In a previous post Keeping Tabs on Your Market I told you about how you can use Google Alerts to keep track of what those in your industry, competitors or even Bloggers are up to.

It’s a simple concept really. You set up alerts for your main keyword phrases and new posts, sites and pages that include those terms are sent to you in a nifty little e-mail for you to check out. Another neato way to use these alerts is to track new links to your site(s). The alert e-mails then deliver to you the golden opportunity to network and build relationships with folks who have linked to your site.

All you have to do is setup an alert; I use Google and you can read more at the link above (or below). I set up alerts for all my sites for new inbound links. So for this site, as an example, I setup a Google alert to look for “link:http://www.theistudio.com/”. When a new incoming link is indexed by Google, I get an e-mail with a link to the site linking to mine.

When I’ve been notified of a site that found value in my stuff and has linked to me, I always stop by the site and thank them. If it is a Blog post, I’ll contribute to the conversation and again thank them for their support. This little effort on your part can be the beginning of some great partnerships!

Search engines put allot of relevancy on one-way inbound links — sometimes too much so without enough discrimination. But for the time being that’s the way things work and if another site owner “out there” gives you that golden link that search engines rely on to rank you higher, it is well worth your time to thank them!

You will find, as have I, that you’ll meet allot of nice folks, establish new relationships and create networking opportunities that might otherwise not have come your way!

At your service,
Judith

What is a muse to do with site owners who have sites that are 6,7,8 years old because they have ignored most of what folks like me advise? Some actually having the attitude that they somehow know better — which gives them the excuse to ignore all prudent recommendations.

Marketing isn’t necessary, keeping updated in both information and looks hasn’t been important either. Things should just happen as they want with no action or expense on their part. They chose over the years to not spend money on their Web program with a multitude of excuses that only serve to reflect their lack of understanding in regard to the potential they are blatantly disregarding.

One in particular had form scripts that had been deactivated by their hosting company — years ago!! When advised that they needed to change to a more secure recommended form — they did nothing because they didn’t want to incur the expense. Imagine all the lost inquiries and opportunities because one didn’t want to spend any money to have their contact form updated and secured? Personally, I can’t even fathom that train of thought! Leave a non-functioning form in place? What does that say about your business, priorities, attention to detail?

Then out of the clear blue sky….Stop the presses — we now want a new look! “It should be easy since I already have a site, right?” (That’s cheapskate site owner code for I want a new look but I don’t want to pay for it.) Wrong; new look = new code, new graphics — update everything — not “easy.” They also let you know it needs to be perfection — down to the pixel (this coming from those not having a working form for years!) and it needs to be up in just a few days — for hardly any cost none the less! Sheesh!

What is a muse to do? With some, those red flags hitting me right up side the head guide me to advise they find a new consultant more in line with their methodology. Why even take on a client that I know will disregard my advice and have me eating Tums within hours of starting their project?

For those I think I can muse to the other side, what I do is calmly explain what is involved and do the best I can. If they get too demanding or unrealistic, I let them know the truth whether they like it or not. If their expectations come from a lack of desire to learn and apply, spend and do — then, I let them know they most likely are throwing good money after bad unless they take my advice to heart and accept the challenge ahead of them.

And what if they don’t like that approach? For every Judith, there are 100, more like 1,000 unscrupulous developers who will be more than willing to take their money and tell them want they want to hear. If ignorance is bliss; then working with me is not.

At your service,
Judith