Permalink

Setting up a custom permalink for a blog can be confusion because of the many choices you have and experts have an opinion about which custom link setup works best.

I like to setup permalinks using only /%postname%/ in the custom setup section for the purpose of getting a link that meets SEO standards. Experts believe this custom setup causes performance issues in WordPress.

Although this may be true, be cautious when making changes to permalinks. I took the advice of an expert and altered my custom setup and my website back links stopped working for about 12 hours.

If you are not familiar with PHP coding language you could disconnect the back links to your website and lose your page rank.

Thankfully, I caught the error and change my link structure back to its original setting. Unfortunately, my Alexa page rank was wiped clean.

There are plug-ins you can use to make a permalink transition with 301 re-direct but if you don’t know how to get a plug-in to give you the result you want, don’t try it.

If your website has already been setup using the /%postname%/ or whatever method you choose, leave it and set your next website up the way experts say. Don’t take a chance on disconnecting your hard earned page rank.

Once I put my custom permalink back to /%postname%/ the links on my site were restored. I’m still not sure if I fully lost my page rank while experimenting.

Whenever you set up any website, it should always be done with search engines in mind. Search engine robots evaluate permalinks in a blog to determine how to index the web pages based on the structure of the permalink. Each permanent becomes the permanent link for that web page.

With that in mind, WordPress gives you five options when choosing permanents links listed below.

Common settings

Default
http://createawebsiteplan.com/?p=123

This permalink structure doesn’t give you much of a chance in search engines because of the numbers at the end of the link structure. Cross this structure off the list unless you absolutely love it and don’t care about getting your pages indexed better because of the related at the end of each post.

Day and name
http://createawebsiteplan.com/2011/06/22/sample-post/

Day and name are not so impressive either due the year, Month and day of the month structure with the post sample at the end. Sample post is competing with the time of the year. You want the search engine to really see your keywords so your web page will be found based on people searching.

Month and name
http://createawebsiteplan.com/2011/06/sample-post/

Month and name sounds better than the other two listed above but still not the best structure to get the best search engine results. Remember, you want to get the best chance possible to get your website noticed and visited by as many people as possible.

People always type in specific keywords when searching for anything on the internet. Finding out what they truly search for can be found  by using the Google Keyword research tool.

Numeric
http://createawebsiteplan.com/archives/123

Numeric is the next choice but is also competing with a structure that has a good keyword in it. This can also be antithetical to having your website pages found by surfers.

It’s your goal to always give your website the best change be found in a search.

Custom Structure

Last but not least, there is the custom structure; the best choice of them all in my opinion. By using the custom structure you get to make your link structure be perfect for search engines visitors to your web page can understand what the page is about quicker with glance of the words

This page is titled Permalink so the structure of the web page will look like this: http://createawebsiteplan.com/permalink

The structure of the link is perfect visually and ready to make the search engines happy.

The text code to use to get this permalink structure is: /%postname%/ which should be added in the custom section.

Optional
Leave this section alone. You don’t have to any further than setting the custom structures post name.

The last step is to make sure you update the changes you made. If you fail to update the page, your page will be give default settings.

The conclusion is to always do whatever it takes to give your website or blog the best chance of getting noticed by visitors and search engines. Good permalink structure is crucial to properly find favor with search engines and help your visitors remember your permanent links

Thank you for visiting CreateAwebsitePlan.com

claim token C6BNNMK3VGY7

Certain website steps should be taken
when building a website the same
way an Architect plans
the construction
of a building

Step One:

The first step is to plan what you want your site to be about which will require a bit of brainstorming. While brainstorming, some of the questions you should answer are: what is the purpose of your website? How do you plan to get traffic it and what tools will you use to build it?

Once you have answered these important questions, you have only completed half of your mission.

The second half is to get your website up and running and getting the necessary traffic to it to make it function. Without traffic your site will sit in cyber space collecting dust.

There are number of techniques you use to drive traffic like pay per click. You pay each time someone clicks on an advertising link that leads back your site; articles you write and submit; called article marketing, should have links that also lead back to your website; forum commenting; good keyword research and video marketing.

All of the above mentioned techniques should be used when trying to get traffic.

Step Two:

Determine the main purpose of your website. What is it about and why are you building it? Do you want an E-commerce (sell products online) , affiliate marketing (sell other peoples products) or business marketing website?

Once you have nailed down the goal of your site, start looking at ways to build it. You have quite a few options to choose from. You can farm it out and have someone build it for you or you can learn HTML and build it from scratch.

I wouldn’t advise building from scratch unless you have to satisfy a strong desire to learn HTML. You could use the ever popular Adobe Dreamweaver Software which will also require you learn how to use it.

If you are the adventuresome type, try using WordPress at no cost. It’s also fairly easy to learn and use. WordPress gives you tons of themes to choose from as well.

If you choose to have someone build it for you, visit Elance.com or 99Designs.com to find a freelance graphic designer that will be happy to build it for you.

You will pay an average of 500 dollars as a starting price.

Step Three:

Choose to outsource the building of your website or choose the software of choice and start building.

Once your website is up and running look, for ways to get traffic to it. Article marketing is the fastest way to get back links and traffic along with visiting forums that match the genre of your website. When visiting forums have a clear goal to leave comments that help others and you’ll be rewarded with quality back links.

My three main steps for building a website are:

1. Brainstorm for ideas about the kind of website you want to build.

2.  Determine the main purpose for your website.

3. Choose your method of building your website and build it.

Tips: The website steps listed above are not an exhaustive list of steps to build a website.

Affiliate Websites Step By Step
and How to Choose a Niche
that will Give you the
Best Chance at
Success

Before you start building affiliate websites, you should discover what your website or niche will be about. This often comes from discovering what you are an expert in.

Once you have determined what you’re good at and want to share with the world, start putting together the building blocks for your website.

They could go like this:

1. Brainstorm for ideas
2. Choose a website style
3. Get a keyword related domain name
4. Choose a good web host
5. Choose a look for your website
6. Choose a website software to build (Word Press is Free)
7. Map your website pages and navigation
8. Do Research to add keywords to your website
9. Research your competition
10. Build your website

If you love writing, you could find building affiliate websites a great way to make a living.

After you have planned your website and determined what it’s about, start building relationships with affiliate companies like commission junction, link share and too many to mention here.

Make sure the products you choose are related to your website. Don’t sign up for a ton of offers in the beginning. Beginners usually sign up with too many affiliate companies in the beginning.

Research the product to see if the visitors to your website will want to buy what you’re promoting. You only need products that are related to the theme of your website. Related products give you a better chance at making a sale or two.

When a potential customer ends up on your website, they want to find exactly what they were searching for; anything else and you’re wasting their time. Chances of getting that visitor back to your website are pretty slim.

The biggest mistake affiliate marketers make is not having a system that captures e-mails in order to begin relationships with visitors to their website.

People that shop on the Internet want to buy from people they can trust. When you have a relationship with your customers, you stand a better chance of making sales.

In order to make this happen you’ll need to use an email capturing system like AWeber. The AWeber link is an example of an affiliate link placed to make an affiliate sale and you will do the same on your website; place affiliate links related to your website so you can earn a commission and eventually pay your bills.

Once your website is up and running, you’ll need to sign up with companies that handle commission distribution checks for the companies that own the products. They are the middle man so to speak and track all of your affiliate sales.

Focus on creating good solid content your visitors will enjoy and recommend to others. That’s why it’s important to choose a subject for your website that you have some knowledge about. It’s tough to run out of ideas when you know what your niche market is.

Keep in mind affiliate marketing is saturated and most affiliates fail. Take a look at the “Dead Beat Super Affiliate” Dan Brock, who also has some great ideas for building successful affiliate websites.

Be prepared to go the long haul to have good success. More importantly, be passionate about the subject you choose for your website. Creating good content will make all the difference when you add new topics to your website.

Be sure to get my Free Mini Course at CreateAwebsitePlan.com for more information on building successful Affiliate websites.

Thank your for stopping by.

To your success.

Introduction to Website Design for Beginners

Website design for beginners can be an intimidating subject. It can make a beginner shrink back and never want to build a website from scratch due to all that goes into the process. However, with the right approach, anyone can build a website with ease if they create a plan before they create the website.

How and where do you begin?

Get a sheet of paper, sit in a quiet room and begin to brainstorm ideas for your website. A beginner website should consist of content you know a lot about. Having knowledge about your website will make it easier to build it.

One of the biggest hurdles beginner website builders struggle with is writers block. When you know your subject you’ll have much better success. Your knowledge will be much easier to convey to your audience.

The next phase is to decide which style website best fits the idea you brainstormed to get.

The steps above are the toughest part of building a website. Once you have honed in on your idea and the style of website best fits your idea, you will need to create content and put it into categories. Your categories will be based on the keywords people type into search engines to find your website.

Determine what style website best fits your idea based on these example website types.
1. e Commerce Website
2. Review Website
3. Affiliate Website
4. AdSense Website
5. eBay Website
6. Business Website

This is not an exhaustive list of websites.  These are some of the more popular types of websites that are on the web today.

Any of these types of websites could be the right for your idea. You must decide which works for your idea.

Let’s say you decide to build a Review Website about roses. Your steps would be:

1. Decide what product you know a lot about. (roses?)
2. Choose review website as the back drop.
3. Research what other review sites say about the product (your competition)
4. Get a domain name that has your keywords in it. (sample – myrosereview.com)
5. Research and find keywords that people use to find your product on the web.
6. Structure your websites layout plan (Drawings & Site Map)
7. Get hosting for your website.
8. Build your website (Drag & Drop Software)
9. Write articles for your website for visitors to read.
10. Monitor your website traffic. (Google Analytics Free Software)

Sample Idea

When you were growing up you loved roses so much that you wanted to build a website about them. The knowledge you accumulated through the years is waiting to delight your audience. They love your site so much, they find themselves visiting on a regular basis.

They see the passion you have for the subject and want you to share more of your knowledge about roses.

In fact, your passion may be so strong that you create an eBook about how to care for roses that will be sold from your website.

Your review website becomes a website that generates a few hundred dollars per month from the sell of your eBook. Your knowledge about roses continues to grow and so do the pages of your website through the years. You have built a website you can be proud of.

That’s what success looks like.

Here’s what normally happens to a beginning website designer that leaves out the steps above. He or she will think of a really cool idea about a website that makes money online. Excitement begins to build but the crucial beginning steps are left out.

1. You don’t brainstorm to get a clear idea of the subject of your website.

Remember, you want to build your website based on a subject you know a lot about.

2. You don’t develop a plan for your website idea so frustration begins to set.

3. Your great idea slowly fades away and you’re back to square one with only an idea about a website you want to build someday.

Many website design success stories for beginners were only ideas at one time. If they had given up, their websites would not exist today.

They all had to begin somewhere. Don’t get hung up on obstacles that get in the way. There will be obstacles. They’re a part of life.

Each time a runner gets close to a hurdle he or she jumps it and keeps going straight to the finish line; but not without learning how to jump the hurdle first.

Your website idea is the hurdle that can be jumped. You have the knowledge locked in you mind and website build tools are available; some are even free.

Learn the steps to formulating an website idea and carry it through to the finish line. Don’t give up! Finish the race. Build your beginner website today!

Introduction to Website design for Beginners