I keep backups of all my sites on my computer. If something goes wrong with my server, I’ve got all my core files on my laptop just waiting to be restored. What I’m not so diligent about is backing up my MYSQL databases. Luckily, I’ve found a good solution to backup my Wordpress database automatically.
Click Here To Continue Reading
Want to make a living Online? Subscribe to my RSS feed!
Last night I was searching for some information on the Wordpress archive tag. Google directed me to a great site called Blogsessive written by Alex Cristache. In addition to putting out some great content, Alex is also a very talented designer. He has some of the best Wordpress templates I’ve seen.
The templates include 3 column layouts, corporate designs, and more. You can view and download Alex’s designs at the following link.
Want to make a living Online? Subscribe to my RSS feed!
If you haven’t read part 1 of this post, use the link below.
IX Web Hosting - Worst Host Ever? - Part 1
After my first run in with IX Web Hosting, I wrote the whole incident off as a fluke. The manager I spoke to seemed very sincere and assured me that wasn’t proper protocol and wouldn’t happen again. I was trucking right along until I got this email from them on October 26, 2008.
Click Here To Continue Reading
Want to make a living Online? Subscribe to my RSS feed!
I signed up for hosting with IX Web Hosting in April of 2007. There have been two occasions that they provided the perfect example of Terrible Customer Service. So much so, my last pony ride with IX Web Hosting was my last. I decided to call it quits and move my account to Host Gator.
Click Here To Continue Reading
Want to make a living Online? Subscribe to my RSS feed!
Previous Post For This Project
It’s been nearly 2 months since I posted an update on this project. I haven’t done anything at all. I’ve just been sitting back and looking at the results of my labor. I’ve managed to secure a lot of top spots for my keywords on MSN. Maintaining this has been very easy. Google on the other hand has been completely different.
Every time my site shows up at the top of the results, I’m ready to raise my hands in victory only to be disappointed by my site completely disappearing for the next week. This was the case for nearly 6 weeks. I haven’t been able to make any sense of it.
Finally about a month ago my rankings finally stabilized and I have a rank #7 for my top keyword on Google. Granted, this isn’t where I wanted to be, but it tells me at least some of my work was effective and with more time and more work, I can secure a spot in the top 3.
Click Here To Continue Reading
Want to make a living Online? Subscribe to my RSS feed!
Previous Post For This Project
Aaron Wall recommended I get some paid directory links as a way to get this site moving in the right direction. If you read my series on the Yahoo Directory, then you know why I was reluctant to shell out cash for more directory links. So I decided to compromise, instead of spending $299 just for one directory, what if I found 5 - 10 good directories I could submit to for $299.
With this in mind, I started off with JoeAnt.com. It’s a great directory and you can submit your site for free if you become an editor. I filled out an editor application and was approved immediately. Once I submitted my site the editor kicked it back once or twice requesting a few changes. But after a couple of tries, it was accepted and now appears in the directory. Not bad for less than 15 minutes of my time.
Clush.com is another directory that I submitted to. For only $19.95 I was able to submit my site and an additional 5 urls. My submission was approved within a few hours and I’ve been very happy with the placement.
Within one week of making these two submissions, they were both picked up by Google and my site moved from position 18 to position 7. Not bad for 30 minutes and $20 out of pocket.
Click Here To Continue Reading
Want to make a living Online? Subscribe to my RSS feed!
Previous Post For This Project
It’s been nearly a month since I posted about this project. It hasn’t been because I haven’t been busy working on it. 4 weeks ago, my main keyword made it to Page 1 Position 3 on Google. I was elated. I was expecting a cool 2,000 - 3,000 visitors each month from that one keyword. This lasted for a few days. Then it happened.
My keyword disappeared from the search. I wasn’t worried. Matter of fact, I seen it as a good sign. Let me explain.
I started off ranking for Google on page 5. Every time my keyword would disappear, it would always return within 2 - 3 days and would gain ranking. I seen this happen at least 4 - 5 times as I moved from page 5 to page 1. So when my keyword disappeared from Page 1 Position 3, I was expecting it to return to Page 1 Position 2 or even Position 1. This unfortunately wasn’t the case.
It took nearly a week for my keyword to return and it moved to position 18. You know the difference between position 18 and not ranking at all? Not much.
Click Here To Continue Reading
Want to make a living Online? Subscribe to my RSS feed!
Previous Post For This Project
My goal list for this project can be found at the end of the post.
Setting goals is an important element to any project. I’m as guilty as the next guy for neglecting this important element of success at times. But from my experience, when I write my goals down and refer to them daily, I generally accomplish more in less time.
Here are a 5 tips on setting goals that I’ve found useful.
1. Take baby steps. Set achievable realistic goals. If you are living in a cardboard box on Main Street, don’t set a goal to buy a 1 Million Dollar house by next week. You have a better chance of being struck by lightning than making the jump from homeless to millionaire in a few weeks.
2. Write your goals down on paper and put them somewhere you will see them everyday. This is one of the best ways I’ve found to hold myself accountable and stay focused. I put my goals on my bathroom sink. It’s hard to forget when there’s a list starring you in the face while your brushing your teeth. (If you don’t have any teeth or don’t brush the ones you have, the bathroom sink may not be the best spot for you. Pick somewhere else.)
3. Work toward achieving your goals every day. I probably won’t spend all day working toward achieving my goals, but I will spend some time everyday working toward achieving my goal list. Some days this may mean spending a few hours and other days it may mean only a few minutes. The important thing I’ve found is to make progress every single day.
4. Creating a plan of action is an effective goal setting strategy. Say for example your goal is to double your income. You can write that down and read it everyday, but how are you going to achieve it? You need a plan of action.
That plan could include a different career path. It may require additional education or training. It may mean opening a part-time business. The steps required to reach your goal should be a part of your plan of action.
5. Don’t be afraid to let your goals evolve. I don’t consider my goals written in stone. As I work toward achieving them, I’ll sometimes make changes. It could be for a variety of reasons. Maybe I learn that reaching a particular goal doesn’t have the outcome I first predicted. It could be I realize that my goal is going to take more time that I first thought. Whatever the reason, you should always be reviewing your goal sheet and making changes where required.
Has setting goals been an effective strategy for you?
Goal List For SEO Project #1
I. Achieve a $500 a month income from this site.
Plan of Action:
A. This goal will be accomplished by reaching the organic traffic goals listed below.
II. Increase organic traffic to 1,000 uniques a month.
Plan of Action:
A. Recent first page listing for my main keyword phrase should have me 25% of the way there.
B. Continue adding content to target easy to rank for long tail keywords.
C. Article marketing has been a very effective method for getting my current rankings. Continue to use article marking to target more of my main keyword phrases that have 1,000 or more searches per month.
D. Use virtual assistant to build 100 links per week.
III. Create a useful resource that can garner traffic by word of mouth by those interested in my niche.
Plan of Action:
A. Install a live person chat on my site and interact with my visitors to find out what type of information they are looking for.
B. Hire a writer to produce top quality content that other sites in my industry will want to link to.
C. Offer a free newsletter to stay in touch with my visitors.
D. Install a blog and/or forum to interact with my visitors.
Want to make a living Online? Subscribe to my RSS feed!
Previous Post For This Project
I have to admit I’ve been out of it lately. I’ve been so disgusted with my progress on this project. Keep in mind, this is my first SEO project. I’ve never been down this road before. I’m very inpatient by nature. What I want, I want now! I’ll spend all night working to get it. I’ll spend three days with no sleep if I have to. Bottom line, the 82% of my personality that is classified as type A wants results yesterday for the work I do today!
I’m quickly learning that SEO doesn’t work that way. The work I do today, may not yield results for several weeks and maybe months. It’s been hard for me to stay focused on this project. It was one of the reasons I hired a virtual assistant. I need someone to stay focused on this project when my attention is elsewhere.
I spent the entire day thinking about scrapping this project. It is currently making about $300 a month from the PPC traffic. I could just leave things as they are and it’d pay for my vacation every year.
Then this afternoon, I finally got the break I needed. My primary keyword phrase, that gets an estimated 3,600 searches a day, finally made it off page 2 of Google and is now on position 5 of page 1. I also found I’m ranking in position 1 page 1 for that same keyword phrase on MSN. Finally, I’m starting to see the results from 2 months of work!
Now this project I was considering scrapping has my full attention and focus. I’m going to have the site redesigned to feature a link to my best content from the home page. I’m also going to add a blog and start interviewing some of the industry experts.
If you are having problems ranking your site, just hang in there. I’m a total SEO newbie and I’ve been able to make it happen. I still have a long way to go with this site, but at least now I can see some progress and know my work isn’t wasted.
Want to make a living Online? Subscribe to my RSS feed!
Previous Post For This Project
It’s been about six weeks since I started this project. I had every intention of dedicating a lot of time to this project and posting every day. Obviously, it hasn’t worked out that way. I’ve been busy vacationing with my family and working on other projects that put food on the table. It’s hard to set aside the time needed to rank a site that isn’t producing much income. That’s why this post is so relevant.
A friend of mine recommended I hire someone to help. It sounded like a good idea, so I posted an ad over at elance to find an individual with experience that was interested in working a minimum of 10 hours a week. I was surprised at the number of offers I got. I finally settled on a guy named Ashok from India.
Like me, Ashok has a degree in engineering, so he understands my attention to detail. He speaks excellent English and I am very confident things are going to go well. Ashok is going to be spending 10 hours a week building links and helping with some of the tasks I previously posted about.
So if time is a problem for you, why not consider hiring a virtual assistant? I think it is going to be one of the best choices I’ve made so far. If things go as well as I anticipate, I’ll increase Ashok’s hours and start to use him for more of my projects.
Have you hired a virtual assistant? How has that worked out for you?
Want to make a living Online? Subscribe to my RSS feed!
