Easy Way to Spy on Your Competition

 

This time I´ll tell you about a quick and easy way to find out what content your competitors (or you) have for any given keyword or phrase.

Once you know how much content the others have, you can devise a plan to write or otherwise build more content in order to surpass them!copyrightjps

Either in your Google toolbar or the search box on Google.com type in:

   site:website.com keyword here

For example, if you wanted to search MTV to find out how many pages refer to Beyonce you would have to type:

   site:www.mtv.com beyonce

Another example:

   site:en.wikipedia.org david bowie


IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not forget to write the word “site” at the beginning. Also, do not leave a space between the colon and website.com.

 

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How to Get Free Web Site Traffic

 

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There are plenty of effective ways to generate website traffic at zero cost. However, it is very important to understand that whatever strategy you may use in your campaign to generate traffic for your blog or website, you must be very professional and genuine as well as consistent in your approach.copyrightjps

I hope you will find the following tips useful and start to incorporate them in your online marketing campaigns.

1. Generate quality keyword rich content

Publishing quality content centered around popular keywords on your blog or website is perhaps the most important factor in generating traffic to your site. It is very important for you to understand that your target is to attract both human readers as well as search engine spiders.

Therefore you must focus on developing quality content that has the capability to capture your readers´ attention so they will stay within as well as return to your website. You should also keep an eye on the frequency with which you are using your keywords. An excessive use of keywords in the content of your website might have negative effects on your website traffic campaign. For instance, search engines may ignore your website altogether when listing the search results for a specific keyword. So be very prudent in your use of keywords within the content of your site. Generally, you will get the best results by employing the chosen keyword(s) once every 80-100 words.

2. Submitting your site to search engines and web directories

Once your blog or website is up and running and you have filled it with at least a bit of quality keyword rich content, it is time for you to take the next big step. In order to generate more free web site traffic you need to submit the URL of your blog or website to all major search engines, such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.

Also, there are various website directories, the most important probably being Dmoz, that play an important role in every successful online marketing campaign. Therefore, do not forget to submit the URL of your website to these directories (just type ‘web directories’ into Google) as well as a number of social bookmarking services like Digg, StumbleUpon, delicious, etc. Submission to search engines and website directories is one of the most effective ways to get free website traffic. Unfortunately, many of these services take their time – smetimes weeks or even months – listing new URLs. (For webmasters who are in a hurry some of them offer paid inclusion of URLs that will only take a day or two.)

3. Submit articles to article directories

Another great and easy way to generate more website traffic is to write articles (approximately 300-500 words) and submit them to free article directories such as ezineaticles.com, goarticles.com, etc. This method generates free blog/website traffic in two ways. First, because the articles carry the link to your website the visitors who come across these articles will very likely follow this link and visit your website as well. Secondly, because these are free articles and people can use them on their own blogs and websites the link to your website will show up on a lot of other sites. This way you will enjoy even more web site traffic coming from other websites – and it won´t cost you a thing.

Good luck!

 

Adding an AddThis or ShareThis Button to Your Blogger Posts – The Easiest Way

 

Adding an AddThis or ShareThis button is great and very easy way to win more readers for your blog or website. There are a lot of guides to be found on the Web that tell you how to add them to your site.copyrightjps

In this post I´ll show you the simplest way to add them to your Blogger Posts, either right below the post title or at the foot of the post.

Just follow these instructions:

1. Sign in to your Blogger Dashboard --> Layout --> Edit HTML --> Expand Widget Templates

2. Get the code for the button at AddThis or ShareThis (if you opt for the ShareThis button click on “Any Website” when asked to “Choose Your Service”)

share this button

3. Find the following line in the HTML code of your template:

<div class='post-header-line-1'/>

4. Place the code you got at AddThis or ShareThis right above said line

[4a. If you prefer the button to show  at the end of the post then you need to insert it right after the line <div class='post-footer'>.]

5. Save the changes

6. You are done!

 

NOTE: If you placed AdSense Ads inside your Blogger Posts following my article on the subject and you choose the method described above the button will show between post title and AdSense, which does not look to good. In order to place the AddThis or ShareThis button beside the ads (as seen on this blog) you need to insert the button code in the template after the AdSense code and right before the line <p><data:post.body/></p>.

 

How to Write More Popular Posts

 

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One outstanding post can bring you more traffic, links and comments than many months´ worth of your usual content.

In this post I am going to give you a few tips that will enable you to launch your blog into the stratosphere (or at least to attract more readers).

Make the next post you write your most popular post ever.

The following 10 tips are my key advice for tackling this task. I try to apply all of them all the time since a friend of mine told me how he managed to hit the Digg front page for the first time. If you are hoping for a blueprint you just need to follow to write an incredibly popular post I´ll have to disapoint you – there is none. But that should not keep you from trying, because you will not have a chance unless you try. I am confident that the following tips will give you a good shot at success.

1. Time is more important than talent

Work on something for a couple of hours and you can bet it will be good. Quality is more important than high output. More time means you can refine and format your posts and fill them with plenty of value. Take the time to really craft your content. The finished product will be so much better and attract more readers.copyrightjps

2. No compromise, use only your best ideas

A post will never become very popular unless it fulfills a need - and does so emphatically. What is something your special niche wants but so far has not got? Will you be able to assemble a whole lot of awesome resources aimed at your target audience in one place? The more your posts help people with similar interests, the better they will fare.

3. Use the layout to your advantage

These days, social media are the key to launching your posts into the stratosphere. Social media users are notoriously spoiled, considering the huge amount of choices available to them. Use formatting to highlight the most important aspects of your post. Draw attention to your funniest lines, your most profound bits of advice, your best resources. Make them stand out.

4. Use captivating headlines to attract readers

There are maybe a handful of bloggers who have completely mastered the art of writing great headlines (you will know who they are as soon as you read one of their lines). Unfortunately, the rest of us have not been blessed with this very important skill. When you see a great headline, chances are that it was the last on a long list of possible choices. Few of us can think of a great headline straight away. Spend some time brainstorming, and if you cannot find a good line – do something else for a while; eventually something that works will pop up. With a weak headline your post’s chances of success will deteriorate dramatically. It is essential that you put all of your talent and a lot of work into getting it right.

5. More Value = More Readers

Have you ever bookmarked or voted for something without completely reading or watching it? Well, who hasn´t. The reason is the ‘Wow’ factor — seemingly enough promised value in one place to get the reader enthusiastic about the post straight away. Instead of 5 or 10 tips, why not share 20? Instead of a couple of resources, why not dozens?

6. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

If your post looks good, more readers will be drawn to it - and they will like it better. Take the time to add images, thumbnails and a clever layout to what you create. Make your post as appealing to the eye as possible. With so much web content presented in a boring and unimaginative way users yearn for posts that really stand out. But do not use too many images and graphics (and flash or similar products requiring plug-ins only if absolutely necessary), because a page should not be much bigger than 50 kb in order to have a short loading time. Avoid flash intros at all costs, they take long to load and will be skipped by most visitors anyway.

7. Tell them in a few words what your post is about

Readers will skip a lenghty introduction. Try to say the same using fewer words, particularly if you are writing for impatient readers: people who want to get straight to the “juicy” bits: your tips/resources/opinions. Use your introduction to convince the reader that he or she should stick with your post. For that reason it is never wrong to begin post introductions with a phrase like: “In this post, I am going to write about this and that.” This is what people really want to know: what am I getting in exchange for my time and attention?

8. Always send messages and replies with links

The best way to get a blogger interested in your blog is by linking to them. Use peoples´ natural desire for wanting know what is being said about them. If your post becomes really popular, each link inside it should send enough traffic outwards to be worth investigating. Be generous with your outbound links when you want your post to become more popular. It gives other bloggers an incentive to link to you, because by doing so they will get more promotion for their own stuff.

9. Make use of social networks

If you want people to Digg, Stumble or Reddit your post, don´t just wait around and cross your fingers hoping for it to happen – ask them. Your loyal readers enjoy your work, they like you. You entertain them, give them something to think or talk about, mabe even teach or help them. If voting is just a matter of clicking a link they will be more than happy to do so. Ask for votes and mentionings in your post and in emails to readers and social media networkers. In most cases it will be up to you to get the ball rolling. After that, others will jump in and most of the work for you.

10. Analyse what worked before

Study your own most popular posts as well as popular posts by others. What do they have in common? Why did they work? What needs, what interests did they address? In order to write more popular posts it is essential to learn by example and build on what has worked in the past. Keep your eyes open and read the most popular posts on other blogs, especially in your niche. What is special about them? What makes them stand out? Analyze these qualities and try to transfer them to your own writing.

Good luck!!

 

Blogging Traps You Should Avoid at All Costs

 

Dear bloggers! There are more than a few easily avoidable mistakes that can and will make you waste precious time and resources, so identifying and eliminating them is simply a must if you are interested in creating a successful blog – even more so if you plan on making money blogging.

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Without further ado, these are the most common and dangerous traps:

1. Not respecting your readers

Always be polite and helpful when interacting with your readers. Do not (ever!) look down upon a person simply because the question he or she has posted seems too obvious or poorly thought through. It may be obvious and easy to understand in your eyes, but it may be a matter of grave concern and utmost importance to someone who is just starting out or simply trying to broaden his or her horizon. For the same reason you should always encourage the loyal members of your community to be ready to help out a fellow member.

2. Seeing blogging as just another task

I’ll just write this post to get it over with”, is an attitude that is never recommended if you are serious about seeing long-term results. Pick a topic you are both passionate about and knowledgeable in and make sure that your posts are easy to understand as well as captivating to read - and reflect your enthusiasm for blogging.copyrightjps

3. Taking long breaks from blogging

Of course, you are only human and will therefore feel the need to recharge your batteries from time to time, but this does not mean that it is a good idea to stop publishing blog posts for several days (or even weeks) in a row. Take advantage of the timestamp feature (as offered by WordPress among others), write a few blog posts in advance and let them get posted during your time off. It really is that simple.

4. Not taking feedback seriously

You will probably receive a fair amount of feedback (email, comments on social networks, recommendations, etc.) with suggestions on how to improve your blog, and not taking them into serious consideration would simply be a shame. After all, if someone cares enough about your blog to take the time to share their opinion with you as well as other visitors, reading that input and giving it some thought is the least you can do. (If the feedback is well thought out you should consider posting a response, either on the social network or on your blog.) Feedback is also a great source for new ideas and may help you improve your blog.

5. Neglecting the comments section

The opportunity to interact with your readers is one of the most important and fun aspects of blogging - and the one thing that makes blogging so special in the first place. Never make the mistake of neglecting the community you can build around your blog through the comments section, otherwise you will be throwing away a great chance to make your page more popular – something you will definitely end up regretting it in the long run.

Avoiding these blogging traps is one of the first steps to becoming a successful blogger.

Good Luck!

 

How to Place AdSense Ads in the Middle of Blogger Posts

 

The method described below can be used both with old and new Blogger And, since It is XHTML compliant, it will work with IE, Firefox, Opera, and Safari.

Many of you will be familiar with the famous Google AdSense heat map which shows the areas of your website or blog where you should place advertising in order to maximize your profits. Oddly enough, there is no mention of a placement in the middle of your posts.

Why?

Because by default Blogger, the blogging platform offered by Google, does not offer a way to break a post in the middle (or someplace else) so you can place an ad there.
But, if you search the Net thorougly, you will find that quite a lot of webmasters have managed to put ads in that position and report a significant increase in profits.copyrightjps

While I cannot as yet confirm a considerable increase in profits when ads are placed in the middle of posts, I´ll nevertheless explain in this post how to place Adsense in the middle of Blogger posts.

How to place Adsense in the middle of Blogger posts:

The solution to this problem is quite simple: you only need to move the post body around the advertising code, just with a bunch of JavaScript and a couple of DIVs (divisions). All it takes are 2 easy steps:

1. In your Blogger template: Dashboard –> Layout –> Edit HTML –> Expand Widget Templates

Find the tag <data:post.body/> and replace it with the following code:

<div expr:id='"aim1" + data:post.id'></div>
<div style="clear:both; margin:10px 0">

<!-- Your AdSense code here -->

</div>
<div expr:id='"aim2" + data:post.id'>

<data:post.body/>

</div>
<script type="text/javascript">
var obj0=document.getElementById("aim1<data:post.id/>");
var obj1=document.getElementById("aim2<data:post.id/>");
var s=obj1.innerHTML;
var r=s.search(/\x3C!-- adsense --\x3E/igm);
if(r>0) {obj0.innerHTML=s.substr(0,r);obj1.innerHTML=s.substr(r+16);}
</script>

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Do not forget to replace <!-- Your AdSense code --> with the ad code provided by Google Adsense. Also, the ad code needs to be converted before you can insert it.

2. In every blog post:

Place the special comment

<!—adsense -->

in the exact spot you want the Adsense ads to appear.

That´s all!

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Does this method violate Google Adsense Terms and Conditions?

Definitely not. Answering a direct support request Google stated this method doesn't violate any of their program policies.

2. What if I forget to put in a post the <!-- adsense --> comment?

Nothing. The advertising block will appear in the traditional position as defined in your template before you implemented this modification (in most cases just below the title).

3. What happens on Blogger home page and archive pages when several posts with the   <!-- adsense --> comment appear together?

Exactly the same thing that happened before this modification: The Google Adsense service automatically inserts up to 3 AdSense blocks per page in your posts. That means only the first 3 posts (in a top-down order) on your home page or archive pages will show ads.

4. Is it possible for me to automate the insertion of AdSense in the middle of my posts without having to manually place the <!-- adsense --> comment?

Yes, it is. But you will have to replace the JavaScript code listed above with the following one:

<script type="text/javascript">
var obj0=document.getElementById("aim1<data:post.id/>");
var obj1=document.getElementById("aim2<data:post.id/>");
var s=obj1.innerHTML;
var t=s.substr(0,s.length/2);
var r=t.lastIndexOf(" ");
if(r>0) {obj0.innerHTML=s.substr(0,r);obj1.innerHTML=s.substr(r+1);}
</script>

Notes:

You may have heard of a couple of different approaches to solve the stated problem that sound simple but, unfortunately, are not working:

1. Copying the Adsense code directly into the post.

This does not work because Blogger will warn you that it is prohibited to insert JavaScript code inside a post (or show some kind of error warning). Bypassing the error warning by flagging ‘Stop showing HTML errors for this post’ will not get you the desired result.

2. Writing a JavaScript to move the AdSense code block in the middle of your post.

This method is prohibited by the Google Adsense Terms and Conditions because you have to modify the AdSense code itself. If you do it anyway, no ads will be shown (you will get an error information stating the website or service is not available).

The method described above also works with other advertising systems, for instance Yahoo! Publisher Network (YPN), Microsoft adCenter, AdBrite, Chitika, and a host of others.

 

Showing Adsense Ads Inside Blogger Posts

 

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Google Adsense is the main source of revenue for the vast majority of bloggers. If you are among those using Blogger to host your blogs as well as using Adsense as your primary ad network, you should blend your ads with your posts so your visitors will focus more on your ads, resulting in more clicks and therefore more revenue for you. Showing Adsense ads between two blogger posts is not really that effective, because people tend to overlook that part. But if you place the ads within the post, they will get noticed and there is a real chance for a better CTR (click through rate). You can easily customize your blog to show Adsense ads inside your posts, aligned either to left or right.copyrightjps

For a better click through rate, it is highly recommended that you to blend the ads with your blog’s colour combination. Do not use odd or too deep/light colours. Highlighting your ads means you are manually trying to keep your income low. Check out the screenshot below.

adsense_ads_inside1

How to Show Adsense Ads inside Blogger posts, wrapped with post text

1. Login to your Blogger Dashboard.

2. Navigate to Layout --> Edit HTML

3. Check the box next to 'Expand Widget Templates'.

4. Search for the line <data:post.body> inside your template.

5. Add one of the following codes just above it.

   To show your ads aligned to left

 <div style='float:left; margin-right:5px;'>
 YOUR ADSENSE CODE </div>

  To show your Ads aligned to right

 <div style='float:right; margin-left:5px;'>
 YOUR ADSENSE CODE </div>

6. Make sure to replace YOUR ADSENSE CODE with your actual Adsense ad code.

7. Save the changes.

8. That´s all!

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Do not forget to convert your Adsense code here before adding it to the above code. Blogger HTML does not support Adsense ad characters, therefore you need to convert it.

Now all of your blog posts should appear with Adsense ads wrapped around their text. The best ad formats for this location probably are 336*280 or 300*250, but that depends on the template you are using. Just play around with the ad formats until you find something that suits the overall look of your blog.

Good luck!!

 


 

How to Add Meta Tags to Blogger Blogs and Websites

 

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For those of you who do not know what meta tags are, and wherein the importance of adding meta tags lies, here is a detailed description on how to add them to your Blogger blogs or any website.


Adding meta tags is very important if you are interested in getting more traffic from search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc. The meta description, especially, is of great importance.copyrightjps


First, a short definition of what meta tags are: Meta tags are tags that describe your site and tell search engines what your site is all about. Adding meta tags is an important factor in SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Meta tags allow search engines to index your blog or web pages with greater accuracy. Simply put, meta tags communicate with the different search engines and provide them with more information about your site so they can index it more correctly and accurately.  Here is an example. This is what I got when I typed “Eblogger Tricks.com” in the Google search engine.

eblogger meta tags

As you can see “Tips and tricks...” is the meta tags description which I added to my site.

You will have to add two meta tags to the head section of your template. One is the meta description which describes your site and the other one are meta keywords which contain your site keywords (what your site is all about).

Here is how to add meta tags to your blogger blog:

1. Sign in to your Blogger dashboard --> click the Layout button.

2. Click on the Edit HTML tab.

3. Look for the following code:

<b:include data='blog' name='all-head-content'/>

4. Now add the following lines of code directly below the above code:

 

<meta content='DESCRIPTION HERE' name='description'/>
<meta content='KEYWORDS HERE' name='keywords'/>
<meta content='AUTHOR NAME HERE' name='author'/>

DESCRIPTION HERE: Write your blog description
KEYWORDS: Write the keywords of your blog
AUTHOR NAME: Write the author's name(Your name) (optional!)

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5. Do not forget to add a description and keywords of your own.

6. Save the changes.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

A lot of people make the mistake of filling the description tag with just the keywords. DO Not DO THAT. Google and most of the other search engines will ban your site from the search engines list if you do so. And, do not repeat a single keyword more than 3 times.

That´s it! You have now sucessfully added the important meta tags to your Blogger blog. If you want to check whether you added the meta tags correctly or not, just type 'meta tags analyzer tool' into Google and you will find a number of sites that can check whether you have added the tags correctly or not.

 

How to Find the Right Affiliate Products to Promote

 

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“How do I find the right kind of affiliate products to promote on my blog?” is one of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to monetizing a blog. And affiliate marketing is indeed a fascinating topic. Many bloggers are struggling with advertising as a means to make money from their blogs and want to branch out and experiment with affiliate promotions on their blog.

However, wanting to get into affiliate marketing and actually doing so are two very different things. There are a number of difficulties to overcome first.

One of these difficulties is finding the right products to promote.

Choosing the right products to promote is crucial for a number of reasons - the two main ones being:

· Relevant Products are Key

If your blog draws an audience centered around a particular topic or demographic it is very unlikely that you will be able to sell products that are in no way relevant to the topic of your blog.copyrightjps

· The Quality of Products can have an Impact on the Success of Your Blog/Brand

Promote low quality products and you could seriously hurt the reputation of your blog/brand. Readers remember who they heard about specific products from and their trust in you and your blog will increase or decrease depending on what you recommend to them.

So - choosing the right affiliate product is crucial. Not only has it great impact on conversions and profitability, the success of your blog/brand and the trust of your readers depend on it as well.

Now, how do you find the right affiliate product to promote?

Here are a few tips and thoughts on finding affiliate programs to promote:

  1. Google It – It does not take a rocket scientist to figure this one out - but it does work. If you happen to blog about Beauty Salons and/or Products google “Beauty Products Affiliate Program”. Insert your main keywords into the search engine of your choice and you may just find products that are relevant to your niche.
  2. Look at Your Competition - What kinds of products are other people blogging in your niche promoting? Quite often a quick glance down the sidebar of another successful blog in your niche to find out what products and services they are promoting will reveal affiliate products you could (and probably should) promote as well (and it could also point you to some relevant advertisers to promote).
  3. Take a close look at AdSense Ads – You can find products that a relevant to your niche by checking out the AdSense ads appearing besides Google search results, on websites, other blogs and even on your own blog. Do not (ever!!) click the ads on your own blog, but checking out what the ads promote can reveal all kinds of potential affiliate partners. The same thing is true for other types of advertising. For instance, the other day a friend of mine was surfing on Facebook and saw an ad relevant to his blog – and by clicking it he found a new product with an affiliate program that he had not heard of before.
  4. Approach Potential Affiliate Partners - This one might not work if you have a new blog with little traffic but as your blog grows you might find yourself in a position to approach the distributors of a product or the providers of a service to find out if they would be willing to start some kind of affiliate program for you. Some of the most successful bloggers do this regularly - and they make a lot of money this way. The best part of it is that you get a head start on your competition for the promotion as you are most likely to be the only person promoting it.
  5. Search Affiliate Networks - There are quite a few affiliate networks around that list a lot of affiliate programs. The good ones have search functions to allow you to type in keywords and find promotions relevant to your niche. Check out Clickbank, Commission Junction, MarketLeverage, PepperJam Network, and many more.
  6. Search Online Stores for Suitable Products – Almost all popular online stores, for instance Amazon, have affiliate programs attached to them. In general the comissions are not huge (Amazon, for example, offers commissions from as low as 4% up to 15% depending upon the type of product and how much you sell) – the profit margins in the retail trade are rather small - but stores like this have a wide variety of products and are probably the best place to start while you build traffic and search for other programs.

P.S.: This post builds upon an earlier post – What exactly is Affiliate Marketing?