My Web 83875

Search Engine Optimization, the Black Art, mysticism and the rest, nobody I know does anything about SEO Optimization it is all to complicated, other than a few Keywords and a short description on a page it is all hocus pocus and abracadra. Is it all Smoke and Mirrors?

The Search Engines do not tell you what they are looking for and SEO companies love this ayre of mystery, SEO experts can charge what they like, but if you are a small business just starting out on the internet, can you afford to blindly give away money you could use elsewhere, when you start a small business do you need this cost eating into your profit even before you start, so most small businesses solve this problem by adding a few keywords and a description and that is that, job done.

What you have to understand is that the Search Engines give you Hits, hits give you Sales, sales give you Profit. The higher you are Ranked by the Search Engines the more Profit you make because your site is getting more Hits for the same outlay.

What you have to understand is that Hits from the Search Engines can last for months, you may fluctuate from page to page but once you are on page 1 it takes time to knock you down to page 2, time where you are getting lots and lots of Hits, Search Engine Ranking is a very fluid thing and does fluctuate but it takes time, it takes time to get to page 1 and it will take time to get demoted from page 1

The funny thing about Search Engines is that even though they operate at the speed of light, everything takes time, its the hurry up and wait scenario, it takes time to get registered, it takes time to get listed, it takes time to get to number one, time, time, time, I think this is the reason why a lot of small business tend to ignore Search Engine Optimization.

If you start a small business you should really look at Search Engine Optimization and Web Site Development even before you begin writing the web site, do not just blindly leave it to some web design company, make sure you are in the loop and check what they have done in the design to include these hits from the Search Engines.

One thing a lot of business people do not understand is that a Search Engine gives you FREE advertising, your web URL is blasted all across the web in the engines list, seen by millions on a daily basis, every body uses the Search Engines and you may find it surprising how many sales you will get from them. This is viral marketing at its best, its free, it propagates through search engines, it slowly climbs lists, it sends you hits, its out of control, and its set and forget, well maybe not set and forget more a sort of autopilot.

Businesses spend a lot of time and effort in web site development, making it look nice for buyers to look at only to never have anyone come visit, a small business that fails in the first year will actually fail in the first week of conception because nobody took time to understand Search Engine Optimization, it takes more than a few keywords and a description to succeed with the Search Engines and to succeed with the Search Engines should be paramount in any on-line business.

Johnnie Martin is the X.O. of our Research & Developement at Icarus & Co.

Visit us here: http://www.seoandyou.com Regards John

Your beautiful bathroom picture gallery

I'm always surprised when I hear of people who embark upon lengthy and expensive bathroom remodeling projects but don't bother to record progress in any way. It only takes a few minutes to photograph all aspects of your bathroom especially if you have a digital camera, and the results will serve you well as both a tool in the redesign and as a talking point and reminder for the future.

What you must remember when you're about to begin your bathroom remodel is that your bathroom is never again going to look like it does now. Once all the fixtures have been ripped out, all the ceramic tiles hacked off the wall and the floor covering is lifted, it's never going to look the same again. In fact you won't even recognise it.

Try to look forward a few weeks to the point in time when your bathroom remodel is complete and you are admiring it for the first time. You are going to wish that you had taken a few pictures of the bathroom before it was remodeled because you're already having trouble remembering what it used to look like.

Bathroom remodeling picture - Before work starts

Why should you bother to record a picture of bathroom renovations in this way? Well first of all you are going to forget what your bathroom looked like before the redesign. You might not think it now but you will and even if you don't you're going to have a hard time explaining what it looked like to anyone that asks.

If you take pictures of your bathroom before remodeling then you will have a permanent record of what it looked like to refresh your memory and to show to your friends. The pictures that I took of my small bathroom before remodeling began are a constant reminder to me of how bad it was and they more than justify my decision to spend the money on the bathroom makeover.

The before and after bathroom remodel picture gallery from my small bathroom renovation can be viewed at Pictures of Bathrooms Before and After Remodeling

Bathroom remodeling picture - While work is in progress

I like to make a visual record of any major work I have done by taking pictures at regular intervals as the work progresses. If you photograph your bathroom say once a day it will give you the opportunity to review the work as it evolves in your own time. Pay particular attention to any detailed work being carried out and be sure to photograph any new pipe work that hasn't been boxed in yet.

Pictures of pipe work and other detail that hasn't yet been covered up can come in very handy later if you ever need to have more work done on your bathroom. The pictures will show you exactly where the pipes and other concealed features are located. You will also be able to examine the quality of joints and bends in the plumbing and identify any problems early.

You might also want to use some of your pictures to point out to your contractors any problems that you want them to correct. I like to take work-in-progress pictures like this when the contractors aren't around so that I can poke around in places they might not want me to go.

Bathroom remodeling picture - After the dust settles

Any new bathroom picture that you take after remodeling has been completed will be amongst the most satisfying of all the pictures in your visual record. At this time your bathroom looks clean, bright, uncluttered and the ceramic tiles are gleaming. You will want to refer to these pictures often to make sure that you keep your beautiful bathroom looking the same as it does now.

All your friends will be interested in seeing your before and after bathroom remodeling pictures especially if they are considering doing something similar themselves. Make sure that you show off the dream bathroom picture that you have created for yourself and be proud of it.

Idea for remodeling a small bathroom My small bathroom remodeling project at http://www.bathroomsremodeling.this-info.com

As the mom of a three and a five year old, I've been to many school events, community festivals and charity functions where the face painting booth, no matter what else was going on, was the star attraction.

So I began to wonder, why is it that face painting booths are so popular?

Attention - All children crave attention. Come to think of it, most adults do too. When a child is sitting in the chair, the face painter is completely focused on that child. You can just see how special that child feels at that moment.

Creativity - Any kind of painting is an expression of creativity. When kids choose the design they wish to have painted on their face, they take command of their own creativity and self-expression.

Individuality - Kids are expected to have the right toysthe right clothes. Generation after generation, youngsters are encouraged to conform to be socially accepted. Face Painting is one way to express individuality.

Fun - Let's face it. Having your face painted is just plain fun. And is there any sweeter look than the quick glances that kids take of themselves in the mirror after a face painting session? That little smirk on their face is priceless!

Face painting seemed like an awesome way to entertain my kids on a rainy day. Face Painters make it look so easy. I thought, "I can do that."

I had so many questions, but not a clue where to start. I searched face painting on the internet and although I found some beautiful photos of full face creations, they didn't really help me much as a beginner. I simply wanted to learn how to paint a flower design on my daughter's cheek. I knew, however, that I could learn a lot from the artists who create those kind of masterpieces.

So that's exactly where I chose to begin. I wanted to watch a face painter in action, talk to them, ask questions, focus on their technique. That is a pretty difficult thing to do in the middle of a festival or birthday party, but not if you hire one to come to your housewhich is exactly what I did.

Hiring a face painting professional could cost anywhere from $50 to over $200 an hour, depending on where you live. But the information you glean will be invaluable. Here are a few things I learned from my friend, the professional face painter:

1. Do use the right paints. Don't use any paints that are not specifically designed for use on skin.

2. Don't use cheap brushes. Spend at least $3.00 apiece on a few brushes and they will last a long time.

3. Don't try to be all things to all people. It isn't necessary to paint 100 perfect designs. A small collection of 10 or 20 simple designs will make you look like a hero to the children.

4. Do practice as much as you canon people or on paper. With practice comes speed.

5. Don't be afraid of making a mistake. Children are very forgiving, as is the paint. It's easily 'erasable'.

6. Don't be nervous about fidgety kids. Speak calmly and quietly and they'll usually stay still.

7. Do have fun. Face painting is a therapeutic, creative outlet.

8. Do share your newfound talent. Volunteer your services at events and before you know it, someone may offer to pay you!

JoAnne Westcott is the author of Easy Face Painting: How You Can Get Professional Results Even If You've Never Picked Up A Paintbrush. She is a work-at-home mom of two girls, ages 3 and 5, and resides with her husband in St. Louis, Missouri. You can learn more about face painting and how to acquire the simple skills to get started by visiting http://www.easyfacepainting.com