WordPress Sites

Currently, I am making sample sites on WordPress.com.  I found setting up a site rather easy.  As I perfect my wordpress samples, I am starting to think about what plugins are actually useful.  Of course, you have to pay a monthly charge to be able to use the plug ins.  I’m using a free account, so I can’t add any of the plugins, even the free ones.  After I build a couple of samples, I plan to build a site for myself and start offering my services to small businesses and individuals who need simple yet powerful websites.

 

 

A look at SEO

Over the last few days I’ve looked into Search Engine Optimization (SEO).  Search Engine Optimization is the art, and an art it truly is, of getting higher on the results pages of major search engines.

The reason it is an art is that no one on the inside will tell anyone how the rankings completely work.  It is a combination of tags and keywords in the HTML code of site, fresh content, popularity, and relevance to search being done.

The HTML codes and tags by far are the most straight forward parts.  Basically, adding tags that help the web crawlers (the digital agents that search the web for the search engines) understand what they are looking at.  Another part of codes and the way the site is built is having a site map to let show the crawlers where they need to go.

As far as fresh content, that’s simple enough blog posts, new articles, and anything to keep the site fresh and updated.  No one wants to read the same thing over and over again.  Even for a store or restaurant it’s easy enough to have updated sales and specials. Even some reviews of products could keep a site fresh.

Finally popularity is really measured by how many other sites link back to a site.  These links could be references to blogs or posts in another blog or site, or simply shares on Facebook, Twitter or other social media sites.  Now, still it appears that certain sites have a more weighted “vote” when it comes to links than others.  Wikipedia, CNN or another large, well trusted site linking to your webpage is going to give more credence than another small blog.

Relevance is how well your site matches what people are looking for.  It is hopefully unlikely that a food blog will show up on a search for car parts.  With relevance a carefully constructed blog post that still has relevant and useful content can increase your ranking with the search engines.

 

 

Why am I doing this?

Well, this is the first post.  Right now, I’m thinking about why am I trying to move from being an employee to self-employed and eventually business owner.  Well, there are two large reasons.  For me, I want to leave the rat race, travel and be able to move from place to place.  With this I’m looking for opportunities that don’t tie me to one place.  For others, I want to build something that will bring hope and opportunity for others.  Build them a place to be safe and teach people to be independent themselves.

When I graduated from high school, I went right to full-time work within two weeks.  I’m never went to college or took time to enjoy a little lack of responsibility.  No at nearly forty.  I have only two bills; my car and my cellphone.  But in today’s economy and the area I’m in, I struggle just for those two to get paid.  I’ve come to realize that your always limited as an employee in how much your employer will permit you to make.  There are always budgets and restriction.  No or limited overtime or a salaried position.  The boss basically tells you how much you’re going to make.  Don’t take me wrong, really, being an employee does build discipline and teach you about the “real world.”  However, to really grow financially you need to leverage your skills in the open market.

Today’s technology has allowed us to work from pratically anywhere.  With just a computer, tablet, and smartphone you can now work from Starbuck in Times Square or your apartment, or even a hotel halfway around the world.

So now as I learn the skills I need to begin a path.  I am chronicling the path here to hopefully both give others the chance to see my successes and my failures and also possible to gain some advice from others on a path to take.

Right now, I’ve looked at a few systems that are being pushed on the internet.  I’ve begun to try one from Fred Lam and Robert Kiyosaki for building eCommerce sites using dropshipping direct from China.  Now of course, they show you all the steps and then tell you how much better it is with thier software that costs quite a bit of money.  I did follow the steps but I think when I picked the niche of my store it was a bad niche at a bad time.  I’m trying to sell fidget toys.  Fidget spinners, fidget cubes even an octopus fidget pen.

So at the same time I’m also learning through websites and tutorials about web design and search engine optimization.  I really should have caught onto these sooner.  But, when I was in school, the internet as we know it was just starting and our school computers were not web ready, nor did I have internet at home.  This is how the founder of Location Rebel had gotten started with offering.

I’ve also watched webinars on click funnels (e-mail marketing) and how to sell a system or information packages for big bucks (using click funnels).  Really, I want to contribute something to make my money.  Not just sell dreams.

I’m not looking to get rich quick. Right now, rich isn’t the goal.  The goal is to be self supporting and travel.