Posted by Laura Vestanen on 4/15/07 5:51pm
Msg #185343

Which forums you post on can help or damage your notary biz

Please only post on forums that are not connected to a signing service owner.

Forums with frequent posts are heaven for search engine optimation (SEO): getting high ranking on Google, Yahoo, etc searches.

When you post on a forum that has a searchable notary directory to allow title companies, lenders, and individuals to hire a notary directly, you are helping yourself get more direct better-paying work.

Posting on the NotaryRotary forum is a terrific example of helping to boost the Google/Yahoo ranking of a notary directory which gets THE NOTARY direct work.

When you post on a forum owned by a signing service owner, you are helping his SS website getting higher ranking on Google, Yahoo, etc. You are helping the middle man get a cut of the fee you could be getting from a TC or lender directly.

Forums by notary associations without directories and not connected to signing services are fine. This would include MWNA, for example.

I spent over 200 hours last year studying search engine optimization (SEO) so info on my notary services would appear many times on the first page of a Google or Yahoo search. I did a test yesterday. Info on me came up on 7 out of the 10 search results listed on the first page. Yes, I am bragging. But I also want you to know that my information on SEO is solid.

So please don't shoot yourself in the foot by posting on forums connected in any way to an SS. There is a new one out there gaining popularity so beware. The url ends with t.org

Best of luck in your notary career!

Reply by James H. Lissemore on 4/15/07 6:16pm
Msg #185347

Thanks for the advise

Reply by James H. Lissemore on 4/15/07 6:59pm
Msg #185352

Anybody else scared besides me!!

Reply by BrendaTx on 4/15/07 7:53pm
Msg #185355

Laura is correct, James. I too have studied search

engine optimization and her information is solid on that. You may not be aware of it but the link you have been posting about on this and the other forum are connected to a signing service.

The owner is using the posters/members to shoot themselves in the foot by promoting it.

You cannot blame the guy for being a sharp marketer but I feel negatively about the warm fuzzies he's putting out to notaries so they become members and so that they will pump his site up to the top with their visits and profiles will putting great sites like this one and other notary sites WE PAY FOR behind them--that way he can get you members to cut your own throat by visiting, promoting, and then he gets found before you do. IMHO it makes the members look a little bit like they've been had. I haven't mentioned it myself lately because it just makes people go visit it more.

He's using people by keeping it so friendly and nice and warm and cuddly. That's just great if you want warm and cuddly. I don't want that. I prefer having my own site, and sites like NR get found before them.

I don't have a profile on that site. There is a good reason behind that. They are raking off your business by your own activity.

He's a good marketer but a true wolf in sheepskin.

Reply by Susan Fischer on 4/15/07 8:26pm
Msg #185357

Yup, fishy fishy come bite my hook...smart fisherman... n/m

Reply by Lisa Wood on 4/15/07 8:28pm
Msg #185358

Re: Laura is correct, James. I too have studied search

Thank you SO much for the "Heads UP!" I only wish I knew the site you are referring to so that I can make sure that I never visit there.

Reply by Jacqueline Dyson on 4/15/07 8:39pm
Msg #185360

Re: Laura is correct, James. I too have studied search

Thank you for the insight. I actually signed up. I will be removing myself immediately!

Reply by BrendaTx on 4/15/07 8:41pm
Msg #185361

Re: Laura is correct, James. I too have studied search

Check your PM, Lisa. For all the others who are interested the guy's name is Scott. Smart marketer, that one. If you don't know what site that is, just keep that in mind.

Reply by BrendaTx on 4/15/07 8:43pm
Msg #185362

Re: Laura is correct, James. I too have studied search

Oh yeah. Just remember that this is all IMHO!

Reply by DPazCA on 4/15/07 11:13pm
Msg #185376

Re: Laura is correct, James. I too have studied search

I also wish I knew the name of the SS.

Reply by DPazCA on 4/15/07 11:16pm
Msg #185377

Nevermind, Found it! Thanks for advice. n/m

Reply by DellaCa on 4/16/07 1:34am
Msg #185386

Re: Do you know how to remove yourself?

I tried in the beginning but could not I even emailed the owner and recieved no reply.

Reply by Bedowin/MI on 4/15/07 9:06pm
Msg #185365

Re: Which forums you post on can help or damage your notary

Thanks for the warning. I wish I knew more about this stuff. Do you find you get a lot more business now that you can be found so easily or do you find that most of your business comes from NR or other sites?

Thanks!

Reply by Susan Fischer on 4/15/07 9:45pm
Msg #185369

What a great post. Thanks for the scoop, Troop! n/m

Reply by Sarah/CA on 4/16/07 12:35am
Msg #185384

Very interesting. Thank you for the insight.

Reply by BrendaTx on 4/16/07 6:37am
Msg #185390

Retraction: The site "used" to be a signing service

I have been inundated by PMs regarding this. I have been sent an article with a list which says the owner no longer runs an SS but promotes setting up an informal referral fee situation with other notaries. (They *used* to be a signing service.) Now they just use a "referal fee" system. I am apparently behind the times.

However, now that attention has been drawn to this siuation you can decide for yourself what's going on. You can discount what I said unless you determine that a "used" to be signing service might somehow profit from the new "referral fee" system in diminish your own chances on this site and other database sites. That's totally up to you to determine by doing your own research and thinking this through.

If what the list I have been sent is accurate (taken from that site, cut and pasted into PMs to me), there's only a "referral fee" involved--see #6 of that list.

Only you can decide if referral fees are somehow different than a commission or middleman cut.

As a member of a Texas network I have never taken one "referral" fee from the monthly referrals I made. Nor was I ever charged a referral fee for being sent business by my sister/brother notaries. Such referral fees would dilute the strength of my endorsement.

As far as what has been stated about website optimization, that's true. However, if the network site referenced herein only "used" to be a signing service and is now magically *no longer* a signing service then I retract my statements about that and tell notaries who read this and participate in that site to use their own judgment as to whether or not the membership and building Google recognition for the site is in their best interest.

There are a lot of variables in this tale. If you participate, it's up to you to decide.

Perhaps the "referral" fee system is *somehow* different than the SS-type middleman cut.

Perhaps the "used to be" signing service *won't* ever use your content (writing on the network's site) and profiles to improve their ratings.

Perhaps the "referral fee" system won't ever resume being a signing service!

What is not a variable in this story is what you have learned about Google website optimization and that more hits and more content on a website is going to help ratings rise. Just be aware of what sites you participate in and what direction they are headed toward.

Reply by SueW/Tn on 4/16/07 7:57am
Msg #185399

I knew there was something seriously wrong

when Frannie became their star. Lots of censorship, 'nuff said, I'm deleted and gooonnnneee!

Reply by hcampersFL on 4/16/07 8:02am
Msg #185401

Re: I knew there was something seriously wrong

How did you get deleted? I want to do that to.

Reply by Ndwa on 4/16/07 8:10am
Msg #185403

Conspiracy PM, Brenda! n/m

Reply by BrendaTx on 4/16/07 8:57am
Msg #185409

Re: Conspiracy PM, Brenda! - Andy - thank you for validating

me with the PM you sent. That's what I thought. I just couldn't remember the name of the site.

I appreciate you refreshing my memory.

Reply by Timothy Gatewood on 4/17/07 11:36pm
Msg #185760

Re: Conspiracy PM, Brenda!

Okay, I have tried to figure out these abbreviations in context and am not making any headway. What the heck are "PM" and "n/m" ?

-- Tim

Reply by MistarellaFL on 4/18/07 1:25am
Msg #185773

PM=Private message N/M=no message n/m

Reply by SueW/Tn on 4/16/07 8:10am
Msg #185404

Re: I knew there was something seriously wrong

go to your home page, on right hand side look for "email preferences", click on that and it gives you the option to delete the whole enchilada

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 4/16/07 9:46am
Msg #185415

Re: I knew there was something seriously wrong

I smelled fishy when she wouldn't post the link - you needed to e-mail her for the link to the site..

Reply by BrendaTx on 4/16/07 10:24am
Msg #185422

Re: I knew there was something seriously wrong

Linda - are you referring to Fran saying to email her? Or someone in this thread?

As an aside: Please don't PM me for the link to the site of discussion. It makes me feel badly because I don't want to give it out to people I don't "know" - - - thanks! Brenda

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 4/16/07 11:01am
Msg #185428

Re: I knew there was something seriously wrong

Umm...2 things..

1. Yes - I was referring to the request to e-mail her; and
2. If your comment about the PM was addressed to me - I didn't PM you.

Reply by BrendaTx on 4/16/07 11:59am
Msg #185444

Linda -

Linda - #2 was a poorly/hastily written remark. It was not directed at you.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 4/16/07 12:29pm
Msg #185452

Re: Okay..thanks Brenda..:) n/m

Reply by Ernest Adams on 4/16/07 8:49am
Msg #185407

Does all of this mean ...

... that I should try to sneak a link to my Web Site into my Posts? Harry would correctly see that as advertising, I'm betting.

Reply by AQN on 4/16/07 11:59am
Msg #185443

Wow,
Now I understand how lynchmobs get started. If I'm to believe all that you say, I have to take YOUR WORD FOR IT..... But, if I'm to believe him (he states that he has no connection with and is not a part of a SS) then I suppose it's a coin toss on who to believe. I have never understood people who are blindly loyal- I'm not. My eyes are wide open in fact. Anyone who places all their eggs in one basket and then tries to destroy all the other baskets out there is IMHO a destructive influence. We all have our own profit motives out here folks, so don't be too quick to believe anyone who says they are looking out for your best interests. Look out for your own. Remember, you are utilizing the internet and just because you pay for something, IT'S NOT REALLY YOURS! That "other site" is rumored to be planning to charge for your participation. Ultimately, in the land of the free...and freedom of choice, we will all choose how, when and why we participate. Do what works for you...one, the other, both or none...but please, live and let live.

Reply by BrendaTx on 4/16/07 12:19pm
Msg #185450

Laura -

Said AQN...
** Ultimately, in the land of the free...and freedom of choice, we will all choose how, when and why we participate. Do what works for you...one, the other, both or none...but please, live and let live.**

Laura:

You tried to explain it. You brought it to their attention. I propped your observations up with some of my own.

My guess why you posted the info in this thread...because like me, you are not comfortable with someone who has a signing service set up through the famous notary restaurant software (yep) saying the are no longer in the ss field.

Lissemore is on the other board saying it's all good. So's FlaMac. If James and Fran think it is GOOD, well, it certainly must be!

People can make their own decisions about it. We must bend with our own opinions and weigh all sides of the situation. Personally, I don't care if there's a Notary Peace and Love Fest over at said site which will rival the days of Woodstock.

In the meantime, I think I'll heat up a little cornbread and homemade tomato soup for lunch.

Reply by DebbieT on 4/16/07 12:47pm
Msg #185455

Weird

When I put my name in the search engine the last two links have my name in them but it is advertising notary loans and the other one is about brushing teeth. Not to mention that the one about brushing teeth has a blog from the above mentioned website. I took myself out this morning. I hope no major damage was done. Who ever has been there needs to do the same and watch what comes up. Weird.

Reply by DebbieT on 4/16/07 2:31pm
Msg #185479

My bad! That was a different forum. n/m

Reply by DebbieT on 4/16/07 2:32pm
Msg #185480

Still weird! n/m