What an audacious title! Is this an April Fools’ joke. The journalist reported that the newly launched map site, OneMap is “Singapore’s own version of Google Maps”.

First Impression of OneMap Singapore

The map is very high resolution and detailed. It is better than www.map.gov.sg which is now redirecting to www.onemap.sg.

In terms of resolution and information details, Google Maps really “got-no-fight”. Really impressed with what the Singapore government can do. I think I will start using OneMap to find accurate location of places and bus stop information but I am not about to abandon Google Maps yet. Google Maps still load up so much faster. And I am so used to using Google Maps – be it on the PC or iPhone.

OneMap Singapore may have very detailed information but not the latest. I could not find Parco Marina Bay at the time of writing.

OneMap SLA is Slower

With OneMap Singapore, there is still a lot more getting used to and if people don’t use it often then they won’t use it at all. I really think beside the detailed information on OneMap, SLA should also have to make it work faster. Imagine the agonizing snail pace if I were to access OneMap SLA with a cheap netbook connected to the free Wireless@SG.

Has the government invested in a technology that requires the general public to use fast computers and high-speed broadband? Hopefully, the slow loading webpage will not turn it into a white elephant.

Also, there is another “small” problem and I think it’s the common canonical URL issue. If you type in just http://onemap.sg you will get an error in Internet Explorer. I got similar error when I used Safari and Chrome too.

I think many people will just enter “onemap.sg” in the browser address bar. Otherwise, they will be using the search box to type in one map or onemap singapore or even onemap.com which will not yield any result related to the SLA’s site.

So do you think we can “Forget Google” and use OneMap Singapore instead?

Visit my new hub now: http://hubpages.com/hub/Vivo-City-Singapore

Top Ranking in Google.com and Google.etc

Today, I discover that my Hubpages.com article: Vivo City Singapore is finally indexed by Google and ranked #16 for the search terms – vivo city and #9 for the search terms – vivo city singapore in Google.com.

Yes, it’s Google.com and not just Google.com.sg because I am targeting people living outside Singapore. I want it also to rank well in Google.com.au, Google.co.uk and Google.etc…

As for search.yahoo.com, the page is now ranked #5 for search terms – vivo city singapore.

The traffic to the page is definitely increasing.

How Do I Know?

You can find out all the vital traffic stats within your Hubpages.com
account. And it looks like this:

and the chart…

Creating Web articles with Hubpages.com is Easy

For the first time user, you will find the interface intuitive and can easily follow the step-by-step instructions.

Now, there are at least 3 revenue generating sources for your hub articles:

1. Google AdSense

2. eBay affiliate

3. Amazon affiliate

Hubpages.com make it easy for you to sign up with these affiliate networks and monetize the traffic when your visitors click at the
Google Ads or purchase some stuff at eBay and Amazon through the links in your hub.

You will need lots of traffic in order to make some money with these ads.

For beginners, you may want to try on various topics on niches that you are familiar with. Travel, shopping and food related topics warrant high traffic volume and are evergreen. You want your pages to make you money forever, don’t you?

If you are a fan of F1 racing, this is probably the best time write about what you know on Singapore F1.

Why Use Hubpages.com?

1. It’s free.

2. No need domain registration

3. No need Web hosting

4. Readily available traffic source – a high traffic social network

5. Better visibility in major search engines

You just need a computer with Internet connection and some good ideas for your story.

I was in a hurry when I wrote my first hub, Vivo City Singapore and I used about 90 words plus 2 pictures I found at Flickr and a video from Youtube. It took me less than 30 minutes and I actually enjoyed creating that page – it was quite fun doing it.

So, go create your first hub today at http://hubpages.com

More Hot Hubs

You can read more of my hot hubs at http://hubpages.com/author/hcshi/hot

Visit the URL above and join my fan club or request a hub from me.

I think there is some truth in that statement.

However, if you search carefully, you will realized that the search terms seo singapore and singapore seo in Google, the results you get are not exactly the same. Why? Because, in our natural use of English, a different use in the sequence of the words gives different meaning. And Google algorithm is smart enough to distinguish that but not smart enough to realize seo singapore and singapore seo actually mean the same thing.

From my keyword research, I discovered that “SEO Singapore” is more often used than “Singapore SEO”. However, I suspected that those who searched for these terms are SEO professionals, SEO consultants and SEO practitioners.

Ordinary folks or most website owners may not be using these search terms yet. These folks probably use search terms like top search position, search engine ranking, how to get high ranking in Google and phrases that do not contact jargons such as SEO and search marketing.

In fact, you don’t see many Adwords ad for these search terms: seo singapore. Maybe the demand for SEO services is not big enough for advertisers to spend the money. Or, those top SEO consultants are already ranked high in the organic results and getting so busy with their business that they do not need to advertise for more business.

However, I think very soon this arena will become active and more ads with more competitions. Already, there is a growing numbers of SEO companies on top of those web designers who offers SEO services.

Whether it’s SEO Singapore or Singapore SEO, a capable SEO specialist or SEO consultant will be able to get her website in the top of the search engine listing.

I reside in Singapore and I am seeing more Singapore-based websites in the search results listing. So, I would be re-directed to Google.com.sg even if I typed in Google.com in the browser address bar. And the results from Google.com.sg are so different from Google.com – it used to be about the same.

Go try googling for “florist” and you will see several .com.sg websites.

If I remembered correctly, Yahoo.com.sg has been serving localized results for more than 2 years now. So why now then Google segregates Singapore-based websites for Google.com.sg search results listing?

And yes, Google has been testing a different layout for its search engine results. I was surprised to see a 3-column layout recently and double checked I got the URL right.

Still, it is interesting to know that search engine optimization is being recognized and taught in the university.

In fact, I think the topics covered by the Rice University SEO course is comprehensive, focusing on the more important aspects of search engine optimization.

Here’s the topics to be covered in the SEO course:

• Researching the competition
• Analyzing and optimizing Web pages
• Submitting pages to search engines
• Monitoring search engine placement
• Reporting and analyzing ranking results
• Developing a reciprocal links list

Is This SEO Course Right For You?

As you can see from the list of topics, seasoned SEO practitioners will find that these quite basic and good for new webmasters and fresh web designers.

In fact, I think the topic on “Submitting pages to search engines” should not be there if they are talking about manual submission. Instead, a more appropriate topic should be submission of sitemaps and generation of sitemaps.

Is Search Ranking Really That Important?

Search engine visibility is not just about getting ranked number 1. Targeted traffic is more important than just getting top ranking by brute force.

Since this is an university course, they might want to give the students a more in-depth understanding of search engine basics and why it is traffic that is important and not just ranking. For example, how the Long Tail concept may be applied to keyword research.

Instead of monitoring and report search ranking, analysis on the quality and report on quantity of traffic will be very important.

Are you looking for a SEO course near you? Singapore?

If you are in Singapore, Malaysia or Indonesia and interested to learn SEO and Search Marketing, I am conducting a SEO Web Design Course at the SIM Management House on the 4 and 5 May 2007.

Go check it out at http://DesignerSEO.com/workshop/

1. It’s Friday and this is going to be a super long weekend with 2 festivals – the Devali and Aidilfitri, coming up tomorrow and next Tuesday. Greetings to our Indian and Muslim friends!

2. The rain is finally here to clear the haze and the polluted air!

3. DesignerSEO.com is now ranked Top 10 for the keywords – Singapore SEO

It is really exciting for me.

DesignerSEO.com was registered in 6 March 2006. It went “live” in mid-March. It’s about 7 months old and is now Top 10 in Google and Yahoo.

http://www.google.com.sg/search?q=singapore+seo

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=singapore+seo

Think about it. Who else would optimize for such keyword? SEO specialists and experts lah!

It may not be a very popular keyword; not even worth 20 cents on Adwords for No. 1 position, yet it is a difficult keyword with tough competitors. Most of my competitors started out much earlier than me. Some made their websites 3 or more years ago, have higher PR and have hundred of pages indexed and ranked in Google and Yahoo.

Well, want to know how I really feel?

Go get your web page ranked for your desirable keywords and you will know how I feel now!

Shiok!!!

You can link to my website using the following HTML codes:

<a href=”http://designerseo.com”>Singapore SEO Web Design</a>

or if you prefer graphics, put this chicklet on your blog:

<a href=”http://designerseo.com”><img src=”http://designerseo.com/img/designerSEO_chicklet.gif” alt=”Singapore SEO Web Design” border=”0″></a>

And it’ll look like this:

Thank you for linking to my website!

After observing the traffic on this word cloud site for a couple of weeks and some keyword research, I decided to seo SgBlogs88.com for the “famous singapore blog” instead of “famous singapore blogs“.

I will make a journal of what I did with Singapore Blog by a Singapore Blogger here. To make a simple to read, I’ll have a “At a Glance” list to summarise the things that I’ve done.

At_A_Glance

• Created http://singapore-blog.blogspot.com
• First very short posting at Singapore Blog
• Posted at http://www.timmguru.com to get the new blog indexed

Over the last two years, I have built numerous Singapore related websites over the last 2 years. I have been monitoring traffic to these websites. These are search engine optimized sites and also I have been updating and adding new content. Traffic is growing and there is an exponential growth from Singapore population since earlier this year. Web traffic optimization for Singapore related websites will be crucial in attracting buyers from not only Singapore but around the South East Asia region e.g. Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Camdodia, Vietnam and etc.

Two years ago, there are few Ads by Google that are targeted at Singapore visitors and they are cheap. Now, I am seeing an increase in the pay-per-click. In other words, more advertisers are coming in and pushing the cost of advertising to Singapore Internets users. That means your Adsense will potentially give you more revenue on your Singapore websites.

From my survey over the last 6 months, I found out that for every Singapore home that has a computer, 10 out of 10 children from the age of 10 use the Internet. They use the search engines to research on their homework and more so on their current fad e.g. Harry Porter, Neopet, Singapore Idol and etc.