Google.com is addressing their search functionality towards the local searchers. Hence, if your are residing outside the United States, your Google.com URL will be redirected to the country or locality you are located.
For example, here in the Philippines, when we will type "Google.com" (without the quotes) on our web browsers, we will automatically be redirected to "http://www.Google.com.ph/"
Although Google has a good intention in doing this, it usually is not giving us a comprehensive search result. Since it gives priority to websites in the Philippines or nearby countries.
The Google search page is also translated to our local language (Filipino) and are not giving the exact (Filipino) translation.
Another concern is that Google.com.ph only returns few search results as compared to the result when using the regular Google.com search page.
Navigating away from your local Google search page
If you're tired of being redirected to Google.com.ph (or to your country's local Google webpage), just select the "Google.com in English" link (or similar link) found at the lower right portion of the Google.com.ph (or your local google search page URL) webpage and you will be forwarded to the regular Google.com website.
So next time you are redirected to your local Google website and it is not giving you the appropriate search result, you can just follow the instruction discussed above and access the regular Google.com website.
Happy Googling.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Using Forums to Grow Your Site
A forum is a good tool to provide to your visitors since it gives them the opportunity to post comments, reactions, and issues as well as discuss with you or with their fellow visitors.
Forums also gives your site a sense of community that lets your visitors interact with each other.
It is also a good "Search Engine Optimizer" since you don't have to provide all the content in your website. The search engines love fresh content and since active forums have continues new and regular posts, it helps boost your site to rise in search engine rankings.
Also, the topics discussed will also be picked-up by the robots of search engines. Hence, even if your are not optimizing your website for a particular keyword or keyphrase, you may still be seen in search engine results due to the posts of your visitors.
It is also an avenue to expand your site. If your forum starts rolling, your website will grow on its own.
If you need to add forums on your website, you can try several free forum softwares like Simple Machines (http://www.simplemachines.org/) and phpBB (http://phpbb.org/).
You can also use vBulletin (https://www.vbulletin.com/) which you can purchase at US$100-180 each.
You can easily install a forum and expand your site. You can then give your visitors a chance to interact with each other, post questions, post answers, join discussions and build a virtual community.
Forums also gives your site a sense of community that lets your visitors interact with each other.
It is also a good "Search Engine Optimizer" since you don't have to provide all the content in your website. The search engines love fresh content and since active forums have continues new and regular posts, it helps boost your site to rise in search engine rankings.
Also, the topics discussed will also be picked-up by the robots of search engines. Hence, even if your are not optimizing your website for a particular keyword or keyphrase, you may still be seen in search engine results due to the posts of your visitors.
It is also an avenue to expand your site. If your forum starts rolling, your website will grow on its own.
If you need to add forums on your website, you can try several free forum softwares like Simple Machines (http://www.simplemachines.org/) and phpBB (http://phpbb.org/).
You can also use vBulletin (https://www.vbulletin.com/) which you can purchase at US$100-180 each.
You can easily install a forum and expand your site. You can then give your visitors a chance to interact with each other, post questions, post answers, join discussions and build a virtual community.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Blogging: A Paradigm Shift
Blogging indeed changed the world wide web.
Gone are the days where only geeks can publish web pages. Now, anyone who knows how to use a word processor or send an email can now have their own webpage. All that is made possible through blogging.
An idea or a thought that were left locked in one's brain can now be 'broadcasted' to the whole world with the powerful medium, the internet, and a very simple tool, the blogging software.
Gone are the days where you will spend thousands of dollars just to have an online presence. With the availability of free web hosts and cheap domain name registration, you can now have your own personalized website or blog with just $10 a year. You can even blog for free using blogger.com's free blog resources (just like this blog).
Precautions and blogging responsibility
The downside would be how to filter the numerous information that are bombarded to you everyday since there are a lot of websites and blogs that have sense and some are nonsense.
It is now the blogger's responsibility on what type of information should s/he deliver to the online community.
And as a reader, you should be able to manage what you should read and what should be discarded, specially that we only have limited time gathering information. We might as well focus on those that are relevant to our lives.
May we all enjoy the available resources presented to us in the online world and may we become a more responsible reader/blogger.
Gone are the days where only geeks can publish web pages. Now, anyone who knows how to use a word processor or send an email can now have their own webpage. All that is made possible through blogging.
An idea or a thought that were left locked in one's brain can now be 'broadcasted' to the whole world with the powerful medium, the internet, and a very simple tool, the blogging software.
Gone are the days where you will spend thousands of dollars just to have an online presence. With the availability of free web hosts and cheap domain name registration, you can now have your own personalized website or blog with just $10 a year. You can even blog for free using blogger.com's free blog resources (just like this blog).
Precautions and blogging responsibility
The downside would be how to filter the numerous information that are bombarded to you everyday since there are a lot of websites and blogs that have sense and some are nonsense.
It is now the blogger's responsibility on what type of information should s/he deliver to the online community.
And as a reader, you should be able to manage what you should read and what should be discarded, specially that we only have limited time gathering information. We might as well focus on those that are relevant to our lives.
May we all enjoy the available resources presented to us in the online world and may we become a more responsible reader/blogger.
The Online Chronicle of my Web Adventure
I will be posting here my web travels and adventure on building my website and other endeavors that may be significant to readers like you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)