![[Valid RSS]](images/valid-rss-rogers.png "Valid RSS")
This is a valid RSS feed.
This feed is valid, but interoperability with the widest range of feed readers could be improved by implementing the following recommendations.
line 33, column 0: (8 occurrences) [help]
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com ...
... ayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
^
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>StayOnSearch</title> <atom:link href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://www.stayonsearch.com</link> <description>Search & Social Media Marketing Tips, Resources, and Discussions</description> <lastBuildDate>Fri, 26 Jul 2024 17:52:38 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=5.4.16</generator> <item> <title>How to Blog Even When You Are Sick</title> <link>https://www.stayonsearch.com/how-to-blog-even-when-you-are-sick</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Thompson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:35:04 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Blogging]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.stayonsearch.com/?p=15528</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>As a blogger you know you cannot afford to have sick days. You have to keep up with your blog at all times or your audience will scatter like leaves in the wind. However there are times where you are just under the weather and can’t seem to keep it all together. What do you […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/how-to-blog-even-when-you-are-sick">How to Blog Even When You Are Sick</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/how-to-blog-even-when-you-are-sick/headache" rel="attachment wp-att-15530"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-15530" alt="headache" src="https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/headache.jpg" width="318" height="188" srcset="https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/headache.jpg 540w, https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/headache-300x178.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 318px) 100vw, 318px" /></a>As a blogger you know you cannot afford to have sick days. You have to keep up with your blog at all times or your audience will scatter like leaves in the wind. However there are times where you are just under the weather and can’t seem to keep it all together. What do you do then? Well, here are some ideas that I hope will help you out:</p><p><b>Be prepared</b> – The first thing you should always do is have extra posts on hand. Being prepared is the Boy Scout motto for a reason. If you are prepared to miss a day or two before hand you will have a much easier time of it when a sick day actually comes. You should have a post or two on the back burner that you can put up if something should happen. These posts should be ones that are perennial and do not ‘expire’. That way you can use them whenever you need to take a break. You can write a post like this in just a few minutes on a good day and have it all ready and set up to go on a bad one.</p><p><b>Be ahead</b> – Another good idea is to set your posting schedule behind what you actually write. Always be a day or two behind your writing. Meaning you have a post or two already written before you ever get to posting them. That way even if you do take a day off your posts will still be up like normal and you can get caught back up when you come back. This is also a great way to post in case an emergency might happen or if your computer should go off line for some reason.</p><p><b>Guest posts</b> – If you have made good relationships with other bloggers you can ask for a guest post for your blog. These guest posts help you by providing content that you do not have to write and the other bloggers get a link on your site and access to your audience. It is a win-win for both of you. It is also a great way to get over the fact that you do not feel well enough to write your own post and can tide you over until you are back on your feet.</p><p><b>Images</b> – Images or pictures are another great way to blog without actually having to write much. If you can find a great picture you can just post it with a caption and get on with your illness, no blogging required. Readers love pictures and a picture blog post can be a quick and easy way to keep your blog alive even when you feel half dead. You can find free pictures that can be used on your site at places like freedigitalphotos.com. They have professional stock photos and more on site like that which are free and easy to download and use.</p><p><b>Multimedia </b>– Another branch off that is multimedia. Things like <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/the-future-of-video-blogging">videos</a>, music or <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/improve-your-content-marketing-with-infographics">infographics</a> make for great blog posts. Not only are they easy and free to find and post, but they offer your readers a new way of looking at your blog. It can be something fun or informative it is up to you, but this is a great way to get content on your blog without actually having to write a bunch.</p><p><b>Lists</b> – Another way to keep your blog up without having to write a lot is a list post. A list can be very simple and expanded on easily later. All you have to do is write down your notes, essentially, and then promise to expound on each of the points when you feel better. Or you can let your readers expound on the points in the comments section and that way you will not have to write at all practically.</p><p><b>Links</b> – Another easy way to blog when you are sick is linking to something someone else has written. I know it is a bit cheating, really, but it works. All you have to do is take a section of their writing as an example and then link over to their blog or web site. That way you get to make a blog post but they get to do all the work. Besides, they will appreciate the link and the extra audience boost. Just do not copy and paste their whole work or it looks like plagiarism. Which is not something you want to get caught doing, sick or not!</p><p><b>Edit later</b> – One thing I have discovered about blogging when I am sick is that I make a lot of mistakes. My spelling is awful, my grammar is worse and I forget whole sentences. That is just the price you have to pay. Do not sweat the small stuff, especially when you are sick. Instead just get it up there and wait to edit it when you feel better. Oh, sure run it through spell check first, but do not make yourself sick and frustrated trying to make it perfect. It just will not happen.</p><p><b>Write about being sick</b> – One of the hardest things about blogging when you are sick is coming up with ideas. Take me for example I am trying to write this even as I hunch over my computer coughing and wheezing to beat the band. So why not chose a topic that is near and dear to your heart at the moment. Write about being sick. How you are keeping up, how you are doing and how you are going to get better. Readers love the personal touch it gives to your blog and you get to whine and complain to someone besides your friends and family. Whoopee!</p><p><b>Make it short</b> – Last but not least remember that blog posts do not have to go on forever. A short blog post is just as good as a long one and is sometimes even better. If you can keep your post between 500 to 2000 words you will be better off. Not only is it easier for you to type but it is easier for your readers to skim over. No one wants to read pages and pages of your rambling, even your funny sick rambling, so do not make them. Instead keep it short, sweet and to the point. Your doctor and your readers will thank you.</p><p>These are just a few ways I have come up with to keep blogging even when I do not feel up to it. Remember that it is okay to take some time off if you can and get better, but if you can’t hopefully this list will help you out. Remember to drink lots of clear fluids, take your vitamins, and follow the doctor’s orders. Get well soon and happy blogging!</p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/how-to-blog-even-when-you-are-sick">How to Blog Even When You Are Sick</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Optimizing Your Email Marketing Campaigns</title> <link>https://www.stayonsearch.com/optimizing-your-email-marketing-campaigns</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Thompson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 08 Dec 2012 14:49:49 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Make Money Online]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.stayonsearch.com/?p=15228</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Email marketing can be incredibly lucrative if you know what you’re doing. Unfortunately, most people do not and the majority of marketing emails end up in the trash without ever having been opened or given a second thought. Is there a surefire way to guarantee that your emails will be opened and read by your […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/optimizing-your-email-marketing-campaigns">Optimizing Your Email Marketing Campaigns</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Email marketing can be incredibly lucrative if you know what you’re doing. Unfortunately, most people do not and the majority of marketing emails end up in the trash without ever having been opened or given a second thought.</p><p>Is there a surefire way to guarantee that your emails will be opened and read by your target audience? No, there really is not. There are, however, certain things that you can do to optimize your email campaigns so that there is a higher likelihood of a greater percentage of people opening your messages.</p><p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-15230" title="stayonsearch1" src="https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/stayonsearch1.png" alt="" width="730" height="966" srcset="https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/stayonsearch1.png 730w, https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/stayonsearch1-227x300.png 227w, https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/stayonsearch1-226x300.png 226w" sizes="(max-width: 730px) 100vw, 730px" /></p><p><strong>Ask Yourself: Would I Be Compelled to Open This?</strong></p><p>Some people make the mistake of believing that the message itself is the most important aspect of an email. While the message is certainly important, it doesn’t matter how brilliant it is if no one opens it. Therefore, the single most important feature of your email is your subject line.</p><p>Are you surprised? It really is intuitive if you think about it. It’s similar to <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/let-the-power-of-blogging-work-for-your-business">writing blog posts for your site</a>, except with your posts, there’s still a chance someone might click through based off your meta description, even if your headline lacks. With email, however, if you don’t compel a person to take further action, that message goes straight into the trash in about half a second.</p><p>Now, writing a compelling subject line is easier said than done. People have learned to tune out pretty much anything with over-the-top marketing language and tactics. The last thing you want to do is write “FREE FREE FREE!” for a subject, or anything similar.</p><p>Front load your subjects with the most important information. Make it honest and real but also compelling and interesting. If it’s something that you would be inclined to open yourself, then you’re probably on the right track.</p><p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-15229" title="stayonsearch2" src="https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/stayonsearch2.jpg" alt="" width="803" height="526" srcset="https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/stayonsearch2.jpg 964w, https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/stayonsearch2-300x196.jpg 300w, https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/stayonsearch2-768x504.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 803px) 100vw, 803px" /></p><p><strong>Get the Message Right</strong></p><p>So, now that you’ve spent all that time tormenting over a killer subject line and your recipient has opened the message, what are you going to do with them? Are you going to leave them hanging and disappointed? You’d better not, or you’ll never get them to open another message from you again!</p><p>Generally speaking, your email body should be well formatted, contain a fast-loading image that complements the text and gets to the point quickly. Do not rely on your image to send the message for you, though. Many mobile browsers automatically block images for faster loading and lower data usage.</p><p>Keep your message brief and to the point, but get the facts out there in a way that makes your recipient excited. Tell them what you want them to do, too. Don’t just take it for granted that your recipient knows to click on a link for more information, tell them. If you’re having trouble with this, you might want to try partnering with a good SEO company that also specializes in email marketing.</p><p>You might also try to entice your recipient with a special offer that’s available only from the email. For example, offer a free e-book download, a percent off of a purchase, or a special buy one get one half off deal. Make it impossible for them to ignore how wonderful it would be to visit your site.</p><p><strong>Send it to the Right People</strong></p><p>If you’re selling home organization supplies, it’s not going to do you much good to send out a bunch of messages to automotive sales people. Compiling a good mailing list takes time, but is well worth the effort.</p><p>Try networking with people through various forums, groups, <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/social-media-success-and-what-it-can-do-for-your-business">social media sites</a>, and of course, through your own newsletter mailing list. When you’re sure you’re marketing to the right groups of people, try sending out two slightly different versions of the same message and see which one gets the better results. This information can be invaluable for future campaigns.</p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/optimizing-your-email-marketing-campaigns">Optimizing Your Email Marketing Campaigns</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Using Your Front Line Employees to Fuel Your Content Marketing</title> <link>https://www.stayonsearch.com/using-your-front-line-employees-to-fuel-your-content-marketing</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Thompson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:00:02 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Blogging]]></category> <category><![CDATA[content marketing]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.stayonsearch.com/?p=13621</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>In my 12+ years in the Internet marketing industry, I don’t think I’ve ever come across a company (in any industry) that couldn’t benefit from launching a business blog. SEO thrives on the consistent production of quality, engaging content. You’ve probably heard the phrase “Content is King” getting thrown a lot, mostly because it’s true! […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/using-your-front-line-employees-to-fuel-your-content-marketing">Using Your Front Line Employees to Fuel Your Content Marketing</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In my 12+ years in the Internet marketing industry, I don’t think I’ve ever come across a company (in any industry) that couldn’t benefit from launching a business blog. SEO thrives on the consistent production of quality, engaging content. You’ve probably heard the phrase “Content is King” getting thrown a lot, mostly because it’s true! A business blog is just one piece of a well-defined content marketing campaign, although it is arguably one of the most valuable components.</p><p>Some of the major benefits of a business blog include:</p><ul><li>Educate current and potential customers</li><li>Define a company “voice”</li><li>Increase online brand presence (each post can rank in the search engines)</li><li>Generate links and grow traffic</li><li>Build reputation as industry expert</li><li>and more…</li></ul><p>However, like just about everything in life, getting something of value means you have to put in a lot of work. One of the biggest complaints I hear from my clients is that they don’t have anything to write about. Without new, unique topics fueling your blog, it’s dead in the water. I’d rather a client never launched a business blog than create one and leave it stagnant!</p><p>Most of the time I can come up with half a dozen different topic ideas for my clients during our phone conversation, simply because I see every piece of information as a potential blog post! The trick to coming up with new content topics is to not over think it and use what you’ve got to your advantage.</p><p>One of the biggest assets any company can have is their “front line” employees. Your front line employees are the people who deal with your customers (both current and potential) on a daily basis. They are your sales team, customer service representatives, cashiers and floor staff—and they know your target audience inside and out. This makes them a veritable fountain of content topics.</p><p>Next time you’re brainstorming topics for your blog or guest articles, call in one of your customer service representatives. What questions do they routinely hear from your customers? Are they about your products, your company or your industry? These are questions coming directly from your target audience which means they are looking for the information and are unable to find it. You have the opportunity to become their go-to resource! For instance, do some of your customers call because they need help installing the latest version of your software? Write how-to post (or series of posts!) guiding them through the process.</p><p>Ask members of your sales team to keep a pad of paper at the ready when they are on the phone with a potential customer. How do they position your product as the solution to a potential customer’s needs and problems? That’s a blog topic. What is your competitive advantage? That’s a blog topic. Who would benefit the most from your product or services? That’s a blog topic too!</p><p>In addition to your front line employees, every department in your company is going to have a unique perspective on the same situation. For instance, the members of your product development team are going to approach/describe your product in an entirely different way than your marketing manager. Use those unique perspectives to your advantage and create blog posts that attack a topic from every angle. This will help make your content appeal to a broader audience and keep your blog from getting stale and repetitive.</p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/using-your-front-line-employees-to-fuel-your-content-marketing">Using Your Front Line Employees to Fuel Your Content Marketing</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Rank Higher in Google Places – 8 Local Search Optimization Tips</title> <link>https://www.stayonsearch.com/rank-higher-in-google-places-8-local-search-optimization-tips</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Thompson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:36:35 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category> <category><![CDATA[google places]]></category> <category><![CDATA[local]]></category> <category><![CDATA[seo]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.stayonsearch.com/?p=13124</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Over the past few years, Local Search has been gaining momentum. More and more small business owners seek to rank higher in Google Places, especially now, as search results personalization is at large and growing. Point is, we are now seeing an increasing number of Google Places results displayed above Google’s Everything results, which, for […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/rank-higher-in-google-places-8-local-search-optimization-tips">Rank Higher in Google Places – 8 Local Search Optimization Tips</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Over the past few years, Local Search has been gaining momentum. More and more small business owners seek to rank higher in Google Places, especially now, as search results personalization is at large and growing. Point is, we are now seeing an increasing number of Google Places results displayed above Google’s Everything results, which, for some businesses, means virtually no chance to get noticed unless they hit top Local Search listings.<br />Are there any specific steps one should take to rank high on Google Places? Sure there are. And if you have so far not thought seriously of the Local Search, it’s probably time you do.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>1. </strong><strong>Claim your</strong><strong> business listing on Google Places</strong></p><p>In case you haven’t done it yet, go to the Google Places <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.google.com/local/add/g?hl=en-US&gl=US#phonelookup"><span style="text-decoration: underline">official webpage</span> </a> and create a business account there. It seems like just a small formality, however, there are some mistakes one should avoid at this point. Otherwise they may have a detrimental effect on your overall Local Search campaign in the future. So, here are some things to look out for:<span id="more-13124"></span></p><p><em>No keyword stuffing of the Category field</em></p><p>“Category” is for specifying what your business IS, not what it DOES or SELLS. For example, if you are promoting a hotel in the Galapagos, choose “Hotel” as your Category, not “Tourism Galapagos” or similar. All your keywords, features, sales copy and other promotional info should go into the Description section:</p><p><a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/rank-higher-in-google-places-8-local-search-optimization-tips/descriptions-gp-2" rel="attachment wp-att-13127"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-13127" src="https://www.stayonsearch.com/httpdocs/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Descriptions-GP1.jpg" alt="" width="526" height="94" /></a></p><p>Geo terms are not allowed in the Category field either. Your location is self-evident, judging by the address that you specify, so, there is no need to emphasize it in your Category. Otherwise, Google might consider it spammy.</p><p><em>No spamming the Category field</em></p><p>It’s best to create one category per listing. If you really must enter more than one category, you can actually do that. But it should be something real, something that your business actually IS. For example, your hotel in the Galapagos may have a souvenir store and a restaurant in it. In which case you can add the following categories:</p><ol><li>Hotel</li><li>Souvenir store</li><li>Restaurant</li></ol><p>All in all, you can add up to 5 categories per listing.</p><p><em>Avoid using 1-800 or tracking phone #</em></p><p>For marketing analytics purposes, you might want to use different phone numbers for different online resources that mention your business. This is quite understandable, but, for Local Search purposes, it’s best to stick to one main, NON-1-800 phone number. The best practice is to always use one real, geographically-marked phone number for your business.</p><p><em>Do not use PO Boxes to add more business listings.</em></p><p>If your business has more than one location, go to the “Service Areas and Location Settings” and specify your service area. What’s interesting about this section is that it can be used to hide your business address from the users in case your business presupposes visiting clients instead of them coming to you, and you don’t have an office as such. In which case you can set your home address as your main address, specify your service area and choose to hide your address from everybody on the Web. It will still be visible to Google, though.</p><p><a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/rank-higher-in-google-places-8-local-search-optimization-tips/do-not-show-my-business-address-gp" rel="attachment wp-att-13128"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-13128" src="https://www.stayonsearch.com/httpdocs/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Do-not-show-my-business-address-GP.jpg" alt="" width="531" height="497" srcset="https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Do-not-show-my-business-address-GP.jpg 531w, https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Do-not-show-my-business-address-GP-300x280.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 531px) 100vw, 531px" /></a><strong></strong></p><p><strong>2. </strong><strong>Use uniform Name, Address and Phone (NAP) +W (website)</strong></p><p>NAP (Name, Address and Phone) is a popular Local Search marketing acronym. This is because keeping your NAP uniform across numerous mentions of your business on the Internet is key to the success of your Local Search campaign. Some Local Search marketers say that your URL associated with your company’s NAP should always be the same, and use the NAP+W (website) acronym instead.</p><p>Google aggregates data from multiple directories and other online sources to evaluate the users’ sentiment for your business. So, if some of that name-address-phone info provided is inconsistent, Google may deem your business untrustworthy.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>3. </strong><strong>Use keywords in image/video meta data </strong></p><p>When you create a business listing on Google Places, you can also attach images/videos to it. Make sure the visual materials that you attach contain keywords in their meta data.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>4. </strong><strong>Get listed in directories and Internet Yellow Pages </strong></p><p>Once you create a business listing on Google Places, your goal is to make it more popular than those of your competitors’. Google ranks listings in Local Search results based on their <em>relevance, distance and prominence. </em></p><p>Relevance and distance are pretty easy-to-grasp criteria. Now, what about prominence?</p><p>As applied to Google Places, prominence is how popular a business is with online users, in other words, how well-established it is. According to Google, it is <em>“based on information we have about a business from across the Web (like links, articles, and directories)”.</em></p><p>So, to start with, try to list your business in the regional sections of such online directories like <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.dmoz.org/Regional/">DMOZ</a>, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/">Yahoo</a>, and <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://botw.org/top/Regional/">BOTW</a>.</p><p>Then, get listed in authoritative data providers and Internet Yellow Pages like <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.yelp.com/">Yelp</a>, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.superpages.com/">Superpages</a>, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://brooklyn.citysearch.com/">Citysearch</a>, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.yellowpages.com/lite">Yellowpages</a>, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.infogroup.com/">Infogroup</a>, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://local.yahoo.com/">Yahoo Local</a>, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://localeze.com/">Localeze</a>, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.insiderpages.com/">InsiderPages</a>.</p><p>Look for niche-specific directories and review sites, for example, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.zagat.com/">Zagat </a>and <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.opentable.com/">OpenTable </a>for the restaurant business, etc.</p><p>Remember to use the same Name-Address-Phone (NAP) in all your listings!<strong></strong></p><p><strong>5. </strong><strong>Use location-identifying keywords in page titles</strong></p><p>Some marketers say it helps to include locally-marked keywords in your main site’s page titles. For example, instead of calling your webpage “Dos Amigos Hotel – Cheap Hotel Rooms”, call it “Dos Amigos Hotel Galapagos – Cheap Accommodation in Galapagos”.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>6. </strong><strong>Get reviewed on Google Places</strong></p><p>Until recently, Google displayed third-party review snippets on Google Places alongside Google’s own reviews. Then, after complaints from such sites as Yelp.Com and TripAdvisor.Com, Google removed all non-Google review snippets from its Local Search listings.</p><p>It now only displays links to sites where more reviews can be found in its “reviews from around the World” section. So, it can be said that Google still aggregates mentions (so-called citations) from other, non-Google sources. But it is hard to tell how important those citations are for your Local Search rankings.</p><p>There are certain ways to encourage your users to leave reviews on Google. You can put the request up on your website, mention it in your business card, include a line in your restaurant’s check, etc.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>7. </strong><strong>Boost your Local Search rankings with related links</strong></p><p>Good old link building still plays an important part in boosting your Local SERPs positions. If you think that Google will not associate your Local Search listing with your main money site, think again. Besides, most business owners specify their main site while creating a Google Places listing.</p><p>It should be mentioned, however, that if you decide to create several listings for your business, it’s best not to use different domains for them, but use a subdomain or a Web 2.0 property, so that the SEO value of your main domain gets passed on.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>8. </strong><strong>Do competition research</strong></p><p>To get more insight into what else you can do to propel your listing’s positions in the Local Search, see who else shows up on Google Places for your target keywords and peep into their optimization practices. This may include:</p><p>-Copying their link building practices</p><p>-Catching up with the number of reviews they have</p><p>-Mimicking their approach to specifying other listing details</p><p>And, finally, besides utilizing the Local Search optimization tips provided here, use “regular” SEO techniques that improve your main site’s rankings – that’ll boost your Google Places positions, too.</p><p> </p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/rank-higher-in-google-places-8-local-search-optimization-tips">Rank Higher in Google Places – 8 Local Search Optimization Tips</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Six Ways to Write an Effective Email Subject Line</title> <link>https://www.stayonsearch.com/six-ways-to-write-an-effective-email-subject-line</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Thompson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:25:56 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Make Money Online]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.stayonsearch.com/?p=12700</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The way you write the subject line of your email can make or break the chances of your email marketing success. Though the subject line is an accumulation of a few characters, it makes the biggest impact on the subscriber. If you want to have a successful email marketing campaign, you should devote adequate time […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/six-ways-to-write-an-effective-email-subject-line">Six Ways to Write an Effective Email Subject Line</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The way you write the subject line of your email can make or break the chances of your email marketing success. Though the subject line is an accumulation of a few characters, it makes the biggest impact on the subscriber. If you want to have a successful email marketing campaign, you should devote adequate time to writing a subject line which can entice the user to open an email message immediately.</p><p>Here are six key tips that you can use to write actionable subject lines and achieve success with your email marketing campaign.</p><p><strong>#1. Add a Personal Touch</strong><br />In order to boost the open rate, you should pay careful attention to personalizing the email message. There are various ways to add a personal touch to the subject line. A great idea is to include the first name of the subscriber in the subject line. Likewise, you can include other essential details of the subscriber for a higher level of personalization.</p><p><strong>#2. Set a Deadline</strong><br />One of the most important tips to write effective subject lines is to set a deadline in it. You can tell your subscribers that it’s an offer valid for a limited period. As the deadline approaches near, you can send your subscribers email messages informing about the same in the subject line. It’s a great tactic to increase the open rate of emails.</p><p><strong>#3. Clarify the Purpose</strong><br />While writing the subject line of emails, you should remember to clarify the goals that reading the message will fulfill. Whether it’s a message about saving money or making a positive impact on the subscribers’ lives, the subject line should make it quite obvious.</p><p><strong>#4. Make it Relevant</strong><br />What is contained in the subject line should be well in tune with what’s inside the email. Relevancy is key for writing a subject line which immediately compels the subscriber to open the email message. If you are able to create trust with your subject line, you’ll continue to maintain a higher open rate for your emails.</p><p><strong>#5. Be Succinct</strong><br />Short is always sexy when it comes to writing effective subject lines. Review your subject line over and over again to make sure it doesn’t contain any unnecessary words. Don’t ever try to exaggerate by using flowery language in the subject lines. Always write subject lines which are short and to-the-point.</p><p><strong>#6. Perform A/B Testing</strong><br />It is best practice to continuously test the subject lines of your email messages. Every time you write a different subject line, don’t forget to test it. A/B testing different types of subject lines will help you know what makes the most impact on subscribers.</p><p>In order to improve the open rate of your emails, you should be ready to pay some serious attention towards writing the subject lines. Even when the inside content is great, a poor subject line can throw water on your marketing efforts. Devoting a little time to writing the subject lines can highly improve the success rate of your email marketing campaign.</p><p><em>Do you have more tips in mind? Please feel free to share them in the comment section below.</em></p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/six-ways-to-write-an-effective-email-subject-line">Six Ways to Write an Effective Email Subject Line</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>The First 5 Things You Should Do in a New PPC Campaign</title> <link>https://www.stayonsearch.com/the-first-5-things-you-should-do-in-a-new-ppc-campaign</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Thompson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 08 Apr 2011 13:00:45 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[SEM]]></category> <category><![CDATA[adwords]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ppc]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.stayonsearch.com/?p=10814</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>In Google AdWords, whenever you start a new campaign, there are a myriad of options available at the campaign level ranging from networks, bidding, budgets, ad serving, dates, times, location, language, experiments, ad position and devices to name a few. But what are there options that you should tweak every time with every new campaign? […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/the-first-5-things-you-should-do-in-a-new-ppc-campaign">The First 5 Things You Should Do in a New PPC Campaign</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In Google AdWords, whenever you start a new campaign, there are a myriad of options available at the campaign level ranging from networks, bidding, budgets, ad serving, dates, times, location, language, experiments, ad position and devices to name a few. But what are there options that you should tweak every time with every new campaign?</p><h3>Network Settings</h3><p>Don’t forget! The Display network in Google is enabled by default at the campaign level and if you don’t set a separate bid, it will pick up whatever the ad group max CPC bid is. Besides, we all know by now that it’s best practice to run search and display in separate campaigns. So if you’re running for search, start with search and search partners only and uncheck that box.</p><p><a rel="attachment wp-att-10816" href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/the-first-5-things-you-should-do-in-a-new-ppc-campaign/network-settings"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10816" src="https://www.stayonsearch.com/httpdocs/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/network-settings.png" alt="" width="558" height="236" /></a></p><h3>Setting Ads to Rotate</h3><p>Ads are set to “optimize” by default and that definition of “optimal” might be different from what Google deems. If you’re running an A/B test (and you should be for new stuff!) you’ll need to click the radio button for “rotate” to get the even distribution you need. Especially if it’s an ecommerce/lead based goal, Google uses the CTR to define “optimal” regardless of your sales/leads numbers.</p><h3>Set a Comfortable Budget</h3><p>Set a budget you can live with. If it’s going to make you get up in the middle of the night or obsessively check the spend every hour, it’s not the right budget. Choose a number that is appropriate for the number of ad groups and keywords you have and be sure to do your research ahead of time. This should be a combination of the traffic estimator tool (for costs) and what you can actually afford to spend. Yeah, you have to crunch some numbers- but you in the end you’ll be glad you did.</p><h3>Set the Delivery Method to Standard</h3><p>Unless you’ve got money to burn, start out with the ads set to spend throughout the day otherwise known as standard. This should be enabled by default, but you always want to double check and make sure you didn’t unknowingly click it. Accelerated delivery is great for when you need volume and you need it now- or you have a campaign that rarely (if ever) hits it’s daily budget. But since it’s a brand new campaign, you can’t possibly know that yet.</p><h3>Set the Bidding Option to Manual</h3><p>It’s tempting to try the automatic bidding ride, but unless you’re going for just traffic, you probably aren’t going to like what you get. Stick with the default manual bidding for clicks for new campaigns with e-commerce or lead generation goals. Set the maximum CPC at the ad group level (go 5-10% higher than the suggested average CPC) and try that on for size before checking out automatic bidding.</p><p><a rel="attachment wp-att-10825" href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/the-first-5-things-you-should-do-in-a-new-ppc-campaign/manual-bidding"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10825" src="https://www.stayonsearch.com/httpdocs/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/manual-bidding.png" alt="" width="541" height="118" /></a></p><p>If this kind of advice makes you smile, you might want to check out my new e-book series: PPC for Your Small Business. (Warning: shameless plug coming up.) The series is geared for small budgets ($1,000 or less per month) that either want to try PPC or have been and it’s not working out. The series is meant to be all process- so there aren’t a lot of definitions, i.e. things you could “google”. For example, if you’ve ever struggled with defining what match type a certain keyword should use, how much over the suggested CPC should you bid or what to try in ad copy, I give specific guidelines to use.</p><p><a rel="attachment wp-att-10828" href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/the-first-5-things-you-should-do-in-a-new-ppc-campaign/ppc-for-your-small-business"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10828" src="https://www.stayonsearch.com/httpdocs/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/PPC-for-Your-Small-Business.png" alt="" width="385" height="237" srcset="https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/PPC-for-Your-Small-Business.png 385w, https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/PPC-for-Your-Small-Business-300x184.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 385px) 100vw, 385px" /></a></p><p>You can read more the <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.portentinteractive.com/ppc-ebook/">PPC e-book series here</a>. It’s $37 for the two book set or $23 for one. If you don’t like it, <strong>return it for a full refund</strong>.</p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/the-first-5-things-you-should-do-in-a-new-ppc-campaign">The First 5 Things You Should Do in a New PPC Campaign</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>How To Start A Google AdWords Campaign</title> <link>https://www.stayonsearch.com/how-to-start-a-google-adwords-campaign</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Thompson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 09 Jul 2010 11:45:35 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[SEM]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ppc]]></category> <category><![CDATA[sem]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.stayonsearch.com/?p=4604</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Are you new to Pay Per Click (PPC) Advertising? Have you determined that PPC Advertising may be profitable for your business? This post is for those who are new to PPC Advertising and would like to get off to a fast start buying keywords on Google! Here are some steps to take to start a […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/how-to-start-a-google-adwords-campaign">How To Start A Google AdWords Campaign</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Are you new to Pay Per Click (PPC) Advertising? Have you determined that <a title="PPC Advertising Optimization" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.searchengineguide.com/stoney-degeyter/how-to-optimize-your-ppc-campaign-to-pro.php" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">PPC Advertising may be profitable</a> for your business? This post is for those who are new to PPC Advertising and would like to get off to a fast start buying keywords on Google!</p><p>Here are some steps to take to start a Google AdWords Account and set up a successful Adwords Campaign:</p><h2><strong>Step 1. Create a Google AdWords Account</strong></h2><p>Go To <a title="Google Adwords" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://adwords.google.com/" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://adwords.google.com</a> and register a Google AdWords Account!</p><h2><strong>Step 2. Set a Budget for a TEST Campaign</strong></h2><p>Identify a budget for a 30 or 60 day Test period. The budget must be high enough to generate <a title="Sample Size Data" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.longbowdirectmarketing.com/resources/help-center/calculating-sample-size" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">adequate sample data</a> in order to determine if the effectiveness of the campaign. If you set a budget too low, it will be difficult to qualify for the auction and generate ad impressions. Without Ad Impressions, there is no way of knowing the how effective your ad is.</p><h2><strong>Step 3. Determine The Goal of the Adwords PPC Campaign</strong></h2><p>Of the many reasons an advertiser would want to advertise via PPC Campaign, here are a few biggies:</p><ul><li><strong>Transactions </strong>– B2C companies, like eCommerce companies are looking for visitors to purchase their products</li><li><strong>Leads </strong>– B2B Comapnies, like Software companies are looking to generate Leads for a sales team to follow up on</li><li><strong>Branding</strong> – Companies should own as much real estate as possible on Google to capture all searchers of that Brand. As you start to gain traction with your brand, competitors will purchase your brand name to try and capture some market-share.</li><li><strong>Video Views </strong>-If a company has determined that visitors that view the video have a higher probability of converting/purchasing, the goal may be to have visitors watch that particular video.</li><li><strong>RSS Subscribers</strong> – Companies are always looking to expand their reach. New content that is being syndicated to relevant readers can increase brand awareness, increase leads for B2B or increase traffic for monetizing a blog (ad impressions).</li></ul><h2><strong>Step 4. Identify Keywords To Purchase</strong></h2><p>Once the budget and goal of the PPC Campaign is set, you will need to identify keywords to purchase.</p><p>Within your Google AdWords Account, Go To OPPORTUNITIES -> KEYWORD TOOL</p><p><a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/how-to-start-a-google-adwords-campaign/google-keyword-tool" rel="attachment wp-att-4636"><img src="https://www.stayonsearch.com/httpdocs/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Google-Keyword-Tool-300x91.png" alt="Google Keyword Tool" width="300" height="91" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4636" /></a></p><p>In order to advertise on Google, you need to purchase keywords. <em>Keywords are the foundation for all internet marketing efforts (PPC, SEO, SMO)</em>. Google’s Keyword Tool is conveniently built directly into Google Adwords. Google’s Keyword Tool allows you to type in keywords to get keyword suggestions and allows you to add websites to get keyword suggestions (use competitor websites for ideas).</p><p>How many keywords should you research? Since 20% of all search queries on Google are <a title="unique search queries" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://adwords.blogspot.com/2008/11/reach-more-customers-with-broad-match.html" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">unique</a>, the larger the list of keywords you research with, the more opportunities you will have to find specific and relevant keywords for your business! You don’t have to purchase every keyword, but you want to research as many variations of keywords as possible to identify a base of relevant keywords.</p><p><strong>Advanced Tip:</strong> If you have google analytics set up on your website, go to your Google Analytics account -> Traffic Sources -> Keywords. Here you will find all of the search queries that generated organic clicks to your website over a customizable period of time.</p><h2><strong>Step 5. Group Semantically Relevant Keywords</strong></h2><p>Now that you have identified a list of relevant keywords to purchase, you will want to group those keywords semantically into Ad Groups. For Example, if you have a “Pet Store” in Boston, MA and you sell “Pet Supplies,” you should group those keywords and variations of those keywords into an Ad Group. Example Ad Group = {Pet Store Boston, Pet Store Boston MA, Pet Stores Boston, Pet Supplies Store Boston, Pet Supply Store Boston, Pet Supply Store Boston MA, Pet Supplies Boston MA}</p><p><a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/how-to-start-a-google-adwords-campaign/pet-store-keywords" rel="attachment wp-att-4635"><img src="https://www.stayonsearch.com/httpdocs/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Pet-Store-Keywords-300x124.png" alt="Pet Store Keywords" width="300" height="124" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4635" srcset="https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Pet-Store-Keywords-300x124.png 300w, https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Pet-Store-Keywords.png 465w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p><p><strong>Advanced Tip: </strong>Ad Groups should contain 5-10 semantically related keywords. If you are looking to group thousands, tens-of-thousands or hundreds-of-thousands of keywords, you may want to check out these <a title="3 Keyword Grouping Tools for PPC" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://rbeale.com/ppc/3-keyword-grouping-tools-for-efficient-ppc-advertising/" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">3 keyword grouping tools for efficient ppc advertising. </a></p><h2><strong>Step 6. Identify Match Types for your Keywords</strong></h2><p><strong>Exact Match </strong>– Your advertisement will <em>only</em> be impressed upon the searcher if the keyword you purchase <em>exactly matches</em> the Google search query.</p><p><strong>Phrase Match</strong> – Your advertisement will be impressed upon the searcher if the order of the search query and spelling of the search query match your keyword phrase but also contain another word. For Example, If I buy the keyword “Boston Pet Store” using phrase match and the searcher queries Google “Boston MA Pet Store” there is a chance my ad will be in that auction.</p><p><strong>Broad Match</strong> – Google defaults to the broad match function when you are purchasing keywords. If you purchase the keyword “Pet” using Google’s broad match function, your advertisement may get into an auction for “pet dog” or “pet cat.” This can be expensive and not as targeted as an exact match or phrase match, so you run the risk of paying for irrelevant clicks.</p><p><strong>Negative Keywords</strong> – This match type will ensure that your advertisement does not get impressed upon very broad, non-discriminant search queries, trademarks, or any word that you do not want your ad to show up for. For Example, if I own a pet store and sell pet supplies, but do not sell “pets,” then i am going to set a negative exact match keyword for “pet” and “pets.”</p><h2><strong>Step 7. Create New Text Ads For Each Ad Group</strong></h2><p>Here is where you need to be creative and come up with a compelling call to action that will entice a searcher to click on your ad. Your headline should have a keyword focus and come very close to exactly matching the search query. Description Line 1 and 2 should contain your call to action. The display URL should be your domain name of the destination URL and if you have enough room for a keyword in the page slug of the display URL then add a keyword. The destination URL is the actual URL that you are sending the searcher when they click on your ad. You should send the searcher to a landing page (a page on your website that is designed to convert a website visitor into a lead or customer). See the example text ad below.</p><p><a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/how-to-start-a-google-adwords-campaign/pet-supply-sample-text-ad" rel="attachment wp-att-4637"><img src="https://www.stayonsearch.com/httpdocs/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Pet-Supply-Sample-Text-Ad-300x113.png" alt="Pet Supply Sample Text Ad For PPC" width="300" height="113" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4637" srcset="https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Pet-Supply-Sample-Text-Ad-300x113.png 300w, https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Pet-Supply-Sample-Text-Ad.png 482w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p><h2><strong>Step 8. Check Campaign Settings: GEO Targeting & Networks</strong></h2><p>Are you limited to doing business in a local area (state, country, territory)? If so, you will only want your ads to run in that particular location. In order to adjust the location of your ads, go to your Campaign -> Settings -> Location. If you want to limit your ads to showing up on Google’s Search Engine and not the <a title="Display network" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://adwords.google.com/support/aw/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=112268" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">Display Network</a>, you can un-check the “display” option in the “Networks” section (beneith the Location section).</p><p>Now that you know the basics on How to Start a Google Adwords Campaign, put your knowledge to the test! If you have been managing PPC Campaigns, how would you recommend starting a Google AdWords Campaign?</p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/how-to-start-a-google-adwords-campaign">How To Start A Google AdWords Campaign</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Gain Insight on a Typical SEO Client [60 Second Poll]</title> <link>https://www.stayonsearch.com/gain-insight-on-a-typical-seo-client</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Thompson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:00:12 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category> <category><![CDATA[poll]]></category> <category><![CDATA[seo survey]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.stayonsearch.com/?p=1732</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>I thought it would a good idea to create a short poll to ask SEO’s about their everyday clients. I’m sure there are a lot of Internet Marketers out there, wondering how they stack up against other agencies and interactive firms. This is a great way to get anonymous feedback from other SEO’s in the […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/gain-insight-on-a-typical-seo-client">Gain Insight on a Typical SEO Client [60 Second Poll]</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I thought it would a good idea to create a short poll to ask SEO’s about their everyday clients. I’m sure there are a lot of Internet Marketers out there, wondering how they stack up against other agencies and interactive firms. This is a great way to get anonymous feedback from other SEO’s in the industry.</p><p>Take 60 seconds and fill out the poll.<br /><strong>The results of this poll will be posted on Friday, January 29th, 2010.</strong></p><p> This survey is powered by SurveyGizmo’s <a href="www.surveygizmo.com">online survey software</a>. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/233469/ibewm">Please take my survey now</a></p><p><strong>The results of this poll will be posted on Friday, January 29th, 2010.</strong></p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/gain-insight-on-a-typical-seo-client">Gain Insight on a Typical SEO Client [60 Second Poll]</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>The Ultimate Social Bookmarking Content Creation Guide (Part 2: StumbleUpon)</title> <link>https://www.stayonsearch.com/social-bookmarking-content-creation-guide-part-2</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Thompson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:45:15 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category> <category><![CDATA[social bookmarking]]></category> <category><![CDATA[stumbleupon]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Web Content]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.stayonsearch.com/?p=5366</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>This is part 2 of a 5 part series that covers creating content for the following social bookmarking sites. The other parts will be released over the next few weeks so keep checking back. Part 1: Digg Part 2: StumbleUpon Part 3: Reddit Part 4: Mixx Part 5: Delicious StumbleUpon Creating content for StumbleUpon traffic […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/social-bookmarking-content-creation-guide-part-2">The Ultimate Social Bookmarking Content Creation Guide (Part 2: StumbleUpon)</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This is part 2 of a 5 part series that covers creating content for the following social bookmarking sites. The other parts will be released over the next few weeks so keep checking back.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/social-bookmarking-content-creation-guide-part-1">Part 1: Digg</a></li><li><a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/social-bookmarking-content-creation-guide-part-2">Part 2: StumbleUpon</a></li><li><a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/social-bookmarking-content-creation-guide-part">Part 3: Reddit</a></li><li><a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/social-bookmarking-content-creation-guide-part-4">Part 4: Mixx</a></li><li><a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/social-bookmarking-content-creation-guide-part-5">Part 5: Delicious</a></li></ul><h2><strong>StumbleUpon</strong></h2><p>Creating content for <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://basicblogtips.com/stumbleupon-traffic-charts.html">StumbleUpon traffic</a> has its similarities when comparing it to Digg, however there are still some key differences. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.stumbleupon.com">StumbleUpon </a>content can go viral at unexpected times, where posts on Digg can only hit the front page within the first 24 hours of submitting it. So when creating content for SU you may want to focus on a topic or theme that does not focus on an event that month or new product launch. The reason is that because content can get hot months down the road, if your content is time sensitive, it will not be relevant anymore. Just to play devil’s advocate for a second, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t write about current news/events and promote it on SU…it definitely can get hot.</p><p>You should also know that Stumblers are internet nomads, surfing the web to find new and exciting content that they never have seen before. Because you like or dislike content you Stumble, you can easily explore content that are tailored to your interests. They also have a slight case of ADD, spending only a short amount of time on each post they run across.</p><p>Just to give you a better understanding of the audience for StumbleUpon, here are some demographics for the social bookmarking site. As you can see the site is just slightly higher with males, but attracts a wide age range.</p><p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5435" title="stumbleupon-demographics" src="https://www.stayonsearch.com/httpdocs/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/stumbleupon-demographics1.png" alt="" width="550" height="263" /></p><h2><strong>Content-Style</strong></h2><p>Because people will be finding your post through the StumbleUpon toolbar, you want to make sure the post is contained to one page. If you have a link that says “continue reading” or “part 2, click here” that takes away from the fun of Stumbling posts, because they would need to click through to another page, instead of Stumbling to another post/site.</p><p>You only have a few seconds to capture a Stumbler, so make sure you post has the following:</p><ul><li>Eye catching headlines</li><li>A clear and compelling intro paragraph</li><li>Complimentary photos/images</li><li>Clean layout and easy to scan</li></ul><h2><strong>Topics for Content</strong></h2><p>Similar to Digg, the StumbleUpon crowd are tech savvy users, who tend to enjoy topics including Web 2.0, Humor, Photography and Images/Videos. StumbleUpon actually gives you a list of popular categories that you can use as a guide to help formulate ideas for content.</p><p>I will say, from personal experience, posts that are funny tend to do extremely well in SU and have a much better chance of going viral.</p><p><strong><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5439" title="stumble-upon-categories" src="https://www.stayonsearch.com/httpdocs/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/stumble-upon-categories.png" alt="" width="550" height="221" srcset="https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/stumble-upon-categories.png 550w, https://www.stayonsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/stumble-upon-categories-300x120.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px" /><br /></strong></p><p><strong>Topics to Stay Away From:</strong></p><ul><li>Time-Sensitive Posts</li><li>Personal Posts</li><li>Long, In-depth Posts</li><li>List or Roundup Posts</li><li>Content that doesn’t fit in one of their categories</li></ul><p>On a side note, because StumbleUpon is a bit randomized, the type of content that get hot, is not set in stone. Unlike Digg, which is much more defined as the type of content the users like, random topics can pop at any time.</p><p><strong>Examples of Content That Went Viral on StumbleUpon:</strong></p><ul><li><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/painting-intoxicated-at-100">Painting Intoxicated at 100 MPH (10 pieces)</a></li><li><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://blogs.denverpost.com/captured/2010/07/26/captured-america-in-color-from-1939-1943/">Captured: America in Color from 1939-1943</a></li><li><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/31/the-rave-toilet-who-knew_n_666129.html">The Rave Toilet: Who Knew Flushing Glow Sticks Would Be This Awesome?</a></li><li><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.ufunk.net/en/publicite/tatouage-sur-lego-pilot-extra-fine/">Bad ass LEGO Tattoo – Pilot Extra-fine</a></li></ul><p><strong>Other StumbleUpon Content Creation Resources:</strong></p><ul><li><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.doshdosh.com/a-comprehensive-guide-to-stumbleupon-how-to-build-massive-traffic-to-your-website-and-monetize-it/">DoshDosh: A Comprehensive Guide to StumbleUpon: How to Build Massive Traffic to Your Website</a></li><li><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.subhub.com/articles/get-massive-traffic-from-stumbleupon">The Beginners Guide to Creating Massive Amounts of Traffic from StumbleUpon</a></li><li><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.thespinningdonut.com/how-to-create-stumbleupon-content/">The Spinning Donut: How to Create StumbleUpon Content</a></li><li><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.mikebogo.com/ultimate-stumbleupon-resource.php">MikeBogo.com: Ultimate StumbleUpon Resources</a></li></ul><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/social-bookmarking-content-creation-guide-part-2">The Ultimate Social Bookmarking Content Creation Guide (Part 2: StumbleUpon)</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>5 Reasons Why Your Site is Not Ranking Well?</title> <link>https://www.stayonsearch.com/5-reasons-why-your-site-is-not-ranking-well</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Thompson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:00:10 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category> <category><![CDATA[search engine rankings]]></category> <category><![CDATA[seo]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.stayonsearch.com/?p=2731</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Recently I have spoke to a number of people who have wondered why their websites are not ranking well. Of course that is going to depend on a case by case basis, but there are 5 things I will check first before I give them an answer. 9 times out of 10, if they are […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/5-reasons-why-your-site-is-not-ranking-well">5 Reasons Why Your Site is Not Ranking Well?</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Recently I have spoke to a number of people who have wondered why their websites are not ranking well. Of course that is going to depend on a case by case basis, but there are 5 things I will check first before I give them an answer. 9 times out of 10, if they are not showing up for even their brand name, there could be more than just poor SEO to take into consideration.</p><h2><strong>1. Check Your Robots.txt File</strong></h2><p>Go to domain.com/robots.txt and check to see if you are disallowing certain directories or even the entire site. Regardless of what SEO you do to your site, if you are blocking search engines from accessing your site, they will not be able to index your website.</p><h2><strong>2. Did You Get Penalized </strong></h2><p>Its quite possible that you could be getting penalized for one or many <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/part-8-of-8-blackhat-seo-tactics">black-hat SEO tactics</a>. It is very unlikely, unless you are performing severe black-hat tactics, but you could also get banned from the search engines entirely.</p><p>Check For:</p><ol><li>Duplicate Content</li><li>Mirror Sites</li><li>Hidden Text/Links</li><li>Cloaking</li><li>Keyword Stuffing</li></ol><p>Run a search in google for “site:domain.com” to see if your pages show up in the results. If you see 0 results, then you site most likely got banned (unless it never has been indexed before).</p><h2><strong>3. Check Your Navigation</strong></h2><p>See if your navigation and links are search engine friendly. If you are using flash or java-script for your links, there is a good chance that those interior pages are not getting indexed. <strong><br /></strong></p><h2><strong>4. How Old is Your Site?</strong></h2><p>If your website just launched it will be placed in the “<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandbox_effect">google sandbox</a>” which is a trial period where Google suppresses your rankings to qualify your site as credible. This usually lasts anywhere from 3-6 months.<strong> </strong>Don’t get discouraged if your site is brand new, worry about gaining valuable inbound links and creating quality content and you will have no problems once you get out of the sandbox.<strong><br /></strong></p><h2><strong>5. Bad Hosting Provider</strong></h2><p>This happens very rarely, but if you are using a bad hosting provider, or if there are hundreds or even thousands of other websites on the same server as you, it can decrease your rankings.</p><p>I have seen where there have been other domains on the same server doing unethical SEO, and it has brought every other domain on that server down in the rankings. Use a <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.yougetsignal.com/tools/web-sites-on-web-server/">reverse IP lookup tool</a> to see what other domains are on the same server as you. For the tool I suggest, if you see other websites in red, it may be an indication that they are doing bad tactics.<strong><br /></strong></p><p>The post <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com/5-reasons-why-your-site-is-not-ranking-well">5 Reasons Why Your Site is Not Ranking Well?</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.stayonsearch.com">StayOnSearch</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> </channel></rss> If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:
Download the "valid RSS" banner.
Upload the image to your own server. (This step is important. Please do not link directly to the image on this server.)
Add this HTML to your page (change the image src attribute if necessary):
If you would like to create a text link instead, here is the URL you can use:
http://www.feedvalidator.org/check.cgi?url=http%3A//www.stayonsearch.com/feed/
