**This was a popular and relevant post for a good while but seems to have founds it’s way to a Scrapebox list.  I’m spending half an hour a day reading comments that haven’t been caught as spam (on top of the 500 a day that have been) and it just isn’t a good use of my time.  A shame to do it but I really have no option but to close comments**

Since I started this WordPress blog, I’ve seen the genuine benefits of using Akismet to defeat the hoards of spammers out there.

Unfortunately, I’ve also witnessed a number of false positives, most of which have included a sufficiently lengthy and relevant comment. I can only assume that the URL linked to the poster’s name is on a blacklist.

What worries me is that the same posters get flagged time and time again despite the fact that I have approved their comments.  Does Akismet not review false positives and modify its blacklist?

If you think you are falling foul of Akismet, then post here.  If the comment doesn’t show, then you are caught….but I will approve all appropriate comments to see if that helps (a couple of lines without a link in the body of the comment should do it).

Alternatively, you can always contact Askimet to ask to be removed from the blacklist.  Good luck with that!

EDIT: 8th December 2010 – I’m overwhelmed by the number of people who have found this post useful, a big thanks to all of you.  The irony is that it has also attracted more spam posts in itself than the rest of the blog combined.  Spammers spamming a post about spam detection, now that is funny!

Steve

SEO is a funny old game…..

A couple of years ago I would never have imagined that success in Google could depend on the colour of the hat you are wearing, whether that was likely to fade in the wash or the danger of sand in a box.

Nor did I know my PR from my SEO or SERPs or even how to avoid a penalty (which anyone English knows we are notorious bad at – damn German precision!)

Then,  out of nowhere, my T&L (trial and error!) style of “optimisation” seemed to pay off and I hit number one spot for various terms.  Probably my biggest achievements were ranking in the top six of Google UK for “iPhone” and “PS3” amongst several hundred million results.

However, this isn’t a Hollywood blockbuster with limited story and a happy ending.  Well, not yet anyway.

I am now at position 21 at the top of page 3 for “iPhone” and the trouble with T&L…..you don’t have a damn clue which bit was the most successful.

Back to the drawing board!

OK, so I can hardly pretend that I spent my formative years with access to PCs and the Internet but I get by fairly well.   That is, until it comes to search engine rankings!

The Web is littered with promises of top spots in the hallowed ground that is Google but does anyone truly know what Search Engine Optimisation (“SEO”) is really all about?   I have one or two sites in top spots after months of work but the problem is that those followed months of trial and error with a bit of logic thrown in.

Take the search term “free iPod” for example.   I did very little work and held top spot for months in Google UK.   I have now dropped and have no idea what to do to redress the balance.   The same applies to “free gifts“.

So, back to the trial and error drawing board for me!

  Cost Per Action (CPA) indeed!

I stumbled across incentive based affiliate marketing almost three years ago whilst looking for an Xbox 360 to stream  music to my home entertainment system.

It is safe to say that the event proved to be life changing in a totally positive way!

I am not a youngster, have limited technical web coding, design and SEO skills  and my “proper job” means that  time is short.  However, despite those barriers, I have risen to the challenge and found riches beyond my wildest dreams. 

This isn’t for everyone and the downsides include some frustration and a fair bit of effort along the way.  You’ll also have to be thick skinned enough to cope with labels such as scammer and spammer, whilst   Not that I blame the doubters, the internet is full of sharks and I totally respect caution;  far better to put those people to one side and concentrate on those who are, or could be convinced.  

The main source of what is now a healthy second income has been my two incentive sites, Simplyfreeiphone and Gadgets4nowt .   Those go through spells of peaks and troughs but highlights include:

• Up to 1,000 unique visitors per day
• A unique advertising deal with Ciao
• Incentive based referral income of between £20 and £100 per day
• Additional affiliate sales through Mobiles.co.uk of £100 per week

If an old duffer like me can make this work, then so can you!  If you need assistance, just leave a comment with your question or query.

Steve

A couple of months ago I had the privilege of gaining favour with Google on one of my sites. Search for “free iPhone” on Google UK and you would find the site at number one spot with additional site-links annotated, like you see in the picture I have used as an example.

Clicks and conversions improved no end as a result and everything was good in the World of Steve!

The general idea is that Google considered the site to be the trusted authority on free iPhones (and they were right of course!). Well, maybe I should phrase that in the past tense. The site still ranks in the same position but the site-links have gone, disappeared into the ether.

I’ve not changed anything on the site and hope that continued link building will rectify the position. In the meantime, in the words of Toyah Wilcox, it’s a mystery.