Web-it Lesson #18

Here’s the latest on Google Sitemap Compliance.  

The Really Simple Sitemap we created in Lesson 13 is super simple, easy to navigate and can be crawled by the search engines but it isn’t fully Google compliant.  I found this out while writing my last post and verifying my new sitemap with Google. 

In order for your site to be Google compliant it needs to be in the XML format.  The problem is that most of the plug-ins that meet the requirements these days are really ugly.

So what you want to do is keep your Really Simple Sitemap that you just installed a couple of lessons back and install a second more ugly sitemap that the public doesn’t see.  

• The Really Simple Sitemap is not only great looking but also functional and helps your site visitors get around with ease.
• The ugly XML sitemap is totally compliant and only the search engines see it.  See my ugly Google XML Sitemap

To get a Google Compliant Sitemap for yourself simply click on Add New Plug-Ins in your Wordpress Admin and  search for the word “sitemap”. Choose the Google XML Sitemap and activate it.  

Once activated you need to submit the new Sitemap URL to Google Webmaster Tools.

Note: Your new Google compliant sitemap url should look something like this once it’s created - http://yourblog.com/sitemap.xml

Webit Video Lesson # 16 - How to Remove The Max Banner Ad Links From Your Blog

This simple lesson teaches you how to remove the “Powered by Max Banner Ads” placed under every single banner when using their free version.

Max Banner Ads is a free Wordpress plug-in that provides a super simple way to easily place and manage banners and other scripts on your blog.

The pro version allows you to remove the advertisement links. You may want to do this in order to make your site look more tidy and professional.

To access Max Banner Ads Pro you simply click on the Max Banner Ads link in your Wordpress admin panel and then click Remove “Powered by Max Banner Ads“. This will take you to their pro page.

This Short Video Lesson Will Show You How I Remove The Ads

Happy Web-It

Tom Jones

Webit Geek Lesson,

Here are 10 basic steps that every Blogger should consider when starting up a new blog.  Skip any of these and it might mean disaster. 

With the addition of social networking, a Blogger now has an excellent way to network with peers while createing new contacts, site visitors and plenty of free organic search traffic. 

10 Items Vital To The Success Or Failure Of Your Blog 

See All Of The Lessons Here

1. Do keyword research in your niche. more
2. Choose a highly targeted keyword rich unique domain name for your blog.  see lesson 2
3. Select the right web host up front to avoid almost every technical issue. see lesson 4
4. Decide on a theme and logo that properly represents your site. 
5. Write interesting and compelling content that speaks to your readers about your niche topic. It’s also a good idea to use keywords in your title.  Never over use keywords, just write naturally.  Use 2 to 5 tags per post that are keyword relevant to the article.
6. Post relevant content at least every 2 to 3 days. Mix in anything else you want over and above that as long as it’s interesting to you and your readers.
7. Sign up with your Sociable groups and then submit each relevant post to your Sociable groups as soon as you add a new post. Your Sociable groups are the Wordpress plug-in we installed in Lesson 12 Part 4. These icons show at the end of every one of your post.  You need to click each one of those icons and submit your post or bookmark to them.  Submit to at least 5 of them after every single post and be sure to include Digg and Stumble . Consider using Twitter to announce your most important events.
8. Link to and occasionally write about the authority blogs and/or websites in your niche. When they return the favor or ping you back, it’s really powerful as far a Google is concerned and you get much better quality scores. Make a few relevant comments in large Forums in your niche throughout the month. Be part of the conversation or thread. Leave just your site link. The larger the Forum the better.
9. Sign up for MyBlogLog and join communities (be sure to join mine) in your niche. Be sure to join 10 to 15 communities and contact at least 15 new people (members) every day and invite them to your site. Every single day! Takes you about 15 minutes.
10. Submit your very best articles to 1 or 2 major article sites. You can Search Google to find major article sites that best fit your niche. You can also check out this post at MaxBlogPress for more talk about this subject and to find a great list of sites to submit your articles to.

Pretty simple huh, no black hat, no super seo or thousand backlinks trick.

Just good old fashioned content along with a little modern social networking provides a powerful combination that Google likes, which in turn gives you lots of free organic traffic. See the Webit Geek first 30 days awstats.  We have already doubled the growth rate since this video was produced compared to last month.

You may have noticed that I didn’t include monetizing the blog as one of the 10 steps.  That’s because your Blog can grow quite nicely without it.  Some Bloggers try to build readership to 3000 to 5000 visitors a month first and then sell ad space.  Blog’s selling space to 10 advertisers at 500 a month adds 5,000 a month income. Blogs with 10,000 or more visitors a month can charge 1,000 or more a month for the same space.

You can also monetize your blog one step at a time, like me, adding a new banner or two each time you start a new affiliate relationship in your niche. There’s no rush however, it’s a process, but the ultimate goal is to build up and sell advertising space.

For good ideas on what kinds of things to market on your site you might want to check out some major Affiliate sites like, Share-A-Sale, Commission Junction, E-Junkie or even Clickbank to find a wealth of good things to present to your niche market.

Happy Web-It,

Tom Jones

Webit Insight

So what is so great about social networking anyway?  Nothing very exciting right?

Just ran into this short video talking about the true meaning of social networking.

I share a little, you share a little, we all share our knowledge and insight. On it’s own…nothing special, but as a whole, it’s nothing less than magical.

          “just regular people sharing regular stuff”

Happy Webit,

Tom Jones

Webit Product Review

Greetings,

I found the best software tool the other day that I’m so excited to tell you about.  It’s a simple little Password Saver tool that literally saves me. 

If your anything like me, then you have dozens of user-names, passwords, credit cards etc.   How do you keep it all straight? 

 Like a dummy, I have kept a note pad by my side table for years with all of the passwords for anyone to walk up and take.  Lucky for me nothing has ever happened. Fire…theft…flood.

Last week I tried a free download of Password Saver and purchased it within minutes. I liked it that much. It is not only simple to use but also extremely useful and is the greatest for organizing and saving your most important information.

All you have to do is remember just one password – that’s it.  All of your private information is saved and encrypted into one file using the finest encryption software available today.

Password saver allows you to customize any field, hide or show passwords and keep generous notes on any important issue. You can save obscure details like license keys, registration codes, original email address, credit card information, order information etc. 

You will never have to type a web address, user name or password again. Never look for your wallet to find a credit card. You can use Password Saver to auto-save and paste your most secure input into the screens. It’s a real time saver.

You can save multiple copies of the single encrypted file anywhere and on any ones system, even online.  You are totally safe. You are the only one that knows the password.

Warning, never ever forget your password. Even the manufacturer can’t break their own code.

Download A Free Trial Here

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Happy Web-it

Tom Jones