Friday, 31 July 2009
SEO and why buying double glazing is a better bet!
Peddlers of the 'pseudo-mystical' Search Engine Optimization have much in common with "Door to Door' salesmen.
They both look presentable, wear nice aftershave, tell you they'll save, or make, you money (in their speak '$$$$$'), and both are 10% facts, 20% smoke & mirrors and 70% 'BS'!
At least with double glazing your windows should still be installed 12 months down the line, unless, of course, your installer was formerly an SEO. In which case you may be still waiting for the glazing to arrive, though the frames that turned up look nice and give you somewhere to stack your subscription to Readers Digest that you bought from the nice man who knocked on your door and looked so unhappy stood there in the rain!
Now before all the SEO aficionados, out there, throw the toys out of the pram and accuse me of heresy, I am not for an instant saying that it is anything other than a battle of wits between, in the Blue Corner wearing the multi-coloured trunks, 'We just want to be fair' Google and in the Red Corner wearing the cloak of mystery 'We're your Shinning Knight' Optimizers.
What I am saying is that it is an industry that has attracted the 'Quick Buck' merchants. The guys, and they ARE predominantly men, that sold water filters, MLM and Tupperware have moved in and set up camp because SEO is a numbers game and this gypsy camp has plenty of followers!
I'll be honest, when they first came knocking at my door I was taken in! I was wonderstruck by their gewgaws and smooth sales patter! It was a new language that I didn't understand, but sounded REALLY important, and they knew it! Like the Pied Piper of Hamlyn they led me a merry dance, and there was a full concert orchestra of players, all playing the tune that I needed to follow.
And then, to keep this musical analogy going, there was one tune I heard that was ever so slightly different from the others. And then another and another it until it dawned on me that though they were all 'playing the same tune' almost all of them were off key and playing the notes in a different order!
And all this incessant emailing and blitzing! Jeez! When I first heard their ''Siren Song' (here we go again with the music!), I really lost sight of my core principles and my raison d’être that brought me to the Temple of SEO. I found myself constantly worrying about not 'blogging', about not getting 'Social' enough with my networks. I could hardly get things done, that needed done, for looking for new avenues to tell the world I existed and that they should come see what I'd got for them!
What I forgot, with all this tail chasing, is that if the world and his wife does turn up, you'd better have something to show them, because they won't come again!
I suppose what I'm trying to say is don't believe ALL the 'BS"!
There's no end of people out there who are happy to give advice, particularly to newcomers to SEO, most of it aimed at taking money of you!
Fortunately, in their haste to dip into your wallet, SEO firms tend to give you 'Free Stuff' some of which is pretty good, other parts less so. If you go through enough sites you will eventually end up at http://www.seochat.com/seo-tools/ which I found, when I 1st set out along this rocky path. It's free and, for those new to SEO, very useful.
Now to suck up to the SEO boys!
They both look presentable, wear nice aftershave, tell you they'll save, or make, you money (in their speak '$$$$$'), and both are 10% facts, 20% smoke & mirrors and 70% 'BS'!
At least with double glazing your windows should still be installed 12 months down the line, unless, of course, your installer was formerly an SEO. In which case you may be still waiting for the glazing to arrive, though the frames that turned up look nice and give you somewhere to stack your subscription to Readers Digest that you bought from the nice man who knocked on your door and looked so unhappy stood there in the rain!
Now before all the SEO aficionados, out there, throw the toys out of the pram and accuse me of heresy, I am not for an instant saying that it is anything other than a battle of wits between, in the Blue Corner wearing the multi-coloured trunks, 'We just want to be fair' Google and in the Red Corner wearing the cloak of mystery 'We're your Shinning Knight' Optimizers.
What I am saying is that it is an industry that has attracted the 'Quick Buck' merchants. The guys, and they ARE predominantly men, that sold water filters, MLM and Tupperware have moved in and set up camp because SEO is a numbers game and this gypsy camp has plenty of followers!
I'll be honest, when they first came knocking at my door I was taken in! I was wonderstruck by their gewgaws and smooth sales patter! It was a new language that I didn't understand, but sounded REALLY important, and they knew it! Like the Pied Piper of Hamlyn they led me a merry dance, and there was a full concert orchestra of players, all playing the tune that I needed to follow.
And then, to keep this musical analogy going, there was one tune I heard that was ever so slightly different from the others. And then another and another it until it dawned on me that though they were all 'playing the same tune' almost all of them were off key and playing the notes in a different order!
And all this incessant emailing and blitzing! Jeez! When I first heard their ''Siren Song' (here we go again with the music!), I really lost sight of my core principles and my raison d’être that brought me to the Temple of SEO. I found myself constantly worrying about not 'blogging', about not getting 'Social' enough with my networks. I could hardly get things done, that needed done, for looking for new avenues to tell the world I existed and that they should come see what I'd got for them!
What I forgot, with all this tail chasing, is that if the world and his wife does turn up, you'd better have something to show them, because they won't come again!
I suppose what I'm trying to say is don't believe ALL the 'BS"!
There's no end of people out there who are happy to give advice, particularly to newcomers to SEO, most of it aimed at taking money of you!
Fortunately, in their haste to dip into your wallet, SEO firms tend to give you 'Free Stuff' some of which is pretty good, other parts less so. If you go through enough sites you will eventually end up at http://www.seochat.com/seo-tools/ which I found, when I 1st set out along this rocky path. It's free and, for those new to SEO, very useful.
Now to suck up to the SEO boys!
You do need SEO. You need to get your ranking promoted. Google is, at least for the time being, where it's at and if you want your shop front to bring in customers, your customers have got to be able to see it!
So do listen, do learn and, if you can afford the time and money, go to a seminar it may help you find just the right piper playing the perfect tune.
Or you might end up returning home with a nice set of "French Doors", double glazed of course!
Wednesday, 29 July 2009
Where on earth did all the time go?
Has anyone seen my watch? I must have my watch! The hours are running away and I need to catch them, quick!
I remember as a child wishing I was older and my mother telling me 'not to wish my life away, and that anyway once you reach 21 the time whizzes past'.
She was right of course, as she often was, but what she failed to mention is that it's not just the months that fly past you as you gaze out of the window of the speeding Ford Mondeo that is your life, but even the hours minutes and seconds!
It ain't fair! I want my time back please!
So much to do! So little time! I feel like the 'March Hare' in Alice in Wonderland, always checking my fob and worrying I'll be late!
Oh I've tried all the "Time Management' malarky, I've lists of lists of lists, but they take up so much time! Gimme a break!
I have the feeling that I'm loosing out somewhere, that my kids, my partner, my friends aren't getting all of me because the minute hand on my watch is spinning at warp factor 9 and Scotty has just said that 'She canna take anymore Captain!'.
George Bernard Shaw said 'Youth is wasted on the young' so I reckon it's time I started charging, the afore mentioned 'Youth' interest at, say, 5% per annum. I'm not sure that it woulld slow my watch down, if I ever find it again, but I'd feel a hell of a lot better about losing mine!
Ah! I sound so bitter! Not at all, I just need another 72 hours in the day to do everthing I want to do. Conquering the world takes time and mine is slipping through my fingers like, well 'The sands of time'.
I hope, dear reader, to return once said watch is found a brighter, breezier and altogether more relaxed 'Phil The Fish'.
I remember as a child wishing I was older and my mother telling me 'not to wish my life away, and that anyway once you reach 21 the time whizzes past'.
She was right of course, as she often was, but what she failed to mention is that it's not just the months that fly past you as you gaze out of the window of the speeding Ford Mondeo that is your life, but even the hours minutes and seconds!
It ain't fair! I want my time back please!
So much to do! So little time! I feel like the 'March Hare' in Alice in Wonderland, always checking my fob and worrying I'll be late!
Oh I've tried all the "Time Management' malarky, I've lists of lists of lists, but they take up so much time! Gimme a break!
I have the feeling that I'm loosing out somewhere, that my kids, my partner, my friends aren't getting all of me because the minute hand on my watch is spinning at warp factor 9 and Scotty has just said that 'She canna take anymore Captain!'.
George Bernard Shaw said 'Youth is wasted on the young' so I reckon it's time I started charging, the afore mentioned 'Youth' interest at, say, 5% per annum. I'm not sure that it woulld slow my watch down, if I ever find it again, but I'd feel a hell of a lot better about losing mine!
Ah! I sound so bitter! Not at all, I just need another 72 hours in the day to do everthing I want to do. Conquering the world takes time and mine is slipping through my fingers like, well 'The sands of time'.
I hope, dear reader, to return once said watch is found a brighter, breezier and altogether more relaxed 'Phil The Fish'.
Monday, 20 July 2009
Monday and all is well with the World
Monday and all is well with the World!
Well I'm assuming that at least! Haven't checked!
I suppose that last bit isn't exactly true. I haven't checked the BBC yet, so for all I know Switzerland could be, as I wrtie this blog, massing it's forces to march triumphantly through Austria and then on to the Czech Republic.
But I doubt it.
The Sun, here on the Wolfgangsee, is muted to say the least. You can see it's trying to break through, buts its got as much luck doing that as Paris Hilton joining the Carmalites!
The world is a little monochrome today, but at least it isn't raining anymore!
So, as I say, 'All is well with The World' 'cuz I'm a going fishing!
The slightest of ripples across the water, not too hot and no blinding Sun to give me away to the little buggers! Lol! I say little, but some of them are pretty huge! Apparently there is a Pike in here that goes +20Kg!
But you know fishermen! It's always the one that got away that was 'The Big One'!
Well I'm assuming that at least! Haven't checked!
I suppose that last bit isn't exactly true. I haven't checked the BBC yet, so for all I know Switzerland could be, as I wrtie this blog, massing it's forces to march triumphantly through Austria and then on to the Czech Republic.
But I doubt it.
The Sun, here on the Wolfgangsee, is muted to say the least. You can see it's trying to break through, buts its got as much luck doing that as Paris Hilton joining the Carmalites!
The world is a little monochrome today, but at least it isn't raining anymore!
So, as I say, 'All is well with The World' 'cuz I'm a going fishing!
The slightest of ripples across the water, not too hot and no blinding Sun to give me away to the little buggers! Lol! I say little, but some of them are pretty huge! Apparently there is a Pike in here that goes +20Kg!
But you know fishermen! It's always the one that got away that was 'The Big One'!
Saturday, 18 July 2009
ANGLERDIREKT.COM Deal of The Week
ANGLERDIREKT.COM 'Deal of the week!' Any MIvardi Mistral Reel and get a ANY Mivardi Rod half price! Offer ends July 25th 2009. Yesterday was a glorious day! Hot, sunny and a beautiful day for fishing! Had a couple of Chub and a baby Zander, not much but it was a good day out! Today, however, the heavens have opened and I'm sitting here writing my blog rather than casting a line! So not too much to say! "He's not serious about fishing", I hear you cry! "No, not at all" says I! The fact is that sitting with a fishing rod in your hand when lightening is crashing all around is 'nicht zo gut' as they say here! So when it stops, hopefully tomorrow, I'll be back out there! Until tomorrow! Phil 'The Fish' ANGLERDIIREKT.COM
Friday, 17 July 2009
A wee tip from ANGLERDIREKT.COM
Well the sun continues to shine over the glorious Wolfgangsee, long may it continue!
Today the blog is going to be short and sweet!
Here at ANGLERDIREKT.COM we love kids coming to visit us! New members of the fishing community are always welcome and kids are the life-blood of the sport.
A couple of questions we get asked regularly are:
1. How long should my fishing rod be?
2. How can I protect my rod from breaking?
Well for question one it really is a case of what are you after and where is it?
Personally I always suggest for new comers nothing much bigger than about 6ft. As you get more in to the sport you'll find that this rod serves you well in most situations, but you will undoubtedly, like me, end up with a whole range of rods. :-)
And question 2? Don't use it for getting the cat out of the tree! :-)
No seriously, it's a matter of common sense! Poles will bend but they WILL snap if you're stupid with them! However, today's rods are incredibly robust so just be sensible.
One tip I heard from a customer, just recently, was that when he had a lure rigged to his rod and broke it down to put in the trunk of his car, he wrapped the rod in water pipe insulating foam tube. A great idea for preventing the barbs snagging on anything lose!
Anyway, that's it for today! We're incredibly busy, here at ANGLERDIREKT.COM, at the moment as we prepare for the launch of our new "Pocket Money Account" aimed at making it easier and cheaper to pay for angling equipment.
Bye for now and have a great day!
Today the blog is going to be short and sweet!
Here at ANGLERDIREKT.COM we love kids coming to visit us! New members of the fishing community are always welcome and kids are the life-blood of the sport.
A couple of questions we get asked regularly are:
1. How long should my fishing rod be?
2. How can I protect my rod from breaking?
Well for question one it really is a case of what are you after and where is it?
Personally I always suggest for new comers nothing much bigger than about 6ft. As you get more in to the sport you'll find that this rod serves you well in most situations, but you will undoubtedly, like me, end up with a whole range of rods. :-)
And question 2? Don't use it for getting the cat out of the tree! :-)
No seriously, it's a matter of common sense! Poles will bend but they WILL snap if you're stupid with them! However, today's rods are incredibly robust so just be sensible.
One tip I heard from a customer, just recently, was that when he had a lure rigged to his rod and broke it down to put in the trunk of his car, he wrapped the rod in water pipe insulating foam tube. A great idea for preventing the barbs snagging on anything lose!
Anyway, that's it for today! We're incredibly busy, here at ANGLERDIREKT.COM, at the moment as we prepare for the launch of our new "Pocket Money Account" aimed at making it easier and cheaper to pay for angling equipment.
Bye for now and have a great day!
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Well Good Morning from an incredibly warm and sunny Wolfgangsee!
Sorry about my rant yesterday, it just got my goat!
Anyway, testing done on the new reel and I must say it's a nice piece of kit! I'll leave the report until I publish on the ANGLERDIREKT.COM website, which should be over the weekend.
The whole idea of this blog was to inform and educate, and on occassion be funny (I hope). So today, I thought I'd touch on some of the VERY basics of fishing and fishing equipment, a theme I'll carry on with over the next few weeks.
Reels.
My favourite piece of kit! :-) It's got moving parts! And I love the feel of a well maintained reel!
If you look on the marketplace there are literally thousands of different reels, offering a myriad of benefits and functions, but they all basically stick your bait where you want it!
So which one too buy?
Well that depends on what type of fishing you'll be doing and, of course, your budget!
Essentially there are 3 different types of reel, but within those types there are a thousand and one permutations!
Spinning Reel. This is the one I use most often, and I've got a few! :-) Wether I'm using my Baitrunner for Carp fishing or my Mivardi when I'm looking for predatory fish, this is always my favourite type of reel.
I find them easier to use, a lot more accurate and, well for me at least, generally much more user friendly.
Spinning reels come with either a Front Drag, also know as FD in most literature you'll see on the subject, or Rear Drag, also called RD.
The drag is the means of controlling the retreaval of your line when you have caught "The Big One" allowing the fish to fight you but without putting too much strain on your line, which might lead to your line snapping and goodbye Mr Fish!
With FD you control this drag or resistance with a dial attached at the front of the reel (funnily enough) and with RD, a dial at the rear (duh!).
Which type, FD or RD, is a matter of personal choice. For me its rear drag but thats just me.
Anyway, I do hope this has been useful and informative and that you'll enjoy more of these basic articles as we move forward.
All the best
Phil 'The Fish'
Anglerdirekt.com
Sorry about my rant yesterday, it just got my goat!
Anyway, testing done on the new reel and I must say it's a nice piece of kit! I'll leave the report until I publish on the ANGLERDIREKT.COM website, which should be over the weekend.
The whole idea of this blog was to inform and educate, and on occassion be funny (I hope). So today, I thought I'd touch on some of the VERY basics of fishing and fishing equipment, a theme I'll carry on with over the next few weeks.
Reels.
My favourite piece of kit! :-) It's got moving parts! And I love the feel of a well maintained reel!
If you look on the marketplace there are literally thousands of different reels, offering a myriad of benefits and functions, but they all basically stick your bait where you want it!
So which one too buy?
Well that depends on what type of fishing you'll be doing and, of course, your budget!
Essentially there are 3 different types of reel, but within those types there are a thousand and one permutations!
Spinning Reel. This is the one I use most often, and I've got a few! :-) Wether I'm using my Baitrunner for Carp fishing or my Mivardi when I'm looking for predatory fish, this is always my favourite type of reel.
I find them easier to use, a lot more accurate and, well for me at least, generally much more user friendly.
Spinning reels come with either a Front Drag, also know as FD in most literature you'll see on the subject, or Rear Drag, also called RD.
The drag is the means of controlling the retreaval of your line when you have caught "The Big One" allowing the fish to fight you but without putting too much strain on your line, which might lead to your line snapping and goodbye Mr Fish!
With FD you control this drag or resistance with a dial attached at the front of the reel (funnily enough) and with RD, a dial at the rear (duh!).
Which type, FD or RD, is a matter of personal choice. For me its rear drag but thats just me.
Anyway, I do hope this has been useful and informative and that you'll enjoy more of these basic articles as we move forward.
All the best
Phil 'The Fish'
Anglerdirekt.com
Tuesday, 14 July 2009
Phil The Fish Rants
An apology!
I had meant to write a product review of a new reel I had been given by one of our Suppliers to test and evaluate, but I’m afraid that will have to wait until at least tomorrow.
To give you the background, I’m lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, St Gilgen in Austria. The huge Wolfgangsee is just 30 feet from my front door and my front window looks across the lake to the Schafberg Mountain over which the Sun rises every morning, give or take a little cloud. Don’t get me wrong, it’s no mansion just a 4 room apartment with a stunning vista.
The apartment comes with its own ‘Badenplatz’ from where most of our testing is conducted.
So this morning off I strolled for a mornings ‘work’ (?). 3 minutes gentle dander and you’re there.
I unpacked the kit, admired the workmanship, took a couple of notes and got ready to make my first cast.
I saw a fish! Easy I thought! I made to cast then saw a closer fish. A Chub. Nice size, easy peazy!
And this is the ‘Rant’ bit!!!
Whilst I know there are many out there that find fishing cruel and barbaric etc. etc., much akin to fox hunting but with a ‘Big Stick’, as a keen angler I’ve always thought of them as the loony fringe.
But today I saw a sight that made my blood boil and would give grist to the mill of Anglings detractors!
The fish had lure in its mouth. A nice, green, tiger striped, 2-piece wobbler. This Chub was going to starve to death.
Now I’m a ‘Catch & Release’ man myself, though I have been known to take the very odd Trout, and I have no gripe with those that like to keep their trophies, but seeing this fish and knowing that it could never be caught and helped from its misery, due to the crass stupidity of the unthinking angler who cast the bait, just made me feel so gutted!
As anglers we have a duty of care to protect the environment and the fish we hunt so patiently. This includes making sure we tie knots properly, that our rig is sound and that we don’t put lures aimed at larger fish on line that minnows could break!
I know that fish will probably be dead by the time you, dear reader, peruse this article and it makes me sad.
And perchance a Pike takes this dying specimen?……….. aaaarrgghhh!
I had meant to write a product review of a new reel I had been given by one of our Suppliers to test and evaluate, but I’m afraid that will have to wait until at least tomorrow.
To give you the background, I’m lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, St Gilgen in Austria. The huge Wolfgangsee is just 30 feet from my front door and my front window looks across the lake to the Schafberg Mountain over which the Sun rises every morning, give or take a little cloud. Don’t get me wrong, it’s no mansion just a 4 room apartment with a stunning vista.
The apartment comes with its own ‘Badenplatz’ from where most of our testing is conducted.
So this morning off I strolled for a mornings ‘work’ (?). 3 minutes gentle dander and you’re there.
I unpacked the kit, admired the workmanship, took a couple of notes and got ready to make my first cast.
I saw a fish! Easy I thought! I made to cast then saw a closer fish. A Chub. Nice size, easy peazy!
And this is the ‘Rant’ bit!!!
Whilst I know there are many out there that find fishing cruel and barbaric etc. etc., much akin to fox hunting but with a ‘Big Stick’, as a keen angler I’ve always thought of them as the loony fringe.
But today I saw a sight that made my blood boil and would give grist to the mill of Anglings detractors!
The fish had lure in its mouth. A nice, green, tiger striped, 2-piece wobbler. This Chub was going to starve to death.
Now I’m a ‘Catch & Release’ man myself, though I have been known to take the very odd Trout, and I have no gripe with those that like to keep their trophies, but seeing this fish and knowing that it could never be caught and helped from its misery, due to the crass stupidity of the unthinking angler who cast the bait, just made me feel so gutted!
As anglers we have a duty of care to protect the environment and the fish we hunt so patiently. This includes making sure we tie knots properly, that our rig is sound and that we don’t put lures aimed at larger fish on line that minnows could break!
I know that fish will probably be dead by the time you, dear reader, peruse this article and it makes me sad.
And perchance a Pike takes this dying specimen?……….. aaaarrgghhh!
Monday, 13 July 2009
Site Traffic
Well site traffic is up at ANGLERDIREKT.COM and Im amazed!
In just one we have more than doubled the number of new visitors to our online fishing tackle store!
And we're not even open for business yet!
Loads of people looking at our Rods and Reels, especially the Masterline and Mivardi brands!
ANGLERDIREKT can only get busier and better!
In just one we have more than doubled the number of new visitors to our online fishing tackle store!
And we're not even open for business yet!
Loads of people looking at our Rods and Reels, especially the Masterline and Mivardi brands!
ANGLERDIREKT can only get busier and better!
Anglerdirekt end of Day 1
Well end of day one, or at least nearly, and we've managed to go onto a couple of sites as ANGLRDIREKT, highlighting the ffiishing tackle and equipment we can offer!
More soon!
More soon!
Anglerdirekt
Well this is my 1st post as ANGLERDIREKT and I hope to publish many more as we go along!
Most of my posts will be about Anglerdirekt.com and the offers that we will be sharing with our customers on fishing tackle.
Good luck
Anglerdirekt
Most of my posts will be about Anglerdirekt.com and the offers that we will be sharing with our customers on fishing tackle.
Good luck
Anglerdirekt
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