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Googlebot, Googlebot, Wherefore Art Thou, Googlebot?
April 14, 2005
Okay, I'm onto "Phase Two" for two of my challenge sites. (Still in the building stage for the fourth site). To me, Phase Two means traffic, traffic and (hopefully) more traffic. Since I'm not going to be buying traffic, all it really means is I'm on Googlebot alert right now.
My fun site (now entered into the challenge) has no problems in terms of Google. It gets a visit from the Big G almost daily. Monetization, though - that's the issue. It's definitely a branded site, and doing something like adding Adsense is going to be really tricky. It's already developed a core readership and I don't want to mess with that. I've got an idea about Adsense positioning but will have to think it through some more.
My old revived site is still getting traffic from Yahoo - not a ton, but fairly consistent at about 30 to 40 uniques a day. Adsense is throwing me for a loop, though. The results are not at all consistent so I'm just going to wait a bit and see. In the meantime, my new template is done, so my husband is going to rebuild the site on his computer and add all the new content, too. When we're good to go, I'll upload, then repoint the domain name to the new server. Hopefully that will go off without a glitch, and in the meantime I'll keep my eye on the Adsense results to see if I want to stay with the current ad placement. The site is quite sticky so I'm getting quite a lot of page impressions but my visitors are definitely not always leaving the way I'd like them to!
This older site has still not been re-indexed by Google so I'm on Googlebot alert here. Same with the new Adsense one. I've got about 20 pages up on that one, and I'm adding new pages daily. I've submitted the site to directories but so far no Google. Yahoo's been by, though.
I keep telling myself, persistence is the key. I'm trying to confine myself to checking my stats for these two sites only twice a day - first thing in the morning and last thing at night. The rest of the time I'm working on deadlines or writing new content. Since I'm a writer by trade, the waiting isn't exactly foreign to me. It sure beats having a query circulating in snail mail - I have full control and can at least check for results anytime I want. Got to love that!
I've also got another new site that will be launched soon. I'm just waiting on the template. It's another one of my branded "fun" sites, but I figure I might as well throw it into my challenge mix. I don't know why I keep spending my time on these types of sites. Well, okay, I do know why. They're fun! Now if I can only get "fun" to pay some of the bills, I'll be a really happy camper.
It figures that my only "true affiliate" sales site is still on the drawing board.
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Posted by BJ at 11:12 AM in $100/Day Challenge | Permalink
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Comments
I really enjoy your blog. I was wondering how are you getting your sites up so quickly? I've been working on my affiliate marketing site for weeks now and it's not even live yet. Granted, this is my first website but you are getting yours up in less than half the time and you are working on more than one.=) I'm just curious to see if there are some methods that would make me more efficient at this. Thanks.
Posted by: Jon M | Apr 14, 2005 3:51:32 PM
Hi, Jon,
I use a number of methods. I find that blog software works really well because once you have your template ready, adding content is very easy. Each post becomes a page, and everything is done for you. If your host has CPanel with Fantastico, you get one-click install of Wordpress, and it comes with two standard templates. You can also surf around for other templates.
I also use Andy William's SEO Website Builder, which makes the site-building process itself easy.
The last method I use is Nvu with a template, usually bought from BasicTemplates.com, where they are only $5.99. They are CSS based, too, so changing fonts and things is easy. When I want a special look, I usually get it designed.
Aside from the actual mechanics of site-building, I also write very fast. That helps a lot, I think.
Good luck with all your sites!
Posted by: BJ | Apr 14, 2005 4:19:37 PM
Thanks BJ! You don't even know how much you just helped me lol. I do have a CPanel with Fantistico, I am so slow sometimes - amazing I get anything done I tell ya.
Thanks again!
Posted by: Chrissie | Apr 14, 2005 6:24:01 PM
I hope that means we'll be seeing your marketing blog up soon, Chrissie ;)
Posted by: BJ | Apr 14, 2005 6:55:41 PM
