Search Engine Optimization

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Search Engine Optimization, known as SEO, can help your website or blog get noticed and become more friendly for search engines to locate.

When building your site or blog be sure to choose the correct keywords to optimize your material. Be sure they are specific to your site. These are best utilized in the body tag of each page you are building. You can find many Search Engine Optimization sites that will let you discover which keywords are best for your site and most of them allow you to do this for free. When putting text on your pages be sure that you use dense keywords but also that they are appropriate for your site. Try to think of how others might be able to find your site and use those specific keywords. A helpful hint is to think of the last search you did and what type of words you used to complete that search. Now apply theory to your own site.

Meta tags are useful in helping search engine robots index your site. These are typically the first lines of your page. Put in a description and use keywords. Sites that you use for Search Engine Optimization can also create meta tags that you can use. Usually you will start with your description and keywords and the site will create a meta tag that you can apply to your site’s HTML.

Another helpful Search Engine Optimization type is robots.txt, which is a file that the robots will use to follow your site and decide which files or pages to index. You can create these by visiting various Search Engine Optimization sites or use something such as Google Pages, which has a section created just for websites.

Most websites will become lost or overlooked if they do not apply Search Engine Optimization techniques.

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Google Maps – An Alternative to GPS

If you need to find out where something is but can’t afford a GPS unit or it’s simply not practical at this time you may have an alternative – Google Maps.

With Google Maps you can install it on a smart phone and use it like a GPS unit to find addresses, local businesses and even businesses in the area such as restaurants and stores because it allows you to perform a generic search. So if you are searching for a Mexican restaurant you simply type it in and it will search for you using the technology that your smart phone comes equipped with.

Once the free application is downloaded the user can now see their own location on a map, search for business listings, get turn-by-turn driving directions, street views, latitude, traffic reports, transit directions, biking directions and layers. It does most everything a GPS unit does but at no cost to the person using it.

Right now Google Maps supports many smart phones such as the Android, Blackberry, iPhone and others as well as Windows. Another nifty feature is that it has voice search so you can perform searches hands-free. Different phones support different functions with Google Maps so you do have to research to see which functions are available with your individual smart phone. However, with a quick visit to their website you can be on your way to easier navigation without having to pay an arm and a leg for a GPS unit.

Iphone GPS
Even if you already own a GPS unit it’s not a bad idea to have a back up plan so you’re never without a way of finding an address you are looking for. Plus, with the Google Maps application being a free download you have nothing to lose in trying out its features and abilities.

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Reducing Hard Disk Thrashing on Your Computer

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Computer thrashing is an issue that some may face when the excessive interchanging of pages of data between memory and the hard disk cause the computer to make excessive noise and the light to constantly blink. Simply put, it means that you are trying to do more tasks than your computer has physical memory to perform.

One of the ways to reduce thrashing is to add more memory to your computer so it has more room to perform tasks. Simply find out the make and model of your computer and order memory online or visit a brick and mortar store. You will want to get the most memory that will fit in your specific system. If your computer will take 4gb of memory, purchase that size. You never want to get a smaller size just to save money.

Running programs from a CD-Rom instead of installing the program to your hard drive can free up space as well.

If you are running Vista on your computer, a program that uses excessive memory and can cause thrashing, you can turn off and disable Windows Vista Search Indexer and Indexing Service. This can be done through your control panel by selecting the start button and locating the Windows Search service. All this will do is make it harder to find files on your system but if you know where you put things then it’s not an issue. Plus, this service can be turned back on at a moment’s notice if needed. This should cut down on some of the noise and lag you are experiencing.

You can always add another hard drive to your computer that can be used for temporary files and virtual memory.

Not only will these tips help reduce thrashing, they will also prolong the life of your hard drive.

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