The SEO Experience

When it comes to SEO, I've been around the block. I've gone from seeing it in action to hiring a company to doing it myself, and did fairly well at it. I'm not going to claim to be an expert, far from it. I do however, understand the basics. The top level planning and strategy, where to go to get the work done that I cannot do myself, and basic design. I'm not a graphics guy, so I usually use a template that has layout images in it, dump the junky photos that come with it and find my own and viola I have a site that looks decent, can easily be edited and does fairly well in organics over time.

Let's get on to the meat and taters of the story.

I changed companies and took on a more intense role at another debt settlement company. It's young with a lot of talent and potential. There is a website that was written prior to me coming on board and was set up to be "optimized for search" and there is a marketing/SEO firm that is currently working on it. Let me say, I'm not a huge fan of the site, but I'll let you form your own opinion. My company has already paid for the design and the start of the optimization and there remains another portion of the agreed upon price to continue the optimization efforts. I did mention already that I'm not an SEO expert, but I do have experience right!?

I looked through the code of the site to start my work with the SEO company and was shocked. I noticed a few errors and started talking with a designer that I have worked with in the past who does great work and he about fell out of his chair. If the IM's back and forth had appropriate language I would post them, but they don't.

I'm currently building my list of things for a meeting with the SEO/Marketing firm tomorrow morning. I was just curious how many of the SEO people I know would like to see this piece of work and comment about it. Please, arm me with ammunition on just how you think the company is doing.

Depending on how all of this works out, I may be looking to hire one of you to do it! Consider it an option to bid on the work. Not the design, just the SEO, you would work with my designer, or just wait until he was done and then you could have the site to yourself.

I don't want you to tell me what you would do to fix it, I'm not asking for your thoughts to take and do it myself. I would just like you guys (and girls) to tear it apart and point out the flaws. I'll send a special prize to the person who gets the number one flaw that Jason Bee the designer pointed out. Keep in mind, Jason does not do SEO, and this is not just an SEO flaw, but a flaw in the entire site.

here's the URL www.matrixdebtrelief.com

It's Been a while, How are ya?

It's been a while since I've written anything, especially something with value, but here I am. hings have been busy in my world. I've taken steps away from where I was when I first started blogging in 2005 and focused myself on a lot of other things in life that are far more meaningful. No one really reads my blog and that's ok with me. After all, it is my nonsensical ramblings that find there way out of my head and onto my keyboard.

I really have a lot of things to say, but I can't put them all into words. I guess I'll just use this quick post to freshen myself up and feel like I actually wrote something. Maybe later I'll get more into the things that I want to say.

That is, if I can make sense of my own ramblings!

The most awesome monkey ever!

A monkey on a motorcycle!? This has got to be one of the greatest stupid pet tricks ever. I think I want a monkey!

Ninja Cat

I hate cats, but this made me laugh at little towards the end.

Craigslist: A Place for Rape.

One of the guys in my office is an avid bow-hunter and is getting rid of some equipment. Being that I have sold items on Craigslist before, he asked me to post it for him which I gladly did. Here is what the ad reads...

This Bowtech Allegiance is decked out and ready for a hunt. It is set at 29" draw and 70#'s. Comes with 6 Easton Epic arrows fitted with Muzzy 100gr three blade broadheads. Recently paper tuned. Bow is outfitted with a simms module stabalizer, Trophy ridge dropzone rest, Quiver, Toxonic 5 pin sight, STS vibration dampener and Limb Savers. Peep sight and nock point installed. Superfast and ultraquiet. Will throw in more than a dozen arrows, Truball Hurricane release, Cobra mamba release, G5 broadheads, Muzzy 100gr 4-blade broadheads, field poins, Plano hard case, tuning tools, fletching tools, Blazer fletchings, and much more. Looking to get rid of my entire set up with the sale of this bow. Almost $2800 worth of equipment. Please email for detailed pictures of everything included. Also looking to sell pop up ground blind.

Even if you know nothing about bow-hunting, this is quite an extensive listing of goodies. I have had several responses, but let's be honest, the economy is struggling a little and there are not a lot of people looking to drop $850 on a "toy", but one response just rubbed me wrong. I got an email from "Ken" (I don't know why i put quotes, that is his real name. I just like quotes!) that simply said "I'll give you $300 Cash".

I though about this for a minute and decided I would respond...

Very nice of you to offer to give me 300 in cash with us being strangers and all. I very much appreciate the generosity, but I’d really like to sell my bow rather than accept donations. Oh, you meant you’d give me 300 cash for the bow and all the accessories? Oh, so it was not generosity, just a futile attempt for your own gain, and to be honest just a flat out insult to my generosity of offering almost $3,000 worth of bowhunting equipment to a lucky purchaser.

While I understand the requisite of shrewdness in business transactions I think I would need lubrication for this one.

Thank you for your response and your time. I don’t imagine you’ll be contacting me again, I therefore rescind my praises of your generosity in lieu of screaming RAPE based on the offer you made.

Have a great day Ken!

I still have the email sitting in my drafts, and I'm having second thoughts about sending it. Maybe I should just politely decline. What do you think? Let me know in the comments if I should send Ken a response.

Apple products for the family pet.

Ok, so maybe it's not made by Apple, but the iChew dog toy is a must have for the technologically advanced pup.

They are made of an ultra plush material and have a little squeaker inside to keep your dogs attention. I don't know about all of you, but at my house if it squeaks, he's interested.

I got one of these for the Stew-Monster and he carries it around all the time just like you or I would an iPod. I've been shopping around online for him, getting dog toys as well as hunting gear and camo, but the fun stuff has all come from Fleur De Pup. He loves his toys and as rough as he is, they are holding up far better than anything else I have picked up for him. He's a growing boy, and while he was teething he tore up some plush toys from PetSmart.

Do your pet a favor and go check out the items at Fleur De Pup. I'm sure your dog will love them as much as mine and thank you for it.

Combat Fuel Prices with Beer!

If you've recently checked your bank account and noticed that your life savings is down to a meager $1.26, then it comes as no surprise that the record gas prices are raising the cost of nearly everything we buy. While we could organize revolts against The Man for allowing oil tycoons to smoke cigars made from $100 million bills (What, never heard of that? You have to rip the American public off for at least $5 billion per year to get sent these special treasury notes!) At BeerMagnet.com, we believe in doing something that is both legal and fun.

A recent article written by Bill Fleckenstein titled "$4 a gallon means more for a beer" finally struck us where it hurts. In it, he claims that soaring gas prices will raise the cost per hour of farmers selling hops, and that would indicate a 25 cent per pint increase on beer at your local brewpub. Now, a little known fact is that all BeerMagnet staff is required to drink nothing but beer. We drink beer, our kids drink beer, grandma drinks beer. It's a way of life – for us – and many other Americans.

So how do we, as a beer loving (nay, worshipping!) society, combat this situation? How do we help both the consumer and the pub, club and grub industry? Beermagnet.com!

In the car industry, some dealerships make a little money per sale on many sales per month, while others make few sales with a high profit margin per sale. Currently, the escalating price of beer follows the latter model. Perhaps by joining together, and selling (and drinking!) more beer, we can switch it to the former. Selling more beer at a smaller profit margin per beer allows everyone to win! The bars and clubs will receive more profit, and the consumers obtain The Golden Juice Of The Gods in the vast quantities they deserve.

But it can't happen, right? Wait! Don't leave, we're just joking. It CAN happen. Bars do it all the time – they're called specials! The problem with having specials is that people have to know about them to take advantage of them. You can either use the ancient art of telepathy, or bravely step into the 21st century and use www.beermagnet.com!

Help BeerMagnet.com help you by getting your favorite bars and clubs to post their specials on BeerMagnet.com, and tell all of your friends (your enemies too, we're not morally opposed to luring your arch-nemesis into a nearby pub and getting him a little happy) to use BeerMagnet.com to check out all of the Hot Spots in their area. If we can get BeerMagnet.com to grow fast enough, we can make going out for a good time a true escape from the hardships of rising gas prices!

Although BeerMagnet.com wholeheartedly believes that the relation between beer and www.BeerMagnet.com might allow you to put your children through Harvard, it is not recommended that you empty your children's future into the nearest pub.

Unleash your Pubtential(TM)!

Paparazzi in Muttgaritaville!

If you're looking to pamper your dog and have them chased by the paparazzi instead of just chasing their tails there is a new site on the web. I say new, newly discovered might be more apropos. In a few simple clicks you can turn you're families best friend into the star of the show. Paris Hilton would be proud to put Tinkerbell in a velour tracksuit and let her sip "Muttgarita's" on a patio in Beverly Hills!

I know I've got some dog loving friends that would be interested in the vanity collars, Jimmy "Chews" plush toys and a nice big "Sniffany & Co." blue box pillow for their little buddies.

I personally am waiting for the gun toting camo line for my dog. I'm not sure I could make him wear a pink collar, he might get mad and not hunt any longer.

It's a competitive market out there for Dog accessories, but Fleur de Pup has some interesting things for, in the words of Brad Paisley from I'm Still a Guy "your sissy dog".

Check out the site, buy your pup something nice and let Fleur de Pup donate to the humane society. Even those pets lost deserve a nice present. I say this year instead of adopting an angel, we all adopt a pet! They may not be as grateful for the gifts, but they sure love the attention.

Foreclosures Increase the Threat of West Nile Virus

Yes, this blog is called Nonsensical Ramblings, but this one has some meat to it.

The increase in foreclosures and the slow movement of the housing market are leaving pools abandoned and unmaintained, thus an increase in Mosquito breeding. Mosquito's carry the West Nile virus, just in case you've been under a rock for the last few years.

There are several stories out about it...

ABC News
Pestworld Press Release

..and the list goes on.

One interesting story was in The Wall Street Journal this morning, but I haven't found it online yet. Yeah, I do still read print articles. Amazing isn't it?

The Gambusia affinis is being used in California to keep the mosquitos down and keep the city cost for extermination and pesticide spraying down. That's probably one of the best ideas to come out of California in a while!

How Dirty are Collection Attorneys?

Collection Attorneys are notorious for their threatening and questionable tactics when t comes to collecting a debt. Often times debtors who are sued experience what is called "Sewer Service" where a Collection Attorney or process server does not properly serve the debtor with a summons in order to obtain a default judgment and execute to collect. Some states do allow for summons to be affixed to the door of a residence, or for debtors to be served via U.S. Mail. I have argued until I was blue in the face that this is a violation of a debtors Constitutional right to a fair trial, but as I am not a lobbyist it falls on deaf ears. Collection Attorneys will defend their practices as "just", "fair" and within the law, but are they ethical, and are they really "within the law"?

I found some marketing information from a debt collection attorney that could shed some light on all of this. Here are a few snippets.

• We provide the muscle behind your push for payment.

This sounds aggressive, and while it creditors may be looking for someone to help them collect the outstanding debt, there are consumer protection laws in place to make sure debtors are not "harassed".

• places a calculated amount of pressure on the debtor

What would be a calculated amount of pressure? I have heard of collection attorneys threatening several things that they cannot do. Keep in mind that you cannot be taken to jail for an inability to pay your debt. Could your wages get garnished or property have a lien put on it? The answer is yes, but only after a judgment is granted, and if your state law allows for it. Many Collection Attorneys will threaten these things and not tell you that they have to obtain judgment first. Getting a judgment is not always as easy as they make it out to be.

• It is important to note that the Defendant is unaware you have asked the Court for judgment in this case.

Here is a Collection Attorney admitting to "Sewer Service". By manipulating the system they are not giving debtors a chance to file an answer or appear in court to dispute the debt, or even give the debtor access to the information pertaining to the account. In a lot of cases there are trumped up and inaccurate charges and penalties on the account making the balance much greater then it actually is. Debtor's do have the right to review the information and get a fair trial. It's never good to just hide or ignore the summons.

• If, however, the Defendant files an answer, we usually respond with a motion for summary judgment. This motion is predicated on an affidavit from you that the account is due.

A motion for summary judgment can be looked at two ways, either the Collection Attorney has all of their information together, has presented it to the court and it is irrefutable evidence that the account is owed, or they have no information and are trying to push the case through without proving anything. Record keeping in the collection industry is sub-par, even more so when a debt has been bought and sold to a collection agency or recovery company. Often the Collection Attorney has no records pertaining to the debt and could not properly prove the amount owed in court.

• In most cases the Defendant cannot defend themselves and the Court awards a judgment in your favor. Note: if the Defendant can defend themselves at this point by showing the Judge that there are particular areas of the invoices that have been paid, then this is not a routine collection case and we need to carefully examine the circumstances surrounding the invoices to be certain everything is "in order."
  

Everything is "in order"? Does this reference the earlier mention of poor record keeping? Could it be that Collection Attorneys are suing without proper evidence in order to obtain a judgment and keep the debtor from a fair trial?

I can't answer all of that. I'm not an attorney, but debtors should know the dirty practices of Collection Attorneys. It is not a crime to have a hardship that has set you back on keeping up with your financial obligations, it is not a crime to seek debt help through a consolidation loan, CCCS program, debt settlement, or bankruptcy, but the practices of some Collection Attorneys are a crime. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act outlines consumer rights pertaining to debt collection. If you are in debt and are struggling to gt it resolved, know your rights and exercise them. Good people fall on hard times and do not deserve to be treated poorly by bad Collection Attorneys.