Problem: Not all directories or link partners notify you when they put up your link. And if someone just likes your site, links to it, you might only find out when you look closely at your web statistics and there are links coming in. But maybe you want to check who is linking in and from what context.

I find some really anoying sites linking to Thai-Experience, a site for volunteering in Thailand, from time to time. This organization does not want to be linked from any sites that advertise Thai girls or adult content. Google alerts notify me each time when new links pop up and I can have a look.

What is Google Alerts?

Googles Definition: "Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic."

How to set up Google Alerts?

1. Go to Google Alerts

2. Enter the topic, URL, keyword etc. you want to know about

3. Choose between comprehensive or selective monitoring. This will determine where Google is looking for changes.

4. Choose how often you want the Google Alerts to be sent to you. To monitor backlinks "as-it-happens" is the best option.

5. Insert a valid email address. This is the address all you Google alerts will be send to, so make sure you check it regularly, otherwise the whole procedure is useless.

If you get too many unrelated google alerts, you might need to fine tune your keyword. Don't use something general like "travel" unless you want to spent hours sorting and deleting. I can tell you.

It's also a good way to find related blogs where you might leave a comment with a link back to your site.

Do you need photos for your travel site?

Just copying something from another web site is no option. There is a copyright on photos, even if it is not explicitly stated. Sometimes you might get lucky to stumble upon a nice picture on the web and the owner lets you use it on your site, especially if you credit the photographer and provide a backlink.

So far I was lucky, I had travel photos for all my sites from former journeys. But if I continue to build new sites for countries I haven't beento recently, it may became a problem. So I did a quick search and choose these two sites to bookmark.

Browsing the web I stumbled upon this site, where you can download royalty free photos for free if you provide a backlink. The photos are mostly taken by amateurs, resolution is low but sufficient for use on the web. Quality is an issue here, but if you are on a real low budget, try it. Bigphoto

If you need high quality photos, check Bigstockphoto - photos for about $2.50 or so each - certainly a huge savings off the typical $50 stock photos you are probably used to at other sites. This month (March 2007) they have a special promotion: 100 photo credits for 100 US$; normally, if you only buy a few credits, you pay 2.50 US$ per credit.

Update:

Great free photos mostly by amateur photographers can also be found at stock.xcgn . Downside: The photos have different usage options and the license requieres you to 1. submit a review (that's the easy part) and 2. also to get the photographer's permission via the site. That can take any time from a few minutes to forever. Be carefull with photos that show people, there is usually no model release on the photos. You need to get it from the photographer if you want to avoid potential legal trouble later.

But it is worth a try.

Many hotels in Europe and Asia require you to insert your hotel key into a slot on the wall to keep the room's power turned on. The idea is that when you leave the room, you take the key, and the power gets shut off to conserve. Not a bad idea… but what if you want to charge your camera or laptop in the room while you head out for lunch?

read more | digg story

Just found this:

Microsoft Word can drive you nuts. It piles on features few people need, plagues you with annoying auto-corrections and just generally acts like a pain in the ass. No more. It's time to take back the word processor, to put Word in its place and make it your ally instead of your adversary. Follow these tips and you'll be a much happier writer.

read more | digg story

Here are two moneysaver for March:

Dotster.com: MyPR, the online PR service from Dotster, is giving away one free press mailing per customer for your press releases.

Best of the Web Directory: Promo Code: 4LEAFCLOVER
Save 20% on new:

• Directory Submissions - Save on both the annually recurring and/or the one-time review fee.
• Blog Directory Submissions - Save on the one-time review fee for blogs.
• Monthly Sponsorship Ads - Discount the monthly rate for all new sponsorship ads.
• Blog Advertising - Discount the monthly rate for all new sponsorship ads in the Blog Directory.

Promo code may be used multiple times for multiple products and services during the month of March. Remember - the code will expire on March 31, 2007.