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One method websmasters use to fight spam is the no follow attribute on links. Basically what this does is tell search engines not to follow that link essentially killing all search engine crawling and indexing of that site.

This makes your site less attractive to spammers.

The problem is, it doesn’t work. Spammers still spam sites who use no follow. Most of the time spam bots don’t even seem to notice if the site uses no follow or not. If you’re using a system like wordpress, akismet works really well. And other blog systems have other spam options that help a lot.

So if it doesn’t stop spam, what’s the point? That’s a good question. The only outcome I can see is that you’re hurting the people who visit your site and make legitimate comments. You’re denying people who participate on your site from receiving any kind of kick back or better search engine ranking.

Something to note: if you use wordpress and want to disable the no follow feature, there’s a plugin called DoFollow that does an excellent job.

For the record: the catanetwork and Pixelware Design are removing nofollow attributes from our sites. If you take the time to post a good comment, you should be rewarded, not punished. So comment at will!

Trying to build your Facebook fan page? Boost your exposure by leaving thoughtful comments on blogs and using your facebook address where it asks for a website address.

It’s so nice to see authors taking the reigns of their marketing. What’s really great is when they learn how to tackle the press release.

Susan Mallery does a great job of promoting herself and her books while snagging attention thanks to a recent study that reports women who get married at 25 or older are twice as likely to stay married. How does Mallery relate her own books? She points out that the heroines in her book tend to be a little older.

She says “I believe women at this age have matured enough to know what they want in a husband, and are better at shrugging off the small stuff. Plus, they’ve been dinged up by life a little bit, and we’re all more interesting with scars.”

What’s more, she ties the press release to a holiday and what holiday is better at getting folks engaged than Valentine’s day. So kudos to Susan Mallery.

When it comes to marketing and promotion, know who your audience is so you can address them. Do you write fiction about race car drivers? Guess who you should be advertising to? Race car fans, drivers, sponsors. People who are involved in that sport.

Are you a restaurant? Advertise on local blogs, websites, newspapers, especially if they have a section on food or recipes. People reading those sites and papers are already hungry, and will be interested in what you have to offer. Better yet, offer the writer a gift certificate to come eat with you. That way they’ll be familiar with your restaurant and food.

Do you wish you were more productive? Well, I have good news. There are many tools available on the Internet that can help you streamline your life, make up lost time, and increase your overall productivity. Keep in mind, the tools I mention help me. They may or may not work for you. But if a tool sounds interesting, check it out. If its not just right, do a search to see if you can find something that will work better.

1. Google Docs
Google provides a simple office style suite that includes a word processor and a spreadsheet. Ive found these invaluable to make documents quickly or when Im away from my primary computer. These tools are also really helpful if you need to make a quick spreadsheet, upload an Excel file (Microsofts spreadsheet program) or make a PDF (you can create a PDF from the word processor). Perhaps one of the greatest features of Google Docs is the ability to collaborate. Its so simple to create a document, share it with a coworker, publish it to the Internet, or send a copy to your boss for feedback.

2. Highrise
Highrise is a contact management system. I love it because it helps me stay organized, keeps my contacts at my fingertips so I can get things done faster. I have one for my business. And I also have one for my family. This is a great way to have one central phonebook for your family that anyone can access and update. Holiday card writing has never been so easy!

3. Google Calendar
Everyone needs a good calendar and Google Calendar offers simplicity. I can access it most anywhere and I can also update it from my desktop via free software. Google Calendar keeps me on time and since I can share calendars and even display events to my website, its useful for friends and family too. Google Cal also allows you to have multiple calendars that you can color code and see from one account. This is a great way to keep track of projects, timelines, and household schedules.

4. Rescue Time
Wondering what you spend all your time on when youre at the computer? This handy website/software will tell you exactly how many hours youre spending on Facebook. Once you know where your problem areas are, you can fix them.

So there you have it. Four free tools to help you track and boost your productivity.