Search Engine Optimization

So you've started a blog. Now all you have to do is sit back and wait for people to stop by, right? Wrong! This blogosphere in which you now "reside" is a vast domain, and many little blogs languish without ever being discovered. You have to help people find you.

There are several ways to do this, and I recommend using a combination of methods.

• Visit other blogs and leave relevant comments. (To have a friend you must first be a friend, right?) Whatever you do, please do not go around leaving irrelevant or, worse yet, spam comments. That is a good way to get people mad at you in a hurry. Do make sure you enter your blog's URL in the appropriate box so people can find you.
• Participate - in forums, memes, carnivals, and contests. These are great traffic builders.
• Optimize your blog for search engine visibility. Common Search Engine Optimization (SEO) practices include making keywords bold, writing succinct titles stating what the post content will discuss, adding meta tags and keywords to your template code, and submitting your blog to web directories.

The first two tips are easy to implement. The third one is a bit harder. There is quite a bit to learn about SEO, and some people prefer to accept the services of experts in the field. SEO companies increase your search engine visibility when you take advantage of their submission services or other SEO services. Many companies offer their own blog or podcast, where you can glean SEO ideas.

No matter which of my tips you choose to implement, making changes to your blogging practice will certainly only help your blog. What are your favorite traffic boosting tips?

Designing Problems!

Okay, this is going to be a big-time rant! I am so aggravated and annoyed right now I could scream.

I am a self-employed blog designer who works mainly with images - creating headers and such. I love my job/work/whatever you want to call it. However, my ambition is to create websites and blogs, so I am always eager to take on a new challenge. So far, I have been able to conquer the new platforms I have faced: TypePad, HomeSchool Blogger, free WordPress (like rsdesigns.wordpress.com), hosted WordPress (like designsbyrs.com), and, of course, Blogger - I have worked with all of these platforms. Successfully, I might add. A couple of them took me several hours to figure out, but I did figure them out. Right now, I am working on not one but two(!) projects on new platforms: yahoo.com and GoDaddy.com, and I am about to tear my hair out!

Yahoo.com is giving me the most problems right now. It seems as though they do not want you to find the template HTML/PHP. They certainly don't make it easy! If I can just gain access to that, I think the hard part will be over.

GoDaddy.com is presenting a different problem: I'm having to install WordPress, and as it turns out, GoDaddy.com is rather notorious for being difficult when it comes to installing WordPress. Of course!

I am determined to figure these problems out, but I thought I'd rant for a second. Alright ... you may return to your normal lives. Thanks for listening to a frustrated artist. *grin*

The Opinionated Parent

If you like freebies, this blog is for you!

Combining product reviews with freebies, The Opinionated Parent is the place to go for fun and information. Looking for asthma-friendly plush toys? They've got that covered. Tired of the battle to keep your child in bed at night? Read up on the Goodnight Stoplight. Are your hands dried out, chapped, and cracking from working with paper or repeated washings? The Opinionated Parent can tell you about a protective lotion that is like having gloves in a bottle.

For me, the best part about this blog is that they give away whatever product they review. You could win something every day (if you were extremely lucky, that is).

Hat tip: Tanyetta of Days to Come

A Favorite Blog

I love reading blogs and making friends with fellow bloggers. Karen, who blogs at Thrifty Mommy.com, has become one of my best friends, even though we have yet to meet in real life. She blogs with her friend Kelly, and they offer frugal finds and ideas for living the thrifty life. Frugal Friday is a favorite ongoing series, and you can always count on Thrifty Mommy telling you where to find great deals. If you enjoy living frugally or need to scale back on your expenses, you are bound to find some helpful ideas at Thrifty Mommy.