i am confident in the victory, everyday is WAR.