SEO by Chris Estes

Have you ever met somebody with the same name as you?  Have you at least cyber-stalked them?  I have. In fact I have been working to push them from the top rankings for my name.  On an SEO note all I may have been doing is legitimizing their prescience.   My name pressence isn’t the point of this post.  One of the fascinating things for me living in New York is having the New York Times at my door every morning before I go to work.

Today I opened the paper to find an interesting article about "googling" your name and making contacts with people with your same name.  This is snapshot of the article.  To read the whole article: Names That Match Forge a Bond on the Internet.

April 10, 2008 – NY Times

Names That Match Forge a Bond on the Internet

By STEPHANIE ROSENBLOOM

From time to time Sam Blackman, a pediatric oncologist in Philadelphia, checks up on people other than patients. Namely, other Sam Blackmans.

No stethoscope is needed to take the pulse of his namesakes, though — just a Google search. And while he has never met the men he refers to as Sam 2.0 and Sam 3.0, when one of those other Sam Blackmans posted a photograph of his wife on the Internet, Dr. Blackman, 39, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pleasure.

“I’m like ‘Oh! Sam Blackman got married,’ ” he said. “I felt like I should send a card or check his registry on Amazon.”

Now that the telephone book has been all but replaced by the minutiae-rich Web, searching out, even stalking, the people who share one’s name has become a common pastime. Bloggers muse about their multiple digital selves, known as Google twins or Googlegängers (a term that was the American Dialect Society’s “most creative” word last year).

In “Finding Angela Shelton,” a book published this month, a writer named Angela Shelton describes her meetings with 40 other Angela Sheltons. Keri Smith, an illustrator, has posted drawings of six of her Googlegängers on her blog. There are name-tally Web sites like SameNameAsMe, and Facebook coalitions including nearly 200 people named Ritz (their insignia is a cracker box logo) and a group aiming to break a world record by gathering together more than 1,224 Mohammed Hassans.

But while many people are familiar with Googlegängers, a fundamental question has gone unanswered: Why do so many feel a connection — be it kinship or competition — with utter strangers just because they share a name?

Read more…

I have never met someone with my same name.  I think it would be interestingly creepy.  What if they were better than you?  What if they were worse?  What if they were a criminal?  These are all good questions.  For now I belive I am content just "cyber-stalking" their name.

After a long break from blogging I am back in the saddle again.  I moved to New York City a little over a month ago and I am long over due on posting.  So over the next few days look for me to publish some new info. 

Some friendly reminders:

Don’t forget to up-date your blog software to the new version.  – The lastest version comes with some pretty nice additions and cleans up the administration area.  Make sure you check it out as it also comes with some DB upgrades.

Windows Vista is still a waste of time.  My new job requires me to use it.  It does have some promising features  but overall it is more problem than good.

Many people ask what is the key to successful SEO? In a short answer there is no one exact scheme or plan that fits every website, except to have a plan. Like in a business if you don’t have a plan then you are destine for failure. With any effective plan you have to know what you want for an end result and how to get there. Effective plans begin with:

• Target Keywords and Key Phrases
• Targeting your audience
• Writing effective content

 Simple right?  If you can maintain and understand those basic things you have a the basis for an effective SEO campaign.  There are many detail postings and strategy oriented Search Engine Optimization articles, always remember to keep it simple.

The word optimization means streamline, simple, and easy.  Keep it simple.  If it seems complex then you should change it. 

In the world of SEO there is constantly some new tool that is forever popping up.  Well I just found a user input search engine that is fully interactive and user contributed, Stumpedia.  I have added several keywords and links.  I have already found a couple ares that can and will be abused.  I am not going to share them as it may cause problems and that isn’t right. 

Google is updating

In addition to that gem of a find I have also started noticing a Google update happening.  Webmaster tools are updated and Page Rank is being adjusted.  I haven’t heard any official word but some major update is going on.

I couldn’t help but share those two bits of information as I begin final preparations for the beginning of the move.  I am still seeking Guest Bloggers.

Ever wanted to post about SEO?  Ever wanted to be a guest blogger?

Here is your chance.  Due to my impending move and job change I am not going to be able to up-date as frequently.  So if you are interested in guest blogging use the contact form and we can discuss.