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I was going to publish an earth-shattering post that would revolutionize online marketing through unconventional techniques, but I thought I would put that on hold. Instead, I’ll share with everyone that this blog is now #1 on Google (GOOG) for the keyword term Unconventional Marketing and Unconventional marketing Blog. Here is the pic.

Over the past month or two I have been floating between #2 and #3 depending on the day and weather, apparently. Now my goals are honing in on some other marketing terms as well as my name and Josh Blog. I never knew before blogging that there was another Josh Whitford in this world, but there is. And not only that, but he is an author and professor, thus holding the #1 spot for our names. In time. As far as the other terms go, I am slowly beginning to pick off the less searched for marketing terms and using those as the blog’s foundation before conquering others larger terms.

I have been developing SEO skills over the last two months as I questioned how to rank #1 for selected terms. What I have found is that ranking for keywords is pretty easy and straight forward, but depending on the terms can take a lot of time and effort to achieve. I hope to build up the skills and continue to use that to benefit this blog and those around me. If you are wondering where I learned about SEO here are the blogs you should visit. There are many more out there but these are the most legit I have found.

• Make Money Online (Vic)
• Make Money Online (Grizzly)
• How to Make Money Online for Beginners
• Learn. Rank. Dominate

As a way of celebrating, I will offer 200 Entrecredits to the first 20 people to leave a comment on this post. If you don’t have Entrecard, I will offer up a free link on my blog roll instead. I will send the credits to the email you use in posting your comments.

This page is dedicated to all of the people who have supported this blog. Check back often as this page will be updated frequently. To be listed on this page all that is required is to comment. Once again I would like to thank everyone who has helped this blog grow to where it is at now.

Erica Janet Giacoma WIthers Davis CrazyKinux ovan Hendry Lee Dena Linda Kenya Stallworth Frank J Linda P. Morton Tom - StandOutBlogger.com Big Ben Patton Mouseclone Jeff Schuman Chris Catherine Article Specialist Tradetec Natalie Metroknow - AlmostFit.com Lindsay LUCKYLADY Robert cash boy Rachel Janet Jeannine Blake blogzilla Ty Hurd aeirin tyclayhope Tawna MarketingDeviant Joe Lundell wyche128 Ten Things Mark tazdog Susie Theresa laketrees Max Shanker Bakshi Gaje Master Mike Huang RPM Millionaire ravi karandeekar Ramona Iftode wtricks.com Filipino in Canada AdJingo Margaret BigPappa emarketed Aromatherapy Essential Oils Diane Jena Isle Louie Laurent Larry Brauner Metroknow - AlmostFit.com boris Michael Aulia Andy The Realtor - Cecilia kent Tom Chetan Adam Ruchit Surati MAGGIE AT COFFEESHOPMAFIA RegretfulMorning Robert MacEwan tony dee Jake Loraleigh Vance aliman Melo steve vladi Felix Mrs. Mecomber Deimos Tel`Arin Bryan Adrian Corscadden Jason Zedomax guinness416 Richard Dawn @ Coming to a Nursery Near You Chelle Cynthia Blue theaffiliatepost androo SiteHoppers Popular Wealth baldeagle kgaihc Rob Schultz Townboy danandmarsh Eric P. Martin Dave from Welcome Back Rosenthal Dennis Edell Shravan Jonathon Diane Scott guardian angel CindyS Justin JTPratt’s Blogging Mistakes arnold mikey777 Cassie Alfred Saforo Luke Ian Mandi BoBo Roxiticus Desperate Housewives Blue Licorice Jeff Millman Reena waterrose Jodith Marty ksc7 Sean Buvala curryegg Debt Free Revolution nabinkm Nicola Pedley Bill Stanley Wade Balsdon Saphrym Patsy ( Patricia Sawyer) Luke Charles NaijaEcash Jasko Karlonia Matt Ellsworth Carlo Dette Beth Amber W Scott Pooler jtrigsby.com MindBlogger Curt jamesd Ben Health Is Wealth Miranda ideasandmoney Cynthia Susie B Carter Mark stewartallyn Lafeeu John Lockwood John Bougearel Jeff Millman Sue Mrs. Mecomber Brazen Lass Crystal Chris Moran Brian Fitzpatrick Gary R. Hess issa Woody Morrisah Spears ukion Adam Doolittle A. Tim PinoyProducts 1 Million in 365 Day Enchanted Crafts Mike Roo Stewart Schatz Susie Octavia Zopito DiGiovanni Robert MacEwan Shaun Jacob Share Coop Jon Christensen Tina Su - Think Simple Now Amy Shane Lowry PinoyProducts Kimberly Clay heidi ATV Style Jackie Matt Marty ATV Urge TL money making blogger Nikolai Shanker Bakshi StanHayes sukosaki Frank Kanu Ohio Realtor WillThink4Wine David TYPELiFE JoNathan Blogsters Guild Look 4 Dream Girls Reward Rebel

My last post was about switching from a traditional job to working for yourself online. I touched on some basics needed to accomplish this task. For me, all of this started when I quit my day job and set out to work for myself online, inspiring me to write about The Top 10 Reasons to Quit Your Job. There are countless reasons to quit your job and start having fun, but how does someone make that jump from the rat race to living out a dream?

November 2006 is where my dream started. I was driving beet truck for a local farmer during harvest season, looking for jobs to apply to and setting up interviews. I listened to the radio a lot while driving and picked up a show by Dave Ramsey, the get out of debt guru. He inspired me to make life changes in order to get out of debt and live a more fulfilled life. After reading some of the books he recommended, including some of his own, I came across a book called, 48 Days to the Work You Love. I have mentioned this book a couple of times because I will gladly buy this for anyone graduating from high school or college. The book doesn’t give you any answers about what jobs you should work, but it does ask the right questions. Over the next year and half, I worked to achieve my goal and quest to pursuit the career of my choice.

When I say I tried all the wrong ways to make money online, I mean it. I did the blog with Adsense, tried to sell ebooks, eBay drop shipping (including the book), and many others. I thought because others were successful at doing those things that I would be able to replicate their work. I was able to an extent do what they did but ultimately it cost me much more time and effort than I ever got out of those ideas. I always knew I wanted the flexibility and lifestyle that the Internet business could provide, but I was doing the business of others and not myself. It wasn’t until I figured out that doing what you are really passionate about is the key to succeeding both on and offline in business. You truly have to love what you do and be willing to do it even without a paycheck. If you can honestly wake up in the morning and want nothing more than to get to work you have found what you love. I can’t even sleep in anymore because I will just lay there thinking about the things I can do for the day.

For myself, I found that I love solving problems. I have know this for a long time but never capitalized on that ability to help negotiate my way through the situation until its resolve was complete. I also knew that I love working with people and helping to meet their needs (the go to person). What I did was merge offline business with business online. I have been helping local groups and businesses be found online. Most have a website but that site is not easily found in their local markets. I help define people’s goals and target for their businesses online. In our local market, this is a completely untapped niche. I can’t name anyone in town who really has a clue to accomplish these tasks for a business (some claim but don’t deliver). The last two months have brought a lot of business in for me and I find that each day I love what I do more and more. I think it is so much fun to help people like this and in an untapped market there is a lot of opportunity to grow.

The biggest part to remember with all of the information you digest while beginning your quest to work online is to live out your dream, not the successes of another. Unless you can separate your quest for money apart from a fulfilled career, it will have a short lifespan. Ask yourself the right questions:

• What are my favorite hobbies? (Passions)
• What do I know a lot about or seek to know a lot about (investing, housing, SEO, puppies)?  (Drive / Motivation)
• What are my talents (talking, writing, production, media, technologies)? (Leverages)
• What do I get fulfillment out of (helping others, adding value, sharing, teaching)? (Purpose)
• Who do I most want to work with (kids, businesses, charities, sports, car enthusiasts)? (Market)

Find your target market and build a product for it. Always have a plan and a goal before you start something online. My goal for this blog was to reach others and build a network. Don’t build a blog and try 10 different methods of making money from it, you’ll waste your time. Build a product or service for your target market, not a market for your product or service.

I recently talked about the 3 steps to building a successful blog, and most of that is centered around good content and building your community. I have been blogging for just over 3 months now and in the blogosphere, that is roughly the equivalent of being an adolescent. Now I am going to sound like the Miss USA winner here and thank everyone who helped to build my blog and my community. So without further adieu, here are all of the people who have contributed to my blog. Drum roll, please!

Lindsay LUCKYLADY   Robert  cash boy  Rachel  Janet  Jeannine  Blake  blogzilla  Ty Hurd  aeirin  tyclayhope  Tawna  MarketingDeviant  Joe Lundell  wyche128  Ten Things  Mark  tazdog  Susie  Theresa  laketrees  Max  Shanker Bakshi  Gaje Master  Mike Huang  RPM Millionaire  ravi karandeekar  Ramona Iftode  wtricks.com  Filipino in Canada  AdJingo  Margaret  BigPappa  emarketed  Aromatherapy Essential Oils  Diane  Jena Isle  Louie Laurent  Larry Brauner  Metroknow - AlmostFit.com  boris  Michael Aulia  Andy  The Realtor - Cecilia  kent  Tom  Chetan  Adam  Ruchit Surati  MAGGIE AT COFFEESHOPMAFIA  RegretfulMorning  Robert MacEwan  tony dee  Jake  Loraleigh Vance  aliman  Melo  steve  vladi  Felix  Mrs. Mecomber  Deimos Tel`Arin  Bryan  Adrian Corscadden  Jason  Zedomax  guinness416  Richard  Dawn @ Coming to a Nursery Near You  Chelle  Cynthia Blue  theaffiliatepost  androo  SiteHoppers  Popular Wealth  baldeagle  kgaihc  Rob Schultz  Townboy  danandmarsh  Eric P. Martin  Dave from Welcome Back Rosenthal  Dennis Edell  Shravan  Jonathon  Diane Scott  guardian angel  CindyS  Justin  JTPratt’s Blogging Mistakes  arnold  mikey777  Cassie  Alfred Saforo  Luke  Ian  Mandi  BoBo  Roxiticus Desperate Housewives  Blue Licorice  Jeff Millman  Reena  waterrose  Jodith  Marty  ksc7  Sean Buvala  curryegg  Debt Free Revolution  nabinkm  Nicola Pedley  Bill Stanley  Wade Balsdon  Saphrym  Patsy ( Patricia Sawyer)  Luke  Charles  NaijaEcash  Jasko  Karlonia  Matt Ellsworth  Carlo  Dette  Beth  Amber W  Scott Pooler  jtrigsby.com  MindBlogger  Curt  jamesd  Ben  Health Is Wealth  Miranda  ideasandmoney  Cynthia  Susie  B Carter  Mark  stewartallyn  Lafeeu  John Lockwood  John Bougearel  Jeff Millman  Sue  Mrs. Mecomber  Brazen Lass  Crystal  Chris Moran  Brian Fitzpatrick  Gary R. Hess  issa  Woody  Morrisah  Spears  ukion  Adam Doolittle   A.  Tim  PinoyProducts  1 Million in 365 Day  Enchanted Crafts  Mike  Roo  Stewart Schatz  Susie  Octavia  Zopito DiGiovanni   Robert MacEwan  Shaun  Jacob Share  Coop  Jon Christensen  Tina Su - Think Simple Now  Amy   Shane Lowry  PinoyProducts  Kimberly Clay  heidi  ATV Style  Jackie  Matt  Marty  ATV Urge  TL  money making blogger  Nikolai  Shanker Bakshi   StanHayes  sukosaki   Frank Kanu  Ohio Realtor  WillThink4Wine  David  TYPELiFE  JoNathan  Blogsters Guild  Look 4 Dream Girls  Reward Rebel

If you are wondering if I copied and pasted all of those links and name the answer is yes. These are all of the people who have commented on my blog in the last 100 days or so. I would also like to thank everyone who subscribed to my RSS feed. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Kiss, wave, kiss, wave. Now all the world needs in a few more puppies to give a way.

In a recent post, I mentioned I built backlinks for this blog and my girlfriend’s blog, www.thatmutt.com. A couple people asked me to explain more about what I did. Despite what many new bloggers believe, traffic isn’t everything. Break down where your traffic is coming from, dissect the numbers, and you’ll see. One visitor coming from a Google search is more likely to stick around, read your article, purchase your product or seek your advise than one random visitor from either Digg or StumbleUpon. I have said before that I would trade 1,000 unique visitors for one commenter / subscriber. In the end, it is the people who get involved that will add the most value to your blog. So here are some ways to build backlinks to your blog and dominate your niche.

1. Comment, comment and comment. I have about 60 blogs that I frequent on a regular basis and leave thoughtful comments when I do. I typically do this every 2-3 days to allow for people to update their blogs with new posts. If they have added more than one new post, I will try and comment on each new post. This builds my network. If you try this, you will find that in time they just might write a post about you or your blog. If people are writing about you and your niche, the search engine looks at that like you just won a gold star. Enough gold stars and you start to rank #1 in searches for your terms. You will have a higher ranking, more search engine traffic and better visitors coming to your blog. Problogger wrote about this yesterday and his blog receives 46% of its traffic from Google (P.S. he gets a lot of traffic).
2. Contests. I know most contests are a lot of work to maintain and it sucks to do them often, but they are a great way to build backlinks. The owner of the Winning the Web contest got a lot more from hosting the contest than any single person who won something. He received 1,000s of backlinks, more RSS readers and a lot of name recognition from hosting one contest. Here it is a month later, and I still know about the contest and where it was, and I never even entered it. The same goes for the contest held at Sense to Save. If you don’t want to take the time to cook up a contest, simply find all the contests you can, and donate something to them. I got about 20 backlinks from donating to the Sense to Save contest from other bloggers re-posting the list of donors ;).
3. Social networking and social linking. Before you start claiming I am a hypocrite, I will elaborate. I use social sites like Digg and StumbleUpon to build in anchor links. An anchor link is a link used in context with the keywords you want your site to rank higher in. For example, if I want my site to come up when people search the term “really expensive watches,” I would put the HTML <ahref=”http://www.joshwhitford.com/”>Really expensive watches</a> in the comments or description of the post I am submitting to the different social networking / bookmarking sites. The text “Really expensive watches” will be linked to my site. My site might never say anything about having “really expensive watches,” but if I get enough of these links out on the Internet, eventually I would rank #1 for the term. Ranking is all about links and link building. A great site to help with this is Social Poster. Other really good programs do this same thing but much faster like BookmarkingDemon. But if you don’t want to pay, then stick to the free ways of gaining backlinks. In a couple of weeks I have gone from page #10 on Google to page #1 for a variety of terms.
4. Get your link and keywords on sites and blogs with good Page Ranking (PR). I have done this a number of ways. I actually have a number of bookmarking folders in my browser that I have labeled PR1, PR2, PR3… and so on. When I come across a blog that has a good page rank, I will bookmark it for later. Then when I have the time, I will go through each folder and see what the source code is for each site and if they have a no follow tag for their comments or not. If you go under “view” and then “source” in your browser, it will open the code for that page as a search engine would see it. If there is a rel=”nofollow”> followed by the name and comment, then I won’t use that site as a method of gaining backlinks. If I like the site and it has good traffic, I should continue to leave intelligent comments (not spam) and gain the trickle traffic from curious people. Remember they are sharing their page rank with you and you should be thankful for that. Leaving worthless comments does you no good. Recently, I commented on Tim Ferriss’s blog about the post I wrote about contacting Warren Buffett. The comment section is a “no follow,” but the links found in the post are normal “follow” links. When he took the information and link from the comment and inserted it into the post I gained a link from a blog with a PR6 (more to this but this is the basic idea).
5. Pay, bribe, barter and swap. I don’t recommend purchasing or advertising the sale of links. The reason against it is simple. If someone wants your spot on the search page and knows you have paid for links, you are one report away from being kicked to the Google curb. If you can barter or swap links either in posts or with things like Entrecard credits, then it is much harder to prove any wrongdoing with Google or other search engines. This is why blogs who take on PayPerPost tend to get taken to the woodshed come time for page rank updates. Google knows when you are promoting sites for money and will punish you for “gaming” their algorithm. This is why John Chow doesn’t even show up on page #1 for his name. It really doesn’t matter for him if he shows up on page #1 because he makes good money selling paid links and ads on his blog. But, if a blog gets most of its traffic from Google and gets sent to page 5, then that could destroy that url’s future for traffic. Tread lightly and research before you act on the Internet.

This by no means is a complete list of ways to gain backlinks or is it the complete ins and outs of SEO. But the more you play, the better you will become. Everything about search ranking and page rank is based on the foundation of good backlinks and anchor text links. The more links you have pointing towards your blog on certain keywords, the higher you will rate for relevancy of those keywords. Nothing is impossible, and if you would like to rank #1 for Business you can, although you might spend 2 years building backlinks to do so.