Their own best promotion - Helpful information sites

Mark Hofman, don't know him from Adam, or Abby for that matter. Then one day looking for some help maintaining the lower unit on my outboard.

Logical first step, a google search. My boat is a Stratos, my motor a Yamaha. Experience has taught me that trade names are going to get me a bunch of advertising without helpful info.

Figuring outboards are outboards and lower units are lower units (some bigger than others) my search terms were

--"lower unit + outboard + change oil". Thank goodness no porn.

--"Changing Lower Unit Oil - Grab Bag by Mark Hofman" was at the top of that search a couple of weeks ago.

**SEO (Search Engine Optimization) TIP#1 - look at that title, compare it to the search string.**

Since then..

--"How to Change Lower Unit Oil in Your Outboard" has moved to the top of the search, interestingly that site is loaded with Ads by Google where the formerly top ranked was clean - no ads.

**SEO TIP#2 - if you don't mind bowing to the "man", google ads on your page may improve your search ranking. Actually, google is not evil and would never allow their advertising placement to be a factor.. shame on any who may think bad of them. It is the "outboard" in the title that moved that entry to the top of the list. So this is TIP1 again. OK, it bears repeating, titles are important.**

Both sites have pretty good content. Mark's has more and better pictures, is unencumbered with ads, and downloads complete with the pictures as a PDF file. I like his better, it is useful, clean, and eminently engaging. I am thinking Nitro owners (nitroowners.com) must be a pretty good bunch of guys to provide this nice clean content in the format I need. I will remember nitroowners.com far longer than takeem.com, the number one site this week. Mark is at number 3, still not bad. Hey I even remember his name, he was so helpful.

In this instance takeem.com has won the SEO battle, but have done nothing that will seal their domain name into memory. I don't really get what takeem.com has to do with outboards other than something to do with duck hunting, and not sure how takeem relates to duck hunting either. Top ranking, no lasting impression, nothing gained except maybe a one time click on an adsense link.

**Web Presence TIP #1 - have the right domain name for your content**.

**Web Presence TIP #2 - extraordinary clean is so rare on the web that it is memorable**

**Web Presence TIP #3 - personalization is always better, hard to clone enthusiasm and a helpful spirit --Submitted by Mark ("MOFish") Hofman, my kind of guy, a fisherman**

**Web Presence TIP #4 - if you have the content, Google will find your site, it is kind of like their whole purpose, duh, but always keep in mind SEO TIP1 to help the search engines.**

Thank you Mark "MOFish" Hofman and nitroowners.com, sincerely. You were a great help, right when I needed the help. Between the two of you, my interest in the Nitro brand has grown way beyond any interest in Nitro because of KVD. And I like KVD. Just don't care what kind of boat he pilots.

Google # 1 and 3, week of Aug 23, 2009 for the search "lower unit + outboard + change oil"

1. http://www.takeem.com/blinds/lower-unit.php OK I get it now, TakeEm, Duck Hunting, still kind of a stretch for lower unit servicing.

3. http://www.nitroowners.com/projects/lowerunit/lowerunitproject.htm My top pick still, and ALWAYS, thanks again Mark and nitroowners.com.

SEO TIP#3 - notice "lower unit" in the above urls anywhere?

More about SEO, Search Engine Optimization..