About every year, Google goes through a bit of an algorithmic change that gives weight to a new aspect of search engine optimization (where the heck you show up in Google).

For example, a few years ago, Google started giving an insane amount of weight towards Web 2.0 properties like Squidoo and Hubpages. It was almost unfair – you could you put up a post on one of these sites, and it would dominate Google in as little as a few hours (I once did this to earn a #3 listing WITH NO LINKS for the search term ‘buy HGH’ – wowza!).

Every once in a while, one of these ‘loopholes’ shows up. In fact, back in 2004, there was a switch to favoring content instead of links; when this happened, spammers CRUSHED it by throwing up crappy content and putting Adsense on it. Read this PDF for the full scoop on these Google loopholes.

Recently, there has been heavy weight given toward sites that are built in WordPress. Because of this, I have personally converted ALL of my sites over to a WordPress platform. Every single one. It’s been clear that Google has preferred the WordPress platform when it comes to ranking sites, which has been very convenient, since it’s a very easy system to use. (In fact, Wealthy Affiliate now has a system that auto-installs WordPress platforms to give you turn-key websites.), but only recently has it become apparent WHY Google prefers this platform. Here’s why:

There is a shift happening in which Google is giving heavy weight towards ACTIVITY on your website, rather than what’s on your site or who links to your site. All these elements are very important, but activity is becoming more and more important.

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We interrupt our regular programming to take a short tour of my new condo in Cleveland, OH. Who said that there were no awesome shores in Ohio? (Forgive the bad haircut – I cut it yesterday, and it’s not my best work.)

The story of my decision to move back to my roots is below the video.

For the last four years, I’ve lived in Marion, IN – three of them to go to college, and the fourth to hang out and be young. When my friends graduated and moved on with life, it was time to make the decision about where to spend the next few years.

As an indecisive person by nature, I considered San Diego, Austin TX, New York, The Cayman Islands, Indianapolis, Fort Myers, FL, and on and on and on. Then in February, I started hitting a personal wall. Being away from my roots started becoming very draining – being away from people that you love is only fun for so long. It was a hard lesson to learn, and it’s clear that family only becomes more important as you get older.

Ultimately, I made the decision to get a condo back near my roots in Cleveland, OH. Needing something entertaining outside, I chose to live on the lake near downtown. The result was a spectacular view, unbelievable breezes, the ability to work on the roof and get lots of sun, and close proximity to the Cleveland Indians. My family happens to be nearby, as well.

It’s just been a few weeks, but it’s already been incredibly rewarding – one of my best friends decided to move in, and I don’t have to say, “I’ll see you in a few months,” to my family anymore.

I’m regularly asked why I don’t splurge and move someplace fancy… it’s just not in my nature. Maybe I don’t need those things. When I earn my money, I want to keep it. Sure, a place in San Diego would be awesome, but I can hop on a plane any time and go there – and I frequently do. So for the next few years, while I continue to travel the world and soak up all that it has to offer, I’ve chosen to set up my pad around people that I love.

Posted in Personal | 12 Comments »

Recently I have found myself in a quest to find myself, seeking meaning in my identity, pondering spirituality, wrestling with my true purpose – if you’ve ever found yourself there, leave me a comment so I know I’m not the only one. :) For awhile, it felt like a crisis, like a shipwrecked sailor who couldn’t see an island for miles. Now, I’m realizing how much I have grown and continue to grow as a result of this journey, and it is creating opportunities in my personal life and also to make more money than I’ve ever made before.

Tony Robbins likes to tell the story of ten years in his life that he mapped out, documenting the major events that happened each month. He says that he was surprised that the times of greatest trial or tribulation resulted in the greatest growth and even the greatest joy in his life. It didn’t feel like it at the time, but those struggles allowed for changes and opportunities that created the most positive experiences later in life.

This is true for most people, as well, even if few of us record each month of our lives. The times that seem the hardest are the same opportunities that can provide abundance and joy, depending on how we deal with the present crisis. In fact, crises and new challenges are the reason why most people create online businesses.

For some, that crisis is losing their employment or the boss that threatened their security. For others, it’s hitting a wall in their personal development as they search for meaning, and they realize that they need more time with family. Others feel like me, as they recognize their call to something greater and seek to make it happen.

People on the outside may see these situations as trials or crises, and rightfully so, because they each bring their own set of challenges. But successful people see them as opportunities, even when the world says that they are insurmountable challenges. This is what makes us different.

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Posted in Affiliate Marketing, Personal | 14 Comments »