SEO Fail or Why I Will Never Have High Blog Traffic

Image from hotnerdgirl.wordpress.com

I’m not really into 10-step or how-to posts. It’s just not authentic coming from me. But after reading Michael Hyatt’s post on 10 Ways to Generate More Blog Traffic, I suddenly realized I could write a 10-step post on how NOT to get high blog traffic (mostly because it’s nearly anti-everything Hyatt proposes).

1. Market your blog among certain family members.

The main readers of this blog are my husband and mother-in-law. Everyone else is gravy!

2. Don’t comment on blogs unless you have something you really want to say.

I read a few blogs. But often I don’t have anything to say or add to a discussion. I’m not going to post on someone’s blog to add drivel just so I can drive traffic back to my site. But I am likely to like posts on WordPress.

3. Write posts on a variety of subjects. Don’t make your focus too specific.

My blog is not specific to a particular topic except that everything written interests me in some way. The way to get the best blog traffic or visibility is to be topic-specific that appeals to a wide range of people: Michael Hyatt’s focus is on leadership, lifehacker is about productivity and technology, copyblogger is about marketing copy (e.g., blogging, writing, editing, publishing). My focus is too narrow, and quite frankly, not that interesting.

4. Compose content that helps people.

Most of my content on this blog doesn’t help people; it’s simply an outlet for me to express my feelings and share experiences with others. Blogs like that have a difficult time getting high traffic. However, if your shared experience is beneficial in assisting others (as my depression introspection blog is), that blog has the potential for high traffic.

5.  Don’t advertise your blog anywhere.

I do not include my blog URL on my email sig lines and no longer auto-post to Facebook (really because of technical difficulties). I have a link posted to Twitter, which probably doesn’t account for most of my traffic. When I comment on the blogs of others (outside of WordPress), I don’t always include a link back to my blog because I see that as pompously self-promoting (only for myself, of course). I do use tags in the hopes of garnering traffic here and there, but I don’t make a real effort to attract people to my site.

6. Post sporadically.

I auto-generated weekly posts to the site back in November and December but that will end sometime in February. After that, posts will crop up here and there as I feel led to post. It’s not very good for blog traffic, especially when you want readers to check your blog regularly for new content. They won’t return after a while if new content hasn’t appeared in 2 weeks. (Sometimes I post once a month!)

7.  Draft average, uninteresting blog titles.

This blog post may be an anomaly in bland titles. Or it may simply be average because who knows how many people post on SEO Fail? I write posts on assorted ramblings, infertility, and how I got my name. The blog titles aren’t snazzy or captivating, and for me, that’s okay. I’m not trying very hard to capture the attention of others.

8. Shun search engine optimization tactics.

For depression introspection, I was rabid about employing SEO tactics before I even knew what they were: posting on comments on blogs everywhere, registering my blog in places like Technorati, and using pingbacks religiously. The most I’ve put effort into is BlogHer, and even I don’t keep up with that anymore. BlogHer is a-whole-nother beast.

9. Don’t offer your subscribers anything for subscribing.

I don’t have a free eBook at the ready for my loyal subscribers. And even if I did, I’m not sure what it would be about! It’s like having a guest over to your place and going, “Sorry, I got nothing to offer you but water.” It’s kind of bare. People like to get something in return for being loyal and dedicated. I wouldn’t even know where to begin do anything of that sort.

10. Post fluff and so-so content.

WordPress used to encourage me to write fluff posts courtesy of Plinky. (It doesn’t prompt authors for scheduled posts, only for published posts.) I put fluff posts out there because it’s something written each week, but I’m not really a fan of it because it’s not intellectually stimulating. But hey, it’s my blog! My thoughts won’t always be intellectually provocative, and as such, blog posts may follow suit.

So there are your 10 steps to avoiding high blog traffic. Anybody care to add any others? (Thanks for reading!)

Are there any reality TV shows you’d try out for?

Only a writing competition show. Maybe.

In what ways do you stand out?

I like to think I stand out in particularly bad ways, but that’s only because I’m a pessimist.

1. I rock an afro among a predominantly white community.

2. I don’t always say things that make sense. (I know everyone does this, but I seem to accomplish this feat during moments that prove to be most embarrassing.)

3. I don’t speak like a “typical” black person. (In fact, if I try, I am laughed at by whites and blacks alike.) I have been told I am articulate.

I am just the proofreader.

Image from centerstage.org

I have known about your company since its near inception. I had to reject you at first because I was afraid of starting with a company from the ground up. Then several years later, you opened your arms up to me but kept me on the fringes. I’ve been continually rejected from being a full-fledged employee in your company. I am just the proofreader.

I attend your company parties and watch as you dole out thoughtful gifts to your employees. I help your proofreading department and make your materials error free. But you don’t know anything about me, so I do not receive anything. I am just the proofreader.

No one talks to me. No one cares about me beyond a simple “hello.” Everyone is too busy with their tasks or more concerned about their friends already at work. Because, you see, I am just the proofreader.

I polish and proof. I redact and edit. I am the phantom behind the writers. I am just the proofreader.

I am called randomly for work. I get a change in routine. I am paid well for my services. With this, I don’t mind just being the proofreader.

 

Jesus Prayed and God Said “No”

I’ve been bitter lately because I haven’t been blessed with a child while I’ve watched others conceive and give birth during that time frame. I have not only prayed for a child, but I’ve cried, pleaded, beseeched, begged, and bargained in the hopes that I might be a mom. Alas, that has not been the case. I get bitter and upset with God, not because He’s not answering my prayer—on the contrary, He is answering my prayer—I am dismayed because He is saying no.

I have been praying for various people who have been out of work to obtain full-time jobs. Again, God has been saying no.

In Paul E. Miller’s A Praying Life, he contrasts asking selfishly in prayer against not asking at all.

Jesus’ prayer at Gethsemane demonstrates perfect balance. He avoids the Not Asking cliff, saying, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me” (Mark 14:36).

. . . In the next breath, Jesus avoids the Asking Selfishly cliff by surrendering completely: “Yet not what I will, but what you will” (14:36). Jesus is real about his feelings, but they don’t control him, nor does he try to control God with them. He doesn’t use his ability to communicate with his Father as a means of doing his own will. He submits to the story that his Father is weaving in his life.

And most of us know what happens after Jesus prayed: he was unjustly crucified by the Pharisees and Roman authorities.

Reading that prayer through the lens of A Praying Life struck me with a view I’d never had before: God denied Jesus’ request. Jesus must submit to the Father’s will and not follow his own. If God can say no to his own son, how can I expect a “yes” answer to all of my prayers? This realization is a game-changer for me because I now know in these things I must submit myself to God’s will. God’s will is not for me to have children right now. It is a painful answer as I’m sure temporary separation from the Father was a painful answer for Jesus. It’s a painful answer for God to tell dear friends that they will remain unemployed for several years.

Not that submitting to the will of God will be easy; in fact, it will be even harder knowing I must do it willingly.

29 Thought-Provoking Life Questions You Should Constantly Ask Yourself

Andy at My Story to You… posted 30 Thought-Provoking Life Questions You Should Constantly Ask Yourself. (I deleted the last one because it was a repeat of #25.) I don’t know if I’d constantly ask myself these questions, but it’s a good one-shot post.

1) What great thing would you attempt if you knew you couldn’t fail?

I’d begin an editing business. First, I’d solely take on editing projects by myself to establish a reputation. If more requests came in and I could afford to pay another editor to take on a project, I’d hire someone else. I would like this editing business to grow so that the editing business becomes a network of freelance editors.

2) What would you do if you were 10 times bolder in your relationships, work, family, and spiritual life?

If I were 10 times bolder in relationships including family, I’d be completely honest about my struggles. In work, I would do things and risk suffering the consequences of my actions later. In my spiritual life, I’d believe in God boldly and His ability to do amazing things in my life and the lives of those I know.

3) What would you be doing if you had all the money in the world?

Honestly? Spending it on myself selfishly lol. I’d get voice lessons for fun. I’d spend some on missionaries and charitable organizations my husband and I support. I’d also put it toward my editing business to make that dream come true sooner that I hoped! I’d buy things for friends and be less stingy with gift-giving.

4) If you could teach something, what would you want to teach?

English or History.

5) If you left this life tomorrow, what message would you leave behind for the next seven generations?

Meaningless, meaningless, everything is meaningless. So fear God, eat, drink, and be merry!

Bible Verses of the Week

Image from alex-diaz.com

I “randomly” turned to Psalm 103 in my devotions yesterday, and it was full of quote-worthy verses. Here’s a passage that stood out to me:

The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. (v. 8)

Oddly enough, a few days ago, I read in Joel 2:

Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and relenting of evil. (v. 13)

I like these verses because they are reminders of God’s attributes. In the midst of my pain, stress, and anxiety, I don’t feel a God who is any of these things. (Well, maybe the slow to anger part because I haven’t been smited yet.)

But God is gracious: I have three, going on four, part-time jobs in a down economy.

God is compassionate: I am earning money to pay bills and start a freelancing business.

God is slow to anger: In all the stupid ways I’ve disobeyed him and blasphemed, he still loves me.

God is abounding in lovingkindness: He has surrounded me with supportive friends and family.

God is relenting of evil: Oh, the punishment I deserve for being a rebellious child and having my heart set against him!

Satan has really set some attacks against me so that I destroy myself. But I am thankful that God’s truths are reiterated in different ways.

 

Blogging: I Love It and Hate It + Assorted Rambling

Building traffic and revving up my SEO marketing sounds nice in theory, but I don’t have time for it. While I love writing, I am daunted by a blog’s need for content. It is always hungry, never satiated, always wanting more.

I don’t blog every day because, frankly, I have nothing of value to add each day. I don’t want this blog to become “I had a good day today because my family was here!” or “I had a horrible day today. Worst day EVAR!!!” I want this blog to be somewhat smart and interesting. I want to tackle topics that are important to me that other people don’t talk about. (Well, I could talk about poop but moms of newborns have that covered.) Okay, maybe I’ll tackle politics this year.

I have several blogs, each focused on a different topic: Pop! Goes the Music focuses on pop music but I’ll probably only post to that when I feel like it rather than trying to establish a regular posting schedule. I’ve been upfront on depression introspection that the site is rarely updated and mainly offered as a resource. I also have a professional blog about the dynamics of the American English language.

Posting to This Journey Is My Own is still fun. I don’t do it often, much of my posts are scheduled (thanks to prompts), and I blog when I want to rather than feeling like I need to (as with my professional blog). I also like that my readership is moderate despite that wacky 992 e-mail subscriber number.

Name a musical artist or group that you’d enjoy performing with.

Gosh. It used to be Madonna but now it might be Britney Spears.

2012 Goals

Happy New Year! Since it’s the first of the year, it’s time to post this year’s goals! I’ve set reminders so that I can do a mid-year and end-of-year check-in. Nothing special here; just a straightforward list of my goals.

1. Schedule a blog post for each week
2. Go to the gym on Tuesdays for at least 15 minutes
3. Strength train Mondays and Thursdays a week for at least 15 minutes
4. Put aside $25 per paycheck ($50/month) for website redesign in March 2012 (before website expiration in April)
5. Combat discontent by listing 3 things every day that I’m grateful for
6. Relax 2 times a month on the Sabbath (a day off, not necessarily Sunday) by reading, listening to music, dancing, napping, meditating, watching a movie (something fun) for most of the day
7. Read a book for at least 15 minutes 3 times a week
8. Read 36 books (3 books a month) by December 31
9. Complete half of manuscript rewrite by June 2012 (Work on 10 pages once a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Saturdays for 2 hours)
10. Complete rewrite of manuscript by December 2012
11. Edit for 1 new client this year

Helpful tools assisting me this year:

Blogging: WordPress

Gym of choice: Planet Fitness

Strength training guru: Personal Training with Jackie Warner: Power Circuit Training

Saving money: PNC’s Virtual Wallet

Tracking habits-in-the-making: Health Month

Reading books: Goodreads

Organizing novel structure: Scrivener

Tracking time, cost, and billing of clients: Time Master + Billing

Who writes the best song lyrics?

Aimee Mann.

Share what you enjoy most about today’s technology.

The connectivity.

Random, stream-of-consciousness post

Because kittens are pure cute evil. Image from theonion.com.

I am sitting at work where it’s very slow. So I’m typing a post because I really have nothing else to do. Problem is, I’m so exhausted that I don’t really have anything to say. So here’s a stream-of-consciousness post that I’ll type and hope that somehow, parts of it make sense.

What’s on my mind?

The 2012 GOP primary: I really don’t want Newt Gingrich to be the nominee.

The 2012 presidential election: I prefer Romney over Obama.

Unemployment numbers dropping: Unemployment numbers are dropping because people are working part-time and don’t qualify for unemployment or have stopped looking for work because they’ve maxed out unemployment benefits.

Holiday parties: I’m holiday partied out.

Lifehacker and the Gawker family: I still hate their layout.

Facebook Timeline: Why should I adopt it? They’re just going to change it in the next few months anyway.

PMS: Sucks.

Social skills: I wish I were more social. I mean, I need to take a class on how to hold a conversation with people I don’t know. Or rather a class on how to care about people you don’t know and probably will never meet again. Who’s with me on a class for that?

My hair: I have an afro. I love it and hate it.

My jobs: I work a lot.

Rest: I can haz it?

My birthday party: I fear it will be a disaster.

Editing my client’s book: I don’t trust myself to edit a single thing today.

I’ll probably add more as I think of it.

Do you prefer to write notes on paper or on an electronic device?

I do both. I have:

a ruled Moleskine notebook

Image from papyrusonline.com

 

and use Appigo’s ToDo app on my iPhone and ToDo online to have complete connectivity between my mobile device and computer.

Image from appigo.com/todo

2011 Resolutions… Goals… Targets… Year’s End Evaluation

It’s December 4, and this is my final evaluation of my 2011 resolutions. You can read my original 2011 resolutions here and my mid-year resolution evaluation here.

The problem with New Year’s resolutions is often that people think of them as fixed goals. People are more likely to succeed when they think of their goals as fluid, having the ability to change based on circumstances. For example, a person with a broken leg for the first half of the year probably isn’t going to be able to run a marathon in April. It’s not a failed goal; it just needs to be changed to later in the year. Then it can become a successful, attainable goal.

You might have heard this mnemonic before, but I’ll introduce it anyway. All set goals need to be SMART. Let’s continue with the broken leg example.

Specific: Answers who (you), what (the goal), why (are you doing this?), where (if applicable as in Philadelphia for a marathon), and which problems (current leg injury).
Measurable: Answers how (how much will you train? how many miles will you run? how will you know if you’ve met your time goal?)
Attainable: Is this goal doable? What specific practices do you need to implement in order to meet the goal?
Realistic: Can you realistically do this? Are there any/will there be any constraints that will keep you from meeting your goal?
Time-bound: Answers when (the goal must be met). Break down the when into smaller increments (eg, training every day but Sunday for the next 12 weeks). Again, evaluate whether this is realistic.

—

The following is the year-end evaluation of my goals revised in June:

2011 Goals

1. Land an agent for my young adult novel. Build up clientele for book editing. I haven’t had a chance to tackle this yet due to financial and time constraints, but I do have a plan to implement this that will likely launch in 2012. And it won’t be just book editing. I also need to evaluate how I’m going to measure this goal, eg, “Obtain 2 clients for editing work by September.”
2. Exercise for at least 15 minutes 4 times a week. Exercise for at least 20 minutes 2 times a week. Exercise is my biggest challenge. I haven’t been able to even keep to this schedule. A more realistic goal would simply be to go to the gym once a week and exercise for 15 minutes.
3. Lose 25 lbs. Lose and keep off 10 lbs. I’ve actually gained 10 lbs rather than lost in the past year. I have joined Weight Watchers to rectify that.
   
4. Eat more salads and vegetables. As a result of joining Weight Watchers, it has forced me to eat more salads, fruits, and vegetables. A better defined goal would have been, “Eat salads, fruits, and vegetables at least twice a day five times a week.”
5. Complete the reading of 80 books. I have read less than 60 books this year because my life was so busy. Next year, 60 books is a more reasonable goal.
6. Relax on the Sabbath (Sunday). This is still a difficult one for me as I don’t know how to simply settle down and relax. It’ll continue to be a goal for 2012, however, I need to make it more specific as to how I can evaluate how I’ve successfully met this goal. It’s currently too broad.
7. Attend CCEF’s October conference in Louisville. I attended four weddings in New York and Florida this year prior to the conference. I wasn’t expecting that when I set this goal. As a result, I was tapped out for spending money.
   
8. Learn to be content with what I have and who I am. This is an ongoing process that God is still working on me. This goal needs to be more specific in how I can measure what it means for me to be content.
9. Spend more time Focus on building discipline with God through prayer and Bible reading. This also is an ongoing process. My husband and I have been good about prayer at night recently but I’ve failed at personal prayer and Bible reading. I need to make this goal a bit more measurable.
10. Attend morning church services at my home church at least twice a month. This is a goal that I’ve managed to attain ever since I began attending another church—praise God!
11. Write a post (nearly) every day once a week on different aspects of enjoying something that God is teaching/has taught me. I haven’t kept to this goal, mostly because I forgot about it or I just didn’t know what to write about. It was a good goal to reach for but in the end, my memory failed me.
12. Cut down on sweets aka be less addicted to sugar. Designate specific days for dessert and stick to it. I’ve failed at this and miserably. However, this goal will disappear thanks to Weight Watchers.
13. Read through three of the seven books in Chronicles of Narnia. Fail. I haven’t touched the Narnia books this year.
14. Hold scheduled write-ins at the library through the month of November for NaNoWriMo. Complete the rewrite of my novel before December 31. Fail. I hope to just begin working on the rewrite again before year’s end.

Resolutions, goals, target, etc. aren’t bad things to set at the beginning of the year, and they are not necessarily recipes for disaster or failure. It’s possible to create successful New Year’s resolutions, as long as they are:

• SMART
• Seen regularly (post them up on a wall with regular visibility)
• Evaluated periodically (revise biannually or quarterly)

I have a funny feeling 2012 is going to be a more successful year in regard to my goals.