It basically involves fine tuning the content of your site along with the HTML and Meta tags and also involves appropriate link building process. The most popular search engines are Google, Yahoo, MSN Search, AOL and Ask Jeeves. Search engines keep their methods and ranking algorithms secret, to get credit for finding the most valuable search-results and to deter spam pages from clogging those results. A search engine may use hundreds of factors while ranking the listings where the factors themselves and the weight each carries may change continually. Algorithms can differ so widely that a webpage that ranks #1 in a particular search engine could rank #200 in another search engine. New sites need not be “submitted” to search engines to be listed. A simple link from a well established site will get the search engines to visit the new site and begin to spider its contents. It can take a few days to even weeks from the referring of a link from such an established site for all the main search engine spiders to commence visiting and indexing the new site.

If you are unable to research and choose keywords and work on your own search engine ranking, you may want to hire someone to work with you on these issues.

Search engine marketing and promotion companies, will look at the plan for your site and make recommendations to increase your search engine ranking and website traffic. If you wish, they will also provide ongoing consultation and reporting to monitor your website and make recommendations for editing and improvements to keep your site traffic flow and your search engine ranking high. Normally your search engine optimization experts work with your web designer to build an integrated plan right away so that all aspects of design are considered at the same time.

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SEO Traffic Sources

Analytics and determining all facets of what they mean are an integral part of improving web site experience and action conversions!  For non-commercial statistical packages, AWSTATS and Google Analytics are a regular and daily recipient of visits from me. 

I like AWSTATS, because it compiles its report based on server logs.  Google Analytics is a great swag also, even though it is estimated that 5-10% of site visits are not recorded accurately if site visitors have Javascript disabled.  Well, here or there, stats and analytics can vary across packages… even commercial!

At any rate, without getting too granular, the purpose of this post is to mention that you can do BASIC things such as Search Engine Optimization to increase organic positioning in Search Engines and thus, increase traffic! 

As you can see in the image above, the Blue Section Represents Search Engine Traffic to this blog.  I always try to optimize:

• Meta Keywords & Descriptions
• Title Tags
• Keyword Density

as any extra hits to the site, represents a possible new supporter or eventually customer…

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For the sake of promoting an affiliate product, we think WordPress offers a great option.

1. We can Blog our way to SEO heaven, dynamically adding new pages.
2. WordPress’s native ping and trackback system allows incoming links from blogs that pick the content up.
3. Naturally, and with key SEO plugins, WordPress offers a strong concept of Search Engine Optimization.
4. As seen below, with Fantastico, powered in this case by Hostgator, we can install a WordPress blog within 5 minutes!  (This one took 2 minutes )

So, in a previous WuYi Post, we explained how we changed the DNS over to point to our server space at Hostgator.  Below, I give you screen shots and explanations of what the steps were to install the site.

Step 1:  DNS resolution confirmation: We make sure that when you type in www.wuyi.tv, that you are getting our server space.  This is confirmed as we can see below.

Step 1: Wuyi.tv resolution of DNS to Server Space

Step 2:  Log into Hostgator’s panel and go to Fantastico.  ( We talk about the benefits of Fantastico in a previous post.  Click here to read)

Clicking in CPANEL to get to teh Fantastico Installation Panel

Step 3:  Select “NEW INSTALLATION” below.

Choosing to Install WordPress from the Fantastico Installer

Step 4:  Fill in installation details.

Choosing Administrative details of WordPress

Step 5:  Finishing Installation…

Confirmation of Installation | WordPress

Step 6:  After installation, a verification screen on Step 3 of 3 of the process pops up.  At that time, we can open a new browser and surf to Wuyi.tv.

Eureka! A Fully Installed WordPress Blog

Step 7:  Get spidered by Google.

The last step to starting an SEO approach is to get the google bots to visit and index the page.  So many professed “Internet gurus” brag about getting a site indexed in 24 hours.

It is really not that hard to do.  Sorry I busted their bubble.

Getting listed in Google

• For wordpress, make a post about a related topic on a well-trafficked web site.  Use a trackback to that post.  If the author of that blog approves the trackback, you will have a link back to your site.
• Find a SIMILAR topic on any website with sizable respect and get a link back to your site.

For us, we will link to www.wuyi.tv.  (THERE JUST DID IT) from this blog, as it is spidered well.  We will also look add a post on www.BlackAtlanta.com.

Tomorrow (24 hours), we will test to see if Google Indexed it.  At that time, we will say… “We told you it was not hard to get indexed in Google.  “ 

For our other WuYi Tea Experimental posts:

WU-Yi Tea Experiment: Planning WUYi.TV Weight Loss Site | POST 1

WU-Yi Tea Experiment POST 2: Changing DNS… Preparing for Site

WU-Yi Tea Experiment POST 3: Creating a Simple Site for SEO Aging

Please comment below.  We are LEARNERs and perfecters of our craft!

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Slim Chews: Lose 20 Lbs in ony 6 Weeksl

In our post describing the importance of the landing page experience and good search engine optimization, we announced testing a review site based on weight loss.  Today, we show a screen shot of SEO excellence.

As our a world-renown blog and podcast guru, Mwangi at TheDisplacedAfrican.com, questioned the reason behind showing you publicly our experiments.  We remind our readers that we are not just another “make Moolah” with our tongues hanging out type blog or site, but a site that tries to add another level of value to our readers.

As a guy who has been in web development and strategy for almost 10 years, I am not the professed guru of internet marketing, nor do I show the $100K Google Checks.  So what we do work on though, is showing our clients and readers proof in our own way.

On to Proof… 

In our article on creating a landing page based on a niche affiliate product, we launched www.SlimChews.net.  Read that post in your spare time…

Two ways for Traffic…

As you know, we can always

1. PAY to send traffic to a site.  OR, if skilled enough and let’s face it… LUCKY enough,
2. We could gain traffic naturally through search engine optimization.

SEO Keywords Results for Our Experiment

For the affiliate product of “Slim Chews”, a weight loss that at some time or another must have been reviewed by Oprah and featured on TV, we wanted to be found for:

• Slim Chews
• SlimChews

Our target audience would be those who are familiar with the product or had heard of the it.

Results:  Since posting that blog post on October 21, 2008, we have gained a good share.  See below.

Keyword:  “SlimChews” position #2 (as of 11/18/08).

Please note: Through our SEO value, we “own” position 2,3,4,5 via our SEO. Although these are other sites, it funnels traffic back to our landing page.

SlimChews Search from 11/18/08

Keyword: “Slim Chews” position #1/551,000 Results! (as of 11/18/08).

"Slim Chews" Search from 11/18/08

Keep checking us out! And if you need to lose weight with a system reviewed on Oprah, click here!

Please let us know your thoughts below via our comments section!

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A QUICK example.

1. Client needs site and can pay up to $1000
2. Outsourced web development company does site for $500
3. You have $500 disposable cash to account for issues or additional development time.

The BEST way is to have an established rapport with dependable firms.  This MAY TAKE TIME and an effort to really build a reliable business relationship.  However, the basic steps, go like this:

1. Find 3-5 good outsourcing development groups in web design, graphics design, and copywrighting.  A lot of the times, the same group can do the web and graphics design. 
2. Check out their online work and portfolios.  This will help you to choose who you like and be able to match to the needs of the job.
3. Let the development group know that you have jobs and figure out rates for generic orders.  In other words, for a 3-5 page website, see what they will charge, how long it takes to develop, how many iterations they will give you to satisfy the client. 
4. Check out any credentials they may have to validate work.  Look for dependable and proven testimonials.  See if they have certifications or are parts of organizations like the Better Business Bureau.
5. HIRE THEM YOURSELF.  This is an important step before you put your name out for real jobs.  Ask them if you can get a reduced rate for a job in order to establish an outsourcing relationship.  Look below under TIPS and Techniques to get a super idea to do this.
6. Once you get a development group and a possible lead for a website, then create an outline of the development needs and share it with the groups.  See who offers the best rate and turn around time.  NOTE:  in some cases, the development groups may even give you a MOCKUP, or a JPEG image of a rudimentary layout.  (Show these to your clients for direction and early approval of design)
7. Select a Development group based on the matching needs of the client.
8. Project Manage the web development.  Act as the intermediary between the client and the web development group. Take constructive criticism and advised direction of the client and translate for the web designers.
9. Always act fairly for both your developer AND your client.  You must be realistic as to the number of iterations of development based on the price and promise. 
10. Complete the site once all parties are happy.  Ask for referrals from the client.

Tips & Techniques For OutSourcing and Additional Revenue!

• Test the development group first.  A great way to do this is to ask the development group to make you an OUTSOURCING website.  This lets you see their work.  They normally will also do it relatively inexpensively OR in some cases for FREE.  Again, this is helpful as it helps you to see their work and best of all, can give you a slick website to generate leads and from which to conduct your new found business.
• If you have lots of leads for web jobs:  Put a development firm on retainer.  A flat rate of $1500 a month for a pre-allocated number of development hours may be cheaper for you than on a “by the job” basis.
• Learn to Upsell:  find out the total needs of your client.  If they need business cards and logos, then that is something that the development/design group could possibly couple with the web site. 
• Couple in Consultation with Web Development:  Another upsell, is to let the client know that once a site has been developed, that there is a definite need for promotion.  Search engine optimization, pay per click campaigns and more give you room for consultation and perhaps, a monthly income residual.
• Make money from hosting:  The client will need hosting.  I like to take the headache out of my hosting situation by making my money in advance.  If you do lots of web sites by outsourcing, why should you want to trust that this client will be yours for months or years?  Become an affiliate of HostGator.com or another reliable hosting company.  Make your money UPFRONT from the hosting, as many of these companies pay well for the affiliate referral.  Hostgator pays between $50 and $125 currently to affiliates!
• Use an Escrow Service:  An escrow service, when used properly, allows the web development firm to know that the money for the service is safe and ready once the job is complete.  Once they deliver the product appropriately, then you release payment from the escrow service.  This protects you AND the service provider.  But don’t be surprised if they watermark their work until the finished product is delivered.  If you are REALLY frugal, ask the web development company to split the costs with you. 
• Use a Freelancer Service to find web development firms.  Services like GetAFreelancer.com have a very high number of firms bidding on jobs.  Go there, pay the $5 needed to post a job.  Then post a job… like a 5 page website.  See how many firms write you to bid on the job.  I have posted many jobs like this to develop relationships and it was at LEAST 10-15 bids per job!  Check out portfolios and work from there.
• Resell the Domain names:  The customers will need Domain names.  Use your affiliate ID for a  registrar!

My advice is of course, is that you are qualified to scope these jobs and manage the design/development projects.  You should Plan to be competent! 

Good luck and if the role fits, good luck on outsourcing!

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