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Increase Sales and Web Traffic with Target=”_Blank”

September 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I have a pet peeve about blogs/websites — sometimes the HTML code target=”_blank” which opens a link in another web browser is not used. If you’re not utilizing this code, you could be sabotaging your website and business. Implementing the code is easy and will help readers and potential clients remember your website! More importantly, it won’t deter them from your website.

I can’t tell you how many websites and blogs I visit that are not using the HTML target=”_blank” code in articles, blogs, and web copy. The point of the code is to make sure people stay on your website and not be taken away from it when they click on a link. If you don’t use the code, readers will have to press the ‘back button’ or worse be forced to remember the name of your website when it’s their first time looking at your website. You could lose valuable web traffic.

Benefits of target=”_blank”

  • Links open in a new web browser guaranteeing visitors stay on your website.
  • Visitors to your blog/website won’t have to press the Back button to get back to your website after they click on a link.
  • You won’t annoy or frustrate people by making them press the Back the button.
  • You’ll increase web traffic because visitors to your website will stay on your website. This will help them to remember the name of it.

Make your blog/website easy for people. They’re on your website for a reason — they want good, solid information that will provide them with links where they can find other good, solid information. And, they’re interested in the products and services you have to offer. If you don’t keep them on your website, they’ll go to another website and you will lose a sale!

Remember that most people are multi-taskers and usually do more than one task at a time. If they have multiple browsers open, they could accidentally click off of your website instead of the link they opened. And, it’s possible they won’t remember your website if they didn’t write it down or bookmark it. Closing out of your website could cost you money and web traffic!

There’s nothing worse than finding a blog or website you like only to be taken away from it. The next time you write a blog post or article or add links, make sure to use the code target=”_blank” which opens a link up in a new web browser. Visitors to your website will appreciate it!

Rebecca

What’s stopping you from learning HTML coding? Share your thoughts.

Filed Under: Freelance Writers, Freelance Writing, Overcoming Obstacles, Search Engine Optimization, Tips and Tricks Tagged With: , , , ,

What’s the Point of Commenting on Blogs?

December 16, 2009 By 4 Comments

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Many people comment on blogs for different reasons. Readers comment to gain backlinks, others like to “spread spam” around the internet (spam is deleted), and some want to connect with the blogger and readers of the blog. Whatever your reason is for commenting, you have the option of leaving your website URL. Unfortunately, you may be asked not to enter your URL.

When you leave a comment, you have the option of entering your website’s URL on the comment form. It’s a great way of saying “thank you” to visitors who take the time to read your blog. If this is true, why would a blog administrator email a reader and ask her to “kindly stop leaving your business website URL on the blog posts? It’s very perplexing. Aren’t business owners allowed to comment on blogs? Perhaps the blog is following the “No Follow” rule.

No Follow: “nofollow is an HTML attribute value used to instruct some search engines that a hyperlink should not influence the link target’s ranking in the search engine’s index. It is intended to reduce the effectiveness of certain types of search engine spam, thereby improving the quality of search engine results and preventing spamdexing from occurring” (from Wikipedia)

Some websites use the “no follow” rule which is fine. However, when you use a comment form box that includes a space your website URL, the rule becomes confusing. It makes more sense to take out the website URL from the comment form to ensure visitors do not enter their website URL.

One reason to eliminate the “website” URL option is you’re afraid of competition which is why you choose to use “no follow.” You can say it has to do with page ranking, but what’s the real reason? Maybe you’ve built it up in your mind that visitors will not stop by your website if you allow readers to leave their website URL. You don’t want visitors to leave a link to their website because you’re afraid they may not come back to your website. This is hogwash. There’s opportunity for everyone on the internet. How many times have you visited a blog/website that didn’t fit your needs? What did you do? You probably looked at other websites!

The next time you post a comment and leave your website URL, you may receive an email asking you not to do that. FYI to owners of blogs/websites who request readers not to leave their website URL: take out the option to leave a website URL!

Rebecca

What are your thoughts on the No Follow rule?

Filed Under: Freelance Writers, Freelance Writing, Networking, Search Engine Optimization Tagged With: ,

How Would You Rate Your Writing Skills

November 30, 2009 By 4 Comments

Some people believe that having great writing skills is not necessary when writing for the web. This cannot be farther from the truth. It’s not necessary to write like John Steinbeck or any other literary giant; however, you’ll obtain expert or authority status quicker if you have good writing skills.

Small business owners do not have to possess excellent writing skills, but it’s necessary to have an understanding of basic grammar and punctuation. How’s your knowledge of the comma? What about quotation marks? Some people write run-on sentences that go on forever and ever and they do not use punctuation to separate conjunctions and they do not know when to stop writing. That was just an example!

Writing skills can be learned if you have the time. Most small business owners would like to make a profit from their business. Marketing, advertising, and networking (used a serial comma) will take up a lot of time. Hiring a freelance writer to write articles and blog posts will save you time and money in the long run. Plus, a freelance writer will be knowledgeable about SEO, SEM, and SMO.

Small business owners may not have the time to acquire writing skills. Freelance writers can alleviate the pressure of writing for your website. They can write blog posts that are rich with SEO. You can either provide a keyword list to freelance writers or pay them extra to research keywords for your site.

Writing skills are important even when you write short blog posts. You want to be taken seriously as a business person. Unless you’re writing a celebrity blog or some other “off beat” topic, good writing skills are still necessary for the web.

Writing can be intimidated for some people. Take the pressure off of you by hiring freelance writers. They enjoy writing and will be happy to write for your website(s). Besides, who wants to do something they do not want to do? It’s all right to ask for help!

Rebecca

How would you rate your writing skills?

Filed Under: Freelance Writers, Freelance Writing, Search Engine Optimization Tagged With: , , ,

Formula for Success: Find It, Like It, Buy It

October 26, 2009 By 1 Comment

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Many small business owners are not making money on the internet. They have a website, but it’s sitting in cyberspace among other websites. Your website is part of the equation to making money online, but there are many factors involved. For example, do you engage in social media? If you don’t, you could be missing out on money making opportunities.

Making money on the internet comes down to the following formula: Find It, Like It, and Buy It. Your customers find you (website), like your product or service, and buy it. That’s it! The formula is very simple. So why do many small businesses and owners make little or no money online? There are threes reasons: businesses don’t not have a proper website, they don’t know how to market to their target audience or they don’t know who their target market is, and they don’t take the right action.

3 Keys to Making Money on the Internet

1. The right website goes along way. You can have a beautiful website and it may not receive any traffic. SEO (search engine optimization) concepts can boost traffic to your website. Hire a freelance writer who knows and understands how to write for the web. It’s different from writing for print. Paragraphs are shorter, to the point, and filled with keywords (not too many — that’s keyword stuffing). When a prospective buyer types a keyword or keyword phrase into Google, your website will come appear in the search. Many small businesses like to be on the first page, preferably in the #1 spot! This could be done, if you use the right keywords and have a strong web presence.

Make sure your website is easy to navigate. Adding Adobe Flash to your website is fine as long as you don’t go overboard. Remember that peoples’ web browsers load at various speeds. A slow loading website will not do well. Visitors will click off and find another website.

2. Know how to market to your audience and know your target market. You may be targeting the wrong people. Hire a marketing person who can help you determine your target market. This way it will be easier to market your products and or services to them.

3. Take the right action. What action are you taking? Are you involved in social media? Do you network? Are you offering great deals and discounts? What sets your product/service apart from the competition? Without knowing the answers to these questions, you could be expending a lot of time and energy on the wrong action! Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are easy to join. Spend sometime developing an “online presence” and get to know people within your industry. You could also offer articles or a blog on your website or have a link to a blog. People love FREE information and will consider you to an authority or expert in your field.

Join networking groups with “like minded” people who want to grow their business. Establish relationships with others first then do business. How can you help them? Surrounding yourself with positive, industrious people who are serious business people will gain your referrals and vice versa.

What’s the formula?

Find it, like it, and buy it is the formula for making money on the internet! You can have the most boring website without a lot of “Flash” and perform better than your competition. It’s about presentation and what you offer that your competition doesn’t. This includes great customer service in addition to quality products and services. Before you set out to make money on the internet, make sure you go the right formula for success!

Rebecca

What has been your experience with making money on the internet?

Bonus!

Develop your niche market…sometimes the most boring products sell!

Filed Under: Networking, Overcoming Obstacles, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media, Tips and Tricks Tagged With: , , , , ,

Drill Down Your Keyword List

October 12, 2009 By 1 Comment

Business owners have been asking me how to find keywords and keyword phrases. Some business owners have an online presence, but they are not taking advantage of keywords and writing for the web. Now that they’ve decided to take advantage of SEO, they’re not sure how to do it. Never fear, Rebecca is here!

I use tools such as Google AdWords Keyword Tools, Google Insights for Search, and Google Trends. You can use these tools to “drill down” your keyword list. If you’re still not sure how to use them, contact me for a SEO consultation and I will walk you through it. Before you know it, you’ll be ranking in Google and customers will find you from all over the world, if that’s what you desire.

Rebecca

What does your keyword list look like?

Filed Under: Freelance Writers, Overcoming Obstacles, Search Engine Optimization, Tips and Tricks Tagged With: , ,
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