There has been a good deal written about the Google sandbox effect, as its known. It has been taking up a lot of forum and article space over the last few months. I cant help wonder why most of the comment Ive been seeing is negative or at least ambivalent about the concept (if of course, it really exists, as is the case with much about SEs that we dont truly know).
Im sure most are very familiar with the concept of the sandbox but for those who arent and at the risk of boring everyone else, here is a very brief rundown:
Google, it is said, have decided that newly listed websites should have their listing (and PR etc) placed on hold for an unknown period (the consensus seems to be around 90 -120 days) in order to make sure that they firstly, stick around for more than the specified period, and probably also continue to rank in the same way as they initially do. The concept has been likened to sending them off to play in the sandbox with all the other kiddies until they mature and can be judged by the same criteria as the rest.
Frankly, I cant see any problem with the idea at all. I have websites that have been online some time and other, newer ones that would be included in this sandbox category, so Im not saying this as someone who has only established sites that wishes to make it as difficult as possible for new competition to get established.
Over the last few years, Ive seen so many people decide (often on a whim and as often again with much planning) to try their hand at one form of Internet business or another, only to give up after a very short time. Certainly not long enough to see themselves out of the sandbox (if it exists).
Im not sure of the exact count, but Google have around 8.2 billion web pages indexed and in my opinion, thats far too many websites in almost every category on every topic. Its also true that the vast majority are idle and contributing nothing to the average Internet user. Speaking strictly about the Home Based Business area, Im sure no one could possibly disagree that any kind of idea or system, which requires a website to first prove itself as a positive contribution and demonstrate it will be online for more than a few months, is surely welcome.
After all, anybody who has had any degree of success in an Internet Home Business will tell you that it takes work, time and perseverance to get to the point where it is remotely worth your while (except for a few limited exceptions). So why would anyone who is serious about it be opposed to a relatively short trial period, where their commitment needs to be examined and established If anyone really thinks that they are going to see any great benefit from an Internet business website in the first 90 -120 days, then they really need to re-evaluate their reason for doing it (even though so many gurus guarantee success in far less time...)
As for websites of an educational, information or entertainment nature, I feel the same should apply. If something like the sandbox had been around a lot earlier and was implemented by all the SEs, there certainly wouldnt be as many dead links and inactive websites as there are.
In most cases and in most places, there is no licensing or certification whatsoever needed to begin a website about anything at all (even in the guise of a so called expert or guru). So anything in the form of a trial or cooling down period (even though the sandbox doesnt fill the bill to any great degree) is a step in the right direction towards controlling the number of completely useless and pointless websites that exist, for a short time, purely on a whim or search for a quick buck.
Just to qualify my comments a little, I know there are a number of personal websites and Journals etc. These, of course, are a means of personal expression and everyone has the right to tell the world about themselves and to discuss whatever their fancy. I dont believe that these types of websites are in any way unwanted. Obviously, such sites would not be included in the vast majority of meaningful searches, purely by virtue of their very nature and such, are not contributing to the abundance of dead or idle websites.
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Search Engine Optimization (SEO) doctrine states that you should always find a keyword that has little to no competition and that has high demand so that you can rise to the top of the search engine results and dominate that particular keyword. The problem with the internet home business area is that many people online are creating new websites with the typical keywords like work from home and home business so as a result it is almost impossible to rise to the top of the search engines or risking having to pay lots of money for pay per click advertising.
Instead of trying to compete with long established websites in the internet home business niche or high paying pay per click advertisers, this article suggests two ways you can think outside of the box and think of new keywords to promote your internet home business and its products.
Motivations and the internet business opportunity
It has been said that if you figure out someones motivations well enough, you can determine what he could do. Instead of hitting the work at home keyword when promoting your internet business opportunity, why not instead start thinking of reasons why people would join an internet home business. Reasons such as early retirement, starting part time income, quitting the rat race, getting out of debt come to mind. So if you target the reasons why someone would be interested in an internet business opportunity you are in effect targeting your actual online target audience.
So what you could do is write articles on these topics, optimize your websites to these topics with links to your internet home business which fit in with these motivations rather than the run of the mill work at home business websites.
Another way to generate more internet business signups is to hang out at website forums that discuss such things and offer some constructive advice and have a signature that leads to your internet home business website. If people trust your advice on the forums, they are more likely to trust the internet home business that you promote.
Solve health problems
Many internet home businesses have as their products health supplements. The reason for this is that such products are consumable and can be consumed monthly. As a result of this, nearly every internet home business owner selling vitamins either floods the Google Adwords with ads promoting vitamins or builds websites promoting vitamins.
One way around this problem is to find keywords targeting the problem rather than the solution. E.g. Heart attack if you are trying to promote antioxidants. Do some research into the area you are talking about and then either build a website that tells people more information about their health problems or advertise your product via Google Adwords as the solution to such a problem. Your competition may be significantly lower than if you had targeted Vitamins directly. So the lower the competition, the potential more money you might make with regards to product sales.
In conclusion, always aim to find these niches and once you do, spend time on Search Engine Optimization in addition to PayperClick advertising and you will find that in the longer run you will make more money online that you would have dreamed with your internet home business.
Joel Teo is the successful owner of severalsuccessful internet business ventures.Click here to learn how you can start your own successful internet business today.
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