Symbols are pictures which we use to give a message to other beings and to those that will come after us. The interpretation of the symbol is very personal and unique to each individual.

Those symbols and codes we take for granted are things like the alphabet we use in our language. Languages and their associated symbols are a living thing.

Nowhere is this more apparent than when watching our children sending text messages to each other on their mobile phones. They have created their own language, which is unique and constantly changing.

They may use different symbols in different orders when talking with a certain friend and change the order and language with another. I suppose this is a little like local dialect in different parts of the country.

The main thing to be aware of is the relationship between the symbols on the surface of language and their meaning and effects on our emotions and feelings. Also, the message can be sent out on many levels.

As we write we send a telepathic message, which is received by the other person instantly. The letter or email will follow later. It is this telepathic message that pre-programmes the other person’s emotions and feeling to interpret the message in a certain way and give it its truth.

Symbols are very powerful: as the old saying goes, a picture says a thousand words. It is the intricate matrix of emotions and feeling that is enlivened by a symbol and connects it to your Inner Self. This connection highlights your own truth that you receive from the symbol used.

Last night while I was sleeping I became aware I was receiving lots of symbols. I was quietly watching as thousands of visual images seemed to be being downloaded into my consciousness. Each image was only visible for about a tenth of a second before my awareness moved on to the next image.

I have yet to understand the reason for this download. It appeared to consist mainly of the symbols used by the ancient Egyptians in their wall paintings of animals and various headdresses.

The point being that it is not the symbol that is important; it is its inner meaning for us as an individual. We all have an inner knowledge and belief system which interprets these symbols. This gives meaning and understanding but it is our inner feelings and emotions which give us our truth.

It is this inner connection to Self - that Inner Universal Life Force - that is the seat of our true Inner Knowledge. Our feeling and emotions join the symbols on the surface of life to the inner depth of knowledge which creates our truth and understanding.

It is as though we compare even the smallest symbol to our Inner Universal Knowledge and, through feelings and emotions, make judgements and decisions which give the symbol meaning for us.

The awareness within and our connection to Self, the Universal Life Force, should not be overshadowed too much by our learned beliefs and judgements. It is important to be aware on what level of our awareness we are deciding and acting.

The more we are in tune with our Soul and Universal Life Force the better, as our actions are in tune with the whole universe.

Message channelled by George Lockett (C) Copyright 2005, All Rights Reserved. Read HealerGeorge’s Blog: Journey into the Self
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There must be 100 books (eBooks and otherwise) on how to “cash in” on Google’s AdSense program. Many are what may be termed “black hat” ways to gain revenue. Black hat comes from the old western movies where the good guys had white hats and the bad guys, you guessed it, had black hats.

Interestingly enough, the guys making big bucks in AdSense don’t stoop to those tactics. They don’t need to.

So if you are looking here for a way to create a gimmick on a page to make people click an ad they would not normally, you won’t find it. That’s against the Google AdSense Terms of Service.

But there must be ways to better your Click Through Rate, no?

Let’s look at a few things that have been proven to “improve” your chances.

I am blessed to live in Naples, Florida. A few days ago I walked to the beach (a few minutes from my front door), and took the picture of the fisherman.

Although it’s beautiful, the fisherman is frustrated. Several factors were working against him on this day without a bite. The biggest thing was the effect “Red tide” has had on our fish. To date, over 450 tons of dead fish have been taken to the local landfill.

So right off the bat, the “content” he is fishing in isn’t good. In other words, yes, fish are out there, but they are being choked by the algae bloom. Nothing would interest them right now.

Next, I wandered over and asked what bait was he using. He said shrimp. Now shrimp can be good, and I’m not expert on Gulf fishing, but he wasn’t getting any bites at all. Might be time to spruce up the bait a little.

We’ll call proper bait the “ad size and placement” in our analogy.

I’ve seen many fisherman at our pier fish for hours with shrimp and not catch a thing. My thinking is the fish just want something else. They are probably blinded by shrimp bait because everyone uses it.

But the biggest factor with our fisherman is that the overall content was absolutely deadly. The fish didn’t want to be there and indeed, many were dying to get out.

So how can we get them to bite at your ads?

First - Don’t force the ads to look like ads. I have seen countless, and am sure you have, too; countless pages with Google AdSense ads that are the Google default. Remember that Google provides you with tools to make your AdSense look awesome. The best tip: blend the ads in with your page. Make them appear as an integral part of your site.

Second - Use text ads and not image ads. Text blends better. Fish are blind to the same ol’ bait. We are blind to banner ads. Don’t go there - your visitors certainly won’t.

Third - and lastly for today, create awesome content. Don’t give your visitors the “red tide”. Keep searching for content and make it of value. Some great sites offering free content are: ArticleCity.com, ValuableContent.com, and EzineArticles.com.

Enough for now. Work on making your ads blend with your pages. Concentrate on delivering great content. That’s what draws people to your site. And your AdSense Ads will reflect the content as well. Isn’t that what you want?

Founder of one of the first web hosting companies on the Internet, World Wide Mart, Dave Jackson has been teaching others how to monetize their web sites for over ten years. Currently he teaches others to create a solid residual income by creating quality web sites of great benefit to visitors and monetizing them using contextual ads. His blog is Making Money with Contextual Ads.

The latest trend in online marketing focuses on local search. While there are plenty of business site directories that act like online telephone directories, local search is more than a telephone directory or classified ad site. It’s a community-oriented, user-friendly approach to finding businesses close to home.

Recent studies have shown that an increasing number of consumers are researching local businesses online before heading out to make purchases. As large search providers like Google and Yahoo! build their local search resources, expect consumers to refine their search habits.

My research indicates that in most local areas, more than 70 per cent of all businesses included in local search listings do not have their own Web sites. To compensate, the search services combine information from telephone directories, classified ads, and news articles. As many as 20 or 30 Web results may be offered for a company, but a consumer may not find an informative, official Web site for an interesting business.

So, here is a three-point plan any business should use to capitalize on local search:

One: Control your visibility with your own Web site

Maximize your visibility through local search services with your own Web site. Choose a service that lets you create an attractive but simple, multi-page site quickly and with little hassle.

Your company Web site should consist of at least three pages:

1) An introduction page tells people the name of your company, what your company does (a brief mention of products and/or services), and who your market is (e.g., “Serving vendors around the world since 1971″).

2) An “About Us” page tells people who you are, what you do, how long you have been in business, and what qualifies you and your business to be their choice.

3) A “Contact Us” page tells people how to reach you. Include a link to a mapping service so they can find your address easily. Contact information should include telephone numbers, email addresses, and physical addresses. Include names for department heads if appropriate.

Although many business operators believe a Web site should be loaded with graphics, music, and animation, usability studies show that users tend to leave Web sites that don’t get to the point or provide information clearly and without hype. Just start with a simple Web site.

Two: Take charge of your local search listings

Did you know that you can create your own listings in the local search services? Yahoo! will give you a free 5-page Web site just for listing your company with their service.

http://listings.local.yahoo.com/

Google’s service is more like a classified directory, but you still have direct control over how your listing appears:

https://www.google.com/local/add/login

But don’t stop with their Web listings. Take charge of the Yahoo! Mobile and Google Mobile services, too. People are increasingly using their cell phones to search the Internet.

http://wap.oa.yahoo.com/

http://www.google.com/sms/howtouse.html#business

Study how these companies advise their visitors to use the services. For example, if you operate a pizza parlor, make it possible for people to find you by searching for “pizza” and your zip code. It should be as simple as that.

Three: Offer Incentives To Other Businesses With Web Sites

Develop a plan that promotes your Web site to your community by offering incentives to other businesses to refer their visitors to your site. Create an attractive discount coupon image that other businesses can offer to their visitors. Build your own coupon page for companies you routinely refer your customers to.

Your goal is not to exchange coupon links with other local businesses. Your goal is to build referral relationships. If you offer shoe repair services, build referral relationships with local shoe stores. If they don’t have Web sites, help them learn how to create those Web sites.

Be willing to link to other local businesses on your pages without requiring a link back. Show your visitors that you are a resource. When your customers come see you, talk to them about your Web site and ask them how you can make it a better resource for them.

Michael Martinez has been actively designing and promoting Web sites since 1997. Michael has assisted small and mid-sized businesses in developing their online marketing strategies since 1999. He is the author of innovative research articles and papers, most recently including “On the Googleness of Being” and “Google: Changes in Ranking Strategies”, which have influenced the search engine optimization industry’s strategies for years.

http://www.michael-martinez.com/