One major advantage of having a blog to your website is bloggers are more willing to trade links, to help your site to grow faster. Often, a website will consist only of a blog. BUT, there is a danger of a blog getting too isolated, by linking and attracting only other blog visitors and traffic…

If we  want to monetise our sites, we need to think about ways to attract traffic from search engines. Because this traffic is more likely to be more receptive to our site ads, and clickable links. The reason for this? Fellow bloggers who visit our sites have similar tactics in mind themselves!

Monetisation of a site is not just insertion of ads and affiliated links, but the need to attract viewers to your clickable ads, which is where keywords come in to play, and targeting traffic in your niche. Which, in turn, leads us into the realms of Search Enging Optimisation, or SEO for short.

There are many sites on SEO, some written by pro’s, many more by people wishing they were pro’s attempting to imitate. I am not prepared to be either of these, and have no desire to turn this site into yet another SEO blog. But, on my voyage of blogging discoveries, at this point, I am seeking the basics of SEO, and asking myself is SEO really a black art, or are there tactics which put this much talked about topic within the grasp of even novice bloggers…..

Search Engine Changes

One reason there is a need for so many words written on SEO is that search engines are changing all the time. Old tactics will not work anymore, and today’s popular strategies may not work next month…or even sooner! Always keep in touch with google developments by subscribing to relevant websites that can help you on the subject. I myself do this, and am in a position to pass on jargon free tips as I find them. Here are some more basic SEO tips…

Keywords

Don’t always assume “keyword stuffing” is productive…You won’t fool anybody that way. Use selectively, and in particular, make good use of keywords in headlines and post subjects. Try this for yourself…

 Type in a search term, and see what comes out first. If you go to the top ranked site, click view>source. This will give you the page in html format. I don’t obsess over this, but looking at the page in this way helps you realise what search engines are looking for, particularly headlines. Look for what appears within  H1 and H2 tags so as to check for keywords in headline format.

Here is what google has on SEO; Google SEO Starter Guide. It’s a better guide than you find in most sites on the subject.

To assist you with your webmaster resources, I recommend signing up for a google webmaster tools account, also yahoo site explorer. Don’t stress on the subject…Either have fun with your blog, or give it up! :)

 Wordpress is becoming the standard blog software, and users can now benefit from the latest 2.7 release, which I wrote about previously.

This version is maybe the last update we will ever have to do, as updates can be configured automatic from now on. I am using 2.7 right now, and thought I’d write of my first impressions.

The interface has been seriously upgraded, now a three column page, with wordpress news and quickpress on right, stats in centre, tools on left. For posting, the font is now a more stylish Times Roman, the facility to drag and drop items around your user panel, quicker access to media files and links, also tags.

On the down side, there is still the irritating (for me at least) prompt warning you of losing any unsaved information when inserting links or adding bold text. Also, uploading media files can be frustrating when using flash up-loader.

Overall, a creditable upgrade, recommended.

For those still a little wary of updating wordpress, here’s how;

                                     How to upgrade wordpress

• Install back up plug in, as I previously recommended. Then back up to your computer.
• Update any plug ins you have, in case of any conflicts with the new version, then deactivate all plug in’s.
• Download wordpress 2.7, and unzip it to your computer.
• Log in to your ftp programme.
• Delete wp-admin and wp-includes folder.
• Upload all remaining files, select copy and replace when prompted.
• Go to your blog admin, upgrade.php and select upgrade. You will be prompted anyway for this, because your admin will detect the new files.
• Re-enable plug in’s

Test your site, take a good look around, and try out the new features. Most of all, have fun

I’ve noted a tendency among blogs recently to imitate techniques which have been successful for others. Which is all very well, but never lose your own originality. I think if any blog does not reflect the life of the writer, then it’s a failure for me.

                                             Use of Images           

A case in point, images. They are very useful and important, because an image is nearly always the first thing people notice on any web page. Also, google and yahoo image search can bring you traffic.  But it’s now reached the point where every single post has to have an image. Bearing in mind people “speed reading” a web page, readers attention must be caught quickly. But I do feel at present, images in blog posts is at saturation point, particularly as many simply scour flickr for other peoples images, without even linking to the original.

When you do use images, always remember to include alt text, or name the image, so as to be index linked. And prefrably, use your own images, or link to the original.

                                                 Headlines

Has narrative become so thin that the only thing that counts is to capture attention quickly? Try to experiment, as I’m doing here. With blog posts, use headlines, as in newspapers, they are great for search engine optimisation. 

                                                     SEO Assists

Some general guidelines for search engine traffic.

• Use image alt text
• Add tags to posts, using relevant keywords
• Make good use of headlines, again using keywords in the heading text
• Utilise all in One  SEO pack
• Keep on topic, per post

With reference to the last point, the more topics you use, the more keywords you can add, BUT they will be discarded from the search engines because they will not be considered relevant to your post. So don’t cover more than one topic, better to make another post to cover a different subject.

Those are some lessons I’ve learned so far for general blogging

Here is a programme to generate more quality links to your website.

This programme, by Neil Shearing, offers these advantages for finding links to your websites;

• Includes the ability to keep searching using
  the “next” button.
•  Includes the ability to turn off the “nofollow”
  searching.
•  Includes the keyword highlighting in the
  preview pane.
• Includes the saving of the unlock key to the
  registry, not to a file.

By omiting the “nofollow” attribute from search engines, you will only get websites who are prepared to follow your backlinks, so it will help to boost your Technorati ranking. After the search results come up, all you have to do is click through to a site, and by leaving a meaningful comment on the site, a backlink will be generated. This method can help you build  contacts and make friends with fellow bloggers, part of the fun of blogging in the first place

Here is the link for the software, while it’s still free;

RealLinkFinder

I was tagged by Kathleen of Diary of a Heretic for a meme, the topic is,  seven facts about me. My first reaction was, I am struggling to think of ONE (that is I can share ) But, after all it is Sunday…So, thinking again here goes;

    SEVEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME:

1) I am a former stock market trader

2) I help to look after the Elderly, Disabled, Mentally ill. It’s considerably more rewarding than the above.

3) My first football match in the school team I scored a hat trick and made two goal assists with five touches of the ball. I have still to see any player get near that feat, trouble is, after that debut, only one way to go…DOWN, in my case, fast! Suffice to say, I think I only scored two more in my lifetime!

4) The one time I played guitar with an orchestra I realised my 6th string was tuned a whole tone lower. Only thing to do was a quick mental calculation, where does my 6th string come into play, so I can miss it out altogether! Not easy

5) Easter is my “jinxed” time of the year. I have considered obtaining a fallout shelter to hide in, but, happily for me, this year it was not needed!

6) Famous films I have never seen, and probably never will ( here I am inspired by Kathleen for this item) 

• Gone With The Wind
• Dr. Zhivago 
• The African Queen
• Indianna jones
• Raiders of The Lost Ark (is that the same as the above, I don’t even KNOW)
• Star Wars

7) My first website was dedicated to technology and the environment. I did not keep it up because my heart was not in it. I’ve always been gadget mad, my neighbours often come to me to install this or that for them, or help fix.  Some may reciprocate by odd jobs at my place, because I am such as DIY disaster I can’t even bang a nail in the wall properly. So I thought technology a good subject for me to write about, even thinking that gadgets might attract potential buyers to my website, therefore I could sell more advertisements on my site. Bottom line though, I did not enjoy the site, and it’s difficult, at best, to write about something you are not enjoying, not least because life is too short.

This meme calls for 7 facts about yourself, and to tag seven bloggers. BUT, here I am only tagging 4. The rebel in me coming to the fore perhaps

Lajan    Footiam   Rose   Myraine

 Okay, so our websites are not yet ready to generate our living from, and there may be too much going out and not enough coming into to your accounts. We have a blog mastermind plan for the long term, which we are working on, but, meanwhile, we need a life raft…

Ever get irritated by those commercials which proudly tell you the finance company has revolutionised the lifestyles of mr and mrs x, by “restructuring” their credit card repayments, so as to “save” £700 per month? On they go, “by restructuring payments into one single payment they are now paying £165 per month instead of over £800″. BUT, they do not say they are reducing the size of the debt. 

They are merely paying that much less every month, so as to owe far more long term. Frankly, with those type of repayments, mr and mrs x, whoever they may be, will be lucky to ever get out of debt…

Here is the simple plan which, a suggeestion based on what I used for clients I worked with in a previous employ. So simple in fact, that it’s so easy to overlook. In brief. make a list of the following;

• Income
• Direct Debits
• Cash withdrawals
• Subscriptions
• Urgent repairs

Starting from the top. Income. It’s not enough, right, that’s why you need a life raft until you can get a raise. Make no mistake, this post is not about raising your income levels. It is simply an evaluation of how to manage with what you have right now. Some find it hard to believe that is the actual first step towards financial freedom. Because building income level or even a career is like building anything. First, you need a base on which to build. If not, it’s like building on quicksand,

Direct Debits. Look carefully at these, and see if there are ways you can reduce them. Many people, for example, can benefit from a water meter, if you are a low user. Telephone and gas, electricity. Right now, with a steep correction in commodity prices, it’s not a good time to cap rates. But often you are paying more each month than you are actually using. Depending on the state of your account, contact your provider to try to renegotiate your monthly payments.

Subscriptions. I guess these fall into the optional extras category. Look to see which you may be prepared to drop, for the time being. Painful, maybe, but spiralling debt is also painful, and we’re looking to stop the bleeding for now.

Cash withdrawals. Try to work out how much each week you can withdraw in cash, after deducting your outgoings from income. BUT, bear in mind your debt repayments, so calculate leaving a sum of money for repayments.

Repair work, to car, home, appliances. The best way is to prioritise these by which needs doing first.

If, at the conclusion of this you have a surplus, that is your current debt repayment figure, which hopefully your new budget has set.

Priorities of Debts

• Rent
• Mortgage

For mortgage, try to renegotiate, if feasible.   Think of possibly taking out an interest only re-mortgage for a small amount, say 10 or 20%. This is good if you need to spend a lot on your property. It is also a consolidation of your other outstanding debts. There will be a time frame imposed on interest free mortgages, so after two or three years you will need to commence re-payments. It also buys you time. Remember though, with interest only, your debts are not on the increase, that’s the difference between our annoying finance loan commercials.

       Lower Priority;

• Overdraft
• Credit Card
• Creditors
• Hire Purchase

The reason these are lower priority is you are less likely to have the roof over your head taken away from you. Search for a free, independent advisor, citizens advice bureau or local law centre   being a starting point,  to advise you on negotiating with your creditors. Some may be willing to accept lower monthly payments in order to see a gradual reduction of the amount owed. Also, for advice, look for national debtline. In UK it is 0808 808 4000.

Try to bear in mind, whatever your strategy, and the first step is to have a strategy, it’s important to find something that puts you back in charge. There’s nothing more stressful than being in a situation where you have responsibility without power to change anything about it.

 On the news front, I noted whilst travelling to work the other day, yes I do have a day job too a traffic jam stretching for miles going the other way. I discovered later the reason for the long queue was police stopping the traffic at a roundabout, in the right lane (the most used lane to go into town) to ask questions for a questionnaire…The questions were, “What is your post code, and what is the post code for your destination” The headline for the story was “40 minutes to travel 2 miles!” And this information was “required” for a survey on a proposed local bypass..Surely an example of officialdom at the expense of common sense. Particularly in view of the fact the town locates the only hospital for many miles. Full story

On the financial news front, the crisis continues, with the pound plummeting to an all time low against the Euro, and $1.47 against the Dollar Our Prime Minister (the current lunatic in charge of the Asylum) is considering tax cuts to “stimulate the economy”. So where’s the money going to come from then, to finance the banks bail out, announced recently, if not the taxpayer? I can only assume it will have to be more and more debt re-selling, probably with a run on the pound to boot..More good news later…IF I can avoid the media news to find it :lol:The need for a second income has never been greater. Watch this space…

On the personal news front, many thanks to Lillie Amman for sending me a copy of her book “Dream or Destiny”, an engaging title I am fortunate to have won on Writers Notes run by Jeanne Dininni. Writers Notes really is a goldmine of information for budding writers, and for webmasters, and her contest is an example of how interactive blogs can be. I have mentioned on here that I also run a writing website, currently dominated by the serialisation of my Father’s novel. E-publishing is something else I’m looking into.. It’s coming along slowly, the novel, as time allows me to type up and upload. Perhaps I should think about software that types up for you, if you read it out

I’ve also got a gig coming up with my guitar.  First though I need to dust off the cobwebs…From my playing that is, not the guitar

Whatever you are up to, have a good week ahead

 image by kitten of flickr.

 Beta versions of Wordpress version 2.7 are now available. There are so many wordpress updates it is simply not always necessary to update every time. This version however, is said to offer significant new features:

• Keyboard shortcuts for comment moderation
• Plugin browser embedded 
•  Separate Large and Full image sizes, related improvements
• Comment threading 
•   Comment paging
•  Batch and inline editing

 From the  new enhancements,  one of the most interesting ones is the new comment functionality. Comments can be threaded, paged, etc. This is all built in, but importantly, your theme must support it.  So don’t get over excited…just yet

It’s always a challenge to get your theme, and functions exactly the way you want them. In my case, more research is needed into site design. As I learn, I’ll pass my new found knowledge on. It’s a learning process, for all of us. Have fun

Here is advice on exactly how to upgrade wordpress. Follow these steps and it’s simple

I think it’s fair to assume that, unless a blog is frequently updated, it will lose readership. After all, if the author loses interest how can he or she expect readers not to But how can people make so many posts to their blog on a daily basis, if so many interesting things are happening to them to generate writing topics, how come they have the time to sit typing their entries? Or do some simply copy relevant news items :o

One basic method is to take a notepad with you wherever you go. How many times do we, in daily life, think of great ideas to blog about, only when the time comes to write sit and stare at a blank screen, as the dreaded writers block comes into play! Making notes as we think of them is one way around this, though you may well get some baffled  looks from the  public, depending on exactly when you make the notes!

Depending on your work schedule, it’s wise to make use of the wordpress timestamp feature. This allows you to edit the publish date for posting, so you can maybe write up a few entries at weekends, and stagger the publishing dates. Better to update at intervals of a few days than to have three manic entries one a Sunday, for example

IF you work for a living, that is until you can generate enough money from your blog to justify resigning, it’s advised NOT to write about your job, colleagues, or the boss.  AFTER you resign?? Actually, no, not then either! It’s better to avoid any possibility of a lawsuit. After all, we have other things to do, right?

On one hand, I enjoy personal touches to a site, it helps to generate a relationship with author to reader, as opposed to endless articles about SEO from A.N. Other. But, if internet marketing is your subject, those who subscribe to your blog will take the subject seriously, (because money is serious) so they will perhaps be less interested in the weather as a post topic So, keep the balance in mind.

Many bloggers are also diarists…Another idea is to tape record near the days end, before you go to bed, anythng you consider to be relevant about your day. Making sure everything is dated. At the very least,  you will have clear records of your daily life, which may be worth looking back on years later. Also, you can record your news, and train your thoughts towards your goal of writing.

Always remember post comments. Post commentators are our friends, because they take time to visit, read, and comment on our posts. So I like to think of a blog post as the opening up of a conversation between author and readers.

Finally, dedicate your blog to it’s subject, and your readership base. And always remember why you are a writer

There are a number of ways to check your website’s progress. Some of the most commonly used are Google Page Rank (PR, Technorati, and Alexa. It’s important not to get obsessed by these ranking criteria, but some people like to chart progress of their blogs popularity

To quote from wikipedia, google PR; “PageRank is a link analysis algorithm that assigns a numerical weighting to each element of a hyperlinked set of documents, such as the World Wide Web, with the purpose of “measuring” its relative importance within the set”.

Technorati tracks incoming links to your blog, or as they call it “blog reactions”. It is a way of  charting the popularity of your site. If someone links to your site, mostly by way of linking to a post you made, it Should show up in your technorati account (which you need to first set up) as a “blog reactions”. Every reaction counts as 1 authority, and the more authority you get, the higher your technorati ranking becomes. But many are complaining that, recently, technorati reactions are not showing up, indeed, this site has many links to it which are not showing on technorati. If any bloggers have any advice on this, I’d be happy to hear from you.

Alexa traffic rank you can obtain by visiting www.alexa.com, and enter your site for evaluation. The Alexa bots will then crawl your site, and you get the option of installing the Alexa toolbar, which gives information on traffic rank of every site you visit. The aim here is to generate as many links to your site as you can, also increase traffic, in order to get your Alexa ranking lower, preferably into the top 100,000 sites. 

Here is a link for improving your Alexa ranking.