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Can someone rate my blog please?

by Sparhawke
9 replies
I am extremely new to this forum (30 minutes and counting) and am not sure where to put this, basically I am testing out my writing and blog building skills and am not sure where I am going wrong, and where I am going right! lol

I do not want to simply mess up a winning formula but I cannot figure out how to get my blog to the top of google where it so desperately deserves to be and other things I should be doing..

Can anyone take a look and give some feedback as to what I should be doing and changing if it is needed?

I have already set up an affiliate link with amazon, just waiting for them to start paying me.

I have some easy to follow articles.

I have gotten one of the most prolific blog writers to mention my blog in hers and another guy who owns one of the biggest associated fansites to mention my blog in his...

I am just not getting any views

(I didnt know where else to put this, if in wrong place please move it?)

[Link in signature]
#blog #rate
  • Profile picture of the author Sparhawke
    Can someone rate and critique it please?
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    “Thinking is easy, Acting is difficult
    And to put one's thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world ~ Goethe”
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    • Profile picture of the author Sara Young
      The first thing you need to do is learn how to do keyword research and optimize your blog entries for those keywords.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dr Dan
      Originally Posted by Sparhawke View Post

      Can someone rate and critique it please?
      I agree that you must do some keyword research or no one will be able to find your blog. Also you need to pay someone 70-150 to make you a custom wordpress blog and get off the basic template on my opinion. I have seen too many of the older looking blogs. Plus with wordpress you can add tons of plugins for free. hire a warrior here to create the custom theme for you. You can probably find someone on scriptlance to install everything for you at 15-30 bucks.

      Also become a war room member and get tons of free resources to install your blog to building a huge email list.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
    I agree with the Sara and Rock Star.

    Along the same lines as doing proper keyword research, you need to title your posts in a fashion that clues your readers in on what the post is about.

    As far as your blog design goes, consider your target market. I'm not very familiar with Runescape. Who plays it? Kids, teens, young adults, retirees? Base your design around the appropriate market. I would say that your current design is going to cause a high bounce rate.

    I would also recommend forking over the $9 for a domain name and $5 per month for hosting so you can host your own site. You never know when blogspot might decide to eliminate your blog for whatever reason. If they do, all of your work will simply vanish into the ether.

    Also, try to tighten up the focus of your advertising. I see an ad for Amazon. Are there companies more closely related to Runescape that offer affiliate programs? Does Runescape itself? Again, I'm not familiar with the game, but I'm aware that other games have third party companies that write and sell guidebooks. Are there any related to Runescape that you can promote? Could you write and promote your own book? Will players pay for such information or is there a lot already free?

    Here's where I would start if I were you:

    1. I'd google: runescape + blog and check out what others are doing. I'll bet you see a good deal of similarity in blog design and advertising. This should give you a ton of ideas.

    2. I'd get a domain name and a hosting account.

    3. Depending on your budget, I'd either get someone to design a blog theme for me (check the warriors for hire section of this forum) or I'd grab a free theme (there are tons designed for gaming sites) and pay someone a few bucks to design a header for me.

    4. I'd read up on seo and install a good seo plugin on my new wordpress site.

    5. Then I'd start writing, back linking, article marketing, guest posting, etc. Find a rhythm that suits you and work it.

    If you search this forum, you can find much better outlines than I've provided. Just do a little digging.

    ~Dan
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    Raising a child is akin to knowing you're getting fired in 18 years and having to train your replacement without actively sabotaging them.

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    • Profile picture of the author Sparhawke
      To Dan, I have closely considered your advice and it is great...I really want to thank you and everyone else for your help

      To answer:

      Along the same lines as doing proper keyword research, you need to title your posts in a fashion that clues your readers in on what the post is about.
      I am just learning how to do this in the shortest possible space at the moment...it is one thing I am working on hard and what tends to take me the longest time lol


      As far as your blog design goes, consider your target market. I'm not very familiar with Runescape. Who plays it? Kids, teens, young adults, retirees? Base your design around the appropriate market. I would say that your current design is going to cause a high bounce rate.
      Right now I am very limited by blogspot and thier templates, I will be working on a custom design from a few up and coming graphic artists in the main forum I moderate currently so hopefully that won't be long a problem lol

      I would also recommend forking over the $9 for a domain name and $5 per month for hosting so you can host your own site. You never know when blogspot might decide to eliminate your blog for whatever reason. If they do, all of your work will simply vanish into the ether.
      It cost me $11 from godaddy and shouldn't be that hard to figure out if you look at my name though it is simply a generic landing page right now for them until I get hosting done, it may be a little more expensive but personally I think paying a small premium for one of the most recognised registrars for your first site is important, skimping on the costs can always come with experience lol

      I do have a great name though and it is known worldwide from the games company CEO, owner and lead programmer, player support teams, fansites, many thousands of players...so shouldnt be that hard to get word out lol

      Also, try to tighten up the focus of your advertising. I see an ad for Amazon. Are there companies more closely related to Runescape that offer affiliate programs? Does Runescape itself? Again, I'm not familiar with the game, but I'm aware that other games have third party companies that write and sell guidebooks. Are there any related to Runescape that you can promote? Could you write and promote your own book? Will players pay for such information or is there a lot already free?
      This is what I will be doing when I have got a month or two under my belt, going to the games company directly and getting them to supply me with some ultra targeted advertisement, that will also help me reach thousands of potential readers too as they might put me on their official fansites list since they already know my name well and will see that I am not about to steal game passwords lol
      RuneScape - the massive online adventure game by Jagex Games Studio







      1. I'd google: runescape + blog and check out what others are doing. I'll bet you see a good deal of similarity in blog design and advertising. This should give you a ton of ideas.
      I have got a guy who owns a fansite on the officially recognised list who mentions and links to me in his blog, the biggest blog writer for Runescape regularly mentioning me, even years ago before I knew her so will use them and others to get ideas and share readers lol

      2. I'd get a domain name and a hosting account.
      50% done :p

      3. Depending on your budget, I'd either get someone to design a blog theme for me (check the warriors for hire section of this forum) or I'd grab a free theme (there are tons designed for gaming sites) and pay someone a few bucks to design a header for me.
      My budget is next to nil, I cannot even afford to put £2 in my bank account to verify paypal to get hosting (lol) but others have helped me out in the past and hopefully if I put up a credits list it will help the artists and me in the future...

      4. I'd read up on seo and install a good seo plugin on my new wordpress site.
      I have known people for a good long time now who can help me on this and probably help me get right near the top. I doubt I will ever oust the huge players in that arena who have been at it 5-8 years, really I hope to be a partner to them, help out in an area they cannot so they don't think to crush me but send traffic my way

      5. Then I'd start writing, back linking, article marketing, guest posting, etc. Find a rhythm that suits you and work it.
      This is the toughest part I feel, I am already well known but actually getting people to start recommending my site rather than simply PMing me...tough one lol
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      “Thinking is easy, Acting is difficult
      And to put one's thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world ~ Goethe”
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      • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
        Originally Posted by Sparhawke View Post


        It cost me $11 from godaddy and shouldn't be that hard to figure out if you look at my name though it is simply a generic landing page right now for them until I get hosting done, it may be a little more expensive but personally I think paying a small premium for one of the most recognised registrars for your first site is important, skimping on the costs can always come with experience lol
        Another little tip for you: never pay full price for a domain. You could have paid $7.17 total by googling "godaddy" and clicking on their ad -- it's always the first (paid) listing. They typically offer .coms for $6.99 from this ad. I just checked and it still works.

        You can also google "[whatever registrar you want to use] coupon" to find coupon codes for whomever you want to use.

        As far as hosting goes, you'll need to pay upfront to get the lowest price. For example, Blue Host advertises $3.95 per month hosting, but you'll have to pay 36 months in advance to get it. Host Gator advertises $4.95 per month, but, again, you'll have to pay 36 months in advance. If you want to go month to month, that same Host Gator plan will cost you $8.95 per month.

        I only mention this because you state you are on a budget. Depending how long it would take you to come up with a couple hundred bucks, you might just want to stay on blogger for a while.

        Conversely, you might want to save up that same money and throw it at site design and pay the higher month to month.

        The dollar amounts are so small when it comes to domain fees and hosting that you probably have small items in your monthly budget that you can drop to make up the difference.

        For example, maybe you pay extra on your cell plan for unlimited texts. You could cut that.

        Maybe you drain a Starbucks coffee once a day. Switch to gas station coffee one day a week and you probably cover your hosting expense for the month.

        Maybe you could write two $5 articles per month for someone? That'll cover your hosting.

        I'm really just thinking out loud here. Some of the things you said struck a chord with me and made me think back to when I started out. I remember thinking I couldn't afford vital things (not saying that's what **you** think -- again, just struck a chord). Once I took a look at my budget, I realized that I didn't need to make additional money. I just needed to cut a couple items from my budget I'd never really miss.

        For example, I cut my $15 Rhapsody subscription that I used maybe once a month. I brownbagged lunch once a week (saved me a minimum of $35 a month) and extended the term on my gym membership which dropped the monthly cost by $10.

        I didn't cut the coffee, though. Some things are simply sacred.
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        Raising a child is akin to knowing you're getting fired in 18 years and having to train your replacement without actively sabotaging them.

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  • Profile picture of the author Dr Dan
    riff/ Dan just hooked you up! I would print what he just posted and put in on your wall and follow each suggestion to the "T".
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  • Profile picture of the author rapsolo
    Dan,

    The steps you highlighted in your post is a goldmine!. I will incorporate that to my game plain.

    Rapheal
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  • Profile picture of the author Sparhawke
    Thanks guys for all the feedback, the reason why it is on a blogspot right now is because of the money issue and my blog is optomised for keywords actually.

    It is just that the keywords most searched for happen to be highly illegal and against the ToS and having an official gamemaster writing about the bad stuff would just be counter productive lol

    I have taken your ideas on board anyway and am planning to get my own website up and running in Febuary...just to see how it goes
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    “Thinking is easy, Acting is difficult
    And to put one's thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world ~ Goethe”
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