What are Sitelinks and How do I Create Them?

by sitemanager

This is a question that many bloggers and webmasters ask. Sitelinks are often touted as a useful tool for increasing a website's search engine visibility while subsequently attracting more visitors to it. But what exactly are sitelinks and how do they work? Sitelinks Defined Sitelinks are essentially nothing more than internal links that are displayed underneath a Google search listing. If you search for the keyword "Amazon," for instance, you'll notice several different sitelinks, including "Books," "Your Account," "Amazon Prime," etc. Each of these sitelinks takes the user to its respec...

The 10 Commandments of Blogging

by sitemanager

stained glass depiction of 10 commandments

#1) Thou Shall Not Use Duplicate Content While Google has said that small amounts of duplicate content won't cause any major problems, blogs that contain mostly duplicate content may suffer from lower search rankings. There's nothing wrong with using quotes or legal jargon that's found elsewhere on the web, but the bulk of your blog's content should be unique. #2) Thou Shall Not Engage in Link Schemes What exactly is a link scheme? Basically, it's any link that was created outside of the boundaries of Google's Webmaster Guidelines. This includes paid links, excessive reciprocal links, links...

Should I Make My Blog Private?

by sitemanager

There are certain cases in which a blogger may wish to make his or her blog private. If you are a new parent, for instance, you may wish to post photos of your newborn on your blog for friends and family members to see, but not the general public. Private blogs are also used for collaboration projects in which two or more people work on a single project together. Of course, there are just a few of the many reasons why bloggers prefer to maintain private blogs instead of open/public blogs. Search Rankings and Privacy It should go without saying that you won't be able to effectively rank a pri...

Help! My Blog Has Been Hacked

by sitemanager

It's estimated that roughly 30,000 blogs and websites are hacked each day. As a blogger, it's downright frustrating when you invest your time and energy to building a successful blog, only for some hacker to take control of it. Regardless of who has access to it, though, it's YOUR blog, which is why it's important to follow some basic steps in the aftermath of an attack. Check Your PC According to the official WordPress website, the first thing you should do in the wake of a hack attack is to scan your local computer/PC for infections. Use a virus scanner like AVG or Microsoft Essentials (or...

Easy WordPress Optimizations Tips

by sitemanager

One of the reasons why so many bloggers and webmasters choose WordPress for their content management system (CMS) is its ease of use. Whether you are experienced in web design or not, you should have no problem launching a WordPress site. Using the platform's signature 5-minute installation, you can have a site up and running in minutes. But if you really want to take advantage of WordPress and everything it has to offer, you should optimize your site using the following techniques. Limit Your Plugins There's nothing wrong with using plugins on a WordPress blog or website. In fact, ...

How to Make Your Blog Stand Out

by sitemanager

blog - blogger standing out from the crowd

While the exact number remains unknown, some sources have estimated there to be roughly 152 million blogs on the Internet. Whether it's in the automotive niche, healthcare, e-commerce, fitness, fashion, etc., you can find a blog covering just about every topic under the sun. Unfortunately, the massive amount of competition makes it difficult for newcomers to make a name for themselves, which is why it's important to distinguish your blog from the rest. So, what can you do to make your blog stand out? Be Personal The term "blog" was initially used to describe a person's online journal. Wh...

How to Build an Email List While Blogging

by sitemanager

email symbol on row of colourful envelopes

Are you collecting users' email addresses on your blog? If not, you should be. Email remains one of the most effective platforms for promoting a product or service. According to the credit bureau Experian, email marketing is 20 times more cost effective than traditional advertising, attesting to its benefits. But how exactly do you capture email lists on a blog? You have a couple of options, so we'll explain. Create a Newsletter Signup Form The easiest and most effective way to collect email addresses on a blog is to create a newsletter signup form. Users will enter their email address to ...

How to Create an Effective ‘About the Author’ Page

by sitemanager

The key to maintaining a popular, successful blog is to establish a strong relationship with your readers. If readers view your blog as being nothing more than generic source of the same rehashed content that's found elsewhere on the web, you will ultimately fail to gain any notable traction. If your readers don't know much about you, you have less chance of connecting with them. This Is Where An 'About the Author' Page Proves Useful. With an 'About the Author' page, you can show readers that you are a real person, giving them a sneak peek at your personal side. Use a Head-Shot Photo When ...

Tips for Creating an Effective FAQ Page

by sitemanager

Does your blog have a page dedicated strictly to questions asked by your target audience? Creating a frequently asked questions (FAQ) page is a great way to add value to your blog while helping visitors in the process. If a visitor has a question about your blog, business, or a product that you offer, he or she may look at the FAQ page for an answer. Search engines will also index this page, ranking it for questions contained within the page. Look for Real Questions Asked by Users How many times have you gone to a business's FAQ page, only to be disappointed that the questions and answers...

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