Looking for feedback on blog site

jrdorkin · #1 (**permalink**) 04-09-2007, 09:36 PM

Hey everyone! I'd love to get some feedback on my site http://www.timeforblogging.com - a blog about entrepreneurship, making money online, ecommerce, forums, and more.

Thanks in advance!

davebarnes · #2 (**permalink**) 04-09-2007, 10:34 PM

Come back in 3 months when there is more meat.

jrdorkin · #3 (**permalink**) 04-10-2007, 12:03 AM

More meat?? There are close to 60 posts on the site! The reason I'm requesting feedback is to see if people like the direction the blog is going.

Is there anyone who can give me some real feedback?

Thanks!

nseidm1 · #4 (**permalink**) 04-10-2007, 03:10 PM

Well, in general with 60 articles you are indeed generating good original content. All a blog can do is keep adding content, but if you have the html and php coding skills do indeed go into the files and tweak them regarding meta tags and semantical structure. The combination of good html/php coding, and origional content, will allow search engines to index your site well. You have a great amount of origional content, and I assume based on your enthusiasm that you will continue to add more content, you are on the right track. Submit a sitemap via google webmaster tools, give it some time and you will see results guaranteed. Search engine indexing takes time, but keep doing what your doing and you will see results.

jrdorkin · #5 (**permalink**) 04-10-2007, 04:17 PM

Thank you for taking the time to review the site. I appreciate it. Does anyone else have any constructive feedback?

bhartzer · #6 (**permalink**) 04-10-2007, 05:35 PM

jrdorkin, I generally think you're off to a good start. There are a few things that I would change, though, which are critical to your blog's success in the search engines. I personally would say that most blogs out there make these mistakes--so you're not alone.

- Remove all the internal links to the posts by date. Who cares what you posted on January 10th? When was the last time you decided to see what a blogger posted on a particular day? Besides, the posts by date links contribute to a lot of duplicate content on the site.

- Remove the Archives. Again, more duplicate content.

- Remove the "previous...next...posts". Again, more duplicate content issues.

Generally speaking, I would only have your "Categories" turned on in the blog's template or "theme". Also, duplicate content leads to supplemental pages, bad rankings, and the proper "link credit" not being passed around the site correctly.

Also, it looks like the home page is showing the full post--I prefer to use the "more" tag in order to cut off the post at some point and force people to click on the post to go further. That leads to additional pageviews on the site--it also takes care of a duplicate content issue on the home page of your blog.

One more thing--you might take a look at your blog's ping list because most likely you aren't taking advantage of all the sites that you can ping when you post.

iany · #7 (**permalink**) 04-10-2007, 06:26 PM

I see that you are using WordPress which is good, but you have managed to spoil the template by using invalid html, quite a feat in WordPress.
See: http://validator.w3.org/check?verbos...logging.com%2F

Quite ironic really when a key item is on SEO. A fundamental of SEO is writing good valid html. Go sort it please.

Ian

MikeinFlorida · #8 (**permalink**) 04-11-2007, 11:43 AM

Josh: You generally have a very nice site to start with, but the design reminds me a lot of a newspaper. It's old and out of date to start with. You need some color -- some zip so that when visitors hit the site they'll stay on it.

Additionally, it's very important that you realize what "stop" words are in search engine optimization. The word "FOR" is a stop word in seo and you have it in your url. This could and probably will damage your rankings organically. You might check with a good seo firm regarding the name.

Overall, the site is a good start. Good luck with it!

bhartzer · #9 (**permalink**) 04-11-2007, 03:40 PM

Quote:

A fundamental of SEO is writing good valid html.

Sorry, but I just have to jump in here and say this:

Having html on your site that's w3c compliant has absolutely nothing to do with search engine rankings. Yes, it's good practice to have valid html, but it has NOTHING to do with SEO.

bhartzer · #10 (**permalink**) 04-11-2007, 03:45 PM

Quote:

The word "FOR" is a stop word in seo and you have it in your url. This could and probably will damage your rankings organically.

The word "for" is a stop word, but who cares if it's used in a URL, especially the domain name. When it comes to actual search engine rankings, the domain name does not matter.

You mean to tell me that these sites won't do well in the search engine rankings because they have the word "for" in them? That's just not true.

ronchalice · #11 (**permalink**) 04-11-2007, 06:27 PM

Like the site Josh, some good information, and a good start.

Perhaps a smidge of padding on the left, so the text doesn't slam the border when the browser isn't wide open.

It's news, it's good information, so it's okay that it looks like a newspaper... Not everything has to look like a video game.

Reminds me of a story... I'll just put a little of it here. If you want to read the rest, there'll be a link. I know everybody has a lot to do.

"So there’s this guy… decides he needs a website for his business. Goes to a webgeek and gets a bid for a bazillion dollars. They cut a deal, half-a-bazillion down and the other half on delivery. Three months later, the webgeek delivers the first couple of prototypes. The customer frowns. He gives the webguy a bunch of photographs and graphics about his business. “Use these. Go away and come back with something better.”

Another three months and the webgeek is back, with more of what he brought before. Customer frowns…

Webgeek goes through his stuff…

“Hot colors! Man, the kids dig hot colors… gotta have ‘em.”
“Animation! Gotta have it. The kids dig animation. The more the better.”
“Video! Hot linked right to YouTube! The kids are gonna LOVE this site.”

“Where’s all the copy I gave you?” the customer asks.

“Boring,” says the webguy. “Kids don’t want to read all that stuff. They want pictures… ACTION!”

to see the rest of the story, you can go here if you'd like: http://chalicemedia.com/blog/?p=78

jrdorkin · #12 (**permalink**) 04-12-2007, 01:25 PM

Thanks for all the feedback. I'm focusing more on substance over style on the site. I'm glad there hasn't been a negative comment on that part of things. In time I'll pretty things up, but for now, I will continue to focus on content. Do any of you plan on returning? Any other thoughts?

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