SEO means search engine optimization, for many it also means stress and worry.   SEO is hard work, right?  Well some steps are actually pretty easy.

1. Change to an SEO friendly permalink.

Each blog post and website page you build with WordPress has a permalink; permanent link, assigned to it.  Make certain it is set to your post name by visiting, Settings, then Permalink.  You want the custom setting to be /%postname%

2. Add Google XML Sitemaps.

This plugin is like a map of your site enabling search engines to know what is on your website and where to find it.

3. Use Keywords.

These are words people commonly search for in relation to your niche. Use keywords appropriately without over use for a better experience for SEO and your visitors.

4. Get an SEO Plugin

These plugins allow you to add a meta title, meta description and meta keywords to each WordPress post and page you create. These allow search engine optimization by allowing them to know what is on the page.

5. Add content.

Regular posts is probably the most important step and it gives your visitors more reason to be interested in what you sell. You can Add an Ezine Article to Your Blog when you keep the article and resource box intact. Mixing and matching these with your own original content keeps the site SEO friendly and brings more traffic.  You can even use my Ezine Articles

6. Limit posts to one category.

While you may have several categories the post will fit, limit it to one. Each category the post is in creates another URL. You want to limit that number. A post with multiple URL links may only be one post but search engines see each as individual posts. This is the infamous duplicate content that people talk about.

7. Be consistent, insist on consistency.

Does your website start with www or does it not. In either case you can type http:// in front of the website name to make it click enabled. But you want to be consistent in your use of www or not and ask others the same.

Live ♥ Laugh ♥ Love

~ MJ Schrader

Free Website Content With Public Domain!

You need content for websites that you own, which can mean quite a bit of writing. Or your website content can come from a little known free source called public domain. This source of content has been around for a long time but you may not be capitalizing on it.

Public domain information

This is information that is not under a copyright law. Not just limited to actual text, this information may in the form of audio, images, pictures, video and more. All these different forms of media may have expired copyrights or it may never been under any copyright. Without these, it may be in the public domain.

You do need to check to make certain the information is in the public domain and free of copyright restrictions. If it is free of those you can use it as content on your blog or on your website.

Not Just Blogs!

Actually just about anywhere you would use that media format, you can use public domain media. You can easily use videos to create your own video products. You can create an audio book from audio or from an old book. Create membership websites and fill it with information you find on the public domain. Use images for shirts and graphics. You are only limited to your imagination.

Tony Laidig

Anyone who has been to an Unseminar can tell you how Tony Laidig shares incredible and valuable information about Public domain.  I have attended several and talked to him several different times.  He tells you where to find information, what to look for and if it is probably safe to use.

But what is incredible is that he created this Public Domain Toolbar.  What is so great about it, is that there is no remembering what rules apply to this year or that one.  You also can tell the toolbar what information you need and it will find it.   This toolbar can help provide you with more content than you can possibly use in several lifetimes.

Imagine this, almost everything the government gives public access to, is in the public domain.  Any and all media before 1923 is probably in the public domain.  Shakespeare can be yours. Does that make your head spin?

~ MJ Schrader

Save 25% off my products?

In honor of Pat’s Unseminar 8, you can save 25% off any product this special page.  You have until July 17th!

During Check Out use Coupon Code: PatSpecial610

One Question = Multiple posts

You aren’t going to get even a single post when you answer a question with a simple yes or no.  So think about other aspects, related needs, or situations.  For example: “Should I get a Blackberry phone?” does not have to have a one word answer.   You just need to think about what information you would want, had you asked the question. Then discuss the information for your web site content. But for true web site content creation, look into the question, you are sitting on a goldmine of articles.

Finding the Goldmine of Content Creation

For the Blackberry phone, here’s just a sampling of articles you could write.

• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a Blackberry.
• Explain the differences between the models.
• Which is best for a job type
• Is photo geek’s needs different than a text lover?
• Does where someone lives make a difference?
• Problems with Blackberries
• Go for funny, explain the differences between the blackberry fruit and the Blackberry phone.

Everyone has different needs.

When you think of all the different people who need answers to a question, and how their needs are different from someone else your potential article opens up into a whole world of articles. One question can turn into multiple blog posts for your web site content. You can turn content creation from an aspect of fear into a world of opportunity.

~ MJ Schrader

PS:  Special Blog Post Love ♥ To Melanie Kissell of MelanieKissell.com,  Evelyn Brooks of GetHappyToday.com,  Vernon Harleston of HighRoadism.com, Deb Auger of MyWebGal.com, who have kept me inspired during this #Blog30

Well, after all the discussion about website content, someone asked me a question.  “How do you know what to write?”    Like anyone else I sometimes get writer’s block.  There are days when I do not have a clue to write, but I do know where to look.

Where to look for web site content ideas.

The easiest way to find free website content is by asking questions. When you start asking and looking for questions you can find all the content you need to fill your blog. By changing your perspective from finding content to finding questions, ideas will be plentiful. Each post or article can be an answer to a question.

Question:  How do I know what questions to answer?

When you started in your niche, you did not know a lot about the topic. It probably was quite a while later you started your website after you had learned quite a few lessons about the niche and gained a bit of experience. Yet, you can remember when you started. When you started in your niche what questions did you have? What do you wish someone what had told you?

Finding more questions and TRAFFIC!

Look on forums. See where people are having problems, what questions people are asking. When you write your website content you might even use that question or one very similar. You can even build your traffic by answering that question on your website and going back to the forum and recommending your blog post.   This works with any question, when some asks something related to your post, point the way!

You have content and visitors! WIN-WIN!

~ MJ Schrader

Tomorrow:  Turn One Question Into MORE Web Site Content.

Meeting Geoff

Geoff and I finally got to meet in person at Unseminar 7 after having chatted a few times over at a forum.  Unseminars are incredible experiences that bring together a wide variety of people who may not know anyone upon arrival and leave with a brand new family of friends.  The incredible Pat O’Bryan hosts the events and actually there is Unseminar 8 coming.  But Geoff is an incredible guy, very passionate in telling and writing of stories.  Writing is assuredly one of the loves of his life.

About Writing

Geoff has written with Steve Mancini for 11 years.  They have written a best-selling satirical novel called Weeping Willow and won a Webby Award for our work on the web series Poor Paul.   While awards are nice, the question remains, what is “You Can Write a Short Story” and WIIFM?

WIIFM, What’s In It For Me?

They have a course that can teach you how to write.   They can teach you how to “find inspiration” and how to break “writer’s block.”  You do not have to be a writing fiend to learn how to find ideas and turn them into actual stories.  Many of my stories come spur of the moment which is something Geoff and Steve teach as well.

But what does this have to do with my business?

Ok, so short stories aren’t your thing.  But blog posts, ebooks and courses require some writing.  If you are wanting to write more for your business, then this could teach you the skills to feel more confident in your writing abilities.   By following the course, you will have written a short story by the end.  Perhaps the story will never do anything but sit upon your laptop, but the skills can be applied to your business.

In other words, if you have trouble creating content this will help you!

To Learn more or buy now visit “You Can Write a Short Story” and tell them I sent you!

~ MJ Schrader

PS Yes, I earn commission, if you buy it.  But Geoff and Steve are wonderful writers and teachers of writing.  And the commission will be used to help fund my trip to Unseminar 8.

Time to Bust that Duplicate Content Myth. (Does this make me an honorary myth buster?) Using previously published articles (Ezine Articles) does not mean you are going to suffer the wrath of Google and suffer the dreaded “Duplicate Content Penalty”

According to Google Webmaster Central Blog

“Let’s put this to bed once and for all, folks: There’s no such thing as a ‘duplicate content penalty.’ At least, not in the way most people mean when they say that.”

If you respect your readers, your guest bloggers and article authors, then you should not worry. If you are trying to deceive readers or search engines then you will get in trouble.

URLs

The name of your website is important but so is the form. Decide if you are going to include www or not. Try to keep one page from having multiple names, such as example.com, example.com/?, www.example.com, example.com/index.   This is where the Duplicate Content lives, not a unique website.

Create Unique Website

The key is creating a unique website, which means including some original content. This could be re-writes of private label articles, guest bloggers with content limited to your website or your own writing. Add links to related sites you like. Encourage other related sites to link back to you.

Articles

Using articles from article sites does not mean you are going to get the Google slap either. The combination of articles you choose creates a site that is all your own. When you also are certain to provide unique content in addition to those articles. By adding the resource box and author box you are verifying that you did not scrape (steal) the articles and verifying where you got the article. Then search engines view your site as a whole.

Search Engine Results

Content is King. By providing content you are meeting visitors and search engine requirements. With your whole site and the content provided, search engines give results of the best overall site for a particular search.

A visual example

There are a dozen quilters all of them are going to use one Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Square. While that one square is exactly the same, the quilts will not be duplicates of each other. Maybe one does a lap quilt. Another a King. Perhaps one uses borders for each square. Another uses a honey comb design around the Sunbonnet Sue. The Square could be on the top left, the bottom right, dead center. This is not duplicate content just like your website is not duplicate content.

~ MJ Schrader

Content to include

A lawn service could easily design a page with information about how to contact them. Another page with services. Then additional content with lawn tips, special events and other lawn related information.  If your website is hypnosis related, then you could have pages about different techniques, ways to relax and how hypnosis can help. This varied but related content gives search engines a reason to send visitors to your site and more reasons for readers to come.

How it helps your website

No matter your website, it is selling something. Perhaps you are selling a product or a service or your own life story. By providing more information your readers have more reasons to stay on your website. The longer they are on your website the more likely they are to view you as a resource, a trusted individual or otherwise decide you are likable. People are more likely to do business with someone they trust and like.

Good content is important

It is important to realize that content needs to be beneficial for your readers. Good content is related to your niche. Articles about keyboards on your gardening site is not going to work.  You need to be fluent in English or the language you are writing.  Readers don’t expect perfect grammar, but major mistakes, lack of punctuation or spelling mistakes can turn readers away.

Finding website content

Content can come from a variety of sources. You can write it. You can use Private Label Rights, PLR. You can re-write PLR. Invite guest bloggers, you get content for the cost of a link back to their website. Article directories such as Ezine Articles provide content on a variety of subjects. A search will provide material you can use. The cost is including the author’s resource box and the Ezine Articles “article source line.”

Is it that simple?

If you are not much a writer use all the above techniques to add content. By combining the article sources you create a unique website that establishes your business in the visitors minds. Readers expect information and with these techniques you can provide it and that makes your website grow!

~ MJ Schrader

Tomorrow: Busting the “Duplicate Content” Myth

Recap

Enter your topic of choice in the search at the top of the page.  Add an author, quotes, or extra words as necessary.  Now what happens when you find an article you like?

Looking over an article

Click on an article title you like or click = Do it Right Now! Be Productive With a Prickly Pear. The byline (author’s name) is underneath the title. Below that the word count (419 words), should you need a particular size. Then you can view the summary by clicking that link or scroll down and read the full article. Near the bottom of the page are the various citations, MLA Style, APA style, and Chicago Style (not be confused with the pizza).

Choosing an article.

You decide this article is exactly what you need. If you are the bottom scroll back up to right below the article. Beneath the article is a gray box. Click an icon to share the article in that social media format. However since you are looking for content you are going to click “EzinePublisher.”

Now what?

You will see an article summary. A summary of TOS. Improbable phrases and improbable keywords (phrases and keywords unique to my article i.e. prickly pear.) Next is a text version of the article followed by an HTML version. Since you are adding this to your blog, you want HTML. It looks nicer. Below that is the Summary, Keywords and Article URL.

Adding to your Blog.

Click add posts. Where you enter your posts you will see a tab (on the right) that says Visual and another HTML. Click HTML. Click inside the HTML box on Ezine Articles. Press Ctrl+C, this will copy the article. Now back to your blog post. Inside the box click Ctrl+V, this will paste the article with the Author Resource Box and Article Source. Alternative you can use the mouse right click functions.

SEO

If you are using an SEO plugin or Thesis Theme (or other SEO theme), you have a few additional steps for SEO! (Search engine optimization). Copy the title into the title box. Then copy the summary which is below the HTML version, using above tips. You will paste this in the description or summary area of your post. Repeat with the keywords. And Badda Bing you have new content for the price of a few clicks of the mouse.

Hope this helps, and please comment with your ideas and suggestions!

~ MJ Schrader

While Ezine Articles can be a great source of information, if you don’t know how to use it, it can be frustrating. There are so many articles. Then you wonder what to do with the articles.

Rules: FINE PRINT

You could read the TOS (terms of service). Here’s a summary: Respect the author and Ezine Articles (legally, ethically etc…)

More info: Include the author’s full resource box including the Article Source: Ezine Articles. Keep all links linked and active. Do not change the article. Do not use any article in exploitative websites, unlawful websites or promotion there of… In other words RESPECT!

Finding articles

Simply visit Expert_bio=MJ_Schrader! Ok, it was worth a shot! At the top is Google Search. There is also a search in the left sidebar. Type in a term related to the article you need. Let’s say you need articles about “Cheap Gifts” or maybe you just need cheap gift ideas because May is when everyone in your family has a birthday.  Type “Cheap Gifts” without the quotes for an example.

To Use Quotations or Not to Use Quotations

Quotes will keep your choices to that particular phrase, but they will include articles that mention that phrase. If you had typed “English Cocker Spaniel” you would only see 3 articles related to that particular breed, and many more related to the American Cocker Spaniel.  These articles are listed because they mention the English. (Trivia The AKC recognized the 2 different breeds in 1946, most people are familiar with the American.)

Choices

If you typed cheap gifts you can see there are a wide variety of choices.  This is when you might choose quotation marks, or add a word.  Then you add quotes to “cheap gifts” or extra words like “cheap birthday gifts” or “earth friendly gifts.”  Or perhaps you want a particular author.

By Author

Yes, you can narrow your choices by the author. Ok, for those of you Internet instructors, do you need terms for your blog? Type “MJ Schrader Terms” in your search without quotations. You will notice the terms articles first and later articles where I may discuss terms in the article.

Now you know how to find articles, but how do you add them.  Since this post is already rather long, I am going to save that for tomorrow’s post.   Tomorrow will be how to add these articles to your blog!  More blog content is always good!

~ MJ Schrader