EzSEO Newsletter # 215
August 24, 2008 by Andy
This week:
1. Continuing to covert a normal site to WordPress
2. WordPress Tutorial – IX
3. Adwords Tutorials?
4. Two more experts agree on themeing
Hi again
Last night, my wife’s best friend brought her new “boy” friend around for us to inspect.? She has done this over the years with all of her boyfriends ;O)
He’s some sort of therapist, but the strangest thing I found out about him is that he doesn’t own a television.? That can’t be normal, can it?
OK, enough rambling, let’s get on…
– — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — –
1. Continuing to covert a normal site to WordPress
— – — – — – — – — – — – — – — – –
In issue #213 I mentioned that I was moving some of my sites across to WordPress.? These sites were built mainly in Dreamweaver.
I told you that my biggest dilemma was how to handle the old content.? Initially, I left it in place as normal html pages so I wouldn’t lose their rankings, but I do want to switch these pages over to WordPress “posts”.? The problem is that my new “filing” system is not the same as the old one, so it is not possible to keep the same URLs for the new files.
The solution?
To use 301 redirects.
These redirects are recognised by the search engines as “this file has permanently moved” messages.? All PR and incoming links are then shifted onto the new page that the old ones is redirected to.
To do these redirects is fairly simple, but can take some time if you have a lot of files to redirect.? You need to access the .htaccess file in your site’s root folder.
NOTE: please make a backup of any files before you change them incase something goes wrong.? If you follow this procedure, you do so at your own risk!
Example:
Let’s assume that my old page was:
http://www.bluewidgets.com/electic/coffeewidget.html
Now, after copying and posting this page of content into a WordPress post, imagine the new WordPress URL is:
http://www.bluewidget.com/kitchen/coffee-widget/
I would add the following line to my .htaccess file:
redirect 301 /electric/coffeewidget.html http://www.bluewidget.com/kitchen/coffee-widget/
This is all on one line (wordwrap will have probably have split it in your browser/email client).
I would repeat this for each page I wanted to move.
The site I am doing at the moment has about 150 pages of content that needs to be moved.
It means adding a page to WordPress, and then adding the redirect to the htaccess file, then uploading it.? I then have to repeat this for all 150 files.
Its a time-consuming job, but ultimately I believe it will be worth it because my site will be moved over to WordPress, and I should have maintained my rankings.
– — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — –?
2. WordPress Tutorial – IX
— – — – — – — – — – — – — – — – –
A couple of weeks ago, we looked at choosing templates and installing them.? Hopefully you have had some fun with that, changing the look and feel of your blog on the fly.
If you have missed any of the WordPress Tutorials, and to see the new ones, go to this site:
When you get there, click the link on the right to “WordPress Tutorials”.
So far in this series we have covered the following:
* Advantages of WordPress and how to install it (both manually and using Fantastico).
* Installing Plugins, my top 10 plugins, and how to activate and keep them updated.
* Adding the homepage as a static page.
* A few other essential pages you need to add, including Terms, Privacy and a Contact Us page complete with form for your visitors to fill in to contact you.
* Setting up permalinks.? This forces WordPress to use a URL structure YOU specify rather than the default one that WordPress comes with.
* Choosing and installing a template.
Today, I want to look again at the permalink structure of your site, and make a couple of recommendations.? You can read the tutorial on the affiliate minder site (link above).? It’s called “Things you need to know about Permalinks” and is found in the WordPress tutorials section.
– — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — –?
3. Adwords Tutorials?
— – — – — – — – — – — – — – — – –
One question that a lot of people ask me is whether I’ll do some tutorials on using Google Adwords to drive traffic to affiliate sites.? The bad news (at least for you), is that I don’t currently do any Google Adwords.? I rely 100% on fr.ee search engine traffic to all of my sites, so I am not in a position to give advice on using Google Adwords.
However, I know a man that can…. Or at least I thought I did.
A few years back I bought Perry Marshall’s excellent Definitive Guide to Google Adwords package.? It was a fantastic package that taught me how to use Google Adwords.? When I reviewed the package, I gave it a 10 out of 10 as I really believed it was that good.? However, that was years ago, and things have changed in the world of Google Adsense, so I went back to his site to order the latest version so I could do a full 2008 review for you.
Unfortunately his order system sucks.? Firstly you are required to enter a STATE into the ordering system, and there is no option for “Outside US/Canada”.? Even trying to fool the system by entering a US address did not work, since when I went to pay via Paypal, all I got was a message saying the Paypal integration was not working.
I actually tried to buy this a few months ago so I could do a review, and had the same problems.? I contacted them about it then, but nothing has been fixed.
I hope that the “Critical” support message that I have posted on their support desk gets someone to sort this out, as I really do want to update my review from a few years ago.? This was the very best guide to Google Adwords I had found, and I am hoping it still is.? I think Perry is obviously so successful with his Adwords work that he hasn’t noticed sales of his products dwindling to zero because of an ordering system that doesn’t work.
One of the other reasons I wanted to review this now (in August), is that Perry is starting a new “Boblsed run” in September.? This is his personal coaching program that I have heard such great things about.? I actually wanted to get in on this, but I guess I’ll miss that too because of his ordering system.
The only good news I have on this is that Perry has setup a nice 5 day Adwords course that you can get for free.? While this is delivered via email, you can get them all at once if you follow these instructions:
Go here:
Scroll to the bottom, and look for the text that says:
“Already signed up but never got your e-mails? Click here.”
Click the link, and a popup will open.? That popup gives you a link to part one, but all 5 parts of the course are linked to at the end.? This course is well worth reading if you are thinking of doing Adwords.
If you are a little more serious about Adwords, you can read about Perry’s Coaching club here:
Perry Marshall Coaching Program
However, don’t get too excited as you read his 5 day course, or the information about his coaching club, because at the time I wrote this, you couldn’t order either of them if you live outside the US ;O(
– — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — –?
4. Two more experts agree on themeing
— – — – — – — – — – — – — – — – –
When I checked my email this morning, I saw the latest newsletter from Michael Campbell had arrived.? As usual, I stopped everything and read it.? Michael is one of those marketers I trust 100%, and I always get some good bits of information I can use in my business from his publications.
If you are not getting his newsletter, I suggest you do so.? You can sign up for it over at:
In this issue, Michael mentions my “Gestational Diabetes” themeing report.? That report (written a few weeks ago) shows quite conclusive evidence that the top pages in Google are themed better than those ranked lower down.
In his newsletter, Michael says:
“I ran similar tests and got similar results. I also
tested high end proprietary software, costing
hundreds of dollars per month, and it came to the
same conclusion as Andy.”
Just as I was reading Michael’s newsletter, Colin McDougall popped on to GoogleTalk and started raving on about his credit card site, and the results he was getting after using KRA Pro to “theme the **** out of the site”.? I had no idea what he was going on about.
Here is a cut and paste of part of that conversation:
Andy: “What results”?
Colin:? “mega jump in google
Here is what is happening as direct result of KRA Pro
1. Traffic is up
2. Clicks to merchants up
3. Best of all conversions have gained a full percentage point!!!!
So, by using KRA Pro I get more traffic, more clicks to merchants and more sales
While…..
My visit duration is up
This is SUCH and essential VEO tool”
Thanks for the testimonial Colin!
It’s just a thought, but as other people embrace the idea behind themeing, they are going to be building sites that will be more and more difficult to beat in the search engines.? These people are your competition!? Do you really want to see your sites left behind?
If you want to learn more about themeing, and how I do it, you can read several reports (including the gestational diabetes one), and watch some themeing videos here:
Well, that’s it for this issue.? If you want to read the recent issues of this newsletter, you can read them online at my blog:
http://ezseonews.com/blog/index.php
For older newsletters, you will need to visit the old archives at:
Have a great week!
#######################################################
Visit the subscriber Bonus page for free reports and other subscriber-only:
If you enjoyed this newsletter, please recommend it to your friends. Also if you have any tips of your own, questions or comments, please use my support forum at ezseonews.com/support.
Any tips or questions & answers I print in this newsletter will also be put up on the web version of the newsletter with a link to your site
if you want it. That’s extra free traffic for your site as well as an incoming link to your site.
Vote for ezSEO Newsletter: http://bestezines.com/?id=141
The contents of this newsletter is copyright 2008 Andrew Williams.? If you want to republish any of the articles, you must get permission from the author.
This newsletter disclaims all responsibility for the advertising copy or the product advertised. You cannot rely on the fact that the newsletter has examined the product or recommends or endorses the product, unless it clearly says that it has, when you make your decision whether or not to purchase the product or interact with the advertiser. You are advised to do your own investigation before buying. Additionally, this newsletter may accept articles that we do not write or investigate the accuracy of and for which we may receive direct or indirect benefit or compensation. We specifically disclaim any responsibility for the content of such copy.
#######################################################
Related Articles
- None Found
I suspect that Perry’s ordering process is completely broken, because I’ve used a US address with a UK Paypal account with other vendors many times and had no problem at all.