How to create Keyword rich content

In this live workshop you will be actually creating a blog post, or web page content.  I will teach you:

• How to choose the right keywords for your topic
• Where in the post or page to use them
•  How often to use them
• The science behind Keywords and Search Engine placement

There is a specific method for creating well optimized content – it is NOT hard and I know you can learn it too.

Come to the Workshop on October 27th 2011.  You can register here.

WordPress Conference

The first day of WordCamp PDX  Unconference was well worth attending.  I met some great new local talent as well as learned some new ideas and techniques that will benefit all my clients.  I so appreciate the vibrant and talented WordPress enthusiasts here in the Portland Vancouver area and have benefited from attending WordCamp the past 3 years.

Some of what I have picked up so far:

• There are  vibrant local Musicians that ar3e using WordPress successfully here in the Portland area
• A number of new and very useful Plugins – keep an eye out for the video reviews of these plugins at AskDotty.com very soon
• Ideas to better enhance the client experience when using WordPress as a CMS

I am looking forward to learning more this afternoon.

Article Writing for Web 2.0 sites

I often get asked how to create great online content for websites.  Clients say: “I am not a writer” or I just cant think of what to say”.  Here is a method that I use to create killer web 2.0 content.

• Do simple keyword research to find the best words for your topic
• If you do not know what topic to write about then do research on your main keywords and see what pops up in the list
• Find 3 supporting keywords
• Use these words as Headers and Sub Headers
• Use them in your paragraphs
• Make the topic something you know a great deal about

Website Content and Article Writing uses the same methods

Any Online Writing can be this simple:

• Create your Keyword List
• Use a Header and Sub Header
• Write a sentence or 2 for introduction
• Create a List
• Insert another sub header
• Final closing sentences
• Use an image if possible

If you follow this simple outline you too can create killer Website Content that will be optimized for your keywords.

How is Google viewing Content Farming?

I have always advised my clients to not copy content from other online sources.  It can make you look bad, and now it can get your site blacklisted by the search engines.  Here is an article written about Googles plans for Content Farming during 2011.

After reading the article come back and let me know how you feel about this issue.

How to Write a Blog

This is a question I get quite often.  There are guidelines but no hard fast rules.  Blogging can be done for many different purposes so what works for me may not be the perfect answer for you.  Here are a few guidelines:

• Make your blog posts scannable – use headings and lists when possible
• Make your blog posts short
• Include photos for interest
• Include the main keyword for the post in your title
• Share your knowledge
• Keep it simple

Blog Marketing

Blogging can be a very effective method for marketing your business, product, idea, or service.  Blogging gets you noticed and ranked by search engines and can bring your website more traffic if done correctly.  Just by crating the posts your site will get better organic ranking for a bigger variety of keywords.

Blog writing: What not to do

• Do not create really long posts
• Do not write huge paragraphs
• Do not think you need to be an English major to write
• Do not write above an 8th grade level

Blogging is very easy.  Do not let it intimidate you – just take it one post at a time.

Difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com

There are many differences ~ and many similarities.  WordPress.com is:

• Free ~ it even comes with hosting
• Easy to use and set up
• Full featured
• Comes with a set of tested plugins for your use
• Comes with several Theme options

WordPress.org:

• Needs to be installed on a hosting account that you purchase
• Software is free (open source)
• Full featured and fully extensible
• Can use any WP Theme that is available (or make your own)
• Can use any Plugin available (they do not all work however)
• 100% customizable

Blog VS Website

If you are using WordPress as a Content Management System for your entire website then the .org version is a way better choice.  There are plugins that are available that will give your site more functionality and they are just not available in the .com variety.  The themes are also fully customizable with .org and not so much with .com.

If you are running a typical blog site then the .com version may be just right for you.  Since the software started out as a blogging platform it works “out of the box” for blogs much more seamlessly than it does for websites.

Here is a chart that shows the main differences:

There are many more difference but these touch on the main ones. The bottom line is if yu want a fully customizable and very flexible site then WordPress.org is the way to go. It will require more technical skill or hiring out the setup and customization. Once the site is set up then the 2 systems function and work much the same. Your choices will come with how many limitations you are willing or able to put up with.

How to start your own blog

Starting your own blog can be quite easy using the free blogging tools that are available today on the Internet.  There are many different blogging platforms ~ some great and some not so much.  Here is a short list of really good blogging platforms for starting your won blog:

• WordPress.com ~ free WordPress site that does have several limitations
• Blogger
• PDXChat.com ~ great site for local business owners to start a blog

Creating Your Own Blog

All 3 of the sites listed above allow you to creat your own blog very easily.  Once you register for a free account, there will be blog templates available to choose from for the layout of your blog site.  Some of the blog templates will allow basic customization like uploading a new header graphic, logo, and images.  Once the template is chosen adding content is easy through the content management system that comes with the blogging software.  They work very similarly to Word.

Blog Structure

Blogs have a general structure that is built around Categories.  Think of a Category as the main umbrella keywords for your business.  3-5 categories is all that is necessary to start.  Make the categories broad enough that many different articles or posts can be put under each category.  There should be at least 10 posts per category before even considering adding more categories. Categories are used to help the readers find information on your blog ~ they are also used for the search engines to figure out what your blog site should be listed for ~ keywords.

Starting Your Own Blog is Easy

Maintaining a posting schedule can be more challenging.  An empty blog is not likely to get ranked well and it defiantly will not help your business.  Make the commitment to post regularly and keep that commitment.  You will find that your site will start to get more traffic and people will be returning more often.

Loved WordCamp Portland

There were many great presenters this year at WordCamp PDX!  I enjoyed Matt’s peek into the future of WordPress.  Love to hear about what is upcoming.  I am very excited to learn that internal linking is going to become exponentially easier – just around the corner.  Some of the other great topics:

• How to Train Clients (Thanks Amanda – great presentation)
• How and Why to Use Child Themes
• Custom Post Types (Not so scary)
• Learned about Many New Plugins
• Business Blogging
• Postie – Posting from Email
• How To Monetize Podcasts
• Much Much More

Building Your List is Building Your Business

Denise over at Build a Better Blog created a post called “List Building Tip: Reward Your Subscribers”.  This talks about the value of building a list of subscribers and ways to get people to subscribe.  Blog subscribers are a valuable asset: these are the people that will read your blog over and over ~ they keep coming back!  These loyal readers deserve to be rewarded.  Read the article then come back and tell me your reward plan in the comments below!

Wonder what RSS is?

You are not alone.  RSS seems to confuse most business owners.  It is simply a way to allow readers to subscribe to your blog and then your content is delivered automatically into their RSS reader.  John Chow has broken the 100,000 RSS subscriber goal.   He has written an article on the methods he used to get over 100,000 subscribers.  I hope you get some great ideas of how you can also increase your subscribers.  Enjoy How I Broke 100,000 RSS Readers by John Chow.