Google has recently announced that it is showing the search volume data in it’s Google Keyword Tool

That’s right, the tool is getting naked and revealing all of it’s previously hidden info.

What should you know about the Keyword Tool’s search volume statistics?

You can find search volume statistics in the Keyword Tool’s Approx Search Volume [Previous Month] and Approx Avg Search Volume columns. These statistics show the approximate number of search queries matching your keywords that were performed on Google and the search network.

Search volume data can be helpful in several ways:

• Account structure: You may want to create an ad group around a single high-traffic keyword that you find particularly relevant. This would allow you to closely target ad text and a landing page to that term.
• Budget planning: See how much traffic is available to your keywords so you can appropriately plan your budget.
• Keyword choice: Pick the keywords most likely to return quality leads within your budget.

Here are a few more details to keep in mind:

• Search volume fluctuation: Web traffic is influenced by seasonality, current events, and a number of other factors. The level of search volume on your keywords, therefore, is constantly fluctuating.
• Location and language targeting: If you access the Keyword Tool from within an ad group, the search traffic statistics will factor in your campaign’s country and language targeting (if you target a region or city, only the country will be reflected). If you use the standalone or external Keyword Tools, your country and language selections will influence these statistics. Learn about the different versions of the Keyword Tool.
• Match type: The Keyword Tool’s statistics vary depending on your selection from the Match Type drop-down menu. If you select Broad or Phrase, the tool will factor in certain variations of your keywords that could potentially trigger your ads. Learn about keyword match types.
• Date range: The Approx Search Volume [Previous Month] column shows search volume statistics for the last calendar month. The Approx Avg Search Volume column shows average monthly search volume over a recent 12-month period.

In a nutshell, this is huge for any website owner, and I am sure there will be a whole heap of tools being created to take advantage of this data.

It sure is a great time to be a website owner right now.

Enjoy.

Step One

First you need to put some of your favourite music onto your computer. Use songs that inspire you, make the hairs on your neck stand on edge, and fill you with adrenaline.

Step Two

Secondly, load all these great songs onto a playlist with your default media player.

Step Three

Onto the end of the playlist, add some Celine Dion songs.

The Result

Not only will you be inspired by all the great music, you will essentially have created a ticking timebomb, afterall, if you don’t finish your project in time, the bomb will go off and you will have to suffer through Celine Dion wailing like a strangled cat.

What more motivation could you need?

I need to get back to work, I am only three tracks away from that damn Titanic song.

Dean

Start a blog just to sell links

How To: Selling links from a blog is very easy. Just build up a pagerank of 3 or higher, and you are almost guaranteed to start getting offers. You can also sign up for an account with TextLinkAds.com - frankly, this is a very easy way to make money, you won’t get rich, well, not unless you create hundreds of blogs, but it is idiot proof.

Why It Is Evil: Selling links is technically against the terms of service at Google.com - so this could get your site penalised. It also goes against the purpose of linking on the Internet… afterall, a link should act as a vote, but by purchasing links, we are fixing the voting. Very evil.

Start a blog to sell paid reviews

How To: You can create a blog and add some crappy content, and then at a later date, start posting paid reviews. A paid review is like any other blog post, but it is specifically designed to promote something, and the blog owner gets paid a fee to write and publish it.

Why It Is Evil: This would be like a contestant on Pop Idol or American Idol paying Simon Cowell to give a good verdict. Look, there is nothing wrong with advertising, but don’t try and pretend it is a normal blog post. That would be evil.

Create blogs to interlink to your main blog or website

How To: You simply create numerous new blogs, and in each blog you add links to your main blog or website. If you are very careful, and use different keywords, web hosts etc… it can increase your search engine rank.

Why It Is Evil: Not only is it a little unethical, it can get you penalised if Google catches you. So if you are going to do it, make sure it is done with moderation.

Summary

Whilst there are many, many ways to be an evil blogger, and yes, it is possible to make some quick cash from those techniques… in the long-term they will get caught out, and it will destroy all of your hard work. So if you still want to be making money from blogs in 12-18 months, don’t be an evil blogger.

Look at any sports person, entrepreneur, athlete etc, and you will see that at some point, they had a situation or decision that was very scary, but they did it anyway. This is what makes them special, and this is the key to succeeding in life and business.

It is easier said than done, trust me, but next time you are in a situation that makes you fearful, just do it anyway.

You Have To Find The Passion

There is no point writing about politics if your true love is snow boarding. Write about what you know, what you love and what excites you.

Be a Realist

Some industries are quite simply huge. Cracking into that market is going to take a whole lot of time and effort. So have a 12 month plan and stick to it. It is perfectly normal for blogs to get virtually no comments for the first six months.

You Should Build Friendships

All bloggers know that networking is an important part of running any blog, but most bloggers treat this process with a cold, business life attitude. Your goal should be to make friends with other bloggers in your industry, and the networking will follow automatically.

Have Fun

If you are not in the mood for blogging, don’t blog. Blogging should be fun, it should excite you and your readers. It is not a matter of life and death, so remember to always have fun.

Own Your Own Domain

Many years ago it was perfectly acceptable to have a blogspot or a typepad domain name. But we are now in 2008, and not only does it cost less than $10 for a domain name, there are blogging platforms such as Wordpress that make the blogging process virtually idiot proof. So get your own domain today, before someone else gets it first.

Listen To Your Readers

I am not saying you should let your readers dictate to you, but when you get comments and feedback, listen carefully to what is being said. Some companies pay a small fortune for customer feedback, and you are getting it for free, so don’t ignore it. Put your ego to one side and take onboard the constructive criticism.

Seriously… Have Fun

This is so important we had to say it twice.

Good luck on your blogging journey.

* The 1 million friends are all at least partially relevant to your niche.

Today I am going to talk about how technology is making us unhealthy, and how I intend to combat this… with…. more technology.

Backstory

I started working online fulltime approx 4 years ago, and since creating a home office 12 months ago, my daily exercise has become almost non-existent. I also bought a car 5 months ago, and that has made matters even worse.

Fortunately I have a very high metabolism, so there is little chance of me becoming overweight, but there are still signs that I am not as healthy as I once was.

The Challenge

Of course, all fitness freaks will just tell me to go and run for 30 mins per day, and yes, that would help, but let’s be realistic, it ain’t gonna happen!

The Solution

I am now starting to use technology to help me get more healthy again.

Solution 1 - Nintendo Wii & Wii Fit

Create your own character and track your fitness levels, weigth and BMI.

Making fitness fun?

Using technology to get fit?

I only purchased this recently, and it is not a cheap option. With the Nintendo Wii, the game and the Wii Fitness Board it cost over $400

Result

We only got this very recently, and thus far I haven’t had time to use it much, but both myself and my girlfriend have really enjoyed it, and as I write this I am aching from head to to. The Wii also comes with many sports games, which are a lot of fun as well.

Solution 2

Last year we purchased an exercise stepping machine/bike, the idea being that we could go for a run during winter without leaving the house. To get through the boredom of this, you can simply install a TV near the machine. We personally just use an ipod touch and listen to music.

Result

I personally got bored of this, but Elena uses it almost daily. I believe that having a TV close by may help, I like the idea of going for a 90 minute run during a football game.

Possible Solution?

I do have some healthy hobbies, for example, I play golf, and I even like the occasional stroll, but like many of today’s generation, I also like to play video games and watch TV.

So here is an option… instead of fighting your passions and trying to go on a TV and video game diet, why not use technology to incorporate exercise into them?

For example, if you purchase something like this:

You could in theory play your video games and watch TV whilst exercising at the same time.

In fact, if you were watching a good TV show, you could easily do 30 mins exercice without once becoming bored, which for me, is the main issue with exercise.

Summary

Entrepreneurs are rarely lazy. I used to be a pro athelete, so laziness is not an issue at all, it is the boredom that is my issue. Entrepreneurs can often require a lot of stimuless to prevent boredom, so by incorporating exercise into my enjoyable hobbies, I may eleminate that.

Cost Issues

I appreciate that many youngsters who are reading this may not have the funds to spend $600+ in exercise equipment, or $400 on a video console, or $350 on an ipod etc… but these are alternate options that are cheaper.

Like the title of this article says: ‘Exercise is Boring - Let’s Use Technology’. Check back in one month and I will post the results.

Dean

How To Make Your Elevator Speech Stand Out

Terri Sjodin, founder and principal of Sjodin Communications, a public speaking and sales training company, goes over the six components of a successful three-minute elevator speech.