I just Googled this phrase to find out for myself, and came upon the following handy tool:

http://www.selfseo.com/google_ban_tool.php

As it turns out, I’m not banned! Although I don’t know why I would be, since my site came up in the search results in the first place.

If you did find your site was banned, I suggest you get yourself to a search engine optimization specialist who can do an analysis of your site and find out whether the problem is duplicate content, keyword stuffing, or what.

Popularity: 58% [?]

Once you publish a new website, the first thing you want to do is make sure that Google sends its spiders around to crawl the content.

Think of the web as a massive library of information. First Google needs to know you’re out there, then it needs to know what to categorize you as.

For that reason, it’s in your best interest to publish websites that specialize in just one area, and then add keywords that describe that area.

To submit your website to Google, visit this link: http://www.google.com/addurl/?continue=/addurl

Popularity: 39% [?]

1. Work virtually. Copywriters, graphic artists and web designers are easily accessible via the internet. We communicate by phone and email, and pass files electronically. That means no overhead expenses for you to cover - no utility bills, computer upgrades, and NO medical plan!

2. Streamline your communication. Work out designated check-points in the project where you can review drafts, ask questions and supply missing information. Avoid sending email “blips” that confuse instead of clarify - this is a huge time sucker!

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Popularity: 94% [?]

by Dina Giolitto

Some of us simply don’t want to spend the money on a professional photo shoot for our websites and social networking profiles. Besides… with digital cameras offering such high image quality these days, with a little extra effort you can get results that are just as impressive as if you paid top dollar for a photographer.

Some tips for ensuring that you’re shown in your best light:

1. Wait until the afternoon to take your photo.

There are a couple of reasons for this. One, we typically retain water during our sleep, which is why we look “puffier” first thing in the morning, especially around the eyes. To get rid of the excess fluid, avoid high sodium foods for the rest of the day. Hydrate your body with plenty of liquids. You might try flushing your system with unsweetened cranberry juice, water with a squeeze of lemon, or green tea. Keep drinking, and by 2 p.m. or so your face will show the results.

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Popularity: 63% [?]

First off, let me just obliterate the notion that I might be an Obama supporter. I’m not. Frankly, I don’t have great faith in either of the candidates, and am seriously considering “throwing away” my vote on Bob Barr. But that’s beside the point, really.

Last night, like many Americans, I tuned in to the debate. And, all personal opinions and bias aside, one thing I could NOT help noticing was that Obama clearly has a really, really good speech writer and/or communication coach.

Not to mention his totally smooth and unruffled communication style… from his open body language to his “sympathetic” facial expressions to his even vocal tone to his effective use of pauses and emphasis in all the right places.

Before I begin my list of reasons why Obama is a master of persuasion, let me just clarify the meaning of persuasion as defined by Wikipedia.org:

Persuasion is a form of social influence. It is the process of guiding people toward the adoption of an idea, attitude, or action by rational and symbolic (though not always logical) means. It is strategy of problem-solving relying on “appeals” rather than strength.

Manipulation is taking persuasion to an extreme, where the one person or group benefits at the cost of the other.

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Popularity: 26% [?]