Create Quality websites: November 2015

24/11/2015

How Your SEO Plugin Can Deceive You

Posted: 23 Nov 2015 08:41 AM PST

I’m continuing with my theme of responding to your emails about your biggest site issues.

A handful of you mentioned that you are struggling with ranking and optimizing your pages (specifically meta tags and understanding how on-page factors influence your rank).

Meta tags are descriptors within your page’s code. The search engines read them and also display them in the results.

Some of you use plugins like Yoast or All in One SEO, and they let you manually enter data for these tags. Or if you have a StudioPress theme (affiliate link) like me, the fields are built into the WordPress editor.

Yoast has a Content Analyzer that encourages you to optimize your meta title, description and other on-page factors.

I must say. Even though I don’t use an SEO plugin, I do think there are helpful aspects of Yoast, and they keep the plugin up-to-date.

But I’ve also noticed many assume meta tags carry more weight than they actually do. I’ve known people to completely stress themselves out over what to enter in those Yoast fields.

You should review Google’s guide that explains how they use the data.

Where The Value Really Lies

If you’d rather watch the video version, see below. If not, continue reading.

If you didn’t get the memo, high quality links are what drive the top 10 results now.

So if you are trying to rank for a competitive keyword, it doesn’t matter what you put inside those meta tags, you need strong links pointing to your site. And don’t forget about internal page linking too.

Now, if it’s a less competitive phrase, then the content on the page and meta tags play more of a role.

But once your content is actually ranking, you can use your meta title and description to get more clicks by making them more engaging. That’s where the real value lies.

Remember my last post about AdSense Contributor? (By the way, that’s an example of an internal. People often forget to link their pages internally.)

Well here’s how the post looks in the results as of November 23rd.

Are the meta tags helping me rank?

The meta title helps, but largely because I targeted a keyword with low competition.

While I’d love for you to think I’m an SEO Goddess and I can rank for anything I want, no doubt the lack of competition helps.

Also, I don’t even have a meta description. No real reason other than the fact I just forgot to add one. I do this a lot.

But notice the title above.

I wanted to write something that really stands out so if it does rank, it will give people a reason to click.

To me, that’s the real value of meta tags today.

It’s not just about entering your target keywords. Type something interesting to get people’s attention.

Ten years ago, I would put more emphasis on the keywords I insert. Now I look at them more as an assistant for getting clicks once/if the page ranks well.

Yes, they still have value (except for the Keyword tag and engines admit they ignore it), but I personally feel the title and description are more helpful AFTER your site ranks.

And be careful of stuffing too many of the same keywords into these tags. This can actually cause a penalty if you overdo it.

Speaking of stuffing, have a Happy Thanksgiving! Sorry, couldn’t resist.

10/11/2015

AdSense Launches “Contributor” — Um… I’m Not Impressed

Posted: 09 Nov 2015 05:00 AM PST

AdSense has a new feature and I reeeeeeeally don’t get it. This has got to be the oddest monetization model I’ve seen in a while.

Apparently Google believes some people hate ads so much, they’d actually pay AdSense Publishers monthly NOT to see them.

This new AdSense product is called Contributor.

Here’s Google’s official definition (source)…

Contributor is a new source of revenue for your sites, funded directly by your site visitors. With Contributor, users pick a monthly contribution level (either $2, $5, or $10) and those funds are used to pay for your site—instead of ads. The result is that users see fewer ads and you still get paid.

Here's how it works: when Contributor users visit a site in Google's network, their monthly contribution is used to bid on their behalf in the ad auction—so they end up buying the ad slot rather than a traditional advertiser. The more they contribute, the fewer ads they see, and you still get paid.

If you decide to use the Contributor feature, you’ll see a badge on your site that looks something like this…

Google explains how to add it and sync it to your account here. Here’s another splash page with more info here.

Wait… Did That Say “Monthly?”

AdSense Contributor

I had to re-write parts of this post because I missed the word “monthly” when I pasted the definition above.

Seriously?

This is starting to look like some weird site subscription or a donation button on steroids.

Look, I’m all about making donations. I have donated to developers of WordPress plugins because I really do think they deserve a little something for creating great free tools.

And then there are people who have a difficult time monetizing their sites due to lack of relevant ads, lack of affiliate programs, etc. This happens a lot with entertainment related sites. Again, that’s where donation buttons are a perfect fit.

But paying a monthly fee to see less advertising seems crazy.

Why Didn’t They Mimic Patreon?

I think what bothers me the most is the spin they used. If they had likened this to Patreon where you support a site you love by giving what you can afford, then maybe I wouldn’t be so critical.

I wonder why they didn’t go with that angle? That might encourage more people to join.

Imagine a very popular blog about a TV show that struggles with monetization. If 500 fans contributed just $2 per month, that’s $1,000/month.

Many of the contributors wouldn’t even care about the fewer ads. They’d just give because they want to support the site. Fewer ads would just be an added bonus.

What About Earnings?

I didn’t see anything in the article about the revenue share.

My guess is they take the same percentage as they do for AdSense clicks and impressions. It’s not clear.

As far as how this impacts earnings, the Contributor is buying an ad slot on your site. So you are getting paid by them instead of the ads that would normally appear in that slot.

How to Disable Contributor

If you want no parts of this odd feature, you can disable it.

Login to your account and click the "Allow and Block Ads" from the main menu. Now select the 'Ad Networks' tab. Search for 'Contributor', and then turn off that ad network.

Is There Really a Need For This?

If you’ve read any tips about launching a product, there’s always advice about defining a need in the market.

So how does that apply here?

When is the last time you visited a website and thought, “Gee, I’d PAY to see less advertising here! Where do I sign up?”

Probably never.

And remember, you’re only blocking ads on ONE site. What about the rest of the pages on the Internet? Is blocking SOME ads on ONE site going to be THAT valuable to people?

Plus, as Mark pointed out on Twitter, websites often use other ad networks too.

@2createawebsite also this only blocks Adsense ads so sites using other networks will still have ads.

— Mark Serrano LaFlare (@markserranopro) November 7, 2015

If ads bother you that much, you can cough up $10 bucks for ad block software. And that’s a ONE-TIME fee, by the way. Not monthly.

Maybe it’s just me, but I’d rather support a site with a one-time donation or buy a product (if applicable). Ads don’t bother me that much! And if they happen to bother you, there are less costly ways to remedy that.

I would rather people support my site by buying a course or use an affiliate link. Not to mention, it’s cheaper in the long run!

Seriously, am I missing something here? Please tell me I am.

I swear… the more I type, the more I keep shaking my head. So I better end this post before I get dizzy.

What do you think of this?

03/11/2015

Does The Fear of Your Website Failing Paralyze You?

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 08:44 AM PST

I’m still combing through the oodles of replies that were sent when I asked what you struggle with the most.

Certain answers like “I need more traffic” or “I need content ideas” were not a surprise (I addressed those struggles in this post), but a lot of you are stuck in the “getting started” mode.

Some of you explained why you haven’t started (lack of time or money), but many mentioned the F-word.

No, not that word.

I’m talking about FEAR as it relates to failure.

And now that I think about it, I shouldn’t be too surprised that fear is a big problem. I was reminded of this last year when I published this video…

I don’t think I’ve ever had a video get over 400 likes. After reading the comments, I could tell this one struck a chord.

“But What If I Never Get Any Traffic?”

It’s demotivating and even scary to consider that you could actually spend precious time and money on a website that no one ever visits.

It’s not a good feeling.

I’ve actually created more failed sites than successful ones, and it never feels good when you work hard on something that doesn’t take off.

Truthfully, there is nothing I (or anyone) can tell or give you that will guarantee that won’t happen, but here’s how you improve your chances for success.

A big reason people never get traffic is they don’t take the time to identify a need in a market.

You might be tempted to create a website on an idea or concept YOU think is cool, but is there a real need in the market for this?

Here are some ways to investigate this…

Check Google Trends – is the topic trending or declining?
Research forums – look for recurring issues/problems in a niche
Ask friends in the niche (if applicable) what they struggle with the most
Check the reviews of relevant products in your potential niche on Amazon.com to discover common problems

Obviously there are many other reasons why sites never get traffic, but not meeting a need is a biggie!

Having Trouble With Your Angle?

Because Google has made it much more challenging to get traffic from simply writing keyword-focused content, developing an angle is more important than it’s ever been.

When your site is unique and refreshing, it’s much more likely that it will grow organically.

I still believe this is the key to standing out, and if you are not getting any traffic, this may be one problem.

Many of you admitted that you fear your site is not unique enough, or you don’t understand what it means to develop an angle.

I’m always looking for examples to illustrate this point, and I found another person who did it right.

When it comes to weight loss, a lot of people would just create a generic weight loss blog with recycled tips.

However, I think it’s a better idea to pick out one aspect/problem with weight loss and build a site around that.

Cranky Fitness

Cranky Fitness made the list for the best weight loss blogs of 2015.

The owner, Jan Graham, went against the grain. Instead of the upbeat, rah-rah posts that flood the weight loss blogosphere, she actually focuses on the negative aspects.

Jan does an excellent job of mixing humor, brutal honesty and helpful information that her readers can relate to.

And for those of you who refuse to spend money on a website, you might be inspired to know that Jan used Blogger — Google’s free blogging platform. (I still don’t endorse doing this, by the way. Just sayin’.)

What’s also interesting is that almost all the websites on that “top list” were websites with a personal component. For many niches, especially a topic like weight loss, this goes over extremely well.

In the age of blogging and social media, people enjoy getting to know the person behind the site. They are naturally drawn to bloggers they can relate to.

I’m a big believer in looking for a specific aspect or sub-topic within a niche. That’s exactly what I did with my natural hair site and I discussed it in this revealing podcast.

Why Is Failure So Bad & What’s the Source of Your Fear?

Let’s get to the nitty gritty. Why is failure so scary?

Even if you don’t have the success you desire at first, you can always adjust and move your site in another direction — which is what happens with most of us.

Truthfully, that’s not really failure. It just means this might take longer than you want it to.

Is Your Fear Based on Financial Issues?

Now, if your fear comes from the fact you might spend money on something that won’t work… that’s completely understandable.

I certainly don’t want to be insensitive to someone who doesn’t have money.

So I’ll give you a pass if you fit in that category.

But I will say this… most people spend more money in a month on Starbucks, shopping or alcohol than they do on a website.

Sometimes it comes down to priorities.

Look at it like this. You’d never be able to start an OFFLINE business for so little money. That’s what I love about making money online!

Is Your Fear Ego-Driven?

I always find it interesting when people say they are afraid to fail because of what others might say or think.

Most of those people you are trying to please, aren’t even worth your time. And as I mentioned in the above video, sometimes it’s best to keep things to yourself.

Why is it even necessary to announce to the world what you’re doing just yet?

Are You Making Excuses?

As I’m typing this, I’m starting to wonder about some of the other reasons you gave for not starting yet.

“not enough time”
“not techy enough”
“can’t decide on a WordPress theme”
“can’t decide on a name”
and more

For some of you, these may be the real reasons.

But for others, I can’t help but wonder if you are covering up your fear of failing. As a result, you are paralyzed.

Here’s the hard truth…

I can't guarantee you won't stumble, but I can guarantee you'll never succeed if you don't start.Click To Tweet

Not starting is far worse than failing because you’ll never learn and you’ve robbed yourself of an opportunity that can end up being incredibly rewarding.

And so what if you ultimately make mistakes? The worst thing that will come of it will be some lesson you can take with you.

Is that really such a horrible thing?

I hope this post gives you the nudge you need to stop procrastinating and take that first step.

Just do it!