The trick with web sites, I think, is that you have to pay for them otherwise, it gets deleted or taken away by its host.

Great piece, I must Say!

It only takes good keyword research, basic seo strategies and, in the case of blogs, appropriate plugins.

Both website and blog appeared on first page off Google within a week, not for fiercely competitve search terms but enough to make it worthwhile.

There is no secret, just make sure you do keyword research and provide quality keyword rich content.

I even have an article number one in Google for ‘first page of Google’ It brings lots of traffic.

http://ezinearticles.com/?&id=1457164

Michael

I’m currently expanding my knowledge on how to create a good blog. Maybe I will choose to create a blog rather than a website because maybe the advantage of a blog is you can communicate easily with your visitors/readers through comments… but website is also good.

The reason why I use blog is I can interact with my visitor. If they like my post they will leave comment. And it makes my blog interactive.

In my opinion, using blog or website depends on you. How you want to represent your site to audience.

I agree with you adding a blog to an existing site rather than replacing the site altogether..

That’s the strategy we’ve adopted on our site.. even though it’s a new site (3 weeks and counting..)

People looking for commentary, often find the blog and continue to browse through the rest of the content/features we have to offer.

It’s a good strategy for adding traffic to new sites and getting some more eyeballs to your regular content.

This is so true. It happened to me already while I am not even an “A-list” blogger. An editor for an Australia news website happened to visit one of my blogs. H liked what he read and offered me a job as a senior writer.

Now, I get paid more writing for them than I used to while blogging for my own.

If you’re an authority at something, they’ll be a time when you will get noticed and open doors for you to other opportunities.

Good read right here BTW.

I decided to leverage the exisiting audience by adding a blog. It will enable me to provide content to keep people coming back in between the times I make the very time intensive updates.

I also figured with that kind of traffic, I really ought to broaden out from just adsense to trying to sell ads directly. I know a lot who will advertise in this niche. Just have to figure out my pricing.

Do you think that the search engine algos will ever pull back on their penchant for new and frequently updated content (like blogs)?

Surely if the web becomes all about “just a minute ago”, maybe they will put even more emphasis on “authority” – however that is measured in the future.

Thanks for your work

Rob

Actually it may come to life and bring you a lot of happiness and friends, or it can die and bring you grief and enemies!

Us Bloggers are always walking a fine line of LinkBait, so when someone reads our blog they need to take things with a grain of salt. Look at TechCrunch and Michael Arrington. Sometimes he flames everyone in his mother, but he knowns when to hold back and not to make it personal.

Blogging is an Art, and requires a lot of time and care. A Website is one way communication and is Static!

It was only when setting up in WP that I realised I had been blogging for almost 2 years and had built up a wealth of posts, over 100 in that time. Even with a sizeable archive I feel that there is an element of starting over again. However, as I’ve managed to blog regularly for over two years without really thinking about it and without struggling for content the process does feel second nature now.

Using some of the tips on this site, the change in traffic, page views and unique views has been huge – more in 6 weeks than in the previous 2 years on myspace. And it’s good to think that hopefully this is just the start.

Websites are made to add articles gradually. Nothing to add – leave it until there is.

I actually have 3 sites set up now where when I add a page, a blog gets updated and I find this the best of both worlds. Not to mention the traffic really taking a leap.

Having said that, the nice thing about a blog is when your posts are picked up by other sites and, anytime you post, your post appears elsewhere as well.

But the bottom line is if you plan to put up a lot of different sites, go website. It is true you can put up sites and down the line they will begin to pay off. I am doing that. And I don’t really think blogging daily is a must. Setting up a blogging schedule and sticking with it is fine. Blog on Mondays and Fridays – for instance – works fine.

The problem is many people think they need to blog daily to set up a blog and that has to drive many people away.

I’ve only been running my online business for about a year, and a few months ago did I decided to put up a blog about the company too, so that people could get an idea of what goes on behind the scenes and get to know the people who run it.

But little did I know how hard it was to come up with a way of saying what I wanted in a way people could understand, we don’t have many visitors to the blog at the moment, but that will come with more posts etc, but it’s difficult in trying to translate my business thoughts into more personal thoughts that people will understand.

Anyway, its well worth the effort I think as it gives our business a personality, and allows people/customers to see that we’re not just a business interested in selling them something …. well, not all the time anyway! :o)

Perception of a “website”, per se, is that it is factual and theoretically may be taken at face value.. Blogs are more personality plus individual opinion and can indeed make or break..

Mine will be gradually going to a mix of both with the blog intended first and foremost to immediately disperse important news and resources that the Mind is stumbling over trying to meld into the factual website.. Opinion will be used to share why the piece at hand tickles these fingertips or alternatively brings tears to the Heart.. :)

Cyber hugs from the Hills of North Georgia..

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