-Rich

Your lessons from your own experience will be useful to many readers. Some of the other content didn’t seem to support your goals as well.

I prefer to read reviews that I know are independent rather than sponsored. Your disclosure states that you write sponsored reviews but there’s no disclosure that I could see on the review itself, at least the reviews I glanced at. Or maybe I just didn’t see any reviews that were sponsored.

In a quick glance through your content, I also noticed that you posted an email and criticized it harshly (”Review, but don’t be negative?”) and had a public discussion about the ownership of your theme that probably should have been done in private and then simply summarized. While drama and controversy can build traffic, these are things that would keep me from subscribing to your feed.

However, I’m not in your target market, so you can probably happily ignore the above. I blog in a business niche to build my consultancy and will not be monetizing my blog.

I suggest atleast removing the ScratchBack widget to remove some clutter from your advertising space. You can often make more and improve the quality of your site and advertisers by charging a little more and having less ad units then selling a ton of ad spaces for dirt cheap.

As far as selling the theme, I would suggest putting a buy link at the very bottom of the page by the copyright info because thats where most bloggers would expect to find information about the theme if they are interested in using it.

I didn’t even know the theme was for sale until I looked in the navigation bar.

I would suggest adding a banner somewhere advertising the fact that the theme is for sale, maybe offer 10% off or something/

As for how to get more people to buy the theme, I have to admit that your blue and orange color scheme is so aggressive, that it is difficult to look at it and try to picture my own colors instead. I would be more inclined to give your theme a 2nd look if there were a couple of examples to show what can be done using your theme as a starting point.

The content is emphasised (with links to recent and popular posts at the top, then the posts). However, I felt like it took my eyes too long to get to the posts.
Recent posts are repeated under the category list as well. I’m trying to think of how you could pull new readers in to subscribe. Perhaps it would be better the move the Author block to where the RSS section is, the Most Commented to where Author is now and RSS to under the current author position. Then move the posts up.
That way you can glimpse who the author is, get into the posts and have the option of subscribing after you’ve read a bit of the post.

A little thing, that many wouldn’t notice, but it was one of the first things I saw – the header text is too compressed. Instead of it being “shiny” it’s fuzzy.

I like the post layout, with the date on the side. The post titles could be a bit bigger – to match the size of the date.

To get people to buy the theme – make the fact that they can buy it more obvious. I didn’t even notice that you could buy it, I had to look for the link because it was something you asked for feedback on.
You could make the link a different colour. You could also move it to the left of the navigation menu, since we generally read left to right. My eyes pretty much stopped at “Free Stuff” :P

That’s another point, people like free things. Offering something with subscription could be good (e.g. Chris Garret gives an ebook, LaurenMarie gives a handy pdf download of Photoshop shortcuts). If you don’t have something to give, see if you can get a sponsor to give something.

Good luck, Ben.

To attract more suscribers you should do a post highlighting the benefits of subscription and how it helps in your experiment then update the header to have a link to that post.

Now about the theme… Is not bad, it reminds me a little to a modification of a K2 theme which isn’t bad but looks a bit generic like others said. Now to sell it better you must use a more flashy ad and keep bringing variations to it like the Green version. In the same vain you might want to redesing your own blog and keep selling the theme so others can give you credit without being scared of others seeing the exact same theme of both blogs (I’ve seen some bloggers being ashamed for that).

I think the general design is ok. The top bar needs a little work in the spaces between bars and words which is a small detail but for some reason I noticed it right when I loaded the page.

Also drop the 2 Recent Posts lists like other have said. The one in the sidebar is perfect to have a Best Posts list and keep the readers looking at your site more time.

I think that a big problem in the Blog-Theme page is that since you’re using the same theme is easy to get confused when I want to go back. If I click “Home” I go back to the same page instead to your blog, same with the other links.

The text is easy to read and your use of images is excellent so no recommendation there :).

Your content is quite good… I think that having a post with a bulleted list resuming all the key points that have brought you to where you are now is an excellent viral post, same with a list of your biggest mistakes and how did you solve them.

For promotion, keeping the work in Social Media Networks is the best bet for you. Is inexpensive (not in time :P) and works for bringing new people to the blog as well as keeping a solid community. Since you already talked about Guest Posts is obvious that you know that making guest posts for the best bloggers in this area would make your name even bigger.

Since you’re working with Wordpress, you should use a SEO plugin, they really help you resolving those pesky meta tags and other stuff. All-in-One SEO is the best choice for me. I also saw that you don’t have a Sitemap done. Having one REALLY helped me have all my posts in Google and Yahoo and has worked in getting my page in the first batch of results with the keywords I put in my Meta tags. To do one use the Google Sitemaps plugin for Wordpress.

Finally, is there a reason why you have that disclosure page?

Isn’t that the million dollar question we all would liked answered? Read on…

* How can I use the blog to make more sales of our Wordpress theme?

This is going to sound harsh, and realize that I am speaking for myself only and others will (and have) disagree, but my initial response is “get a better template to sell.” The template does nothing that I can see that 1000s of free templates do just as well or better. If you want me to look at and buy your template then you had better grab me with a whiz-bang right at the start! I don’t care if it’s 100% compliant with every last spec on the planet… I don’t care if there’s a hidden feature on page 3… I want to see the greatness right up front here and now. People don’t buy a Porsche because it’s got nice carpet… they buy it because it looks fast (and it has a huge historical reputation, but let’s ignore that for the purpose of this analogy)

* Design — usability, visual appeal, readability, navigation.

See above. Further, the colors are a bit loud, the page is a bit long and there is a lot of duplicated content (I count recent post and recent comments twice). As before, grab your reader in the first three inches or so… if they have to hunt for the content they’re going to… oh, wait, shiny… what was I saying?

* Content — got an idea for a great viral post the blogger could write?

No idea… and if I did would I share it here? And, if I shared it here, would the blogger it was intended for ever get a chance to write it?

* Promotion — how would you suggest the blogger promote the blog?

For starters, getting accepted into the ProBlogger Community Blog Consulting Project couldn’t have hurt. Not knowing the history of your site I am uncertain what promotion schemes you have tried in the past. Perhaps a contest involving the community such as, um, er, this one!

* SEO — can you see areas for improvement?

I don’t do SEO often enough to have any advice.

* Monetization — could this be done more effectively? Do you see any missed opportunities?

Actually, I would reduce the number of ads and try to rotate them… I would remove or reconfigure adds that are not working (your Top Spots widget with many blank spots makes me think it’s not so successful) and what’s with the FBI Most Wanted mugshot?

It seems as though everything I’ve said is negative. I’m sorry. The content seems solid. The design is not bad in spite of what I’ve written above…

Hope this helps!

1. From a reader’s perspective, what’s in it for me? I know YOUR purpose for the blog, but why should I read it? What am I going to learn? For example, you give a run down of your income for the past 6 months on the front page, but where did that income come from? I realize some of this is probably covered elsewhere in the blog, but don’t make me go digging for it.

2. The blog seems a bit cluttered to me. There are lots of adds, lots of colors. The RSS subscription area is a bit large. Overall, I think it has a bit of a cheap feel to it, like the ads are more important than the content. I think this will impact your sales of the theme as well.

3. Give me some reasons to subscribe to the blog. Again, what am I going to learn from you? I want more than to just watch your progress and see if you make your income goals. I want lots of info about how I can do it too. Maybe you could replace the “Recent Posts” section in the blue header bar with a list of most important posts, how to get started posts, etc. Something like that would get me to dig in to the site a bit more.

The very top list of links gets very confusing once you leave the main page. For example, when you go to the theme page the links all change and it’s very difficult to get back to the blog from on page links. The links in the header should be consistent and, in usability terms, provide a grounding for visitors. If they get lost, they know those links are always there to bail them out. This encourages visitors to explore without fear. This isn’t the case currently.

The logo looks too much like the RSS subscribe button. First time I visited the site I wasn’t sure whether clicking the header would take me back to the front page of the blog or subscribe me to the feed. Again confusing from a usability standpoint. Although generally, the text in the logo looks a bit too “wordart” for my liking.

From an SEO/general design rules point of view, you have multiple links to the same locations on the home page. For example, you have the latest six links appearing in the blue above the fold area and then also have the first five articles printed in full on the front page, along with links to them.

Some more general things. You’re not really pushing the Wordpress Theme. There’s plenty of space in the sidebar you could use to advertise it. I know there is a constant battle for space, so you need to prioritise everything. Do you want to push your theme (and other parts of the blog) more than, say, the Top Spots widget, which currently has a very prominent position. I’d also like to see a high level indicator of the progress your making. There’s a counter which has how far through you are, but there’s nothing to indicate how well you’re actually doing. I know it’s cheesy, but something like a thermometer or something might work. And as your success grows, it will certainly act as a beacon to inspire others. Currently, if you want to find out how well you are doing, a visitor has to dig through the posts.

I think you’re doing a great job by the way.

I do agree, however, that the theme isn’t working for you. The contrast of the orange and blue looks like an advertising palette which probably has a negative effect on people’s perception of your credibility. It also dims the advertisements on the site, which isn’t a good thing if you want people to pay attention to them.

If you decide to revisit the colour scheme, I would suggest picking one dominant colour and using less saturated or neutral contrasts.

The other issue I have is with your logo. Obviously I can’t say for sure if this is effecting your subscription rates but I think it might be. When I see it, all I see is the RSS icon. And then I see your RSS button. And then I see your logo again in the advertising section of your sidebar. I “get it”, but I had to stop for half a second in order to.

People move fast on the web and there are automatic responses to that symbol. We don’t need to think about what it means. While sometimes it’s good to make a visitor slow down and think, this is one area you can’t afford to do it.

To get more subscribers and more returning visitors you need to do a couple of things. Improve your website design. Improve the information your giving. Improve the way you talk about yourself and the site. Lastly, lay off the money.

When I first arrived on your site I though I was at some domain parking page. The colors are very cheap looking, if you know what I mean. The blue and orange are opposites and don’t complement each other very well. The glare in the orange also makes the site look as if it was from the 90s. Lets also go over the colors you have: Gray, white, orange, darker blue, blue, lighter blue, black, and some tan. You also have a RSS icon as a logo… why? RSS = Experiment…

Now to the information your giving in your header, sidebar, and footer. Most Commented, Stop spots, Recent Comments, Most Commented, Top Commenters… Do you want me to comment on a post or what? This is a real turn away. Where are your “Best Posts” or “Most Popular Posts”. Hint: Look at which words I selected… it’s not the word “comment”.

As for the way you portray yourself and the site. It’s not very good. If Problogger wouldn’t have suggested the site, I would have left. You talk down about yourself and the site. You talk about money a lot and don’t say enough about how your going to help me, the visitor! I would suggest changing your tag line… include words like: “Learn how to” or something.

Lastly, you mention money too much. Why not give the theme away for free to attract more visitors.

While you should portray yourself as the same skill level as the visitors, you shouldn’t do it in a way that makes you unattractive, untrustworthy, and unreliable. Which is what your currently doing. I hope this point you in the right direction without sounding to mean.

It’s going to take a while for me to digest it all but I will say that a running count or some sort of indicator of where I’m at in terms of my goal is definitely needed. I’ve been discussing that with the designer for a week or so and just haven’t been able to figure out where and how I want to do it.

@ Climbing, I agree, it’s surprising to me how broad the spectrum is when it comes to the color scheme and header. I really hadn’t had any negative feedback about the theme before so I’ll definitely need to consider the things mentioned here. This is just one more reason this concept is so valuable.

One of the first comments stated that my only motivation for blogging was to make a quick buck. I must admit that stung a bit and after considering it for a bit, I just don’t think it’s accurate. Obviously the stated purpose of the blog is to see if I can generate a full time income from the site in just one year. However, I think the content, specifically the documentation of what I’m doing, illustrates that I’m in it for more than just a quick buck.

With that being said, it could very well be the case that I need to better organize my information and make it easier to see the benefit or value as someone else mentioned. If nothing else, I can see that at least in one instance, that message did not get through.

Thank you all very much for your input so far, and I look forward to hearing from others!

You have a pretty good blog. Sorry, about the length of this. I hope I do not come off as terse but helpful.

How can I better convert visitors into subscribers?

Your blog theme is easier on the eyes than many. As far as converting subscribers is concerned, although your primary RSS badge is large and in the upper right hand corner you would think it would be clearly visible. But, because your header is so large, I believe that the RSS buttons get swallowed up. Moreover, I believe that the RSS buttons are outside of both the “F” and “V” visual usability theories.

Primarily, due to the size of the header. For a two column theme, that has the secondary column on the right, you need your RSS subscriber buttons at the top of the right hand column and they need to be even with top of you main content area. Currently, RSS subscriber buttons are, by most usability tests, in the “coldest” area of the website.

Second, at the end of each article, you do solicite your readers to subscribe but, that subscription is so well blended that most people would miss it.

Solutions: First before you take any advice use a service like crazy egg to get a good idea about the true usability on your subscriber buttons. Outside of that I would suggest three things.

1. Although because your header is such a large piece of your design, this may not be practical, move the RSS buttons down so they are even with the top of your main content area. Or, you could add alternate small subscriber buttons instead. However, adding the smaller buttons may seem a bit spammy.

If moving the subscriber buttons to the top of the right hand column is out of the question, then on your single post page, place small size RSS button tactfully below the article title. When a reader clicks through to finish reading an article, we subconsciously look at the title to verify we are where we expected to be. So, having the subscriber buttons there can guarantee that they will see them. This could come off as being spammy but it will get the buttons front and center.

2. Make your subscriber request at the end of each article stand out more. Change the font size and color. Give your readers a chance to see and react to the subscription request. This subscriber request is your final argument to seal the deal. Maybe some add copy here.

3. Use a stop gap subscriber link in your footer. I don’t normally do this but some people may look for the subscriber link in the footer.

4. On your about page you should have a subscription section. If some one is taking the time to learn more about you by going to your “About” page then they are more likely to subscribe to your blog.

5. You need a Contact page: On your contact page you would highlight, among other things RSS subscription. This could be classily done at the end of section highlighting your social media and forum profiles. You could use a separator statement like “Subscribe Now To Keep Up With The Experiment.”

How can I use the blog to make more sales of our WordPress theme?

First, the 125X125 button you are using to advertise the theme is not very eye catchy. I did not see it until I looked for it. Second, it is good that you have created a landing page for the theme, with a link in the main menu bar. But, it is in one of the visually cold areas of the website. Third, your landing page for the theme needs to be reworked as a sales pitch and look less like a blog post.

Solutions:

1. Rework the 125X125 to be more eye catchy.

2. Change the color and slightly increase the font size of the main menu link.

3. Rework the landing page to bullet point and highlight the pros of the theme for each section; like the dynamic header, the sponsor area, etc) If the theme is SEO friendly, you should highlight those points as well. If the theme is easily customized then you should also highlight this as well.

4. Create buzz for the theme: Run a contest where the prize is a copy of your premium theme. As a part of the contest have other bloggers review the theme linking to your front page and your theme’s landing page. It is a really nice theme there are a lot of bloggers that would love to win it.

5. Place a wide add banner permanently at the top of your right sidebar for the theme. If selling the theme takes precedent over RSS subscriptions then I would place it above the subscriber buttons. But, if the subscriptions took precedent i would place just below the subscriber buttons.

6. Start an affiliate program for your theme. Offer whatever you want but I would suggest $25 per sale as the commission. You are better off having 10, 15, 20, people selling your theme other than yourself. The volume will greatly make up for the commission.

Key Area Feed Back:

Design: The design is good. It is appealing to the eye and not overpowering. However, on the navigation I would suggest implementing a breadcrumb.

Primarily, your readers currently have two choices the Home link in the menu or a category link. Think about this: when a reader does a search on your site and they click through to read an article, unless they click the “back” button on their browser they will have to redo the search each if they wanted to read another article found by the original search.

Content: I actually subscribe to your RSS. I think your content is pretty good. I don’t think true viral content is created it is born of your social media networking. On your about page you list Digg but are you a member of other social media; like StumbleUpon. Being member of multiple Social Media sites and multi-teering your posts has more potential for pushing content viral than just writing bait articles. My advice for viral content is build your social visibility. Being a bit viral is still viral.

Promotion: as far as promoting your blog I am going to stick to the advice of elevating your social visibility. You don’t have to be a social media maven just, be a bit more visible. You will get more traffic because of it. I am not sure about your activity on other blogs but if you are not commenting you may want to do so. The power of commenting is that it makes other readers aware that you exist. Comment on blogs outside of your niche, people that are not in your choir.

SEO: I looked at only one post for this: Your recently successful post “South Park: Lessons on Blogging”

I would suggest using either the “SEO Title Tag” plugin or the “All-in-one SEO” plugin. First you will be able to control the pages meta title, URL, and on page title using like titles but hitting SEO friendly terms.

For example: If I search “blogging lessons” you are not on the first 10 pages, I stopped looking after page ten, for neither Google, Yahoo nor MSN. But searching “south park lessons” or “blogging lessons south park” you are number one in Google and 2 in Yahoo but not listed in MSN. I think there are probably a few long tail phrases that you could have used to help in the SERPs. One of the above tools would have enabled you to implement a more SEO friendly titling. Moreover you could have altered your title tag to have your keywords first.

I would also use a good meta description for the post. Other wise you will end up with “Up next in the Lessons on Blogging series is another of my favorite animated shows, South Park. I usually keep things pretty family friendly” as the description for the post in the SERPs. Not much there about blogging lessons. So, you may not get alot of SE referals for the post. Using Google search for “south park lessons” or the other terms listed above and look at the given description.

I would also suggest broader use of subheadings that are a bit more keyword rich. Not spammy, just rich. Also look at your keyword density: the article is at a low 2% for blogging, .85 for blog and blogs. “Blogging lesson (s)” does not show for a 2 word keyword phrase.

Monetization: “The million dollar question.” Implement your RSS advertisement; as you mentioned in your RSS footer article. Implement some form of in article advertisement, affiliate or whatever. Otherwise you seem to be hitting a lot of the normal monetization routes. Unless you are filling a lot of slots for your SEO site reviews I would reduce the price and go for volume sales. I would also consider doing a landing page for each service outlining why someone should buy the service from you and not another SEO consultant, what they will get with the review etc…

Anyway good luck.

Sorry for this being so long.

Beau Hooks
TzuVelli.com

- The color scheme is rather glaring, as others have mentioned.

- The header takes up a lot of space, I know most of the posts start right in, but the ProBlogger plug with the image at the top really moved things down so there was no text above the fold.

- If you want to sell your website theme, I´d suggest making it more prominent. I couldn’t find it for the longest time and the only reason I did is because it had been mentioned above.

- For more subscribers, maybe make the RSS button a different color, it really blends into the overall scheme and doesn’t jump out.

- Also, I really like Deb’s idea of having a counter to show how much money you´ve made so far, that would definitely add to the appeal of the site.

Overall, I´m impressed with how far you´ve come in 6 months , a lot further than I´ve gotten in a year! :) The idea behind the blog is a sound one and I think with a little tweaking, it will appeal even more to readers.

I think having two “recent posts” lists is overkill. There’s one in the sidebar, and one in the header. I would recommend keeping only one of them.

The idea of the blog is great. “…just a regular guy trying to figure out if I can get this blog to generate a full time income.” However, I think it could do with some more valuable posts. There are a lot of John Chow-esque posts saying “I made this much money this month.” I don’t mind having posts like that, and you kind of need to have them with the blog’s overall concept. However, I think there aren’t enough posts valuable to other bloggers. I recommend writing some more posts that will help others improve their blogs. That said, it’s interesting to watch someone try to make a full-time income off a blog, starting from nothing.