I had a most interesting conversation the other day over Skype with my good friend Vance Sova. Since he is much more experienced on internet marketing than I am, it was a great opportunity for me to learn a bit more.
Vance told me about the importance of having links to other blogs or sites that are well established among the marketing community. Heeding his advise, what I did was to add a text widget I titled ‘Superb business blogs & sites’ to the top sidebar. My first two choices were Rick Schefren’s and Yaro Starak’s.
Vance also said I should be keeping track of who my most frequent commentators are. It’s a good practice to show who visits your blog and, by providing a direct link to their own blogs, I’d also be practicing good etiquette toward those kind enough to visit me and comment. I activated the Top Commentators plugin, listing them along with their avatars and quantity of comments left; I also hyperlinked their names to their blogs, to make it easier for others to visit them.
These two additions can be seen scrolling down past the free report optin.
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After the call, I wanted to find out more about search engine optimization for blogs. I found two resources of my interest:
- Website Grader, which gave me a marketing effectiveness ranking for my blog as it currently is and –most important– a report on how to improve that ranking, and
- All in One SEO Pack, a plugin to help me improve the chances of my blog being found by the search engines.
I am in the process of understanding both the above tools, but I think they can help me a lot to make my blog better, one of the items I pledged over when I first started my efforts.
As I fully grasp and implement these concepts I’ll be using the Website Grader badge to show and keep track of how the modifications I make affect my ranking. This should also give material for my next posts, otherwise so scarce!
Hi Jose,
I almost blushed when I read your post and your kind mention of my being of some help.
I have to thank you for that.
I’m glad that you recognize the importance of SEO in spite of some smart people that say don’t bother with it.
I left a reply to your comment on my List Building Steps, Step 3 post that expands on the reasons why I think these people are misguided, don’t want to bother with it themselves or simply don’t know how to do it.
I liked what you wrote in your comment there because you clearly understand what brings the most return on time investment.
If I may publicly make a suggestion: While I like seeing myself at the top of your page in top commentators, it will be better for you not to put top commentators or any other links which don’t lead to your other sites or offers at the top of the page.
Keep the opt in form at the top (above the fold). Put your blogroll closest to the bottom.
Talk soon,
Vance
Vance Sova´s last blog ..First Extraordinary Minds Panel, Jay Abraham, Rich Schefren
Hi Vance,
Thanks a lot for your comment. I reshuffled positions of the items in the top sidebar so my optin form is now at the top.
I still need to re-size the image a little because the fold eats up a little of the form. It’s aesthetics only but it’s one of the things I’d like to discuss with you when we meet again.
Glad to see you over here,
Jose
Jose
I’ll be intersted in the all in one SEO pack – have you a link to the plugin?
Peter Davies´s last blog ..Does anyone have any knowledge regarding worldprofit.com?
Peter, great you stopped by!
All in One SEO Pack can be found in the WP Documentation, here’s the link to it: All in One SEO Pack. I’ll update the post to make it a hyperlink there too.
Again, thanks for your visit.
Jose
I guess I have to break down and install this plugin. I know for a fact that outbound links work. I have used this strategy for about a year now.
Evan Beck´s last blog ..Review of YouTube XL
Evan,
Thank you for visiting! I just read your post on the plugin and found it most useful.
Regards,
Jose
Jose,
Hey, good post! Nice to see some good information disseminated on a blog.
I have heard much talk about website grading and you just made it that much easier to check out by supplying the link for Website Grader. I’ll definitely have to give that a look.
Thanks,
Mike
Mike Bush´s last blog ..My Goal – A New Business
Mike,
Thank you for stopping by!
Yes, Website Grader appears to me as a great tool to improve search engine ranking. I am combining the report I got from them with the implementation of the All in One SEO Pack plugin to try and have my blog rank better.
Although it is true that it is the content what is most important in a site or blog, the way I see it, you only do the optimization once, with minor tweaking every now and then, but it will always be there, working for you.
Heading to your blog,
Jose
Hey Jose,
That’s excellent advice about creating these super blog links. I’m going to follow your advice and set that up tomorrow.
Thanks
John
Thank you for the comment, John!
You can also consider setting up CommentLuv into your blog, too.
Glad you stopped by,
Jose
Hi Jose,
Nice post, and it’s good to see you socializing with other marketers. I think the more friends you make in this business, the more successful you will become.
I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch yet with the answer to your question, which you left on my blog. I’ve been busy with the launch of my new ebook the last few days.
I will definitely look into the button color thing for you, and I will email you the answer, and I’ll let you know when I’ve sent the email by leaving another comment on your blog.
I’ve just made a note to do it either tomorrow, or Wednesday.
Take care,
Paul.
Paul Lear´s last blog ..Traffic Guide For Newbies Is LIVE!
Thank you, Paul, for stopping by!
Yes, please let me know how to change the color on that little button. I know what the box is for but it’s not obvious for everybody.
I’m heading to your blog, I’ve been waiting for your e-book ever since you announced it.
Cheers,
Jose
Hi Jose,
I can’t really see any setting for the comment reply button color, only the submit button color.
But you can try this and see if it makes a difference.
In your WordPress Dashboard go to:
Apprearance -> Flexibility Theme Options -> Comments settings -> Comments submit button font color:
If that doesn’t work you can ask the theme creator, at http://www.flexibilitytheme.com/
He seems like a very helpful guy.
Or
Just try changing your theme color and see if it helps?
Sorry I can’t be of any more help than that, Jose. But that is the only setting can see for it.
Take care,
Paul.
P.S. Enjoy the book
Paul Lear´s last blog ..Traffic Guide For Newbies Is LIVE!
Thank you, Paul. I’ll explore the Appearance section again. I didn’t find anything there either, so I think I’ll go to the author, as you suggest.
I went through the first ten pages of your e-book yesterday. I found them very craftily written, indeed. Now I’ll continue with the techniques, which I’m sure will be worth reading too.
Congratulations on a great first product!
Jose
Hi Jose,
I can see a lot of good changes on your blog which is really good.
I’m glad that you’ve installed the keyword luv plug in and of course the dofollow plug in without which the former wouldn’t work.
I think that once people realize you have these plug ins they’ll be more likely to leave a comment.
It surprises me that since I installed those plug ins, just days before you, the people that commented on my blog didn’t notice the change and thus didn’t take advantage of it.
I hope you will do that on my blog and any others that use those plug ins.
I look forward to your next post.
Vance
Vance@Email Opt In List´s last blog ..Email List Building, Email Opt In List, Online Giveaways
Hi Vance,
Great to have you over here! I see how the KeywordLuv plugin worked on the title of your comment, that’s quite interesting. Have to keep working with all these tools, right?
Cheers,
Jose
Jose-
Just wanted to follow up and let you know I installed “Top Commentators” (but you probably may already know).
I had resisted because I though it might be too gimmicky.
However, I did my research and read some reviews…and I must say that it now is my new favorite plugin.
Evan Beck´s last blog ..Strategic Online Marketing with Content Syndication
Hi Evan,
I’m glad that you are using the top commentators and perhaps you’ll consider using the comment luv and keyword luv too.
Jose has now installed keyword luv as I have and you haven’t even taken advantage of it.
I hope you’ll do so the next time.
Vance
Vance@Email List Building´s last blog ..Email List Building, Email Opt In List, Online Giveaways
Hi Evan,
I’m glad you liked Top Commentators. I also used to think little of it but it was because I didn’t understand its usefulness, both for my blog and for those visitors that had been kind enough to leave me a comment.
We’re now two happy campers in the blogging arena, right?
Best regards,
Jose
Hi Jose,
Website grader sounds interesting ill look into that, anything to improve the ranking of my blog.
Really like the layout of your blog looks great.
Take care,
Nick
Nick Brosnan´s last blog ..What Ive Been Doing
Thanks for your comment, Nick!
Yes, the report from WG can really be useful to improve your ranking. It gives you many suggestions on what to do or what to change.
Just ignore the warning about having too many pictures, all blogs do. Also, at this moment I’ve chosen not the register into the Yahoo! Directory, it seems expensive to me…
See you at your blog,
Jose