Free Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide from Google

Another WAHM pointed me to this excellent resource on SEO from Google, which came out in November 2008. (And who better to learn from when it comes to SEO?!) The Google picture above is also from November; it was the Veterans' Day search illustration.

The 22-page ebook is titled Google's Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide and I uploaded it to my WriterGig eJunkie Shop where you can grab a copy for free of course.

I'm still working my way through it, but it is a very thorough manual for new webmasters as well as a great refresher for those of us who already have niche websites.

In addition to information on making each page of your site Google-friendly through appropriate use of meta tags and on-page content, there is a section with great tips on promoting your site and building traffic and links, as well as a section with Google Webmaster resources links.

I hope it's helpful -- let me know what you think.

Knol for Writers

I've begun a Google Knol adventure. Gogole's new site, knol.com, has been touted as a rival to Wikipedia as well as article directories such as About.com and Associated Content. Since the site just launched to the public this summer, it really is brand new.

My first knol is about eHow Earnings and links to both an eHow article on passive income and my eHow eBook sales page. It's monetized both by the presence of these links, which lead to sources of income for me, as well as the Adsense ads displayed next to my knol.

I don't expect the knol to earn much, since knol is a new site and according to Google not receiving favortism by their search engines. I imagine eHow will be superior for earnings for some time, as the how-to site has been in existence since 1999 and is highly ranked by search engines. Knol will take time to build up the kind of traffic eHow gets on a daily basis.

Earnings aside, Knol looks like a great place to author content, articles, essays and reviews, and build a presence as a niche authority or a freelance writer.

I wrote a concise guide to Google Knol and earning money with the site; I plan to expand it as I learn more through my writing results with Knol.