I got annoyed that all the current Google happy site maps for Movable Type out there are not complete, and do not span you're entire site's pages… therefore I made another one. Feel free to take it and play, so long as the top notice is kept.
<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.google.com/schemas/sitemap/0.84"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.google.com/schemas/sitemap/0.84
http://www.google.com/schemas/sitemap/0.84/sitemap.xsd">
<!– Google XML Sitemap Template for Movable Type by Andy Callaghan –>
<url>
<loc><$MTBlogURL$></loc>
<priority>1.0</priority>
<MTEntries lastn="1">
<lastmod><$MTEntryModifiedDate format="%Y-%m-%d"$></lastmod>
</MTEntries>
<changefreq>daily</changefreq>
</url>
<url>
<loc><$MTBlogURL$>archives.html</loc>
<priority>0.9</priority>
<MTEntries lastn="1">
<lastmod><$MTEntryModifiedDate format="%Y-%m-%d"$></lastmod>
</MTEntries>
<changefreq>daily</changefreq>
</url>
<MTEntries lastn="5">
<url>
<loc><$MTEntryPermalink$></loc>
<lastmod><$MTEntryModifiedDate format="%Y-%m-%d"$></lastmod>
<changefreq>weekly</changefreq>
<priority>0.8</priority>
</url>
</MTEntries>
<MTEntries lastn="5" offset="5">
<url>
<loc><$MTEntryPermalink$></loc>
<lastmod><$MTEntryModifiedDate format="%Y-%m-%d"$></lastmod>
<changefreq>weekly</changefreq>
<priority>0.7</priority>
</url>
</MTEntries>
<MTEntries lastn="10" offset="10">
<url>
<loc><$MTEntryPermalink$></loc>
<lastmod><$MTEntryModifiedDate format="%Y-%m-%d"$></lastmod>
<changefreq>weekly</changefreq>
<priority>0.6</priority>
</url>
</MTEntries>
<MTEntries lastn="1000" offset="20">
<url>
<loc><$MTEntryPermalink$></loc>
<lastmod><$MTEntryModifiedDate format="%Y-%m-%d"$></lastmod>
<changefreq>weekly</changefreq>
<priority>0.5</priority>
</url>
</MTEntries>
<MTTopLevelCategories>
<url>
<loc><$MTCategoryArchiveLink$></loc>
<changefreq>weekly</changefreq>
<priority>0.8</priority>
<MTEntries lastn="1" category="<$MTCategoryLabel$>
<lastmod><$MTEntryModifiedDate format="%Y-%m-%d"$></lastmod>
</MTEntries>
</url>
</MTTopLevelCategories>
<MTArchiveList archive_type="Monthly">
<url>
<loc><$MTArchiveLink$></loc>
<changefreq>monthly</changefreq>
<priority>0.6</priority>
</url>
</MTArchiveList>
</urlset>
Google have just announced the creation of a toolkit and set of browser extensions to allow web applications like Gmail, Google maps and potentially all other applications. It works in the same way that printer spoolers do in operating systems:- Work is done offline, and then connected online and synchronised.
Google announced the set of open source tools at Google's global developer day, seeing over 5,000 programmers attend meetings and seminars worldwide. Google hope that the invention of these tools
Initially, the tools will enable Google Reader to work offline, but the more obvious candidates for offline execution are the documents and spreadsheeting applications – expect this in the not too distant future.
For a demo, install google gears, then go to one or all of these:
Simple Database Demo – Store and retrieve values in the database
Simple ResourceStore Demo – Capture a URL and display it while offline
Simple ManagedResourceStore Demo – Capture a versioned set of URLs atomically and update them together
Simple WorkerPool Demo – Perform a long-running computation without blocking the browser UI
The following is a list of the easiest and strongest ways to make you Google Adwords more effective:
- Plan the ad
This may sound obvious, but so many people don't do it. Plan the ad's words and selling point carefully before making the ad. This will avoid nearly all grammatical and spelling errors.
- Use rhythmic techniques
To spice up the mental sound of an advert, you can use Haiku – a traditional Japanese poetry writing technique. In Haiku, each line has a set number of syllables usually 5 on first then 7 then 5 again and so on. Here's an example of Haiku:
Easy RevisionLearn from the Computing Pros,
Storm through your exams!
www.Microplop.com
This ad may not stand out straight away but if read,
- Use punctuation to emphasise key words
Punctuation is often neglected in advertising, but it can make a real difference to the style, look and sound of your ad. Use the extended set of keys: , . ? / : ; # ~ + – ¬ | .It may be difficult to add these in some style of ads, but use your imagination. Be careful not to overdo it though.
- Use metaphors, similes, alliteration and personification – the basis of emotive writing. Look at appropriate wikpedia pages for help with these – I can't do it on here!
- Incorporate relavant dates within ads
Very, very few ads have dates like deadlines for offers etc. in. This is usually because the ad template is set once, and then never changed. Apply recent offers or deals that appear legitimately on your website for a CTR boost.
- Free culture
Use the word free legitimately and convincingly in your ad text to attract the people who just want free stuff, bless them!
Have you noticed of late Google being a bit.. well.. monopolistic?
Well I have. Don't get me wrong, I love the company and the work they do – but their business and public relations practices are beginning to smell a lot like Microsoft.
Take Adwords and Adsense for example. It is the sole reason that Google has the money it has – text based advertising. Recently, the text underneath the bulk of adsense ads (like the ones below) that used to say Ads by Google, now has a Google logo image, furthering their brand to all who use the internet and see their ads.
With Google's recent purchase of DoubleClick for billions of dollars, I can see their stake in on-line advertising boom further.
Then we come to YouTube. Love it or hate it, we have to live with it; And regardless of whether you think that it showing copyrighted video clips over the internet goes against intellectual property laws, Google is making a killing from the 'Tube. Rumours are rife to the meaning of the YouTube deal; Many people (including me) believe that Goggle acquired YouTube because they were losing so much money over them selling Adsense ad space, that a takeover in the end would in fact save them money.
It could also be said, now that Google own YouTube and Google Video (obviously), they have a giant 55% share in the on-line video market — easily having the monopoly.
Earlier this week, Google release iGoogle, a general term for all of their personalised content, and user-centric homepage which is customisable by the user (obviously).
For me, it comes as a great improvement to Google services to me, and an marvelous time for Google to start trumpeting about all the goodness of social networking, in opposition to the fat $1bn lawsuit that Viacom has slapped it with a few months back over copyright infringement.
In a statement to BBC news, Google representative said:
By seeking to make carriers and hosting providers liable for internet communications, Viacom's complaint threatens the way hundreds of millions of people legitimately exchange information, news, entertainment and political and artistic expression,
Many rumours have been spreading the web recently about the new gPhone – just a rumour that Google could create a iPhone style smartphone, with it’s own embedded software and technology.
Google have now confirmed that they are to be making a new smartphone-like device which ‘makes it easy to search the web, wherever you are’. Executives from the multi-billion pound UK based phone operator Orange have flown to the Google-plex to attend preliminary talks in a joint venture over the new phone.
It has said that the new phone will feature all the normal feature of a modern smartphone; 3G, GPS, touchscreen, querty keypad – but also offers what the Apple iPhone cannot – to allow 3rd party apps.
The major problem will be for Google will come with identifying who will buy the phone. Will it be converted iFreaks? Converted Win Mobile customers? A huge majority of the users of Google technology only use their search. Will they see Google as a viable brand to trust enough for the average buyer to go with?
For us programmers and expert users, the Google phone will be a huge opertunity to write programs onto it’s platform which will undoubtably come fit with SDK and be open source.
Is it even out of the question for the Goole-Orange partnership to buy such technology and expertise seen in the openMoko.org project?
What ever may happen, Apple and M$ must be crapping themselves at the prospect of open source software becoming common place in the comsumer market, and Google taking another step towards world domination.
Whoo hooo! I’ve just passed the Google Adwords Professional, with 81.6%!
Woot!
There aren’t many ways of making money solely through the internet, but one of the quickest rising and easiest methods is through a blog. Blogs are a great way to promote articles, discuss various ideas, and promote your website itself. However, there are several ways you can make money with blogs as well.
1. Sell advertising
The most common way people make money with blogs is selling advertising. If you build a large blog you can sell advertising space for people to put their ads on your manually on your blog. This generates the most revenue, as you can agree to show the ad for a set price, and not have the ad’s value based on clicks through that ad.
However, the majority of people use Google AdSense. It is free and they pay you per person that clicks their ads. Ads from the Google Adwords network which broadcast on the ‘Content network’ will appear on your blog along with some public service ads.
2. Sell your products
A blog is a great place to discuss advice and opinions on various subjects. It can also be a great place to promote your product and tell them how it can benefit them. Whether it’s your blog or someone else’s, look at it as an opportunity to fulfill peoples’ needs, not that you are just selling your product.
3. Affiliate programs
This is a great way to make money with blogs that hardly anyone even considers. By mentioning the product, the affiliate program will provide you with a clickable link to hyperlink the word with. This way if people are interested in your blog post and click on the product word, they are directed to the affiliate program website where you make commission on all products they buy.
4. Sell your website
It may seem a cliche because everyone sells their own website and business through blogs. However, it is your approach that can mean the difference of you making money with blogs or not. If you spend the whole time talking you will seem uninterested in others’ insight. If you incorporate others’ thoughts and opinions and strike up a conversation with little bits and pieces about your business, you soon will have them reeled in. By talking about their business and showing interest you will find that more people are interested in your business in turn.
5. Consistency
The more you post the more chances people have to see you and your website link. It is vital that you make one post a day or at minimum a few a week. This way people become accustomed to seeing your posts and hearing your advice or questions. This is a great way to build relationships, which will help you sell your product, share ideas, and promote your website.
All the ads on microplop.com have not been removed, as they were slowing the site down, and loosing the site’s layout.
The Google team behind Google Adwords CPC (cost Per Click) are developing a new system to better judge the value of affiliate to another site.
The new scheme runs on not just clicks to the destination page, but also the actions that they do there, hence the name Cost Per Action. It offers a better system for deciding how much to pay the host for your ad.
It is a relatively new way of advertising but many different advertising companies have already set-up CPA, so Google is just catching up.
I’ll report when it comes into beta.
