Engineering Magazines

Search engine marketing is by far the most efficient and effective way to advertise your business. With over 86% of internet users using Google as their search engine, the need for your business to show on the first page of Google has never been greater.

Many people are unaware of search engine marketing and just take for granted the results that appear when they search for something on a search engine such as Google.

However, search engine marketing seems to defy to current doom and gloom of the recession. Think about this:

“The average Britain spends 164 minutes online everyday, compared with 148 minutes watching TV”

Over half the world’s population now has access to the web and nearly 90% of them find what they’re looking for using search engines. 36% of people think that the result at the top of the first page is the market leader and 80% of people make their choice from first page listings alone. With over 21 billion web pages wanting a first page position how can you get your website on the first page.

This is called search engine marketing and I have listed a few techniques and tips to get you started with optimising your website to rank well on a search engine. Remember that this is a basic guide to help to you on your way.

Link building

First we have to look at how search engines rank a website and decide which order to list them. The simple (very very very simple) version is, Google changed everything the way many search engine rank. The initial creators of Google (Larry Page and Sergey Brin) wanted to create a search engine that could rank a website for quality and list them in order of quality to the user. The way they decided to rank a website was to count how many other websites link to it. If other websites link to it then it must be good. So, essentially links mean votes. Like I said, this is the very simple version and there is so much more to it than this but it is a great place to start as it holds the most importance.

See who links to you and then see who links to your competitors and try to muscle in on some of their action. Simply go to yahoo.co.uk, then in the search box type “link:yourcompetitor.com”. This will bring up a list of websites linking to your competitors website. Then contact them and ask them to link to you too. Don’t be stingy. Make sure you have links going out from your website. Important though that you link to high quality websites, i.e. If your website is a property website, have links to the relevant governing bodies, Wikipedia or the largest property portals. Search engines will see your site as being a good place to get good content. Submit your website to online directories. This can be very boring and takes hours. But once you have had your site accepted in to a directory. You’ll have a link back to your website. Remember. The more the better. Subscribe to forums in your niche. You can include a link in your signature straight to your website. Remember though. Do not spam on a forum. Forum users will not like it and the moderator will probably kick you off. If you use a forum properly though you will find it quite engaging. Read blogs relating to you niche market. This is very educational as well as beneficial for link building. Read the blog then leave a comment about that blog. Don’t forget to include a link to your website though. Just don’t make it too obvious.

Social Media (web2.0)

“Facebook”, “YouTube”, “Flickr”, “Myspace” – These are all social media websites. They provide a means for people from all over the world to join online and share information. The way in which people communicate vary though. “Flickr” allow people to upload photos and share them with other users or even comment on pictures uploaded. “Youtube” allow people to upload videos etc. The number of people visiting these websites to share information is in the millions. So maybe you could use these social communities to spread the word about your website. Social media is a great way to connect with hard to reach people that share the same interests. There are a number of ways to do this.

Make your content interesting enough for people to want to view it. Then,unlike search engine optimisation, change the content often, This will make people want to keep visiting you. Make it easy for people to tag or bookmark your new content. Bookmarking is very fashionable at the moment. The most popular way of doing this is by getting an “addthis” button due to its ease of use, however, there are many buttons available. Use more than just text in your site. Create a video and submit it to a video sharing website like “youtube”, Create a PDF version of your content and create an audio version too. Submit it to appropriate websites. Don’t forget the link back to your site. Blog.Blog.Blog then blog some more. The simple truth is that the majority of internet users love blogs. So do search engines. Create a blog and use it. A lot. Submit it to sites like “technorati.com”. If it is good enough people will link to you and then share and tell others about your writings. Make friends. The social media community, are very social and friendly. They will want to talk to you and ask you questions. Make sure you are polite and take time to answer any messages. Negative feedback spreads faster than positive feedback.

Pay Per Click

This is a method in which you pay to get people to your website. Have you ever done a search on Google and found there are two columns. The Colum on the right is called sponsored links. They are adverts from businesses. They do not pay anything for appearing there but they do pay when you click on the advert (pay per click). This is a very fast way to get people to your website but you do have to pay. I would recommend getting a pay per click company to help here. It will save you a lot of money. However, if you must have ago your self here are some very basic tips.

Budget. Make sure you create a sensible budget and stick to it. Don’t get in to a bidding war. Don’t just rely on pay per click as the be all and end all for your business marketing. PPC is great for promoting specific products and services very quickly but you always have to pay for the result. Analyze your cost per click and cost per acquisition closely. Then compare it to your other marketing activities. See which one works best. Remember that sites such as Google take into account the quality of your website content being marketed more than how much you are bidding. PPC is my favorite part of search engine marketing due mainly to the sheer speed of return on investment BUT make sure it is done properly other wise it can be devastating. Always have two ads running at the same time for each product but with different ad text. Google will use the most successful advert for you and show that advert more often, helping you gain more traffic. Change to poorest performing advert and see if it improves. Keep repeating. This will eventually lead to you having the best possible advert showing.

Search engine optimisation

Remember the two columns we just mentioned. Search engine optimization is the are of optimizing your website enough for Google to rank it on the left hand column. This list is ordered on how relevant your website is. And you don’t have to pay for these listings. Ever noticed how all the big companies appear at the top of the first page. Now we should as “which came first – The chicken or the egg?”. Search engine optimisation is generally split into two categories onsite optimisation and off site optimisation. The first, when done property is very important but it will only get you to the starting line. Offsite optimization is the race itself. A good search engine optimisation campaign should include all the search engine marketing techniques mentioned and when you really get into it you can learn the more advanced techniques. Below are a few basics.

Include your keywords in your domain, title, meta tags. The first thing a search engine spider will read is your domain name. i.e www.yourdomain.com. This doesn’t mean anything to a search engine so ideally use www.yourdomain.com/your-key-words, or even better www.your-key-words.com . Then the next part is your title. Don’t just have “home Page” or “Front Page”. I would have “your domain – your key words”. This also matches the domain name. Then repeat the same in your meta data. And sprinkle it throughout your web page. Keep it readable though. Make each page different. This helps search engines differentiate them and should lead to them indexing each of your pages separately. Get a site map and submit it to major search engines. Don’t pay for this service though. It amazes me that people actually charge for this. Just type into Google “sitemap” and you should be presented with website that will generate you a sitemap for free. Keep going. Older sites generally rank better than new sites. It is believed that older websites must be more reliable. As there is nothing we can do about this just focus your time on other offsite optimisation such as link building, social media optimization and if you just can’t wait, Pay per click. Search engine optimisation is a long term solution but boy is it worth waiting for. Validate your HTML code. Visit “validator.w3.org/ “.This will ensure that web browsers show your website correctly and helps search engine to index your site. There is no point in optimising your website if it doesn’t work properly.

Other useful tips

Get Google analytics. It is one thing having a website but you need to know what people are doing when they are on it. Google analytics is very comprehensive and FREE but it does not report in real time. Woopra however does report in real time. The choice is yours. Before doing anything else you should get one of these other wise how will you know your efforts are paying off. If you decide to use a company to undertake your search engine marketing campaign (recommended) make sure you choose your search engine marketing company wisely. Don’t just go on recommendation. It is going to be a long working relationship so the important thing is that you get on with them. Do your own research on the industry. Think twice about search engine marketing firms that say they can guarantee a first page listing in a short time, the methods they use WILL end up in your website being banned. BMW found this out the hard way.

Search engine marketing is not an easy option but when done properly will bring untold rewards.

This is by no means an exhaustive list but it will give people new to the concept a few things to get on with and research. Look out for more articles that will start to break the subjects down into more detail.

Engineering is a complex and growing field. There are many types of engineers including: aerospace engineering, agricultural engineering, architectural engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering and more. Studying to be an engineer can be costly, but fortunately there are a lot of scholarship and grant opportunities for interested students.

Here are just a few to choose from:

1. BMW/SAE Engineering Scholarship – This annual scholarship is provided by BMW AG in recognition of its commitment to excellence in engineering. BMW is world famous for designing and building luxury, high-performance passenger cars and motorcycles. This scholarship is in support of the SAE Foundation to ensure an adequate supply of well-trained engineers for the future. One $6,000 scholarship will be awarded at $1,500 per year for four years. A 3.0 grade point average must be maintained to renew the scholarship.

2. Edward D. Hendrickson/SAE Engineering Scholarship – Hendrickson International, a Boler Company, established an endowment to underwrite the scholarship in memory of the late Edward D. Hendrickson. One $4,000 scholarship will be awarded at $1,000 per year for four years. A 3.0 grade point average and continued engineering enrollment must be maintained to renew the scholarship.

3. SAE/Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies Scholarship – The Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (Ford PAS) Scholarship was developed by the Ford Motor Company Fund. This annual scholarship is provided by Ford Motor Company to high school seniors who are a past or present student of a Ford PAS program at their high school or in a Ford PAS after-school/weekend/summer/college program. This scholarship is in support of the SAE Foundation to ensure an adequate supply of well-trained engineers for the future. One $5,000 scholarship will be awarded in the freshman year only.

4. SAE Women Engineers Committee Scholarship – The SAE Women Engineers Committee established this scholarship to encourage young women graduating from high school to enter the field of engineering. They are committed to increasing the diversity of SAE membership, especially by promoting the participation and leadership of women. Applicants must be female, have a 3.0 grade point average and be accepted into an ABET accredited engineering program. One $2,000 scholarship will be awarded for the freshman year only.

5. Tau Beta Pi/SAE Engineering Scholarship – The Tau Beta Pi Association, the engineering honor society, is the world’s largest engineering society. Founding in 1885 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Tau Beta Pi has initiated more than 492,000 members in 122 years.

Six scholarships valued at $1,000 each will be awarded for the freshman year only.

6. TMC/SAE Donald D. Dawson Technical Scholarship – SAE and The Maintenance Council of American Trucking Association have established this technical education scholarship to honor the leadership of Donald D. Dawson. One scholarship will be awarded each year. The student will receive $1,500 a year for up to four years as long as a 3.0 grade point average and continuing engineering enrollment is maintained.

7. Fred M. Young Sr./SAE Engineering Scholarship – The Young Radiator Company established this scholarship in memory of the company’s founder, Fred M. Young, Sr. Mr. Young started the company in 1927 and saw it grow to become a major force in the field of Heat Transfer. One $4,000 scholarship will be awarded at $1,000 per year for four years. A 3.0 grade point average and continued engineering enrollment must be maintained to renew the scholarship.

8. Detroit Section SAE Technical Scholarship – Established in 2001, this scholarship is sponsored by the SAE Detroit Section to encourage children and grandchildren of current Detroit Section members to pursue careers in engineering or the sciences. The Section recognizes that there is a need for more student candidates in these fields, as a shortage of qualified graduates is expected in future years.

Two $3,500 renewable freshman scholarship will be awarded. Student must maintain a 2.5 grade point average and remain in good standing at the college or university in order to qualify for scholarship renewal. A student having completed a two-year program may continue for an additional consecutive two years at a second school offering a complete engineering or science baccalaureate degree program.

Why The History Of BMW Motorcycles Means Adventure For You

If you love the BMW brand like I do, your enjoyment of the company isn’t complete without a brief history of their motorcycles. Over the years I have found that only a handful of people are even aware that BMW made motorcycles. Being so totally captivated by the current BMW car models, motorcycles by BMW have sort of become the “redheaded stepchild” of the business.

But, I plan to change that image right now.

Between 1920 and 1922 the Bavarian Motor Work made their first two-stroke three port motorcycle engine. At only 148 cc, this engine was affectionately called the Flink. With the engine mounted just in front of the foot pedals, this first model looked more like just a bicycle.

BMW had to start somewhere with its design and this was as good a place as any.

In the beginning, the Chief Design Engineer for BMW was Max Friz. Known for being demanding and not being satisfied with things as they are, Max introduced the new model BMW R32 at the Paris Motor Show in 1932. This model became famous for their blue and white paint.

Such developments as the pressed steel frame, telescopic fork, tubular frame and telescopic rear suspension all were important advances from 1935 to 1939. Can you imagine how different the ride must have felt back in the “old days” without modern tires and suspensions? Ouch.

1955 was really the next milestone for the BMW Motorcycle. Production models for the RS racing bike with the all pivot frame was introduced.

Do you know what the “slash five” was in BMW history?

Probably one of the most important upgrades to BMW motorcycles took place in 1970 with the development of the “slash five” series. The R50/5, R60/5 and R75/5 all have the same stroke engines only with different displacements. In addition, all these models had point ignitions. In 1979 these models were laid to rest and discontinued.

A new age begins for the BMW Motorcycle in 1980.

If you listen closely to the sounds of history, you might hear cheering fans as they applauded the latest improvements such as, updated suspensions, strengthened frames and electronic ignition replaced the points. High performance Brembo brakes and elimination of the heavy flywheel in favor of a stamped steel clutch carrier, were major advances at this time

.

Why were these changes made to BMW motorcycles?

It all comes down to money. If BMW wanted to continue in the motorcycle business it was mandatory that they make changes in order to be more competitive with the Japanese and European bikes. In fact, the 1981 model was so much better than previous versions that the market for used BMW motorcycle was totally destroyed.

The fact is, everything BMW is about excitement and adventure.

You can prove this for yourself just by this little study of BMW history. The GS series motorcycle was introduced in 1981 and instantly labeled the “Adventure Touring Bike” . The whole concept of the “Adventure Tour Market” started with the BMW R80G/S. And what an adventure it has been ever since.

From 1985 to the present, much advancement has been made. Unfortunately, that story will have to wait and be the subject of one of my future articles.

So for now my friend, are you up for the adventure of a BMW motorcycle?

Chet Waters is the BMW Specialist. Learn How To Find Your BMW And At The Price You Can Afford. Go To:

http://www.bmwsauctions.com

There are plenty of reasons to opt for a used motorcycle when you are looking to buy. The newer models might not have that classic look that you want, or you might prefer to have something a little cheaper than a brand new bike. That being said, there are some years for motorcycles that just weren’t the factory’s best and you’ll want to avoid them.

Choosing the right vintage or used motorcycle could help you not only get a cheaper bike, but you could even double your money in a few years, as vintage motorcycles become less common. It’s certainly something to think about as you shop around.

Motorcycles depreciate rapidly in value once they are put into use, which means that buying new just isn’t worth it most of the time. As soon as that front tire hits the street, the bike drops 30% or so in value. That means used bikes are a far better investment, particularly if you can find one that is practically new.

Vintage Bikes: It Depends On the Brand

When it comes to vintage motorcycles, not all brands are truly classic. The ones that have the cleanest lines and are the truly sought after bikes are the ones you want. For example, a Kawasaki isn’t going to be nearly as exciting as a vintage bike, not when you look at the early Harley Davidsons, at least!

For vintage Harleys, looking way back, the 1953 model is a popular one these days among fans of the classic look. In fact, this look was so popular that Harley made a newer Sportster that uses the same lines as the original.

Another great year for vintage was 1928, with the BMW Indian Scout. This bike features one of the early V-twin engines and is still a great looking bike if you can find one in good condition. Since this motorcycle is so old, chances are you won’t find one, but if you should, you’ll know it’s worth every penny.

Coming in as just barely a vintage motorcycle is the Suzuki 500 Titan. This bike doesn’t really have the looks that we aim for in a classic bike, but there’s no denying its popularity. The motorcycle uses a two-stroke engine that is quite large for the time period and features clean, smooth lines.

Modern Used Motorcycles

Again, it depends on the brand name when you are looking at which year was best for used motorcycles. Many people will give you different answers if you ask, so it’s also a matter of personal taste. However, some years were simply better than others all around, so we’ll be focusing on these here.

Most people find that more recent years are the best option since they aren’t too used. A fairly recent model will be less likely to have serious problems than much older models. In addition, you will be able to find parts for more recent models easier, as well. In general, the previous 5-10 years would be a good time period to look at.

2001 – Yamaha

The Yamaha YZ426F was the Bike of the Year in 2001. This off-road version of the Yamaha motorcycle is a good choice if you are looking for a used bike for more adventurous riding. It features titanium valves and a four stroke engine for some heavy duty power. The bike is light and well-built to withstand the rigors of off-road riding.

2005 – Harley Davidson

2005 was a good year for Harleys. The Road King, in particular, is the best model from this year and has been a favorite of many bikers to date. It was considered to be the smoothest running of all the bikes built in the new millennium and has a reputation for being very reliable, as well as looking great. The Road King is often recommended for use on longer road trips.

2008 – Honda

Despite technically being a 2009 model, Honda’s “Big Red” model was released in 2008, which is why it’s featured under this year. Big, bold and beautiful, this motorcycle was originally designed for comfortable long distance travel. Since it’s such a new model, chances are you won’t find many used, but if you do, they should still be in excellent condition.

There are plenty of different models in different years that will be excellent investments, as well, but these are some of the absolute best.

What to Look for in a Used Motorcycle

No matter what the make or year, it’s important that you take a careful look at any motorcycle that you are interested in buying used. Even the seller might not realize what the problems with the bike are, so you’ll need to check everything. The best used motorcycles will only have a few minor issues, such as scratched paint or loose bolts. These can be easily be fixed. It’s the bigger problems that you really need to watch for.

Here is a quick list of what to check:

Battery: Does it hold a charge? Check by starting and turning off the bike a couple of times.

Lights: Check all lights, front and back. Bulbs can be replaced, but smashed or flickering lights will need a little more work, which can be expensive.

Engine: Does it start up easily? The bike should be able to run without having to constantly use the throttle.

Gauges: Make sure the gauges all work, since these are important for the information they give about your speed and the amount of gas left.

Feel: When you take the bike out for a test run, does it make odd noises or vibrate more than it should?

Buying a used motorcycle is about more than just saving money, you’ll be getting a bike that has a special feel to it, particularly if you opt for a vintage or classic model. This is something that more and more people are moving toward since it is far more cost effective and a better investment to go with a second hand bike, as opposed to brand new.

It depends a lot on what you intend to use your Motorcycle Engines for. If you are going to be using the Motorcycle Engines solely for installation on motorcycles, then used Motorcycle Engines may do already (though if you really want to splurge, new ones are even better.) But what if you were going to place the Motorcycle Engines in cars (rather than car engines)? How would that work out?

Actually, this is already being done by many car assembly hobbyists. Usually, the cars to be powered by Motorcycle Engines are just small cars whose size and weight specifications are proportional to the power output of the Motorcycle Engines. As far back as the 1940s, the Cooper Car Company had been undertaking this practice – to make race cars, at that. Even BMW had tried doing that too in the 1950s. Though the general public may be ignorant of this trend, motorcycle and car assembly hobbyists know this practice works and with relatively good results. Their creations might be known as motorcycle/car hybrids.

The motorcycle/car hybrids are probably still being built today in someone’s backyard with better results than those experienced back in the 1940s and 1950s – all because modern day Motorcycle Engines are stronger, faster, and better engineered than their early ancestors. Thanks to the decades of research done on how to improve Motorcycle Engines, hobbyists are reaping better rewards from their hybrid assembly efforts.

However, just because it looks like a car, runs like a car, and seems to behave like a car doesn’t mean your motorcycle/car hybrid is automatically allowed on public and private roads in your country. The fact that you are using Motorcycle Engines to power the hybrids may be breaking the law for motor vehicles at some point (especially if you are one of the first to make and try to run these types of hybrids in that country.) So, unless you have some kind of special permit to run your hybrid on public and private roads, you may have to confine use of your Motorcycle Engines-powered hybrid vehicle in special areas only (like in a private racetrack or in an enclosed private family compound.)

If you are attracted to the idea of building motorcycle/car hybrid vehicles powered by Motorcycle Engines by yourself, be forewarned that the process actually entails quite an all-encompassing knowledge of how Motorcycle Engines work, how cars work, and how you can bridge any differences in the engineering of both or either with your own creativity and resources. A very smart mechanic/hobbyist can probably learn from manuals and prototypes alone – but for the less experienced and less talented hobbyist, full-time tutelage under someone very experienced in creating motorcycle/car hybrid vehicles might be more appropriate. There’s no shame in asking for experienced guidance (except maybe to your ego) and in the end, you may get better results that way.

Equally surprising is that companies have been established throughout the world which concentrate on creating such motorcycle/car hybrid vehicles, many for racing. It might benefit you if you did research on how these companies do their work before you set about creating your own motorcycle/car hybrid vehicle.